Hand-held for Idiots question

[dlwtrunked]

I have a Baofeng GT-5R dual band along with two Baofeng UV-5R GMRS radios and I haven't had any issues with interference at home or in my car.

Yes we all know they are cheap radios but they do work and get a new person started until they figure out what they really want.

You will find, outside this forum, that many with expensive radios (my most expensive costs $14,000), still will buy a Baufeng, as they have their uses. I can bet a Baufeng UV-17 Pro GPS from Global Walkie Talkie store on Aliexpress for under $50 that works reasonably well as a dualband and recieves a good range of other frequencies and it has build in GPS for latitude and longitude (altitude is not depenable). And the battery can be charged by USB. (NOTE: There are other UV-17 models but only the Baufeng UV-17 Pro GPS from Global Walkie Talkie store on Aliexpress has GPS as these were made special for just them. At around $80 one can find a similar Radtel, the RT-490 with similar and in some ways more capabilities. The expensive radios are not the only useful radios. If only ones know ICOM, Kenwood, Yaesu, Motorola, etc., one is not really aware the what is going on. The others may not be quite as "good", but often have features desired, and at an affordable price.

 

[KF0NYL]

@dlwtrunked you are correct. A lot of people recommended for me to get a UV-5R as my first HT. Baofeng radios are far from the best but they are cheap and work. After doing my research and also using the UV-5R along side the GT-5R, I will recommend the GT-5R. Other than the model name on the radios, they are the same. The GT-5R is a better radio as far as sound goes and with little to no spurious emissions. Radiodidy sells the GT-5R and the firmware is better and actually locked down to transmit only on legal 2m/70cm frequencies. Yes they can still be hacked, but out of the box they are good to go.

And even if I do buy myself a better HT, I will still keep/use the Baofeng HT's

 

[k6cpo]

You will find, outside this forum, that many with expensive radios (my most expensive costs $14,000), still will buy a Baufeng, as they have their uses. I can bet a Baufeng UV-17 Pro GPS from Global Walkie Talkie store on Aliexpress for under $50 that works reasonably well as a dualband and recieves a good range of other frequencies and it has build in GPS for latitude and longitude (altitude is not depenable). And the battery can be charged by USB. (NOTE: There are other UV-17 models but only the Baufeng UV-17 Pro GPS from Global Walkie Talkie store on Aliexpress has GPS as these were made special for just them. At around $80 one can find a similar Radtel, the RT-490 with similar and in some ways more capabilities. The expensive radios are not the only useful radios. If only ones know ICOM, Kenwood, Yaesu, Motorola, etc., one is not really aware the what is going on. The others may not be quite as "good", but often have features desired, and at an affordable price.

I'm one of the very few that hasn't bought a Baofeng. I had one for a while as I got it as a raffle prize, then a couple more came my way as donations to an organization I'm involved in. I gave all three away to a single mother and her two children that had just become licensed.

Life is too short to play with junk radios.

 

[paulears]

I've got a very different view about radios. What matters is the construction, the 'feel' the ease of programming and the pysical toughness. Pick up a radio, any radio at any price and with your eyes closed, you can tell if it is a toy, or a tool. Even radios of the same brand can fall into both categories, and this applies to expensive brands too. The flimsy ones, with difficult programing and easily breakable parts should be avoided, and the better ones welcomed. I've had some excellent Baofengs and some terrible Icoms, but other Icoms have been excellent, and some Baofengs pathetic. As Baofeng isn't really a proper make - just a sort of 'group' the products can be wildly different. Most of the big well known brands have had a few terrible models over the years. Motorola have had some solid dependable radios and some awful ones. All of them have. every time they produce a dirt cheap budget radio, it is expected to behave and last as long as the others. I just don't think a brand can have a meaningful quality descriptor accross the board. We should be open to the gems and keep clear of the terrible ones. Junk radios of ANY brand I agree, should be avoided.

 

[videobruce]

For a first handheld, I would recommend the AnyTone 878 in any of its iterations. It is a 2 meter/70 centimeter analog and DMR. The first models can be purchased for as little as $100 US.

I'm kinda in the same market for a dual band handheld. I did a quick search and found that model going for around $315 including from Ham Radio Outlet.
The cheapest I found was from Giga Parts & eBay for $220.

 

[vk3tbs]

You will find, outside this forum, that many with expensive radios (my most expensive costs $14,000), still will buy a Baufeng, as they have their uses. I can bet a Baufeng UV-17 Pro GPS from Global Walkie Talkie store on Aliexpress for under $50 that works reasonably well as a dualband and recieves a good range of other frequencies and it has build in GPS for latitude and longitude (altitude is not depenable). And the battery can be charged by USB. (NOTE: There are other UV-17 models but only the Baufeng UV-17 Pro GPS from Global Walkie Talkie store on Aliexpress has GPS as these were made special for just them. At around $80 one can find a similar Radtel, the RT-490 with similar and in some ways more capabilities. The expensive radios are not the only useful radios. If only ones know ICOM, Kenwood, Yaesu, Motorola, etc., one is not really aware the what is going on. The others may not be quite as "good", but often have features desired, and at an affordable price.

Here are some reviews for you that might help.

Baofeng GT-5R Pro

The first thing I noticed after receiving the radio was the size of the radio. It is small yet not to small that it is hard to use. It fits comfortably in your hand. Not only is it physically small…

vk3tbs.home.blog

 

[sloop]

1. For family use I would go with GMRS since the 'license' does not require a test and is good f or the entire family.
2. For vhf/uhf I would go with the Yaesu VX-6R HT. Its $249 at HRO.

 

[KD7RJC]

I'm not sure that I could recommend an HT without knowing more about how it would be used, and how the person using it may suffer handicaps like issues with vision or something like neuropathy in the fingers.

The problem with many HTs is they have very small buttons that are in-turn multifunction depending on the mode that the radio is in at the time. My first HT was an Alinco DJ-195 from the early noughties, and it's positively huge compared to most HTs even though it was powered by only six AA batteries. Most modern HTs seem to lack number pads and for many that do have them, they're very tiny.

I do agree on getting a GMRS license, because GMRS radios are also compatible with FRS radios. If you're carpooling with family they can operate additional cheap GMRS radios under your license (technically they're supposed to be in your household but I don't really expect it to be a problem if you're all related), and if you're carpooling with non-family then cheap blister-pack FRS radios will still communicate, albeit not with as much range due to the lower power.

Either way though, having one license doesn't preclude having the other.

 

[dlwtrunked]

Here are some reviews for you that might help.

Baofeng GT-5R Pro

The first thing I noticed after receiving the radio was the size of the radio. It is small yet not to small that it is hard to use. It fits comfortably in your hand. Not only is it physically small…

vk3tbs.home.blog

I am not sure why you posted those links. The first radio is not the same radio being discussed (and which I have had a radio for months).
The second radio has some wrong things-there is no real encryption (they apparently confused CTCSS) and no frequency hopping--the manual is inaccurate at least for the ones I have and others that I have seen.. Additionally, I have done tests on 7 radios, all put out very close to 5 W--something is wrong with your tests or radio (which I assume to be the problem). Finally I am not sure it is the same model as the UV-17 PRO GPS. There are several UV-17 sub-models. The UV-17R does not have GPS (though the GPS symbol is on the top and some seller misrepresent it in advertisements.) Does yours actually have GPS?

 

[hill]

The best GMRS handheld is a Kenwood TK-3180. You will also need thr cable and KPG89 software. A small learning curve, but it's one of easiest Kenwood software to learn.

When you get in ham radio this rsdio most likely can also be used in 70 CM frequencies.

 

[paulears]

I sell a lot of marine products. Identical channels, a few different features, but all brands very similar. One brand i buy direct from the factory, a few brands via a distributer. The direct supply company mentioned when I ordered more stock, a new model. I said send me a couple to try. I pulled one out of the box, and held it in my hand. It felt a bit light. The power button was on the side, not front panel. The charger was via USB, with a little waterproofing device on the side. That was enough for me to assess it as not that nice. I won’t order very many, but i will try a few. This decision was made before i even pressed the PTT. This is how i select radios. Electronics are hardly the issue any more. Its just how nice they appear to be.

 

[KD7RJC]

I sell a lot of marine products. Identical channels, a few different features, but all brands very similar. One brand i buy direct from the factory, a few brands via a distributer. The direct supply company mentioned when I ordered more stock, a new model. I said send me a couple to try. I pulled one out of the box, and held it in my hand. It felt a bit light. The power button was on the side, not front panel. The charger was via USB, with a little waterproofing device on the side. That was enough for me to assess it as not that nice. I won’t order very many, but i will try a few. This decision was made before i even pressed the PTT. This is how i select radios. Electronics are hardly the issue any more. Its just how nice they appear to be.

Are there standards, formal or just sort of implied, for marine radios for durability and water-resistance?

I could see marine HTs needing to be able to function properly when found floating in seawater after having been discovered bashing up against the hull of a ship, for example.

 

[paulears]

There are standards that in the US and in the UK it’s meeting the standard of the old spec but there’s no actual test. Oddly water proofing and being able to float is NOT part of the spec. Leisure radios and the mechanics solid tough ones have the same marine channels but are very different in features. People can spend a fortune or modest amount. None seem to be different in performance just the gadgets

 

[K3YGX]

I like those cheapo's and I've never had any problems with them (UV5, UV6, UV21) and GMRS equivalents.
Besides, if you are a beginner why go all out (like why buy a Les Paul only to find out you don't like playing guitar).
They work, and are as said before, a good one to learn on.
I think that all china manufactured radios use the same freeze dried jello in all of them no matter how much
they cost.

 

[sempai]

I have a few of the BTECH GMRS-Pro HTs. They're made for GMRS and have location services, and they can send short messages to other radios as well, but if you're using the radio to do it you'll want to stick to extremely brief messages since it doesn't have a full keypad. You have to scrub through numbers and letters using up-down keys. It's terrible. Or you can use the mobile app to do it, but at that point why not just send a text message on your mobile phone?

They are easy to operate, but there is no other way to provision the thing without a mobile phone app; although you can do a really slick transfer from HT-to-HT of channel groups and it works great. But if I need to manually add a repeater and I don't have the BTECH GMRS PRO Programming app for Android or iOS, well, that's what I signed up for, unfortunately.

 

[rf_patriot200]

I have a few of the BTECH GMRS-Pro HTs. They're made for GMRS and have location services, and they can send short messages to other radios as well, but if you're using the radio to do it you'll want to stick to extremely brief messages since it doesn't have a full keypad. You have to scrub through numbers and letters using up-down keys. It's terrible. Or you can use the mobile app to do it, but at that point why not just send a text message on your mobile phone?

They are easy to operate, but there is no other way to provision the thing without a mobile phone app; although you can do a really slick transfer from HT-to-HT of channel groups and it works great. But if I need to manually add a repeater and I don't have the BTECH GMRS PRO Programming app for Android or iOS, well, that's what I signed up for, unfortunately.

I May have already mentioned this, but search for a app called Rattlgram. it's pretty slick and allows you to send texts over literally ANY form of transmitter. I's pretty slick using it on FRS.

 

[Coffeemug]

I'm surprised that BTECH hasn't come out with firmware to monitor DMR and IDAS/NXDN. After all. this radio is perfect for communicating with family members or social group. It also makes a good radio to have either at Trackside or on-board Trains, from a railfan point of view. To be able to scan through AAR Channel while keeping in touch with family members or fellow railfans that are different locations using simplex or repeaters.

Of course, that's a lot to ask from a radio manufacture, especially when GMRS PRO's primarily purpose is to be used for FRS / GMRS simplex and repeaters, not really so much a UHF/VHF scanner.

 

[rf_patriot200]

I'm surprised that BTECH hasn't come out with firmware to monitor DMR and IDAS/NXDN. After all. this radio is perfect for communicating with family members or social group. It also makes a good radio to have either at Trackside or on-board Trains, from a railfan point of view. To be able to scan through AAR Channel while keeping in touch with family members or fellow railfans that are different locations using simplex or repeaters.

Of course, that's a lot to ask from a radio manufacture, especially when GMRS PRO's primarily purpose is to be used for FRS / GMRS simplex and repeaters, not really so much a UHF/VHF scanner.

I'm not. DO you know what you're Asking ? I doubt Btech would have the Tech to produce anything close to that, since there's only One receiver on the market that will do that. The AOR DV-1 Is the only thing that currently will receive those modes and more.

 

[paulears]

It's likely Btech (which is I believe a very small enterprise) even know what people do with the radios. The hobby within hobby aspects, like American trains they probably do not understand at all. They make small amounts by shifting large amounts of boxes. I have about 5 chinese suppliers who speak really good English and I get on well with them and have done for years. They often pass on messages from the USA, to me in the UK and ask what they mean. I do my best to explain, and the clear thing is that the FCC and our OFCOM don't have a direct equivalent. They do NOT understand (from the questions I have had) GMRS/FRS/PMR446 - the US vs UK amateur differences, and that CB is not the same as the UHF systems. This is why you often see UHF equipment labelled 'CB'. Very often the response to my questions is "I will ask the engineer" - as in one person, and there is no guarantee that person knows what the radios are even used for. Look at how many radios cover bands that do not even exist in the US, Europe or the UK. They make big deals about how they transmit in the 300MHz band - unaware none of us use that band. Do not think the brands you see actually exist in any way like our ones do. The same brand product can be made in dozens of small workshops. Or in one big one - where all sorts of brands just get applied. The small organisations buy in the electronics, the plastic housings, the accessories, the batteries and chargers and even the boxes and plastic inserts. A small group of people put them together and stick Baofeng on the front, or two or three different brandings. They also have businesses that design their own, with their own branding mainly for internal consumption - or at least Asia. I get offered these all the time and some are really useful products. The radios that would be used commercially in China is solid, reliable, chunky and heavy. The Baofeng and Btech stuff is an export product. Different aims.

Also remember that certain products they cannot easily make. Airband radios, for example. Strongly controlled production - as is any radio that could transmit in the military bands over there. Manufacture is banned, or heavily controlled. This is why the Chinese airband products are more expensive and less available. I buy audio equipment for hire and retail - but getting radio microphones on the UK bands is virtually impossible now, as our band here in the UK is a military band over there.

 

[Coffeemug]

I'm not. DO you know what you're Asking ? I doubt Btech would have the Tech to produce anything close to that, since there's only One receiver on the market that will do that. The AOR DV-1 Is the only thing that currently will receive those modes and more.

You are probably right! But that would be something. On the other hand, carrying two radios, one for GMRS or? and one monitor rail traffic isn't all that bad. That's strain on the batteries in the long run, depending how many hours you're out railfanning with your buddies.