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.