Baofeng New Baofeng 5RM model

[a727469]

Not all Chinese radios are junk. The AnyTone 878 is a much different class of radio. Quality audio, quality RF produced. Fairly refined firmware. Plenty of USA support. They don't sound like mud puppy road apples. They aren't $30 either. Again, one gets what one pays for.

I've been a ham for 40 of my 49 years. We are also trained to do better. We train to put quality signals out that are not full of spurious emissions, with readability and intelligible audio. We strive to encourage good operating practices, like not using CB radio sounding roger beeps, kerchunkerbating repeaters, etc. But thanks for the pro-tip. Speaking of pro, some of us do radio (LMR) for a living and care about things like FCC rules, staying within our emission mask, not interfering with others or transmitting out of the ham bands with non-certified radios...but you know all that I'm sure.

How about the way I solve the Chinese transmit issues..I use by Baofeng UV17 for receive only mainly dmr and my Icoms for transmit..👍

 

[richallcorn]

This "AnyTone" has become my primary. Eventually I'll get my dream HF, but this AnyTone is the AT-878uvii Plus. It does literally "everything"!

It took a while to learn the codeplug and get the programming right, but ...
it scans my repeaters and channels that I want to monitor, which includes the standard VHF and UHF repeater frequencies, my personal GMRS frequency, our repeaters in the area, and my DMR digital channels I monitor as well. My DMR hotspot stays in my Jeep because it works while I'm in the house. My iPad Mini-2 (mounted on the dash), also provides Internet for it. This radio is much more than I ever thought it could be. It even updates APRS on both analog and digital, depending on which I'm using. The bluetooth interfaces it to my sound system, and the bluetooth remote key switch I mounted on my shifter. I never have to lift the mike!

This radio comes with everything I needed "except" the external mic, and a 2nd battery. On your second battery, get the one with the USB-C connector on the bottom. That way when you're traveling and have it in the car, it can be plugged in charging as you drive, using it.

Amazon:

https://a.co/d/e9y4ZV3

 

[a727469]

How about the way I solve the Chinese transmit issues..I use by Baofeng UV17 for receive only mainly dmr and my Icoms for transmit..👍

Meant the 1701 which does dmr☹️

 

[hlhamner]

While early model Baofeng UV-5R radios were problematic (politely phrased), the quality and spectral purity has significantly improved in past ten years: dispelling early genuine Baofeng model trash talk. The fake clones were garbage. The UV-5R is discontinued and replaced with the third generation BF-F8HP.

Which brings me to the newest 5RM.
The highlights are:
* Tri-band 2 M, 1.25 M, and 70 CM
* Aviation AM monitor.
* 1.77 inch color TFF display (barely readable in sunlight)
* One-touch NOAA weather channels.
* 999 channels
* USB Type C charging cable plugs into back of battery
* Desktop charger (not compatible for UV-5R radios).
* 2500 mAh battery (not compatible for UV-5R radios).
* Like the UV-5R radios it can illegally transmit (not type certified) on GMRS, FRS and LMR channels, and (gasp) even the NOAA weather channels!

Pic of my BF-F8HP and 5RM side by side.
Redacted because I erroneously labeled radio on left as UV-5R.

I bought two

Here's my review of the 5RM: I've had a couple of UV-5Rs that were definitely junk. Early this year, I decided to get another car and found 5RM on Amazon and ordered a pair. It feels better in the hand, and more solid than the 5r series. I can't comment on wattage output on the bands, but it does transmit on any FM VFO frequency available to it. Fairly clean on 2m, not too bad on 70cm, but more spurs than a rodeo on 1.25m. Recieve is surprisingly good on all but the FM BCB.

I wound up getting four more. The price was too good to pass up. July brought a reason to use them when Beryl hit Houston. Plugged MURS and FRS into them and passed them out to my neighbors (at 60, I'm the youngest by over 20 years). Power was out 13 days, but we kept in touch the whole time on MURS 1 using those admittedly cheap radios. Never heard anyone else on any of those frequencies the whole time.


I'd love to have nice equipment. My budget dictates otherwise. Sure, I could have gotten a decent rig for what I paid for the six 5RMs, but how would that have been useful for my elderly neighbors during the hurricane?

You don't like the performance of a certain rig? Don't buy it, tell folks straight up what you don't like about it, and then drop it. All the condescension and snark doesn't provide any information about the specific radio mentioned by the OP, nor does it encourage anyone trying to learn about something useful that they can afford.

"CCRs bad." Scratched vinyl, and allt that...

I just bought two Baofeng 5RMs and both are being sent back for a refund. The power level on both in VHF high setting is less half the dBm of my lowly Btech uv5x3 as shown on my calibrated Spectrum Analyzer when using the same antenna. To do a real world test I went out in my yard and, using the same Nagoya 771 antenna, I was not able to reach my local repeater (14 miles away) with the 5RMs but could easily reach it with my UV5X3. Additionally, the second harmonic on both 5RMs was only down about 10db from the primary frequency. Should be down at 40 dB per FCC specs. The 5RMs are probably illegal to operate if my Spectrum Analyzer readings are correct.

 

[a727469]

Not surprised on the dirty harmonics. Many other reviews say the same on the 5rm’s. While not acceptable at all, for the price, that along with my old r is pretty good on receive which is all I use it for. A few years ago, where could you get a relatively wide band receiver for the price? As I stated above, I have Icoms for transmitting.

 

[Omega-TI]

About the << Baofeng UV5RM for only $16.49 at Amazon >> who cares what the radio snobs say? Okay, I'll accept the fact that it may be "dirty" even spits harmonics around like a Bubba spits his chew, but if you are only going to use it to RECEIVE a few analog frequencies, what difference does that make?

And yes, there are people like me who on occasion only scan 4 or 5 frequencies at a time for background noise while doing other things, so it looks like I'm going to buy yet another Cheap Chinese Radio". To those that don't like it....

 

[pb_lonny]

I am tossing up between this and a UV-17 for some basic RX useage.

 

[a727469]

I am tossing up between this and a UV-17 for some basic RX useage.

Personally I would go with the 17R Plus..mainly because I own one😉I believe it is a bit bigger but both would be fine for basic receive.

 

[Omega-TI]

Personally I would go with the 17R Plus..mainly because I own one😉I believe it is a bit bigger but both would be fine for basic receive.

It's currently $30.00 on Amazon and I noticed it has a bigger battery with USB charge capability for on-the-go use as well. Still, you have to use a key or screwdriver to remove the battery.

 

[AK9R]

Still, you have to use a key or screwdriver to remove the battery.

Or, a coin.