Baofeng uv-5r Plus - antenna reccomendation > Ham Radios

Posted: 1/1/2013 1:43:11 PM EDT

Hello everyone!

The information on this site has been SO USEFUL, ive been studying HAM radios for the past few weeks and have learned so much from everyone here!

I just recently purchased a Baofeng uv-5r Plus and have heard that the antenna, while ok, still probably should be upgraded, and so I've been googling and searching the web and such for an answer to this but have not been able to find any.
Is there anything out there affordable and if I got something a little higher quality would it be compatible with the Baofeng?
Like this: http://www.amazon.com/OEM-universal-Antenna-Kenwood-QUANSHENG/dp/B009APVOC4/ref=pd_sim_e_18

Thanks everyone!

(Also)
I have 2 Kenwood TK-880 radios, I got them for free from a friend, but they are programmed and only 2 avaliable settings are available. is there a way to program them without the program cable? I have a friend who said he would make one for me from a pinout online but is that really nescessary? i say you could hold B and turn it on to self program but its not working, so im assuming they turned it off via programming.

Thanks everyone!

Posted: 1/1/2013 3:43:51 PM EDT

[#1]

When I got my Baofeng I also ordered the NA-701 antenna which came recommended from a couple internet sites. I have since added a slim jim from two way electronx. I can not tell the difference will receiving between the slim jim and 701. I didn't event try the antenna that came with the unit. I can't give a transmit report as I'm not able to transmit yet.

Posted: 1/2/2013 5:48:29 PM EDT

[#2]

I had a lot of problems with my stock antenna.

I will second that the NA-701 is very popular, but the risk is small on the one you posted. I bought a similar one for less than $4 on eBay. Everyone that got these cheap ones seem to be happy with them as well.

I've got a lot of general information on my site about the UV-5R and other Chinese radios, but for a comprehensive guide to the UV-5R check out http://www.miklor.com/uv5r/

Cheers,
B

Posted: 1/3/2013 5:33:51 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
I had a lot of problems with my stock antenna.

I will second that the NA-701 is very popular, but the risk is small on the one you posted. I bought a similar one for less than $4 on eBay. Everyone that got these cheap ones seem to be happy with them as well.

I've got a lot of general information on my site about the UV-5R and other Chinese radios, but for a comprehensive guide to the UV-5R check out http://www.miklor.com/uv5r/

Cheers,
B

Thanks for the site Brick (and the Clowney Post)

Posted: 1/4/2013 7:30:21 AM EDT

[#4]

Thanks for the site Brick (and the Clowney Post)

You are welcome! (And I'm a Vols fan, but credit where credit is due!)

Posted: 1/4/2013 10:41:12 AM EDT

[#5]

Hey guys thanks so much! I've been looking and these are all great!

Posted: 1/5/2013 6:07:34 PM EDT

[#6]

I ordered one of those NA-701 antennas. Now I just have to wait for it to arrive from Hong Kong.

Vulcan94

Posted: 1/6/2013 6:27:10 AM EDT

[#7]

Took a while from Hong Kong, but got mine OK.

Posted: 1/6/2013 9:07:38 AM EDT

[#8]

This is the one you want. It does some things others can't and I got 8 miles in the hills between two UV-5R+s with these.

Diamond SRJ77CA

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamantht/2368.html

http://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5210

Posted: 1/6/2013 11:11:29 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
I have 2 Kenwood TK-880 radios, I got them for free from a friend, but they are programmed and only 2 avaliable settings are available. is there a way to program them without the program cable? I have a friend who said he would make one for me from a pinout online but is that really nescessary? i say you could hold B and turn it on to self program but its not working, so im assuming they turned it off via programming.

Thanks everyone!

You need the cable, and they're readily available for $10 to $15.
example:
http://www.kawamall.com/pd_1x_kwca0gct.cfm

Will also need the appropriate software.

Posted: 1/8/2013 10:31:00 AM EDT

[#10]

ive only used my radio a couple times but my repeater is like 15-20 miles maybe further away it I have no problem tx/rx inside my house

I did order an antenna from MJF $30 shipped
of course at first I ordered the wrong one so now im waiting for the correct one
also just ordered one for $12 shipped from woxun
so havent tried anything yet

and got a little adapter coming in for sma to uhf incase I ever do a car roof antenna I figure I can just adapt it

its my first radio and its pretty nice for the price and what it does

Posted: 1/30/2013 6:53:10 PM EDT

[#11]

The stock antenna has worked just fine for me in both the the vhf and uhf frequency ranges. So test yours out thoroughly. I can easily hit a repeater that is 13+ miles away from inside my house which is better than I can do with my Yaseau FY60. Still, it wouldn't hurt to have a back-up antenna as they can be fragile.

What is particularly great about these radios is their ability to be programmed outside the normal ham frequencies. I'm a member of a local Medical Reserve Corps and CERT team and was able to program in the town's EMS frequencies to both transmit and receive. But given this capability one has to be care not to break any of the FCC regs.

The link below is a post I made on Northeast Shooters See #16. It's a report of my first impressions about the radio.

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/ham-radio/177337-uv-5r-2.html

I try to avoid purchasing anything made in China so it makes me feel guilty to buy these radios. But you can find them for as little as $49 or $59 with a speaker mic on ebay and free shipping if you shop around a bit (sainstore, nicheone, etc.) How can you beat that. I just ordered my fourth and fifth radio and expect to have them within 2-3 days. Apparently, all the good "Japanese" radios such as ICOM, Yaseau, Kenwood, etc.) are already being made in China as well so, perhaps, I shouldn't fell too guilty.

Posted: 1/30/2013 7:20:17 PM EDT

[#12]

I wanted something a bit more compact and flexible so I got this.
http://www.powerwerx.com/wouxun-radios/stubby-mini-duck-flexible-antenna-kg-uv3d.html