Edit on 6/6 to correct and amplify

I've drug my feet on buying any of the 'baofeng' type radios for various reasons.

Decided recently to go ahead and pick something up.

Wanted it to be inexpensive, with some features, and also be a decent radio in its class.

I settled on this thing:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C1BNN4CS?tag=arfcom00-20

31 bucks and I was ordering other things so free shipping. Came from overseas, took over 12-15 days I think.

Here are my initial thoughts, in no particular order:

• Small form factor if you are used to public safety portable radios
• Screen is decently readable if you are old
• It's not super cluttered (screen)
• Keys are passable on the click, and fit semi-fat fingers
• BIG ass volume knob

• Uses (apparent) industry standard kenwood 2 prong (no retaining screw) connector, I will know soon how it interfaces with accessories
• Has a USB C connector. Don't think it will program or talk through it, and there are several things that say this is a last ditch way to charge. (shrugs)
• Receives AM airband
• Receives from 50-600Mhz out of the box
• Dual band out of the box.
• Will do three bands (144-220-440) with a simple set of keystrokes. (I forget how wide, my notes apparently didn't save on this).
• alleged to use "Beken BK4819 baseband chip"

Does the typical BF tricks I don't give a shit about, like has a built in flashlight/flasher, roger beep, voice prompting, tail tone clipping, 1-call, battery saver, button beep on/off, busy channel lockout, VOX, timeout timer, broadcast FM radio

Then, standards like crossband repeat, dual watch, programmable side keys, narrow or wide band, scans, keypad programmable and software programmable

Here is some neat stuff. Maybe the others do this too, I am not up to speed:

• Send an emergency tone mapped to a side key
• PTT ID (can send before you talk, after you talk, or both)
• Power on password (so if someone grabs your radio, they can't ratfuck it for information)
• Screen can show just the channel number(s), the actual frequency, or a channel alias
• 'scrambler' with ten different patterns
• single call/group call/all call using DTMF
• Radio Stun
• Mic sense adjust
• CTCSS/DCS search on an active frequency
• Radio > Radio over the air clone
• Something I call 'channel thief': This thing will listen, pull a close emitter in, figure out the frequency and tone, and set them for use. You can then save them, so if someone wants to join your group, you can hold them to each other and with a few clicks, have them on your net. -ish (It seems to work, I haven't really tried it with something complicated)
• 2 scan lists with priority scan capability
• It is LOUD. Like public safety radio loud

I'm not happy that it only does 200 channels. That's limiting if you want to do a larger load plan. Also no bluetooth, but it's thirty fucking dollars, right?

*It's also analog only. No DMR stuff.
*It's also not FCC type accepted in any transmitting categories.

For the important stuff that the radio people would like to know: I have no clue. The antenna may be shit, and I can't find any of my adapters for my known good antennas. So, I can't say how sensitive it is, I can't say how well it 'gets out', I don't have the ability to sweep the antenna or look at the transmitter for spectral purity right now, battery? I don't know. Will it drop and still work? Dunno. Survive a rainstorm? Dunno. What pouches fit it? Is it the same battery style as something with more battery choices? Dunno dunno.

I do see that there are people working on actively improving the firmware outside of the factory's blessings, and that's pretty cool. They've figured out how to talk to it, it doesn't use BF-style commands. I don't think chirp-next works on it stably yet, and that other guy (RT systems or something) says he will not support it.

And, I don't have any pics of mine just yet, all this is very preliminary, but I thought I would share because I was supposed to have a quiet evening, but now I see I am being summoned.

Perhaps some of you could comment on this, or if you are considering another radio, so far I don't see why this one is any worse than some of the other offerings I have seen so far.


Edit: I have returned home. This thing is also known as the Quansheng UV-K5, Radtel  RT-590, Wurui K5, and LSENG UV-K5.

The FCC ID is XPBUV-K5.

Everything I've put on here is guessing. More when I can get time to test it out. I'm not hand jamming a bunch of repeaters lol

Follow along with Dan's progress adding it: Master Chirp trouble ticket

Edit 6/6 1310: Reading the newest at CHIRP, I am not providing the link because I forget if this is a verboten topic or not. FYI:



He goes on to state that he doesn't believe the PA and antenna system will appreciate this behavior, but... even if it could just decently monitor all those it would be interesting.

last edit for awhile, I have realworld to get done today lol

From the place that is doing the R&D:

Does the over air clone transfer all of the saved channels on the radio?

That is a great question.

The manual is for shit. There are some youtube videos I have cued but haven't watched. It is my hope that it will clone the entire codeplug, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Ok. I was reading the ad listing and was not sure if the over the air clone and the "frequency thief" as you call it was the same thing....... like it was going to grab one frequency.

Without it being digital, or having bluetooth, it seems unlikely to transfer 200 channels of info........ i would think.

Cloning is pushing one radio into another

Frequency thief listens, then captures a frequency and tone information like a scanner.

Allegedly there is also a frequency counter feature, too, but I haven't figured that one out yet.

I need to get my programming cable, then I want to try some of the unauthorized flashes and see what they do, then build a codeplug to push into it, then call a buddy and see if he will spot me on a few local machines.

Guess I should add, it is analog only. Be neat to find a digital one that did all that for 30 bucks.

Chirp got supplanted by chirp-next.

AS of the last time I looked, no. There was two people working to port a driver over, but the people that make this radio (according to the smart people) do not utilize baofeng-style firmware or communications architecture.

When I looked last week, two people had figured out the communications scheme, so they could talk to it, but the c-n driver was buggy.

The proprietary CPS is built suspiciously like later-model motorola in the navigation tree and windows. I haven't built an excel file to see if it will correctly import it, and I won't let that thing out on the net so I can't see if it will do a radioreference import, because I don't have this laptop set up to monitor connections (it's on its last legs anyway, but I've been dragging feet on purchasing a replacement.)

I just factory reset uv82s and use chirp to program channels I want.

@scpigpen

I don't understand what you're suggesting here

OK

I got my cable. There is a very specific way to hook this thing; if you are correct the tx led glows blue.

It reads/writes with the factory cps, and with CHIRP-next if you load a test module. I'm not certain C-N has all the data fields at this point, though, and I am unsure about the duplication of certain fields.

I don't understand how to load the test items that allow for more experimenting yet, but haven't had the time to sit down and stare at it.

Building a codeplug now.

I have one of these. I like the fact you can recharge the battery with a usb-c cable.
Other than that, I havent had it long enough to really get into it. Nor the time.
I do like the "scan freq" thang, but I wish it would scan just a little longer. Found some interesting stuff....

@high_order1

It is illegal to look up how to factory reset a uv5r, or uv82 and program it to xmit on gmrs or other bands not type accepted by the FUcc.

Oh.
Do you have a Federal law that you can cite for this?

I have an Abrree AR-518 which has the channel thief option. It's weird but works surprisingly well. This one has the display behind what looks like black plastic but it shines through, old school LED style.

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Secret Squirrel Operations and dumb ass users made the FCC ban the importation and type acceptance of the Chicom radios mentioned above in 2017 would be my guess.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95/subpart-E/section-95.1761

47 CFR § 95.1761 GMRS transmitter certification.
(a) Each GMRS transmitter (a transmitter that operates or is intended to operate in the GMRS) must be certified in accordance with this subpart and part 2 of this chapter.

(b) A grant of equipment certification for the GMRS will not be issued for any GMRS transmitter type that fails to comply with the applicable rules in this subpart.

(c) No GMRS transmitter will be certified for use in the GMRS if it is equipped with a frequency capability not listed in § 95.1763, unless such transmitter is also certified for use in another radio service for which the frequency is authorized and for which certification is also required. No GMRS transmitter will be certified for use in the GMRS if it is equipped with the capabilities to operate in services that do not require equipment certification, such as the Amateur Radio Service. All frequency determining circuitry (including crystals) and programming controls in each GMRS transmitter must be internal to the transmitter and must not be accessible from the exterior of the transmitter operating panel or from the exterior of the transmitter enclosure.

(d) Effective December 27, 2017, the Commission will no longer issue a grant of equipment authorization for hand-held portable unit transmitter types under both this subpart (GMRS) and subpart B of this part (FRS).

(e) Effective December 27, 2017, the Commission will no longer issue a grant of equipment authorization under this subpart (GMRS) for hand-held portable units if such units meet the requirements to be certified under subpart B of this part (FRS).

Thankfully, that three letter agency only has enough personnel to investigate interference.

But all of us RF outlaws need to beware. The FCC's new $220 million dollar PeepingTom satellite will use both triangulation and voice recognition to bring illegal emitters to justice.

Just a note: Batforce members are reminded that modifications to a Part 90 radio to allow front panel frequency programming DOES VOID THE CERTIFICATION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY USE.

I'm going to respectfully sidestep the legal discussion for a second.

Here's a video discussing what has been done.

For those that believe merely looking this information up is illegal, I've put the link in a spoiler.

Click To View Spoiler

Now, I realize that without the correctness downstream, this is sort of a fun thing and not a serious contender to replace a multiband radio at the steep price of $40ish dollars.

However

I've demonstrated to y'all it can be done. Next, someone will notice and say, hm, if I change out the matching network values to this, and do that, then...

Once he comes back with a link, I'll be happy to discuss my view of it. IF there are others, you're welcome to briefly shit in this thread, as well. lol

@high_order1

Yeah, I missed typed didnt proofread and left out some words on my post earlier. Should have said it's against fcc rules to xmit on radios not approved for whatever freqs they say.

I can understand how a post about looking something up being illegal sounded ridiculous.

However, seems like it motivated you to look it up and see what can be done with the radio and quite possibly expanded the operational possibilities.

You're welcome.

This is not accurate. Q52 FCCID is the same as the non version.




That's not completely accurate.  I can build a radio from scrap and transmit legally on many bands with no FCC ID / submission for approval.

Let's not turn this into that thread, though. If you guys want to hash this out with more granularity, let's one of you start a thread on it. @ me and I'll be there later!

Build what you want, do what you can. That was my entire sentiment, in terms of your utilization of that radio.

I checked for that thread.

I had about an hour last night; I was able to flash the unit with the test firmware. I can't figure out how they are checking frequencies over 999 MHz though. It can hear 26.965, 318, 721, 920 something.

Can the baofeng or a better radio do this?

It snatches frequency and tone from another radio, but needs to be pretty close from what I can tell.

I didn't test out of band AM, but it picked up am in CB and 10 meter and aircraft ok.

I kerchunked a couple local 2m, 220, and 440 repeaters. It was too late to bother a friend for a report, though.

Using the NOAA stuff, I didn't see a great improvement over the stock antenna with any of my military or moto or efj antennas. I don't have access to bench machine to honestly test it, but it dawns on me I know where I have a signal generator, and a few other tools if anyone is interested in that.

Let me know if there is something in particular you want to see with this thing, and I will try when there is time and opportunity. I am struggling to build the codeplug for it.

Meanwhile, if the Smart People figure out how to add modes to it or anything cool, I will keep this thread appraised. Feel like I am missing some information here, apologies

Front end receive sensitivity would be interesting to see, in the bands you will actually be talking on.

Did it go partially deaf for comms, in the interest of becoming a wide banded receiver?

I can't say, there were too many variables.

And, while I have some photos of the interior, I am not sure what they are putting into the receive path because I don't know what I'm looking at from a glance.

I have realized I have a signal generator I've never really figured out how to use, perhaps I can do some uncalibrated minute of barn tests with it later.

Also, I have NO idea how much erp it has in or out of band. Enough to drive a preamp? Enough to bake the things in the transmit line? I've got a few 30-500 whips so coupling into an antenna isn't going to be the issue. Then I have a 200-2 or 4 k to look at the upper end, but I don't know how to dial 1.2GHz into it.

I was shocked that I held a handheld doodad that picked up 26.965 then 770 from a tower that doesn't propagate well in my holler, for $35 bucks. You can't buy a standalone scanner brand new for that.

I am certain maybe some of you can figure it out. I quit at the grr'd up chip when I realized Smarterer People were doing the heavy lifting at github.

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Guess I should add, for a scanning receiver, scan speed is slow. I haven't figured priority out yet, either, which will slow it further.

Attached File

Only problem I see is there is a K6? or UV-K5 (8) or something weird. It looks better, but I don't know if it's the same specs and will bitbang in the same manner.

I think that's about all I have to report on this one for now, thought I'd share for someone looking for a non-BF entry level / beater portable sub-$50 analog only radio, this one isn't so bad.

So with that chipset, it appears that a manufacturer could readily build the 25-56/136-174/200-240/400-512/902-928/1240-1300 radio that a lot of people think would be really cool. Just need some bandpass filtering and tweaks to the PA circuitry.

That's exactly the point.

That's why I bought it.

It really does work.
The chip driver circuitry and display are already good to go.

They say it's not splattery, either. Also, I think it does AM out as well.

The issue is, output is too low to be any sort of exciter, but from looking at the pcb, I suspect it is the network and not the chip's fault. There also is a factory-enforced gap around the old cellular band that might be an issue with using it for current public safety 700 MHz, too, but...

step at a time!

The graphs I saw looked incredibly splattery when they tried to TX outside of the factory TX bandwidths. But much of that is probably just due to running the signals through circuitry not designed for those frequencies.

It should be capable of AM or whatever mode you want, providing the FPGA or processor has the horsepower and is set up to handle that mode, and the PA circuitry can properly deal with it. If they try to include SSB it would need a high precision reference oscillator.

Okay! Fine! I bought two! Not a chance I am going to miss out on it, I'm a sucker for more handhelds that I will literally never use.
I am going to post a pic of all my handhelds when it comes in so you see why this is a problem.

I feel your pain.

We will have a support thread, then.

Free 12 day delivery...
Quansheng UV K5 Walkie Talkie

Quansheng has been around a while. I had a 2m ht from them back in 2008.

The UV-K5 's hidden menu of the extended frequency transmission is super simple to operate, just press PTT+Side1+turn on. #ham #hamradio #uvk5 pic.twitter.com/6BdwWmUt9e

HamGear_TacGear  (@bd7pa) June 30, 2023

That brings you to a menu that turns on 220, US 440, and wider VHF. The real sauce is now apparently baked into chirp-next, so no real firmware banging.

I think.

I haven't had time to reset mine, and then see if just selecting 'unlocked' or whatever the option is does what I was doing with the flashing.

I picked up a couple. Thanks for spending my money.

I wonder, with the extended receive mod if it will allow cross band from 10 meters to 2 or 70 cm so I could retrans 10 FM repeaters to vhf or uhf.

After you flash the modded firmware. Open Chirp and go to Settings, go to Driver Information, check Limits disabled for modified firmware.

I didn't touch the x band. I never asked either of the people if there were firmware limits set to that function, either. ... and I have no easy to reach 27mhz radio lol

Ah well lol

So,  you do have to flash it still? Thanks

Showing up as $13.03 for me:
Quansheng $13.03

Out of stock, no longer available.

This will get down to 10m?

Dumb question......... will it get down to 11m CB Frequ?

Mine will load and transmit on 26.965. In AM. But I don't have an antenna that easily goes below 30, so, it didn't have much distance. (Shrugs) I still say you will probably burn the thing up unless you can figure out how to massage the components in between the amp and matching network and whatever else goes on in there. I put some pics up for smarterer people to figure out.

The bandpass circuitry isn't set up to work there so it significantly attenuates the generated signals.

Cool. I ordered one to play with.

I might have to put the ESA-L1500A across that filter network and see what it looks like. If it were a mobile a guy could write some code into a microcontroller to diode switch in some proper filters but being an HT hmmm dunno, trying to think of some way to do it. Might be interesting to see what the spurs look like if routed around it. Being it receives apparently fairly well out of band I wonder if the bandpass is switched in only in front of the transmitter.

For its size, you could take one and put it in a 200 round saw drum or something, plenty of room for a battery, and even perhaps one of the old 800 cavity filters!

Seriously though, it could be shoehorned into a toy 163 case. Can you tell anything from the FCC images, and; that guy provides a pretty decent breakdown of disassembly. My concern it the board is multilayer, and I am missing something there.

I also have a guy that says he is looking into the controller as far as how things are presented on the screen, but I don't have a lot of hope in him.

@lorazepam
Back in stock.