Some are Part 90 type accepted for LMR. If you're really concerned about type acceptance you're probably not buying baothings.

Ran a short informal net this evening with various people down in the valley below me.  I started the net with my Kenwood TM-271A (65 watts) and then once the other people responded and we got the net going, I transferred to the Baofeng UV-B5 I have.  It has a a Nagoya NA-771 whip antenna vs. the OEM antenna.  Both worked equally well.

Everyone else was using Baofeng UV-5R radios except two people who had both the 5R and Yaesu FT-60R radios.  All sounded good.

All of the Baofeng radios and both Yaesu's were previously programmed by me using the CHIRP software.  The Baofengs were dead dumb simple; the Yaesus not so much.  I had to find some online tutorials on how to download and upload to the radios.  It was the opposite of dead dumb simple.  

Unpossible. Baofengs are shit radios.

Subcommic?

Another Baofeng hater and probable MotoSkull. Do you guys still promote the communication propaganda that you can buy a used Motorola HT off the web for $125.00 and use it?

How can a thread about a radio with over 100 memory slots ans a data interface go without at least a cursory mention of CHIRP, over on danplanet.com?

'Twas sarcasm. I don't own any Motorola products. But I do own two UV-5rs. The hams continuously call it a shit radio. It is fine for what it is and offers more options and flexibility than blister pack GMRS/FRS handhelds do.

This may help some here:

i am a ham and I've got several including a not so CCR (anytone). I'm just throwing shade at the LMR heads that for a little more money, you can put a used cop radio on the air that's spectral pure, etc, etc. All the used COP radios that I have purchased have cost more than 8 Baofengs to get on the air.

https://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/Home

If you use CHIRP to program your radios - ALWAYS update the CHIRP software before you do any programming, especially if you're using an older program file.

My Nagoya NA-771 has developed a wiggle between the base and the antenna.  It moves slightly up and down and slightly spins. At this point, it still seems to have continuity because I can hear a weak-signal NOAA weather station when I wiggle the antenna.

I'd like to secure this before it really does break.  Has anyone dealt with this?

Mine came with a small plastic washer that I didn't need. If yours did as well, perhaps it will take up the slop while maintaining continuity.



I am a relatively new ticket with pretty much no experience.  I bought a few of the baofeng radios along with several friends. Some will take the test, some won't. All grown men, isn't my business.

I used CHIRP and programmed all of the radios. It was pretty easy after I downloaded what I wanted from repeaterbook. I also hung a N9TAX antenna from a tree in front of the house.

I live up on a hill and today was able to hit the repeater 16mi away (road travel, probably 11-12 as crow flies). One of my friends parked closer to the repeater responded that he heard me just fine.

I'm sure someone will come along and tell me I'm full of it, but it happened. I've also reached another arfcommer (regular poster here) in another county by using that same repeater.

People can shit on these radios all they want, the signal can't be stopped. The Little chinesium radios are the gateway drug of alternate communication.

I don't think you realize it, but you've seen your future.

The pos bofunk years ago has now cost me thousands.

The irony is they always seem to sound fantastic on the repeaters.

I have regularly used a BF as far as 22 miles from a repeater to participate in a morning roundtable net.  Compared to $400 Japanese radios, I had to find the sweet spot to stand relative to the 2m frequency and keep the antenna polarity 100% aligned.

Heretic! Burn the witch!

I've had my UV-5R since March 14, 2013 and not once have I wished I'd spent more and got a better handheld. It's done everything I would have done with one costing several times more.

So it sits in a drawer waiting to be charged?

Pretty much, which is the same as one costing $400 would be doing. It gets pulled out and used every once and a while. It works fine and hits the repeater from here (10+ miles).

Actually, it's a pretty good point.  The batteries require cycling to reach full potential.  Fortunately, it's pretty easy: simply turn the radio on and leave it on until the battery dies, recharge it, rinse repeat 3-4 times.  You can listen to any interesting channels while doing it.