Baofeng Ham Radio for $36

[sarah]

We just got another handheld. Took Roger's advice to get a cheapy - and we found this for $36 on Amazon. Unbelievable right!? The battery even came charged. It has an FM radio that mutes when you get a call, a desktop charger, a "flashlight," robot talking voice, dual-band, and the shortest antenna I've ever seen.

Baofeng UV-5RA X+


We'll see how it does this weekend.

[Ol Man]

Yep, I bought one a while back and most in our club have also. The price is amazing and they work nicely. I like the smallness/lightness. Nice to clamp to your jeans and to put a mike (from Sara's link) on you lapel to hear what is going on. Others have also bought this antenna from ebay (do a search) Diamond RH771 SF SMA antenna.

I also have a Vertex hx370, but they are heavier and pricier.

Now, explain to me how anyone can make money on something so complex and cheap:

Someone designed it
Someone made it
Someone shipped it
Someone received it
Someone advertised it
Someone packaged it
Someone shipped it

and everyone had to make a profit or they would not be in business.

[daniel_buck]

Can these function as "walkie talkies" without a HAM license? If so, would they be better than normal walkie talkies? I've never had much luck with walkies. And I don't always wheel with a group that has CB radios, would be nice to have a device to hand out to the person on the opposite end of the group from me.

Sorry, my knowledge of communication devices is very little :yawn:

[Materdaddy]

Can these function as "walkie talkies" without a HAM license? If so, would they be better than normal walkie talkies? I've never had much luck with walkies. And I don't always wheel with a group that has CB radios, would be nice to have a device to hand out to the person on the opposite end of the group from me.

Sorry, my knowledge of communication devices is very little :yawn:

You might want to look at FRS radios. Here's a pair of 'em for $25: http://www.amazon.com/Uniden-16-Mile...ords=frs+radio

Actually, what you should REALLY do is just get your ham license. It is dead simple.

I'd have estimate the test is ~50% common sense (FCC rules all, unless they're talking international stuff, then it's ITU), ~25% memorization (a couple of terms and concepts), and ~25% dead simple algebra (power = current * volts). Just look at the practice tests and don't be scared by the following:

p: power (measured in watts)
i: current (measured in amps)
v: potential (measured in volts)

I usually find it easy to think in terms of water pipes. Think of volts as the water pressure. Think of current as how fast the water is going through a pipe, and think of power as the amount of water that's traveled through a pipe.

Typically the question is something like "With 10 amps of current at 5v, how much power is used?"... 10*5= 50 watts.

[OU812]

I just took the practice test about a dozen times till I was passing consistently. It wasn't any harder that passing the DMV written test the first time to get your drivers license when you were 16. Maybe it seem intimidating because you didn't know much about driving yet, but in the end it was pretty easy.

I dig the 5+. Especially because the speaker/mic jack is that same as most of the Kenwoods. I had a hell of a time finding a helmet setup for my uv3r. There is really only one made for it and its junk. I think Ill have to order one or two of these as well.

[daniel_buck]

You might want to look at FRS radios. Here's a pair of 'em for $25: http://www.amazon.com/Uniden-16-Mile...ords=frs+radio

Actually, what you should REALLY do is just get your ham license. It is dead simple.

I'd have estimate the test is ~50% common sense (FCC rules all, unless they're talking international stuff, then it's ITU), ~25% memorization (a couple of terms and concepts), and ~25% dead simple algebra (power = current * volts). Just look at the practice tests and don't be scared by the following:

p: power (measured in watts)
i: current (measured in amps)
v: potential (measured in volts)

I usually find it easy to think in terms of water pipes. Think of volts as the water pressure. Think of current as how fast the water is going through a pipe, and think of power as the amount of water that's traveled through a pipe.

Typically the question is something like "With 10 amps of current at 5v, how much power is used?"... 10*5= 50 watts.

Thanks, I'll check out the FRS radios. As for the HAM license, yea I do eventually want to do that, but that wouldn't help me out when I'm in a group where nobody has HAM or CB. Not all of the groups I go out with are avid offroaders who have a CB, much less HAM.

[RAT]

I just took the practice test about a dozen times till I was passing consistently. It wasn't any harder that passing the DMV written test the first time to get your drivers license when you were 16. Maybe it seem intimidating because you didn't know much about driving yet, but in the end it was pretty easy.

I dig the 5+. Especially because the speaker/mic jack is that same as most of the Kenwoods. I had a hell of a time finding a helmet setup for my uv3r. There is really only one made for it and its junk. I think Ill have to order one or two of these as well.

That practice test is not hard, but why do they ask so many questions that most operators will never deal with after the test? What is a gin pole? Really? Spin fade? At least I now know that a gin pole is not a drink stirrer...

[Materdaddy]

That practice test is not hard, but why do they ask so many questions that most operators will never deal with after the test? What is a gin pole? Really? Spin fade? At least I now know that a gin pole is not a drink stirrer...

Same reason they ask questions you'll never deal with after the driving test...?

If there's no sign posted, how fast do you drive in a residential neighborhood? Me? Whatever the hell I want. (Usually 25-35, but I think the actual answer is 25).

[FishPOET]

The test has very little to do with using an amateur radio. Everything I know about using the radios comes from talking with other radio users.

[daniel_buck]

What is a gin pole? Really? Spin fade? At least I now know that a gin pole is not a drink stirrer...

Spin fade is after you've had to many gins

[Materdaddy]

The test has very little to do with using an amateur radio. Everything I know about using the radios comes from talking with other radio users.

This is a good point.

After I took the test and got my license I bought a radio. The radio arrived and I didn't really know what to do with it. It wasn't until I started using the thing that you really understand more of the "use" of amateur radio.

A bunch of people on these forums had their license before me, but I don't live near them. Luckily I have a neighbor who is a ham that helped get me going on actual use of amateur radio.

[nwoods]

that was my issue as well. It didn't help that the my first HAM unit came with an utterly inscrutable set of instructions. It clearly told me how to engage each function, but did not ever tell me why I would want to use that function and what it would once enabled. I had my new license and my new radio and didn't have a clue what to do with them. I still don't, I just use it like HAM CB.

Going back on Topic, I've used one of those $40 Bafong's and it was great. It lasted three full days on Mojave Trail with me as trip leader (ie, lots of talking), and it lasted the whole time. I am told that they are a bit challenging to program, but that the free software someone wrote for them makes programming via a PC cable MUCH easier to accomplish. HAM works SO MUCH BETTER than CB or FRS, there shouldn't be a need for anything else. I hate CB!

[RAT]

I ordered one that had a bit better reviews and it comes with the programming cable and an external speaker.
BaoFeng UV-5R 136-174/400-480 MHz Dual-Band DTMF CTCSS DCS FM Ham Two Way Radio it was just a few bucks more. I'll take the test as soon as I can. Luckily my neighbor is a HAM. He has a 30 Ft tower on his house...

[CVD]

I have a Wouxon KG-UV3D handheld (first radio). I want to Ham Radio Outlet in Anaheim, with the intention of buying the very popular Yeasu FT-60. The guy at HRO talked me into the Wouxon, mainly for the total price (radio was a little cheaper, accessories were much cheaper). It works fine, I'm happy with it (I think it’s “related” to Baofeng, but more expensive - maybe the same producer in China).

http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-010931

One caveat. I find using ham radios unintuitive in general (the Wouxon handheld or my Kenwood mobile 2m). I don’t use them regularly. It takes time getting my head “in tune” with how the radio operatives when it’s time to use it (especially if entering a repeater when in the field). And, each manufacturer seems to have their own quirky menu navigation paths. If I was to start from scratch, I’d stick with one manufacturer for handheld and mobile radios (likely Yeasu, Kenwood, or ICOM).

[sarah]

So we did use this radio with an FT60 and Yaesu VX-6 (clipped an external mic to my backpack) this weekend and it performed flawlessly. The "talking" option was super cool when the channel was accidentally changed inside Rick's coat. He knew right away that he was on the wrong channel.

I was a bit surprised that we were the only ones on the ski slopes that were using 2M. Hopefully we don't start a new trend!