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BAOFENG UV-5R Ham Radio Handheld Two Way Radio

Curated from 99 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: February 26, 2025

BAOFENG UV-5R Ham Radio Handheld Two Way Radio

Brand: BAOFENG

Price: $46

Snoop Score:

2.7

Sentiment

6.0

Popularity

3.5

Technical

1.3

Buy on Amazon for $46 See All Two Way Radios Reviews

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Snoop's Take

The BAOFENG UV-5R 8W Ham Radio is a versatile handheld two-way radio designed for amateur radio enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers. It supports dual band VHF/UHF frequencies and offers various features such as 128 memory channels and emergency functions, making it suitable for hiking, camping, and emergency situations. Consumer feedback highlights the BAOFENG UV-5R as an affordable learning tool for novice ham radio users, with many praising its capability to receive a wide range of frequencies. Users mention, "The Baofeng is great for tossing under the driver seat of your car so you have an emergency radio," which underscores its practicality as an emergency communication device. However, some concerns have been raised regarding its audio quality and potential legal issues with transmission, indicating that while it is popular among beginners, there are caveats to be aware of. Overall, the BAOFENG UV-5R is recommended for those looking to explore the world of amateur radio without a significant financial commitment. It serves as a solid entry point into ham radio usage, especially for beginners, provided they are mindful of the legal requirements for operation.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Two Way Radios

You don’t want to invest hundreds of dollars into something you’re not sure will stick.
Positive Feedback

The major criticisms of the Baofeng radios were, or are, that (1) they have a poorly filtered "TX side" that transmits spurious emissions that are beyond allowable levels and / or outside of the amateur radio bands, and that (2) they have an easily desensitized "RX side" that prevents the user from hearing moderate signals in the presence of a stronger signal, even if on another frequency.
Negative Feedback

2.7

BAOFENG UV-5R Ham Radio Handheld Two Way Radio

Buy on Amazon for $46

Backpacking & Hiking

1 / 10

Family Camping Trips

1 / 10

Emergency Preparedness

1 / 10

Off-Road & Overlanding

1 / 10

See how this compares to all Two Way Radios

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.

Good for learning about ham radio

“You don’t want to invest hundreds of dollars into something you’re not sure will stick.”➕

“Getting the license is absolutely worth it.”➕

“They are technically bad radios, but they are cheap, accessible and fun to learn with.”➕

Capable of receiving a wide range of frequencies

“Not because I'll go drop thousands on new gear to talk to people in places I'll never travel, but for the deeper level of RF understanding it's brining me, and of course the satisfaction of passing the exam.”➕

Great performance with Egzumer firmware

“Great little radios with the Egzumer firmware. Can recommend.”➕

Affordable option for emergency use

“The Baofeng is great for tossing under the driver seat of your car so you have an emergency radio.”➕

Good range when using proper antennas

“This is in South Central Kentucky with heavt forest and hills.”➕

“Idk I love my baofengs but I would never buy one if it was my only radio.”➕

Affordable option for beginners

“Seems like the best 2 Models are the Baofeng bf-f8hp (39€ eBay) and the BAOFENG GT-3TP MARK III (which oddly seems to be discontinued (2 for 90€ Amazon))”➕

Good for beginners

“The UV-82 looks its a new one and has one watt more than UV-5R, also has a better speaker maybe a better audio reception.”➕

“They are pretty much the same, like most Baofengs. The power ratings are all bogus and don't make much of a difference anyway.”➕

Good range with proper antennas

“I was heard clearly over repeater 18 miles away, and I was just in the neighborhood set up against the open living room window.”➕

Plenty of user support

“many users so that's means better support.”➕

Good for learning about radios

“Just get your amateur radio license! It’s really easy to do, and you’ll learn a lot about radios in the process.”➕

It's literally a two-way radio

“It is literally a two-way radio. You have to be licensed to transmit from it though.”➕

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.

Poor filtering causing spurious emissions

“The major criticisms of the Baofeng radios were, or are, that (1) they have a poorly filtered "TX side" that transmits spurious emissions that are beyond allowable levels and / or outside of the amateur radio bands, and that (2) they have an easily desensitized "RX side" that prevents the user from hearing moderate signals in the presence of a stronger signal, even if on another frequency.”➕

Misleading marketing for unlicensed use

“The marketing doesn't help.”➕

“Sure, but still if the user doesn't know and marketing misleads them - I can't quite blame the user at that point.”➕

“QRM really is a problem and we should not make broad assumptions that it is fine just because we assume that public safety radios are somewhat good at avoiding it, which may or may not be true around the country.”➕

Quality control issues leading to inconsistencies

“Both were pieces of crap, though, that much was a fact.”➕

Inferior audio quality compared to other radios

“It also seems to have much better audio than the baofengs.”➕

Universal criticism of Baofeng quality

“Lets see where to start, don't buy a baofeng anything they are universally a POS.”➕

Legal issues with transmitting without a license

“I know there is some misunderstanding on the legality of using these without a license.”➕

“The newest uv5rs are locked to the ham radio bands.”➕

“It's not legal to transmit using a UV-5R without a license.”➕

User interface not as pleasant compared to other radios

“the user interface is much more pleasant, and it feels like a better radio”➕

“The QRZ Explorer is a much better radio while still being cheap.”➕

Poor performance compared to other radios

“Get him an FT-60R - its just a better performing radio that is easy to program from the keypad.”➕

“You could spend a few more bucks and get a nice bulletproof Yaesu FT-65… less than a hundred bucks and will have better filtering, less spurious signals and it qualifies as a “real” radio IMHO…”➕

Technically bad radios

“they're crappy radios. their power output is all over the place, they're noisy as hell, they're often used (technically illegally) for GMRS/FRS/MURS, which pisses hams off in busy areas.”➕

Negligible difference in range between wattage outputs

“8W vs 5W difference in range is negligible on VHF and UHF especially when you're using an omnidirectional antenna such as the rubberducky that comes with these.”➕

Confusion about model identification

“I just got a UV-5R and it's the 8 watt. I thought maybe I got the F8HP, but I cant find that model number anywhere on it.”➕

Considered disposable by some users

“No reason to spend more on what is essentially a disposable radio.”➕

Illegal to use without a license

“You can, but it’s illegal to use this radio for that”➕

Most Baofeng radios require a license to use in the US.

“Most Baofeng radios require a license to use in the US.”➕

Legal usage of Baofeng radios is questionable.

“Possible, yes. Legal, probably not.”➕

Only certain Baofeng models can legally use specific frequencies.

“There are lots of Baofengs.”➕

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Cobra RX680 Waterproof Walkie Talkies	$95	3.5	Details	Buy
BAOFENG UV-5R Ham Radio Handheld Two Way Radio	$46	2.7	Details	Buy
BAOFENG UV-5R Dual Band Ham Radio Pack of 6	$116	1.9	Details	Buy

Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.

Discussion about different Baofeng models and firmware

“Excellent Airband receive compared to other Baofeng radios.”➕

“I was really under the impression that most of them are uv5r’s that are different shapes.”➕

Discussion about upgrading batteries and antennas

“Those two upgrades alone make the F8HP a reasonably better buy unless you already have other aftermarket antenna plans.”➕

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.

Baofeng radios as a gateway to ham radio

“Baofeng’s are ham radios with training wheels. And the best gateway drug to the hobby.”➕

Suggestion for better learning tools (rtl sdr v4 dongle)

“You can receive almost all the bands from hf to ghz and will always have some options to do something on the radio.”➕

Discussion about gifting radios to new hams

“I think I’d be cool for him to have his OWN radio.”➕

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’

Different regulations in various countries

“Those are the factory test channels.”➕

“En España, las FSCE ( Policia, bomberos, etc ) usan el sistema TETRA y no se puede interferir con dichas radios.”➕

Radios are tools requiring knowledge of use

“Radios are just tools. Until you know what you want to do with them your question is a bit like asking if you should buy a specific wrench when what you want might actually be a hammer, or perhaps a paintbrush.”➕

Discussion on radio use in urban areas

“I hear all the local emergency frequencies…?”➕

Considerations for family communication

“You might be surprised at the answer 😀.”➕

Advice against buying pre-programmed radios

“Much like the "guard" channel, it'll get used.”➕

Discussion on legal usage of radios for business

“Totally legal, no. Because the baofengs aren't part 90 certified.”➕

“I am not supposed to use a UV-5R on FRS frequencies. This is due to the Baofengs having removable antennas.”➕

Discussion about the necessity of a technician license

“Looking for the down and dirty I see lots of good reviews.”➕

Discussion about UV-82 vs UV-5R

“They are nearly identical. For an amateur hobbyist, either will do the same job.”➕

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.

Clarification on certification of certain Baofeng models

“Some baofengs are Part 90 certified. Not all.”➕

Discussion about legal usage of radios

“Sure, use the same channels and don't go on repeaters (you might anger the HAMs)”➕