Reddit reviews BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black)
We found 134 Reddit comments about BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
128 Channels 50 ctcss and 104 CDCSS dual-band display, Dual Freq. Display, dual-standby, a/B band independent operation | High/low TX power selectable: busy Channel lock-out(bclo).Tri-color background light selectable: 0-9 grades vox selectable | FM radio (65.0Mhz-108.0MHz) | large LCD display.Keypad Lock: channel step: 2.5/5/6.25/10/12.5/25Khz | voice Companding: 50 ctcss/ 104DCS coder & tone searching.Emergency alert: 25Khz/12.5Khz switchable | LED flashlight: hight/low RF power switchable.
Cheapest
A Step Up
Solid Midrange Radios
High End
Cadillac
Hardly all inclusive, and I'm sure others will have additional suggestions, but I feel this is a good sampling of radios that are representative of their price brackets.
Good luck on the exam, and don't be afraid to try for your General if you pass the Technician exam.
The most giantest muffler you can find for when you fail sound, comfortable shoes, and four seasons worth of clothing.
Edit: Some more junk I thought of: A bunch of those shitty camping folding chairs for when everyone is just sitting around waiting for tech and such, a USB battery bank thing for when your phone dies, a projector for business presentation, and, if you guys can swing it, get some shitty two-way radios like these (super useful for when you forget something back in the paddock and your phone is dead): https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1493949638&sr=1-3&keywords=baofeng+uv-5r
Hmm, might be time to stock up on Baofengs for those who have not yet.
I've bought about 20 different Baofeng radios.
For those who don't know, the UV-5R is the least expensive (see note below), around $30, and is a common radio used on the battlefields of Ukraine and Syria by militia forces. It has a practical broadcast range of about 0.5 miles in urban areas, and about a 1-2 mile range with line of sight. I know a lot of people claim their devices broadcast further, but this is just my actual practical testing.
A slightly more expensive (but much better) option is the UV-82HP. It effectively has double the range.
Both radios can be modified with software to operate outside of normal radio spectrum. I think a lot of us knew that eventually the government would catch up and do something. Conspiracy theorists have claimed that the Chinese government installs backdoor software on these, or that there's other nefarious components of these cheap radios.
It's rumored that these devices are substantially less expensive than US, Korean, or Japanese options because the Chinese government was subsidizing the price of each unit. Basically trying to flood the market with a cheaper version and unseat Motorola as the standard business radio. You do really get good capabilities for the price - but it's no where near what a $200+ HAM radio setup is capable of.
Personally, I think you should have a UV-5R plus extra batteries in every vehicle. If you ever run a convoy it becomes critical to have radio communications.
*There's older UV-5R models for $25, and they can be bought in bulk on Amazon. Or, this 5-pack for $111.
It's not exactly a walkie-talkie, but the Baofeng UV-5R is what I, and a lot of other airsofters, use.
I have been putting together these two Go Bags over the last month or so to store in each of my two cars.
The bags I used are Red Rock Outdoor Gear Rover Sling Pack (Coyote and Olive Drab)
They are probably about half finished at the moment, so this is the first tier update on the kits!
---
Bag 1 Contents:
---
Bag 2 Contents:
Let me know what you think!
Please check out our new subreddits /r/gobags and /r/bugoutbags!
Baofeng UV-5R
Remember it's got a flashlight, FM broadcast receiver, VHF/UHF analog FM scanning capability (where useful), picks up NOAA broadcasts, plus it's a great excuse to pursue an amateur radio license.
I don’t get why aviation handheld radios are so expensive. There are Chinese manufactured radios for like $35 or whatever, but unfortunately they don’t make them in the aviation band (and AM)
BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_aB9XzbAJV22XB
Get a Baofung UV5R or similar from Amazon for about $30. It comes with a charger and if you set it up right it holds a charge for a good while. You will need a technician class licence from the FCC to transmit on it but it works great for hitting local repeaters on 2 meter and 70cm bands. I wouldn't bother with cb personally, the ham bands have further reach and repeater networks expand that across the state and even nationwide.
Edit to add:
BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_B0svzb4DRCC35
Also, get the programming cable and download chirp software to set up the radio with your local channels. There's plenty of tutorials on YouTube etc.
The normal price for a 5 watt UV-5R on Amazon is $3 cheaper with free shipping.
This is that you are looking for. :)
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_4?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIofnYs4LD5QIVUdyGCh0YQQrNEAAYASAAEgLfjPD_BwE&hvadid=174220176673&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9027632&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=13136217085205916574&hvtargid=kwd-34120777327&hydadcr=19103_9441108&keywords=baofeng+uv-5r&qid=1572405356&sr=8-4
> Getting your ham license is easy-peasy. Study for the technician level exam took about four hours. The test costs $15 and that gets you a call sign and a ten year license.
Pro-tip: You don't need a license for emergency use and HAM operators will always be glad to help in an emergency situation.
Get something like the BaoFeng UV5R and learn how to use it. If you don't mind the extra weight (1.1 pounds) it can save your life.
What you're describing is HAM radio.
$15 covers the license. You'll learn a lot to pass the test too.
Get a few of these. Watch Slick deals for the best price.
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
One of these would be a good idea.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004WKH00M/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1479097005&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=ham+radio&dpPl=1&dpID=51MrErlT3tL&ref=plSrch
As far as I understand you can communicate within two miles or around the world. Depends on the frequencies you use and the antenna setup.
Get a community assembly/neighborhood action coalition going. We'll need those dual power structures to be ready.
Get your mutual aid game up. First aid trainings, tool libraries, dry canneries (yes this is from the LDS church, but they know their shit).
Get a ham radio and license, and get a comms network going with your comrades. Figure out how to get water if the power goes out (your water might too) - this might mean a generator for your well pump, or a huge bottle of iodine tablets for drinking rain barrel water from the roof of your building for a while.
Get a shotgun. $200 gets you a good one, you can hunt small game up to deer with it and a pump action is easy to maintain and not likely to be outlawed anytime soon.
Start today.
Amateur radio equipment used to be expensive and only available from specialist suppliers. Unlicensed users did occasionally use equipment illegally, but with the exception of CB burners, it was a relatively minor problem.
The availability of dirt-cheap HTs on Amazon is a completely new problem in terms of scale. If you look at the Amazon reviews for Baofeng transceivers, it's clear that a huge proportion of buyers have absolutely no idea that they need a license.
I don't think we need to go as far as verifying licenses at the point of purchase. I do think that sellers should be required to prominently state that the equipment is for licensed users only, and that use of this equipment without a license is a criminal offence. At the very least, unlicensed buyers of these radios have the right to know that they're breaking the law.
If you're just looking into radio to see if it's right for you, which it seems like you are, your first port of call should be finding a radio club. It's easy, just go to this page from the ARRL. They'll help you get your license (seriously, wives of hams often have licenses they never thought they'd get), they're some of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, you can go over to their house and they'll let you try their radios out (you can operate a radio even if you're unlicensed, there just has to be a licensed operator with you), and in my experience, they're really generous and will let you borrow radios or just straight up give old ones to you that they don't use anymore. If you find out that radio isn't really for you, they're usually great friends overall and you'll probably be glad to have met them. They're also really great question-answerers.
___
Now, if you're already licensed and are looking into getting on 2 meters with a Baofeng, here's what I'd buy:
All in all, you're looking at spending about a Benjamin or less on a proper Baofeng setup.
Hope this helps!
This is a good idea. Get your own license. Also, if he doesn't have a handheld yet, buy yourself and him each a cheap HT like a Baofeng. They are not the greatest radios, so you will probably want to upgrade at some point, but it's a great way for you to get into the hobby and you both having little handhelds means you will more likely be able to find a chance to use them.
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
What your family member is looking at buying is a Baofeng UV-5R. It is actually not designed to be a scanner but is a ham radio that can transmit/receive public safety bands. It is perfectly legal to own these radios and they are extremely common. Unlike most other radios however, they will do nothing to prevent you from transmitting on bands that you're not allowed to transmit on. So while it would be perfectly fine for them to get that radio, they just have to be very careful not to hit the transmit button.
If they are dead set on purchasing one, I would encourage them to get their amateur radio license so they can learn how to properly operate their radio, learn all about the relevant laws, and communicate on the the amateur bands that the UV-5R can transceive on.
My ideas:
This is a pretty good start. I've put together a couple of notes.
All that being said, I think you've done a good job of planning and selecting products that will be useful. I've been waiting on my wife to put together a sewing kit, but your post has spurred me to buy one instead (I don't think she's ever going to get around to it)....(this is the one I ended up buying: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015L46N96/ref=pd_luc_rh_sbs_02_01_t_img_lh?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1).
Thanks and best of luck with your prepping!
VHF stands for Very High Frequency, it consists of radio frequencies between 30MHz and 300Mhz. Learn more about the different frequency bands here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_frequency
Note: Hams break up the bands listed there even further, naming them by wavelength. For example, at VHF there's 6m (~50-50.1MHz),4m(~70-70.5Mhz),2m(~144-148Mhz) and 1.25m(~220-225Mhz). At HF we've got 80m, 75m, 60m, 40m, 30m, 20m and 10m (plus some more bands I left out). These are the bands used to communicate around the world without satellites or repeaters.
$30 VHF Handheld - Keep in mind that if you buy it you must have a license in order to transmit with it, you can listen just fine though. https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
As for getting started with your license, what country are you in?
BaoFeng UV-5R
I somewhat impulsively decided I really wanted to become licensed so I bought a $25 [BaoFeng UV-5R] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8NbsDbZT2KJ8T) radio and just reviewed questions in my spare time using HamStudy for a few weeks.
I just passed my exam on Saturday and am waiting for my name to show up online, so that method has been working for me so far.
Investigate getting your ham license (seriously, the tech license is simple, sub $15, and you might learn something new). That'll allow you to use much more powerful equipment. Talkies are limited to 500mw and often have trouble getting out of the vehicle. With ham, you can pick up something even as low as ~$25 that'll do 4w, and it only gets better from there.
So, is your mission is to deliver...video, telemetry, etc from a drone? If you want to send video, this changes things and you're muuuuch better off buying off-the-shelf FPV kits. Telemetry and command/control is a lot easier.
This thing is one hackish way to get what you want but as is, all it does is send position and telemetry at predefined time or position intervals for use on the APRS network.
An even more hackish way is building an audio interface between a Cheap radio with an arduino (using Trackuino software) that lets it transmit AX.25 packet data. It's only going to be 1.2kbps, i.e. very, very, very slow.
Upgrading to a faster amateur radio data system that can send digital video and fast telemetry is basically going to be an DIY approach, either brewing circuits yourself or putting COTS parts that aren't designed to be put together, together, because more-or-less, ham radio has been left in the dust when it comes to high-speed data radio tech. Either way requires a fair bit of EE and/or programming skill. Just check out FaradayRF. Those guys have been working on that data radio for 3 years before selling product. That's why I'd recommend an FPV setup for video, and data radios built for your purpose.
Disclaimer: Before you do any of those things above, you do need a technicians amateur radio license. Start here (lmao i took that photo), then skim through this, and take practice tests here, and use this to find a license exam in your area. It costs $15. the real point of needing a license is to educate users that there are regulations on radio emissions, such as transmitting things willy-nilly is a bad idea (because it interferes with other users of radio spectrum); to help cultivate a common interest in radio technology, and also that ham radio is pretty fuckin cool.
If you don't get a license, you're stuck to super-low power off-the-shelf things (of sometimes questionable legality) and stuff that operates in the same band as Wifi (aka ISM bands).
Welcome! Nice to see that your interested in the hobby I myself just got licensed about 2 months ago now. I recommend picking up a cheap Baofeng UV-5R from amazon for about 35$. Then hop on over to www.repeaterbook.com and look for repeaters in your area to program and listen away! That's what I did before I got my ticket just don't key up the repeater.
Scanner apps are kinda hit or miss. As a last resort, I always have one downloaded on my phone in case my real scanner has a dead battery.
In all honesty, just get Baofeng UV-5r digital scanner, they are less than 30 bucks:
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
I also recommend getting a high gain antenna so that you can extend your range:
https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BTECH/dp/B00KC4PWQQ
I usually sit about a half mile outside of the yard, turn my scanner on, set it to scan only the railroad freqs, pop open a beer, and listen to the workers as they build the trains and discuss when its ready to depart.
A Baofeng UV-5R is what I have ($25 on Amazon currently). It's enough to dip your toe. You need at least a Technician license with the FCC to be able to transmit with it, though. I'm currently studying for that license.
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/
These bad boys?
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
​
Why are they banned?
Get an Amateur Radio license and start talking with other hams.
Here's how:
Oh, and
I'll throw my vote in for this. Spend your money on an HF rig. If need be, the FT-857 (this will get you on local repeaters too!) or IC-706. They're often floating by on the QTH and QRZ classifieds.
The moment you get your first taste of HF and reach beyond the local repeaters, you'll likely never go back.
If you're going to invest in something ot get you on the local repeaters, grab a Baofeng UV-5R for <$60 and play around. See if any of your local repeaters are IRLP or Echolink enabled, toy with that.
Otherwise, find a local club and maybe see if you can get a tour of someone's HF shack. Lot's of great HF radios out there to be had.
http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band/dp/B007H4VT7A
not sure if it would be compatible with the peltor as i don't use one, but i've used this one in multiple OP's and it hasn't failed me yet.
Finally bought a Ham Radio, portable
Baofeng UV-5R
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
According to the FCC, these radios will be illegal to sell soon so time is limited.
Full kit for $24 dollars and change
I was going to suggest getting amateur radio licensure, as it can be cheap and a fun hobby to get into anyway. Ham radios allow higher transmission power (better range) than non-licensed radios, and the frequency bands are probably less busy than the non-licensed (FRS and GMRS) ones would be on a cruise ship.
As it turns out, though, the rules for operating a ham rig in international waters are complicated, to say the least. So, uh, never mind.
I've had my eye on this. BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/
Cheapest radio: https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/
Slightly better cheap radio: https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV-82-Two-Way-Radio-Black/dp/B00E4KLY34/
Information about cheap Baofengs: https://www.reddit.com/r/baofeng
Getting started with amateur radio: https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/wiki/index
I'm with you--the most ultralight weather/emergency radio is none at all. It's definitely the kind of item that you're packing based on fears and not necessity.
Think of it this way, if you're actually able to get weather radio reception from a cheap handheld radio then you're not that far from civilization (30-40 miles max, i.e. a couple days of hiking) and have an escape if weather unexpectedly goes south for good. Otherwise without reception you're carrying a half pound brick.
If you do run into trip-ending weather that could have been prevented with a weather radio then IMHO that's almost certainly a failure in planning, not gear selection. Be smart and aware of the sky and weather you see throughout the day. Don't plan trips that might run into severe weather without a plan for dealing with it in the field--i.e. don't go out to spend an afternoon at the top of a lightning-prone Colorado 14er, or go hiking through a river canyon during the rainy flood season.
For disasters and emergencies I'd much rather be carrying a satellite beacon like an InReach, again a radio is useless once you're away from civilization. If you really need it most sat beacons can get weather reports for an extra cost/fee too.
For non-hiking emergency preparedness I'd go batteries too. Those hand cranks are gimmicks and you'll waste important and precious food calories keeping it running.
If you really must carry a radio, go get an amateur radio tech license and carry a little Baofeng HT: https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A They can receive everything (including weather radio) and transmit so you can reach out to the local park rangers, SAR, etc. Spend a couple days studying the flash cards and tests at https://hamexam.org/ and find a local tester from https://www.laurelvec.com/ The basic tech license is easy and just requires learning the basic law/policy for using radios (i.e. you don't have to be an electrical engineer).
I was looking for this response! We still do, because, what else would I call it? We do use HT an handheld, and some old fucks still say “handie talkie”.
Also if anyone is interested getting a ham radio license and callsign is super easy, the hardest part is that you actually have to go somewhere to take a test, but studying for it is a matter of playing around with the flash cards on hamstudy.org and reading up on some basics on how radio works.
Getting a radio is easy, Amazon has the Baofeng UV5R dirt cheap radio, the greatest innovation in ham radio in the past few years. Lets you listen and talk locally, and isn’t too hard to program from watching a few YouTube videos and guides. Bunch of options for getting better antennas too that will let you get some better range and do some fun things with satellites.
Hit up /r/AmateurRadio and see what you can do with ham radio!
You can make contacts with just a standard “rubber duck” antenna and a cheapo Chinese radio. Checkout this video to See this in action. This radio is usually around $30 on Amazon.
Of course a better antenna will help tremendously. Better radio would help too. Depends on how deep you get into the hobby :-)
Look up the next time your area is doing licensing, take a bunch of practice tests online (when I did it in 2008, they were exactly the same as the real one. Save up the $15, pass the test, get your call sign, buy on of these if you don't have much money. http://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV5R-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band/dp/B007H4VT7A. Find a repeater and listen to old men talk about doctors appointments and bad traffic! Of course if your friends do it you can talk about whatever you want, just follow the rules and standards. Good luck!
I started with a Baofeng UV5R, programming cable and a Nagoya 771 antenna upgrade. http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A?ie=UTF8&amp;keywords=baofeng%20uv-5r&amp;qid=1465418044&amp;ref_=sr_1_4&amp;s=electronics&amp;sr=1-4
Scroll down a little and you'll see all offered for $49.58.
Where do you live? We can help you find a local club, the folks there will be more than happy to welcome you.
The one downtown in 1998 and Gallatin in 2006 and Murfreesboro in 2009 are the strongest in recent memory. We get them, however they are usually weak and short lived. Rarely do we have strong long track Tornadoes. I wouldn't worry too much about it, doesn't hurt to prepare but it's not going to be life altering every year. We do get heavy downpours and strong straight line winds often, but as long as you have everything covered and secured, you should be OK.
Video 1998 Tornado: https://youtu.be/2fk0-LvNFB4
Video 2006 Tornado: https://youtu.be/XyZbkyBt2yw
Video 2009 Tornado: https://youtu.be/2QP-DOSUc4c
Get yourself one of these so you can listen to NOAA Weather Radio on 162.550 MHZ and The Middle Tennessee Emergency Amateur Radio System http://www.mtears.org https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A and optionally get licensed so you can participate in MTEARS http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed
Here is a list of frequencies for fast food restaurants.Edit: likely outdated. You don't need an actual headset to mess around with drive thrus. Just find a cheap hand held radio able to transmit at your desired frequencies like this one. To mess with the customer set it to the clerk frequency, to mess with the clerk set it to the customer frequency. Be careful not to not overdo it since it is very easy to track down radio frequencies.No problem! You can get a basic radio for pretty cheap, that way you can see if ham radio is for you. This can't do EME, but you can work a satellite with it when you pair it with a directional antenna. (also the lowest license class) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio_satellite
If you're really on a tight budget, why not consider the Baofeng UV-5R? Great radio for the price and a wealth of online information to make up for the poor programming manual.
I've wanted a HAM technicians license for years now as a secondary to my main hobby (FPV drone racing and freestyle) but I'm terrible at studying and terrible at tests. I would like some info as well. Book studying doesn't do it for me. YouTube videos have been the most helpful so far. I just don't know if I'll find the time to learn enough to pass the exam.
Edit: OP, I bought this handheld transceiver a year or two ago and for the price its really good. The brand came recommended from a friend that is a HAM.
BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_7XRYzbNXHTYE9
The Retevis radios look like Baofengs with different branding. The one you mentioned looks a lot like the Baofeng UV-5R.
Side note - Looks like they spelled the word "Professional" wrong on this radio.
Edit: Just thought I'd mention that if the Baofeng radios pique your interest, there's a whole sub dedicated to them.
No real leads on used equipment other than the usual ebay, CL, etc. but maybe the message boards related to the hobby. But I would start with a bao-feng UV-5R (or set of them) and then learn about external antennas. Cheap and great
I'd recommend just getting a radio and listening to the frequency directly. (If you are in the area.) This cheap radio works fine, and you may want a car power source too. Note that this radio is very cheap, but works well enough. This radio can also transmit, but may require a license depending on the frequency, don't transmit unless you know what you are doing.
The police frequencies are listed over here, or you can use the FCC's ULS system to look up all frequency registrations in an area.
In order for you to listen on an app, someone in the area of laurel needs to have a radio received tuned to that frequency, and feeding the audio stream to the internet. Just cut out the middleman and listen directly.
For $25 you can get a tiny scanner that'll cover police, fire and airport comms... much more reliable than the online streams.
You can get a BaoFeng UV-5R. My team uses it and it is usually under $45 CND
http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1377007716&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=baofeng
It is compatible with any Kenwood 2 pin accessories. I would recommend Z Tactical accessories.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xz+tactical+kenwood+2+pin&amp;_nkw=z+tactical+kenwood+2+pin&amp;_sacat=0&amp;_from=R40
Cheers!
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
i'm scanning local repeaters with one and using hamstudy.org right now
Amazon has 'em for half of that price.
For an actual answer: radios tend to have a range of frequencies they can tune into (e.g., air traffic control is slightly above what your car radio will tune into, but you can totally build and buy a device that can reach both ranges).
Possession of a device that can be tuned to a police frequency is not, itself, illegal. It is easy and legal for you to get a radio that can tune into and transmit on police frequencies, because that's just a frequency. I have a Baofeng UV-5R, a common cheap / introductory ham radio, which I'm pretty sure can do it but I've never tried.
Possession of such a device with intent to use it in the process of committing certain crimes is illegal.
Transmitting is illegal; there's probably state law about emergency / police frequencies, but in general, transmitting on various frequencies is regulated by the FCC and using an unauthorized frequency is illegal. Otherwise TV and radio and wifi and cell phones would be useless because people would just use whatever channel you want. The fact that it's possible to regulate "spectrum" as essentially land/property is a little philosophically weird, but just about all countries do it and it more-or-less works.
I concur with your assessment, digital voice recorder and radio/walkie takie, respectively. Stumped on brands, though.
Edit: voice recorder might be a Sony https://goo.gl/images/ZfhUAt. Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ICD-UX200RED-Digital-Recorder-Built/dp/B00387E5C6.
Radio might be BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black)
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=br_lf_m_mamqz8s9434j3wq_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;s=wireless
I used an app to do flash cards, read a few chapters of a book, and listened to some of a 'podclass' about it all
I passed with a 33/35 on the test. There's a lot of impractical stuff in there that really doesn't apply to the rally side of things. TBQH I got mine done and went to Ham Radio Outlet in Tigard and had them tell me what to buy. All in all it takes some work, and I could have passed the test with the flash card application alone
Also worth having a cheapo hand held to listen into the stage frequency at events. They cost like $30:
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1475208307&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=baofeng
Welcome to the sub! Congrats on passing your Tech.
First up pick up an RTLSDR, these are great little receivers that will cover 30MHz-1700MHz which covers a tremendous swathe of spectrum. Definitely check out the different types of antennas you can make over on Antenna-Theory, the RTL-SDR blog and /r/rtlsdr
Then if you want to transmit on the post popular amateur bands for techs (which are local to your area) pick up a VHF/UHF Baofeng radio like a UV-B5, UV-82 or UV-5R. Not a whole lot of difference between any of them; I think the UV-B5 is the better one, since it has a better antenna and a rotary encoder. But it's very much up to you as to what you get (style > substance after all :) ).
Now from there its a question of what where you are. City? Rural? Nearby airport? Ports or ocean?
Edit: I should start linking to the wiki more often: Baofeng radios and Your First Radio are good places to start.
I have a few of these BaoFeng radios. Less than $40 and can Xmit on all the useful frequencies for protest-sized area communications.
Then just get 2 baofengs and maybe a better antenna
Here's how I started:
Boafeng radio
Better antenna
Local repeaters, you're gonna have to search your area.
Find your local club and get involved. Find an Elmer. Join the local nets (radio jargon for organized, over-the-airwave, get together)
Once yo've done that, assuming you have your tech license, you want to upgrade to the General. Then find a decent HF rig, a wire antenna, some trees to hang it in, and party on. Obviously the more you spend the better you'll be but you don't have to break the bank. I got a Yaesu 857d which does all bands, plus the accompanying tuner, a G5RV antenna and some feed line for about $1100 and I can do everything my club's shack can do. I've worked Antarctica and South Africa on that gear plus some 60+ other countries so I'm pleased.
The misconception is that you need a 1000' tower to get out but really a simple wire antenna can do you wonders. Though if you gotta choose where to spend the money go for better antennas as they can really make the difference.
Best money spent though will likely be the club membership. You'll meet people, get good deals on stuff people are selling, advice, even free stuff periodically.
I ordered from amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007H4VT7A) and didn't have any problems shipping to Ottawa. Exchange, shipping and duty pretty much doubled the price in CAD though, but still pretty cheap.
They are a pain to program, but they are -so- cheap it's hard not to recommend them for a new operator.
Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007H4VT7A/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1416686714&amp;amp;amp;sr=8-1&amp;amp;amp;pi=AC_SY200_QL40
Edit: typos everywhere
Ha!
In fact, I own a dual band 2-way radio but have not made time to study up and prepare for the test to get my license.
Pick up some UV5r's and use which ever channels you want : http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007H4VT7A?pc_redir=1405926598&amp;robot_redir=1
I went to a the Mike & Key Hamfest in Western Washington last weekend and have never seen so much old ham equipment in one place. It was 2 floors in a giant convention center, with rows and rows, as far as you could see of old ham stuff on its way to die. Lots of the people selling the stuff just aren't into ebay, etc. that much. So I'd look to see if you can find a local hamfest. They're epic.
But what you really should do is get on Amazon and buy a brand new $30 BaoFeng 2-bander (or the newer one for $50). They're actually pretty good!
If you want to go the Baofeng route, there's a $40 one that could work. It's not very fast for scanning random frequencies, but if you program it with the software it will scan the memory quite well. I've got the software with all the local frequencies saved and could program it for you if you wanted. It can also listen to the NOAA radio as well as broadcast FM.
On our last trip to France our crew hailing from three different countries didn't feel like paying outrageous roaming charges so we purchased these: http://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV5R-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band/dp/B007H4VT7A . They're cheap and reliable, and can be set up easily by plugging them into a laptop. The batteries will get you through the day with no fuss. You get dual watch (for monitoring an emergency channel for example) and digital channel selection. They work remarkably well as long as you remain more or less in line of sight, but if your buddies are on the other side of a ridge you won't be able to talk. Check local regulations and allowed transmitted power before use.
I don't like removing my gloves to pull out my expensive phone in an environment where it can be easily lost or damaged, so I found the radio+earpiece setup much more practical to use. It's especially great for guiding a group down a difficult area. Radioing taunts to my snowboarder friends while riding the chairlift got me some surprised looks though :)
Yes... This is a huge problem... This is why we do not use standard radios with 22 channels for 122,000 people. Look into UHF/VHF radios. Something like this. Technically you need an FCC license for it but 🙄. Easy to find a free channel because there are thousands.
Unfortunately I don't know of any major race tracks that broadcast FM anymore. Even IMS used to until last year. And IndyCar radio doesn't seem to have FM affiliates in southern California.
http://indymotorspeedway.com/500broadcast.html
You can check if it updates by the end of the week.
http://indycarradio.com/index.php/fans/local-stations/
&#x200B;
Your best bet is to rent a Racing Electronics scanner, or buy a UHF scanner and program yourself like a Uniden or Baofeng.
https://racingelectronics.com/collections/rentals/products/long-beach-indycar
https://www.amazon.com/Uniden-BC75XLT-300-Channel-Handheld-Emergency/dp/B00A1VSO9M/
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
IMS Radio is usually 454.0000 most anywhere, Except Toronto which was 454.1000 last year.
About $45. I bought the BaoFeng UV-5 radio. Amazon.com link - you need the USB programming cable too (plus I bought an after market antenna).
the software is free.
I do not have my FCC license yet. I am planning on getting that soon. Until then I can only listen, not talk.
I'm in California where our two largest concerns (mine, anyway) are earthquakes and fire.
For earthquakes it's standard preparation stuff because aspects of grid can shut down for short or long periods of time. There's also the "get out of the house now!" type situation which is really just shoes and a flashlight, or just your human body. If your bag is downstairs and you're upstairs you're not going to run to a bugout bag first. It's just get out (depending on the quake, the building, etc).
I do have a bugout bag primarily for fire evacuation, which has:
I also have a google spreadsheet printed out that has the items we want to take. The evacuation orders can come at any time and you might be knee deep in some project or sick on the couch, you need to be able to mindlessly grab items that a smarter-you considered bringing. The bag is just the one that we're really screwed if we don't have. This is my list, it's taped under my desk at home.
Edit: also, there's a column for different family members. My kids have stuff they're supposed to grab (a change of clothes, etc) while mine has the chainsaw and a shovel.
It's possible you'll have less than 20 seconds to escape your home but chances are you'll have at least a few minutes, maybe even a few hours. Having a list of things to grab from the house thought out in advance seems reasonable to me. And some stuff that's super useful (like dumping everything from the medicine cabinet into a bag) is more of an instruction than an item, per say.
Dolls (for kids)
laptop
EMT gear
Backpacking food
Flashlights
Gasoline tanks
Wet wipes
Toilet Paper
Firearms
Ammunition
Map (Marked)
AA/AAA Batteries
Chainsaw
Shovel
Solar Panel
Tent
Soap
Medicine Cabinet
Checkbook
2m Radio
10 gallons water
2m base antenna
2m pvc ant mast
I also have a list of things I need to do if I leave the house, again this is tailored to fire evacuation. This is taped to the inside door of our utility closet. Easy to find but house guests aren't staring at it and we can keep our home more "homey" looking versus a forward operating base. These are taken from CalFire's suggestions and my own experience in and around fire.
&#x200B;
Yep
As of right now:
So if you want a reasonable no-frills HT: Go with the UV-5R because you can't beat that price.
If you want an HT that has a bit more features & the option of more power: Go with the F8HP. Even at $60ish it's a good price for an HT.
On BaoFeng's website you'll see the F8HP listed as the "UV-5R 3rd Gen", so it's newer.
This one? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/
I bought one of These last year for camping and used it recently at a race. It was better than the fanvision scanner we normaly use. Just have to set it to not transmit, which isn't that hard.
The Baofeng UV-5R blows everything else out of the water at its price point of $24: https://smile.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
You might want a different antenna, but otherwise it works great. Splurge for the programming cable if you don't want to manually dial in frequencies, but it's not totally necessary. Not sure if it would work for police scanning or not, but should be easy enough to check. I doubt it, though.
>I don’t feel like a HAM radio is a viable option for both of us.
How come? You can get a radio capable of accessing repeaters for $25-30 (although I recommend the tri-band one for 60-ish), and 8 year olds sometimes pass the Tech exam. A 12 y/o passed it when I took my exams.
Not suggesting you don't have a good reason...just curious.
FWIW, I made a Comms Card so my unlicensed family members could use the radios in our EMCOMM kits in an emergency. The cards break it down simple enough that they can just follow the step-by-step instructions. And as long as it's a question of imminent danger to life or property, FCC regs say they can use it.
So if you just get licensed and set them up a kit, it might be a workable solution.
The basic UV-5R is fine for getting started with things.
Itse suoritin perusluokan tutkinnon viime talvena. Oma paikallinen kerho on kyllä kovin aktiivisesti toiminnassa lähialueiden kerhojan kanssa jollain määrin. Kerhon vanhant ukot rakentelevat aika aktiivisesti mastoja ja kyllä niitä yhteyksiäkin pidetään aika paljon. Itse olen päässyt toistaiseksi vain kuuntelemaan tällä kiinalaisella käsiradiolla, mutta tarkoitus olisi kerholla rakentaa parempi antenni tuohon.
Jos harrastus kiinnostaa todella niin ole ihmeessä yhteydessä lähiompään radiokerhoosi. Isoissa kaupungeissa jokaisessa taitaa olla jokseenkin aktiivinen ryhmä. Myös pieniltä paikkakunnilta saattaa kerhoja löytyä. Kannattaa myös varautua siihen tosi asiaan, että tämä on suhteellisen hintava harrastus. Toki halvallakin tulee toimeen kyllä, mutta jos haluaa kotoa asti ottaa yhteyttä toiselle puolelle maailmaa vaivattomasti, hinta on korkea. Kuitenkin jos liityt siihen paikalliseen kerhoon heillä on pelit ja pensselit jossain tilassa josta pääset radioimaan lähelle ja kauas.
Yeah its pretty sick. I've not tried for the ISS, but have had middling luck with listening to ham radio satellites with a handheld. Your best (and easiest, cheapest) bet would be to purchase a new radio. While the Baofeng type radios are pretty decent for that, if you are into bang for your buck fun, try your hand at rtl-sdr type receivers. I have one I bought for 15 bucks and hacked it up and had a heck lot of fun! With the radio you have, you are best off getting a local ham that is into tech to hook it up to a signal generator and check the alignment and sensitivity of it for you. It's not super hard, but you sorta need a bit of experience.
No problem man, i get it. I didnt want to spend a whole bunch of money either. I ended up with these $25 dual band Beofeng and they will out perform ANY FRS or GMRS radio.
A lot of people start with one of the cheap Chinese radios like the Baofeng UV-5R. Get the programming cable and you can program in your local repeaters using CHIRP. Repeaters are base stations run by the local ham clubs, installed on top of mountains and tall buildings, which re-transmit your signal so it covers a much wider area. Disaster response will center around one or more repeaters, hopefully ones that have backup power. Without a repeater, the range of these handhelds is limited to a few miles (depending on terrain).
It's hard to say whether you'll need an external antenna at your apartment. If you have good line-of-sight to the repeater(s) you want to use, then the handheld and its stock "rubber ducky" antenna might be sufficient. If there are buildings or hills in the way then you might need a better antenna to compensate. There are many options such as a longer whip antenna for the handheld, a roll-up J-pole, or a yagi. None of those would require permanent installation. Antennas are a vast subject and it's hard to know what's best without experimenting.
Some more links:
Silicon Valley Emergency Communications System
Santa Clara ARES/RACES
ARRL guide for beginners
New ham radio operator
This book has everything you need to know to pass the Technician exam. hamexam.org has free flash cards and practice exams.
KB6NU has some No-Nonsense Study Guides including a free PDF for Technician class.
Also check out /r/amateurradio. Beginner questions are welcome. If IRC is your thing, they have a channel at
irc.geekshed.net #redditnet. Freenode's##hamradiois also good.There are a ton of other resources out there. Hams seem to like making YouTube videos in particular. Ham radio is a huge subject; explore and see what parts you find interesting. Good luck and have fun!
Welcome!
The link you posted doesn't work. It got truncated somehow. Try pasting that again in the comments.
I always recommend the Baofeng UV-5R to the budget-minded. It costs $27 and is pretty good in performance (from my use and from what I've heard from others). With the stock antenna on this radio, you should be able to get a few miles of range in open spaces. You can upgrade the antenna to a "quarter wave" antenna to better that range. The higher up your antenna is in the air, the farther out you will be able to reach with your radio -- UHF/VHF radios are all 'line of sight'.
You will also be able to use local ham radio repeaters in your area to talk to people around you. Repeaters will greatly enhance your range as they are typically built on tall towers or hill tops. You can look for repeaters in your area on RepeaterBook. Under "band", select 2m or 70cm (the UV-5R supports both bands)
However, you're going to need a ham radio license (at least a Technician class) to transmit. Also, your family is going to need ham radio licenses to transmit. If this does not work for you, I would recommend FRS/GMRS radios or CB radios which can be used without a license.
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1474119781&amp;sr=1-4&amp;keywords=baofeng
These are really nice, got 5 of em for the guys and I. If you search around you can find package deals. Depends on how many you need.
It would be impossible to understand/afford all of the aspects of ham radio simultaneously, but passing a "tech" license (or the equivalent in your country) and buying a Chinese handheld and a few accessories is commonly attained by high-school students with less than $100, and permits the use of regional repeaters and even satellites. Connect it to a smartphone or computer and you can use the APRS system -even use it to send an email with the international space station.
That's the whole thing.
For example, the Baofeng UV-3R is $32.92 (+free shipping) at amazon (http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-3R-136-174-400-470-Dual-Band/dp/B006J4G49C)
>The BaoFeng UV-3R dual band radio with FM transceiver, Mini size. Latest version with 18 menu items, S-meter and dual display and dual band antenna. It is a micro miniature multiband FM transceiver with extensive receive frequency coverage, providing local-area 2-way amateur communications along with unmatched monitoring capability. Functions and Features: LCD Menu Operations, Dual Band/Dual Display, Wide/Narrow Bandwidth, FM Radio Built-in (87.0MHz-108.0MHz), Emergency Alarm, Low Battery Alert, PC Programming, VOX (Off/1-9 Level), 99 Channels (1 Emergency Channel), CTCSS/CDCSS, Battery Saver, Power Capacity Display (ON), Backlight ON/OFF/Key, FM Radio Channel Storage, High illumination Flashlight.
Another version, the 5R is less than $36 http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band/dp/B007H4VT7A
The Ham it Up is the one to go with. I don't know the funcube. For SW the BaoFeng for $40 has a huge following. I'm about to get one. You can listen on one, but you can't transmit unless you get your ham license. I'm going through the study guide now.
https://hamstudy.org is basically the best website for studying to get the test.
There are 3 license levels- Technician, General, and Extra. Technician allows you to use VHF/UHF and higher frequencies on a radio like this. On VHF/UHF, you usually use a repeater to extend your range.
General lets you use the HF bands, which are propagated all over the world by the ionosphere. Extra just allows you a little bit more use of the HF bands.
Keep in mind that once you pass Tech, you can also take the General and Extra tests right afterwards.
I believe the device youre attempting to invent already exists, its called a “radio” or “walkie talkie”.
$25 for the best cheap handheld radio, theres no way you can beat this:
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1510628962&amp;sr=1-4&amp;keywords=Baofeng
Buy this.
BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6ijlDb6C1FTJD
Then this.
Electop 2.5mm Male to 3.5mm(1/8 inch) Female Stereo Audio Jack Adapter Cable for Headphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GC6LR84/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XjjlDbW1X24P6
Then this.
Mpow 035 Noise Reduction Safety Ear Muffs, Shooters Hearing Protection Ear Muffs, Adjustable Shooting Ear Muffs, NRR 28dB Ear Defenders for Shooting Hunting Season, with a Carrying Bag- Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L1U9L5W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_tkjlDbTJP2Q4C
And use a pair of nice in ear headphones.
Budget and works great.
This is the cheapest model here ...
BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_aIRlDbMJNTYWE
You should check to see if you have any repeaters nearby. Baofengs are cheap now, like $25.
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
I use a baofeng https://amzn.com/B007H4VT7A and it is your pretty much best pick for a airsoft radio.
From there you have to decide what type of headset or mic you want. Top end is bone conduction headset or a throat mic, I myself just use a shoulder mic as I am not a stealth player.
http://www.coderedheadsets.com/product-p/battlezero-k.htm
I'm a bit late to the party but OP if you want something similar to a walkie talkie style communication you might want to check out HAM radio. Me and a few friends have these BaoFeng radios (link below). Pretty cheap $32 and very far range since it's using repeatedr stations (which are towers that you can use to communicate farther). Depending on certain types of setup you can reach people from different countries. You would need to get a HAM license but it's very easy to get.
Plus no monthly subscription fee :]
If your interested maybe check out r/hamradio or r/amateurradio
Link to BaoFeng radios.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007H4VT7A/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1527700526&amp;sr=8-3&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=baofeng&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41xV3DDhxBL&amp;ref=plSrch
I looked into the UV5R series and I think I might go with the original. What do you think?
I know this was a few days ago, but things have really changed in the cost area for HAM radio. Heck, I just picked up a new dual tuner, multi-band handheld for under $30 on Amazon. Quality Chinese radios from the likes of BaoFeng really changed the game.
I added $12 for the programming cable/software, and it already came with a LiPo battery. This thing can run for more than 24hrs on a single charge, to boot.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007H4VT7A/
Yeah, for critical work, competition, etc; you'd want Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu, etc; but for someone just getting in to HAM? No contest.
OP:
Is this it? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007H4VT7A?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=213733&amp;creative=393177&amp;creativeASIN=B007H4VT7A&amp;linkCode=shr&amp;tag=animonan-20
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007H4VT7A?cache=b51d7f4dcb25eac6e35ceccdf79754f4&amp;pi=SY200_QL40&amp;qid=1414100798&amp;sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
With http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008Y2SPE4?cache=b51d7f4dcb25eac6e35ceccdf79754f4&amp;pi=SY200_QL40&amp;qid=1414100866&amp;sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
Does he have a handheld radio?
If not, Amazon has the Baofeng UV5R or Baofeng UV-5RA for less than $35 each (same radio, just different styling - I have the UV5R).
May we (I) also recommend getting this $7 programming cable so he can program it from his computer (easier than doing it by hand). And this $8 antenna will allow the radio to perform better than the one it comes with.
If he does not already have a radio like this, such a gift would surely surprise him and keep him busy all during Christmas.
I'm a big fan of the high powered walkie talkie method of communication when far beyond cell service. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007H4VT7A/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1495912428&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41iDhyl0i%2BL&amp;ref=plSrch
any thoughts on this one? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007H4VT7A/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Get hand held HAM radio and use that with the people you need to connect with.
http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Band-SainSonic-Exclusively/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1346723656&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=ham+radio
Let me toss this one in:
Get an amateur radio license and a radio like this:https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
It's dirt cheap and you can reach miles away. In most counties there's a direct connection to the emergency operations center over ham radio. The radio also picks up weather radio (very handy) and a bunch of other stuff, so it's great for situational awareness even if you aren't talking to anyone.
If you're a bit technical the license test is easy to pass.
This is definitely what ham radio is made for.
You didn't talk about the terrain or the area you need to cover, but for local stuff a simple VHF or UHF setups cover that.
If simplex can't cover it often repeaters go unused like in my area, and can be happily used like I do from my basement 10 miles away with a handheld radio. I've heard of people using it over 30 miles eaily with a mobile setup.
If that doesn't cover it I do know a few people that do HF mobile, but I don't have much experience with that. It has some challenges, but is similar to a mobile VHF/UHF setup.
Look for local clubs, and see where repeaters are. Get everyone licensed; general if you want to do HF stuff for fun later, but IMO just go as far as you can as the license is for life as long as you remember to renew it. HT Boafangs are pretty cheap to get started with, plus at least one programing cable to use with Chirp software, then some better antenna can help too.
A mobile setup is similar I'd say to a CB one. You have a unit that you put in your car and then have fun trying to mount the antenna (drilling vs magmount). Universal radio, DX Engineering, and Ham Radio Outlet are common places to buy equipment.
Anything else?
Random, I thought it was the same across the board. In my state it's $14 per test session, not test, so if you wanted to take all three tests in one go, you could.
Look into the Baofengs, especially the UV-5R which just dropped in price. Very easy to use, and easy to program, all you need is to know where your local repeaters are. If you want, toss a mag-mount antenna on to it, which you can pick up for like $17. Or, you can make one from a coffee can.
At the very least, this little radio will get you on the repeaters and chatting with other local hams. My advice to to start setting aside money for a better radio as soon as possible, though, wait around for a ham fest you can go to or keep an eye on Estate/Garage sales.
There are also a number of apps that will let you play radio more or less for free. EchoLink, HamSphere, stuff like that. But you need to have your callsign to use them.
Yeah but you don't have to spend much at all to just put your toe in the water. Study for and pass the entry level technician exam (which is super easy, it's a memorization effort) and get an inexpensive 5 watt handheld that can reach your nearest repeater and you are on your way for well under $50. It's fun.
Awesome! Thanks for the input. I ended up going with a pair of these.
They're cheap
I'm looking at one on Amazon and is it really only 25 bucks? Or am I looking at a clone/knockoff?
BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_E6aMAbQCAPHZB
You made a super-awesome and useful gift, but you know a Baofeng radio isn't that pricey . . . and look it will ship in time for Xmas!
Using a Nagoya UT-72 Mobile Antenna) with a Baofeng UV5R
I bought this antenna to improve my reception for when transmitting inside my apartment. It is 19" high and has a 14' feed line. Basically, I mount this thing outside my window so that I can transmit and receive freely without the physical interference of being inside. It is, however, still on the side of a building. I have tested all of the repeaters stored in my radio(in or around Portland) and I can hit about 9 of them, all located either 1 or 2 miles east or west of me. My question is, is this expected given the mounting location(on the south side and second story of a 4 story building), or am I experience significant losses from the feed line. I have not tested transmitting with the stock antenna, but it almost seems that reception is better with it.
No problem with the info. Glad to help. /r/amateurradio is a pretty helpful sub if you want to try it out.
A good first radio to cut your teeth on is the Baofeng UV-5R. It's cheap and kinda sucks but at $30 price point nothing else comes close. You must get the USB programming cable. A better antenna is a good idea too. I've been using mine to try and hit the ISS lately.
Here you go. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HR1PYVK/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687702&amp;pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&amp;pf_rd_t=201&amp;pf_rd_i=B002U1L60K&amp;pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_r=07F0VM4AA0JHR2STB02C
But none of these toys are going to be "2 meter" or very far distance.
About the cheapest/most portable 2m text messaging once can setup is a combination of 3 devices:
With this, I can use an app on my phone to send APRS text messages through my 2M radio and it will get relayed all over. Someone with a similar setup or computer can receive and reply. No cell phone plan needed.
I've tested this one, and at the price. It's worth it, Does everything my Yeasu mobile and my Vertex handhelds do. http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1374259094&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=amateur+radio
Yeah, this radio is probably the most popular starter radio. That works on the 2M band which has a range of a couple miles. There are a lot of repeaters in the 2M band, though, if you live near a big city in the US. Many are networked with other repeaters, too, so it's possible to talk with people all over the US via 2M.
In general, ham radio is for whatever you want it to be for. In terms of practical uses, it's used for communication while on the road (similar to CB), communication in disasters/emergencies, or communication while hunting/camping/hiking. It's also used for more casual purposes to talk to astronauts on the ISS or to chat with other random operators in other countries across the globe. Global communication requires use of a lower frequency than the 2M band, though, so that sort of thing isn't possible with a handheld. Many people also have fun building their own antennas and tinkering with radios and that sort of thing.
Most ham radios have a scan mode, but they are terribly slow. Mine is barely faster than one frequency hop per second. If you want to stay up on traffic/police events and that sort of thing, you're better off with a dedicated scanner or hitting the CB frequencies. Also, in my area the emergency services have switched to a digital trunked system, so there's no way to pick it up with an analog radio. It's still possible to listen to digital systems (as long as they aren't encrypted) but you need special equipment.
You can have a radio and listen/scan without a license. The only thing regulated by the FCC is the act of transmitting.
Be sure to check out /r/amateurradio
You can spend as much or as little as you want, for the most part. These are just two examples of many.
http://smile.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV5R-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band/dp/B007H4VT7A?sa-no-redirect=1
http://smile.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-3R-136-174-400-470-Dual-Band/dp/B006J4G49C?sa-no-redirect=1
UV-5R, small axe, 3/8 socket set, random pipe, water bottles, tow strap, mosquito repellant, hi-lift jack with liftmate, moving blanket, tarp, paracord, aerokroil
if I had to pick three things it would be the UV5R, blanket, socket set, paracord. see what I did there?
> Bring a burner phone.
I was just thinking, why not buy two war radios for communication needs at protests? unless you need to call for delivery pizza there's no need for a device vulnerable to a stingray.
Baofengs start at around $25.''
EDIT: Actually reading OP's post reveals the reasoning behind my statement.
These Baofeng. Be careful though as they have access to the HAM frequencies which are illegal to talk on without an ARRL license. If you stick to the lower bands that standard walkies use its fine though. I can't remember off hand the range that walkies use but its easy enough to google them.
Sorry to keep bothering you, but would this work?
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A?keywords=baofeng&amp;qid=1539145631&amp;sr=8-4&amp;ref=sr_1_4
Includes receiving of 144Mhz. And is there somewhere that has a tutorial on how set it up to listen to my callsign?
Lol you can buy that radio for $27 on amazon. It's pretty much the cheapest programmable radio you can buy
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
~$15 for a license. $32 for a UHF/VHF transceiver. No excuses :P
I'm new to this subreddit, and I'm sorry if this is a dumb question. I live in a rural area in Virginia, and my in-laws live 10 miles away as the crow flies, with heavy woods inbetween. I'm wondering if there is a good entry-level radio that I could purchase via Amazon Prime one-day shipping to let us communicate if there is a power/internet outage. Specifically, I'm looking at these two radios:
BaoFeng Radio
Motorola radio pair
Would either of these accomplish what I'm trying to do? I'm happy to pay and get licensed after the storm, just looking for a last minute solution. 🤔
Second this, most milsims ive gone to require a radio to enter the field. https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A this is the style of radio you'll encounter most in MILSIM.
I need help choosing my first radio. I want to get it just after my exam in late December (after Christmas) so that I can order it right after I get my license (hopefully!). I've narrowed it down to 4 radios. I'm on a bit of a budget, so that's why I'm going really cheap.
This list is in no particular order but I would prefer to get the UV-RE because I want the emergancy alerts and the flashlight (I'm not sure if any of the other ones have those).
I have also found what seems to be a [good, cheap antenna] (http://www.amazon.com/NAGOYA-NA-771-Antenna-BAOFENG-KG-UVD1P/dp/B00BY3XN7E), an NA-771, but I would like to know if there are any better, cheaper ones out there that connect to the radios I stated above.
My price range for everything is about $45, but I will go to $55 if I have to. I would also be open to any better radios out there that are within my price range. Thanks in advance for your help!
Tl;dr - I need a $45 radio and I need you guys to help me decide on one, or lean me towards another one.
Good day everyone!
I just have a quick question about the "accuracy" of the Tx frequency shown on a radio display.I'm planning to purchase the Baofeng UV-5R (Link below) as my first handheld transceiver.
I was wondering, if I select 453.212 MHz as my transmission frequency on the display, what frequencies am I actually transmitting on? Would someone on 453.213, 453.222, or 453.312 be able to hear my transmission?
In other words, what is the accuracy of the transmitter?
Thanks!
Link to Amazon page for the UV-5R that I am planning to purchase. https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
They're cheap as far as HAM radios go. If I lose/damage/destroy or otherwise mangle my Baofeng radio I could really care less.
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1467650623&amp;sr=1-4&amp;keywords=baofeng+uv-5r
Well, it won't be illegal to order anything under the regulations, nor will it be illegal to have them shipped to you. I don't think this would be a customs issue at all. Customs doesn't know whether each item has received approval for sale, just as they don't know if the CE, UL , FCC, etc. markings are valid on devices.
The onus would be on the seller, they would be breaking the rules, but the item itself would not be illegal to possess.
There are already tons of items that have dodgy approval markings on them. Customs doesn't care. They are interested in finding contraband, not figuring out whether device A, with this certain chipset, was approved for sale, while device B, with this other chipset, was not.
For instance, this radio makes you a criminal the moment you hit the transmit button on certain bands. It is not part approved for communications on HAM frequencies, and you must possess a HAM license to use it if it was part approved. It is sold on Amazon and is hugely popular.
If you want one you can program on the fly I would get the UV-5R.
http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1370219184&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=baofeng
Puxing 888's are also good.
This is the best solution I have found. Both PTT's have a "helmet" mounted button that is easy to use while flying (without letting go of the brakes).
&#x200B;
Baofeng UV-5r
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=baofeng+uv-5r&qid=1566220318&s=gateway&sr=8-4
&#x200B;
UK Intech PTT (high quality German PTT)
https://www.uk-intech.de/index.php/produkte/helmset
&#x200B;
Parasupply PTT (medium quality Chinese PTT)
http://www.parasupply.com/revamp/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/20/products_id/87
Most of the prepper authors tout Baoefung like this: https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
I don't own enough beans and bullets and medical supplies to worry about it yet.
Why would semi-auto be a bad thing?... If we're talking about actually doing something anyways, semi is the way to go. Body armor and comms gear are easy and relatively cheap too. Hell, you can even get decent night vision for what I can afford working a minimum wadge job and being in school full time. Logistics is easy enough if you do a little planning ahead of time; say, about the time people are starting to talk about organizing a protest.
http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
Can't go wrong for 26 dollars and the amount of accessories available is crazy. Also they work great and get good range up to 15 miles with an upgraded antenna.
Baofeng Radio is pretty much THE brand for amateur and ham radio nowadays. (https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A)
There are also a few amplifier and audiophile part makers, like Topping, that are considered on-par with western brands.
Then there's also Xiaomi and One Plus.
Huawei is so good that they've pretty much killed off the company they copied from (Nortel).
WeChat is on-par if not better than WhatsApp and Line.