Baofeng Speaker/Microphone for UV-5R?

[2RT307]

Just wondering how well the Baofeng speaker/mic works for the UV-5R's? I think I remember seeing someone had replaced the element in theirs, but several others said they work fine. I'm wondering how well it holds up, how is the audio, how is the speaker performance, and how does it compare to a Kenwood mic? Hard to see myself spending as much on the Kenwood mic as I did the HT, but you know how that goes!

73,
RT307

 

[w9cll]

I have one that I got from Amazon for $8, when it arrived it has Kenwood printed on it. Works well but I have not used it that much.

 

[Nicholas440]

I bought several of the after market chinese speaker mic's for my collection of chinese hand helds. I also bought a real Kenwood MC 34 speaker/mic and I'd have to say after using it on all the hand helds I have gotten the Kenwood works the best. It is the clearest and loudest of the mic's I have gotten.

I also have a Kenwood TH F6A tri band HT, and it is perfect for that radio as well...

 

[2RT307]

Nicholas, that's what I figured. I just hate the thought that my mic cost me as much as my HT.

73,
RT307

 

[2RT307]

I have one that I got from Amazon for $8, when it arrived it has Kenwood printed on it. Works well but I have not used it that much.

They're so cheap, I'm tempted to buy one or two. But now I'm starting to think I'd like a boom mic/headset better.

I'm looking at this one: http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-010680

73,
RT307

 

[Mudfoot]

Did you ever get one of the booms?

 

[Klondike Mike]

I've been thinking about this as well. My thoughts on the speaker/mic are that it turns a simple, one handed device into a cumbersome, two handed device. I like the boom mic/headset idea. Although, the price needs to stay competitive with the rest of the UV-5R products.

This one may be an option for a few $ less;
"D" Style Boom MIC Headset FOR Kenwood TYT Wouxun Puxing Baofeng | eBay

or this one;
Speaker MIC Headset Kenwood Puxing KG UVD1P PX 888K FD 880 TG UV2 PX 777 UV 5R | eBay

 

[2RT307]

m42duster, I did not purchase one yet. I was also looking at this one on Amazon:
Amazon.com: Two-Wire Surveillance Earpiece Mic for Kenwood TK-208, TK-220, TK-240, TK-240D, TK-248, TK-250, TK-260, TK-260G, TK-270, TK-270G, TK-308, TK-340, TK-340D, TK-348, TK-350, TK-353, TK-360, TK-360G, TK-370, TK-370G, TK-372G, TK-430, TK-431,

Klondike Mike, thanks for the links. The second one sure looks nice for the money. The thing is, I think the nice headphone would get hot on my ear. Keep in mind that it's 100+ degrees here in Texas this time of year. That's why I was starting to lean more towards an in-the-ear one. No boom on this one though, so I wonder if the tx audio would suffer being on my shirt. Guess I could always hold it up to my mouth.

73,
RT307

 

[dragracer]

Hey Klondike Mike, if you are using a speaker mic on an ht you can clip the ht to your belt or pocket so you dont have to hold it.

 

[krx1]

I recently picked up a few of the baofeng hand helds and ordered mics as well. 3 of the mics were baofeng originals and the other was Kenwood. They both sound great, time will tell how it will hold up but so far it has great clarity and good quality build on both the mics. I kinda like the kenwood since it is close to the size of my original mic.

 

[Klondike Mike]

Hey Klondike Mike, if you are using a speaker mic on an ht you can clip the ht to your belt or pocket so you dont have to hold it.

Yes, one could, but I have a few concerns as well with the belt clip hook-up.

#1, 4/5 watt transmitter near any body parts. Cell phones are 100mW TX and we are up in arms about that. RX on the belt clip is just fine.

#2, antenna performance greatly reduced as compared to holding the HT at arms length.

 

[JoeDirt]

m42duster, I did not purchase one yet. I was also looking at this one on Amazon:
Amazon.com: Two-Wire Surveillance Earpiece Mic for Kenwood TK-208, TK-220, TK-240, TK-240D, TK-248, TK-250, TK-260, TK-260G, TK-270, TK-270G, TK-308, TK-340, TK-340D, TK-348, TK-350, TK-353, TK-360, TK-360G, TK-370, TK-370G, TK-372G, TK-430, TK-431,

Klondike Mike, thanks for the links. The second one sure looks nice for the money. The thing is, I think the nice headphone would get hot on my ear. Keep in mind that it's 100+ degrees here in Texas this time of year. That's why I was starting to lean more towards an in-the-ear one. No boom on this one though, so I wonder if the tx audio would suffer being on my shirt. Guess I could always hold it up to my mouth.

73,
RT307

Just bought this, reviews seemed good. Hopfully it works with my Baofeng!

 

[W5LZ]

Affects of radiation on body parts. Pay attention to the frequency of use, that will make quite a difference.
Not as good a performance if clipped to your belt as at arm/mouth height? Yeah, so what exactly do you expect from a compromise antenna to start with? It'd be even better if it were held 10 feet over your head! HTs are only for convenience, never performance.
Do those external mics do better than the internal ones? I would certainly hope so! The difference is in their acoustical housings. Bigger enclosures tend to sound better than smaller ones (and boy is that a 'condensation' about acoustics). If you look at the mic-element it's self, there's probably no difference.
And it's a terrible way of saying it, but what do you expect from a 50 - 60 dollar 'el'cheapo' radio?
- 'Doc

Any exaggeration in all that? Some, but not much at all...

 

[fogdog]

I have the speaker/mic on mine, and it seems to work better than the one in the radio. I have my HT in the truck with an external mag mount dual 2m/440 antenna. I like having the mic separate when I'm in the mobile. I always get good reports, and some of my Ham friends have to ask if I'm on the HT because they say it sounds good.

 

[W5LZ]

I have a mobile radio in the car so don't have to use an HT. But, if you want to do it that way (or I ever have to) there's certainly nothing that says you can't. Every radio has a different 'sound' to it, with or without an external microphone. Sometimes it's not easy to tell an HT from a (real ) radio, and then there are others that you can tell the difference between immediately.
As far as 'on the air' reports, I don't put much faith in them. There's always two radios involved, yours and their's, and then you are depending on the other person's hearing. Since my 'ears' ain't what they used to be, my judgement about 'audio quality' isn't very dependable, you know? Oh well...
- 'Doc