Baofeng UV-21R/Pro HT

[Dopple]

I picked up the R/Pro version of this radio a couple months ago. Overall, not a bad HT. Would like to find a thumbscrew for the battery, so I don't have to use a coin/tool/thumbnail to change it.

1000 memory channels, 2m/1.25m/70cm bands, color display (eh, not THAT good, since you can't read it with the backlight off, and it's not good in bright sun), nice sounding speaker, and the TX audio is pretty good. Solid feeling radio. You can program it with Chirp-Next using the UV17Pro driver.

I was programming one of these for a friend, and noticed their firmware was a little newer than mine, didn't notice any menu or operation differences, but I'm wondering if these use flash or EEPROMs for the firmware instead of a PROM like the older radios.

Didn't find anything about being able to update the firmware on these radios, figured I'd ask around here to see if anyone has seen anything.

My FW: V0.08
HW: V01

Friend's FW: V0.11
HW: V01

 

[w9cll]

I have one and consider it to be one of the worst one I have. I like the size and it feels nice in the hand but the TX audio quality is extremely muffled. I might drill out the mic hole but the audio is still muffed with an external mic. Maybe I have a dud but I have many other Chinese HTs that easily out perform this radio.

Baofeng radios have non upgradable firmware.