Baofeng UV-5r VHF/UHF HT Review

[Moleculo]

An Interesting Dual Band Feature

I just figured out an interesting way to use the dual band feature on this radio. When you have the dual receive enabled, the radio wants to switch the active VFO to the last one it received a transmission on. While this is fine for regular dual band use, it is limiting if you want to use the radio as the HT in a crossband repeat or remote base scenario.

Consider this scenario:
You have a base set up to transmit on one 2m frequency and listen for HT's on 440 frequency. The base is configured to not transmit anything heard on the 2m frequency back to the 440 side. On your dual band HT, you want to listen on the 2m frequency and transmit on the 440 frequency so that the crossband repeater will transmit on 2m with a bigger antenna and more power.

Using the default setting on the UV-5r, the radio will want to switch to the 2m VFO every time it hears something. Unfortunately, because you want to TX on 440, you constantly have to hit the A/B button on the radio (what a pain). Well, there is a solution to this problem!

In my example, I'm setting the 2m frequency on VFO A and 440 on VFO B on the HT. I want to TX on 440 and listen on 2m. After you activate the dual band RX on the HT (menu 7, TDR to ON), go to menu 34, TX-AB and set it to B. Now, the radio will hear everything on 2m and every time I hit the PTT, it will TX on 440! Of course, modify the settings to suit your preferences.

Originally I thought the radio would not support this functionality, but I was wrong. It works great.

 

[Moleculo]

VOX and the included Speaker / Mic Headset

I did some testing tonight with the included speaker/mic earpiece and had some interesting results. When I first plugged in the headset, the radio would always get stuck transmitting and I couldn't stop it. After testing various parts, I figured out that I could get the radio to stop transmitting if I wiggled the wires on either side of the mic unit. This led me to believe that one of the wires was being shorted inside the molded mic piece. I gently pulled on the cable leading into both sides of the mic and magically the problem has gone away. I was able to pull about 1/16" of cable out of the mic which apparently straightened the inner wires enough that they were no longer shorted. Now I could actually test the mic.

The earpiece appears to be the same one included with the Baofeng UV-3r, although on air reports indicate that the mic sounds better with this radio. Unfortunately, the mic is not very sensitive, so you have to hold it up to your mouth instead of letting it hang from the earpiece. This really isn't very practical and there isn't a way to adjust the mic gain.

While I was at it, I tested the VOX. When you enable VOX, it has a setting from 1 to 10 and OFF. I initially thought that 10 would be the setting with the most gain, but as it turns out it is the setting with the least gain. The only setting that I was able to get any favorable results with was on the "1" (max) setting. Even with this setting, it didn't work very well because the radio lacks necessary settings like VOX delay. When I tried it with the headset, the VOX didn't work at all unless I was holding the mic right up to my mouth. I'm sure that with a different speaker/mic it could work better, but the results with the included one are less than satisfactory.

 

[angeloyzf]

Hello, my uv-5r arrived 2 days ago, i have a uv-3r and a kg-uv2d too
Trying to use the dual watch feature but noticed that after a vfo is opened then the radio remains on that vfo even if you were on the other one.
If you set the menu 34 A or B you can't access to the other vfo :sneaky2:

And the mennu 33 band selection what is for???

By the way nice radio that is in the middle of uv-3d and vouxun

 

[angeloyzf]

There are some strange features on this radio:
- if you set the dual watch you can't do the reverse
- if you use the channel mode is impossible to switch the power
:sneaky2::sneaky2::sneaky2:

 

[survivor711]

UV-5R in stock at Wouxun.us

I just opened two from Ed at Baofeng UV-5R and have to say I am excited.

I have been using 2m for a couple years now. The Manual is not the greatest for a first time user. I can see where a newly licensed ham may get confused with all the terms and abbreviations for tones etc. but the challenge is fun.

Ed has done a great job for me and I continue to purchase from him. I started with the Yaesu FT-8800, then the Puxing 777, then Wouxun Uvd1P, then Baofeng UV-3R and now the Baofeng UV-5R. The last three I bought from Ed.

I have to say I am satisfied with every one of these radios. They all have certain features that I really like.

 

[Moleculo]

Trying to use the dual watch feature but noticed that after a vfo is opened then the radio remains on that vfo even if you were on the other one.

Yes, I covered that a few posts back.

If you set the menu 34 A or B you can't access to the other vfo :sneaky2:

Yep, I just covered that one, too

And the mennu 33 band selection what is for???

Switches the active VFO between UHF and VHF.

 

[Moleculo]

There are some strange features on this radio:
- if you set the dual watch you can't do the reverse
- if you use the channel mode is impossible to switch the power
:sneaky2::sneaky2::sneaky2:

What are you referring to "do the reverse"? Do you mean monitor the input? That seems to work for me.

I can also switch the power level while in power mode.

 

[angeloyzf]

What are you referring to "do the reverse"? Do you mean monitor the input? That seems to work for me.

I can also switch the power level while in power mode.

What do you mean??? If i'm using a channel set to low power i can't switch to high power .... you too???

Thanks for answers

 

[Moleculo]

What do you mean??? If i'm using a channel set to low power i can't switch to high power .... you too???

Thanks for answers

I CAN switch the power level whenever I want. Sounds like there are some inconsistencies with the firmware being delivered with these things.

 

[angeloyzf]

i think that too
i i'm in low power in channel mode and i switch to high power when i return with exit i found low power on the radio {Cry_river}

 

[BrickOLore]

For those asking for confirmation on the alpha tags... screen shot of the software and the result on the UV-5R after uploading...

Brick O'Lore: Baofeng UV-5R: Alphatags

The software limits you to 6 characters, but the radio supports 7. You can get it to display 7 by editing the .dat file.

Brick O'Lore: Baofeng UV-5R: Alphatags 7 Characters Hack

Ed @ wouxun.us/importcommunications.com/etc. says he is working with Baofeng to get an update to the software. I asked if they would consider making a change to allow the 7 characters straight from the software.

 

[PEMC]

Com Port issues

I'm finding it difficult to find a com port that recognizes the unit. I have tried all 9 without any luck. what am i doing wrong?

Thanks

 

[Moleculo]

I'm finding it difficult to find a com port that recognizes the unit. I have tried all 9 without any luck. what am i doing wrong?

Thanks

You probably have the wrong USB/Serial driver and Windows isn't even seeing the cable. Try reinstalling the driver that came with the cable.

 

[BrickOLore]

I'm finding it difficult to find a com port that recognizes the unit. I have tried all 9 without any luck. what am i doing wrong?

You need to go into Device Manager and look at the COM Ports to see which port the Prolific USB-to-Serial device is using. If it isn't there at all then you have an install/driver issue. In the image below, mine is on COM8.

Hope this helps.

B
Brick O'Lore

 

[PEMC]

Frustrated

That doesnt work either. It tells me I'm on com 12. But when I click on it it tells me the device cannot start. I have tried installing the prolific driver and it tells me the same thing.