Quansheng UV K5

[AudioShockwav]

He's anyone used one of these?
I understand there is a firmware upgrade to make it RX all the way down to 18 Mhz.



Quansheng UV-K5 Handheld AM / FM Walkie Talkie. Quansheng UV-K5 50-600MHz full band Receiving VHF 136-174MHz UHF 400-470MHz TX&RX both NOAA Weather
Looks like a fun radio.

73
Jeff

 

[w9cll]

I have one and yes the firmware is upgradable but honestly the radio is crap. The AM Aircraft receive is very prone to being swamped, the build quality is suspect and yes I have several Chinese HTs to compare it to. Its only redeeming value is the ability to hack the firmware.

 

[BC Coyote]

Just read about this radio last night. Yes, third party firmware is available to make it (and other Quansheng radios) receive and transmit over a wide range of frequencies. The catch is that the filters in the transmit section are only good for 2m and 70cm bands. Transmitting on frequencies outside those two bands results in harmonics that are often many times stronger than the fundamental frequency !
So trying to use it on, just for example, 70 MHz results in a signal of only a few milliwatts on 70 MHz, but a second harmonic on 140 MHz of 2 or 3 watts.
Not a good thing at all !! Another case of "If it seems too good to be true it probably is" !

 

[Klondike Mike]

I ordered their latest version, a Quansheng UV 5R Plus for $18USD shipped from China. Supposedly improves on the AM reception on Aircraft frequencies but I don't listen there so ... the SSB hack will suffice. 18-1200 MHz coverage here we come.

 

[w9cll]

It's money wasted in my opinion but since you pulled the trigger I would be interested in how the AM Aircraft receive is.

 

[Klondike Mike]

It's money wasted in my opinion but since you pulled the trigger I would be interested in how the AM Aircraft receive is.

meh ... a couple Big Mac's, fries and a coke. Airband fix applied to UV5v2, see video below;

 

[w9cll]

Thanks! I updated the firmware and AM recieve is good now.

 

[Pez]

Yes I have a couple of them, I have been playing with the hacked firmwares. SSB RX is surprisingly good. Not extremely sensitive when out of band (2/70), but amazing for what it is. Down to 18MHz and up to 900MHz, it hears things "OK".

I am using this firmware: "fagci-mod-v1.2.1-b6-regs.bin" - the latest with SSB support as of now.

Notes:

- Its SSB RX is in Double Side Band (DSB). (It will RX LSB and USB).

- It can TX a 'sort of' DSB signal, when you lower the DEV settings in the modified firmware. It still has some carrier but it can sound "OK"...

- It is NOT going to TX nicely out of band, at all, no matter what you do with firmware. The TX power on the fundamental frequency out of band is usually lower than the power of the harmonics!!. Please DO NOT try and use this radio as a TX on CB for example. You will see only microwatts (yes) on CB and WATTS elsewhere as harmonics, potentially in government and emergency services bands. You have been warned!

It's a really cool experiment and more firmware is coming. Hopefully the hardware guys will catch up soon and we might be able to improve out of band filtering. Pretty cool for the price and a bit of fun, bugs and all.

What the world needs and doesn't really have right now, is SSB handhelds! This could be something that helps push that along...

73

 

[w9cll]

What the world needs and doesn't really have right now, is SSB handhelds! This could be something that helps push that along...

I honestly can't imagine how these would ever be useful. On HF yeah I almost see it but on V/U? No.

Edit: Some further testing and found that the AM AGC Firmware fix does in fact resolve the AM receive. The remaining issue is 1.25m use, the radio will not bring up 220 repeaters. I have triple checked the settings and they are correct. This is the second Tri-Band radio I have that will not work on 220. I can hear the repeaters but unable to bring them up. This could be that the one I have is defective in someway. I have six Tri-band radios and two of them are useless on 220, this one here and a Zastone UV-8DR.

 

[AudioShockwav]

I honestly can't imagine how these would ever be useful. On HF yeah I almost see it but on V/U? No.

10-11-12 meter SSB hand helds have a big following in Europe, there are several FB groups dedicated to the magnum handhelds and there clones.
Portable and static mobile from hill top seems more prevalent over there as well.
SSB on v/u with a small hand held Yagi like a Arrow antenna might be fun from a hilltop.

73
Jeff

 

[w9cll]

10-11-12 meter SSB hand helds have a big following in Europe, there are several FB groups dedicated to the magnum handhelds and there clones.
Portable and static mobile from hill top seems more prevalent over there as well.
SSB on v/u with a small hand held Yagi like a Arrow antenna might be fun from a hilltop.

73
Jeff

I get that and yes for HF use I see it but the K5 is not worth the effort

 

[Pez]

10-11-12 meter SSB hand helds have a big following in Europe, there are several FB groups dedicated to the magnum handhelds and there clones.
Portable and static mobile from hill top seems more prevalent over there as well.
SSB on v/u with a small hand held Yagi like a Arrow antenna might be fun from a hilltop.

73
Jeff

Yes, I run one of these groups, and own many of this type of radio .

It is a LOT of fun. I have an FT817ND, Xiegu X6100 and an IC705 too, and they have been absolutely awesome fun as "SSB handhelds" using simple BNC whips, small magnetic loops and handheld yagis. Primarily, SSB mode portable on 40/20/15/11/10/6/2/70 bands. Now, I want a real handheld form factor to add to the collection.

I can only assume that anyone who says it isn't worthwhile or doesn't work, hasn't been out there doing this for years, like I have. I'm not alone on this, it's an untapped market for the first manufacturer that builds a new generation SSB handheld. They existed in a few different formats in the past, I own many of them and they regularly suprise a lot of people.

Fyi, rigs I use now include the Mizuho MX range, Tokyo Hy-Power HT750, Dragon/Albrecht SS201 / AE2990AFS, uSDX, Xiegu X6100, etc ...

73

 

[Pez]

I get that and yes for HF use I see it but the K5 is not worth the effort

For $30 and some fun, it's totally worth having a play with for me. YMMV.

 

[Pez]

Edit: Some further testing and found that the AM AGC Firmware fix does in fact resolve the AM receive. The remaining issue is 1.25m use, the radio will not bring up 220 repeaters. I have triple checked the settings and they are correct. This is the second Tri-Band radio I have that will not work on 220. I can hear the repeaters but unable to bring them up. This could be that the one I have is defective in someway. I have six Tri-band radios and two of them are useless on 220, this one here and a Zastone UV-8DR.

I don't think they are sold as a tri-band? Only as a 2/70 dualband?
If that is the case, it's probably outputting harmonics at best on 1.25m...
73

 

[w9cll]

I don't think they are sold as a tri-band? Only as a 2/70 dualband?
If that is the case, it's probably outputting harmonics at best on 1.25m...
73

I have the Radtel one and it is a Tri-band. Confirmed its outputting 3.5w on 220