9 ms·

And not a single mention of the BaoFeng UV5R, what a shame.

by aosmith 4y ago

iasay 4y ago
Probably because it’s illegal to use one without a license.
- logopop 4y ago
  ... and it's also crap.
  - samatman 4y ago
    Can you elaborate? I'm interested in having an emergency radio which can listen to (and send on) frequencies I'm not allowed on, I have no intention of transmitting on the prohibited channels, and I have a Baofeng. Is there some obviously better radio I should have instead, and why?
    - iasay 4y ago
      Honestly the Baofeng is mostly fine. Just use it. 90% of it is elitism. The harmonic suppression of the transmitter is crap which is the issue but the radiated power is constrained by the antenna so not usually a problem unless you’re testing it in a lab. Most of the problem is just sinophobia. If you want something actually with decent capability then the Yaesu FT818 is a good bet. It does all amateur bands, UHF, VHF, airband, FM broadcast all modes. But it costs money. I’m not an active ham anymore but I keep an 818 around. As for why I’m not a ham anymore, spend some time with some hams and you will get the idea.
      - linsomniac 4y ago
        I'm also an ex-ham, I sometimes wish I had renewed my license because it would be nice to have access to a good radio sometimes, but not so nice that I'm willing to go through the exam process again. So I have 4 GMRS radios that I just have to have one license for the whole family to use.
      - zanethomas 4y ago
        "sinophobia" That translates to "fear of china" which is almost always incorrectly applied. Were there a single word for "boycotting china" that would be more appropriate.
        iasay 4y ago
        It’s definitely fear based on the crap I’ve heard. “Why would I buy a radio from communists. It’s probably bugged” I facepalmed so hard I nearly imploded my skull on that.
      - AlbertCory 4y ago
        > spend some time with some hams and you will get the idea Also a former ham (age 14!). Nearly all conversations: "We read you loud and clear here. What kind of equipment are you using? Mine is blah blah blah. How do I sound? Ok, over and out."
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
    - bityard 4y ago
      I wrote a longer comment about this elsewhere in these comments but the short version is: a Baofeng is a terrible scanner and can't be used to transmit on ANYTHING without a license of some kind. If you can't transmit, then you can't practice, and if you can't practice, you aren't prepared for an emergency. If you just want to listen, a handheld scanner would be a far better option than a Baofeng (but of course cost a bit more).
      - nibbleshifter 4y ago
        > implying anyone actually cares about the "radio laws" besides HAM's.
        bityard 4y ago
        The FCC cares a lot, to the tune of $25k: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-fines-ca-amateur-radio-operator-25k-malicious-interference https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-fines-ca-amateur-radio-oper... Anyone who makes a habit of transmitting on a frequency they are not authorized on WILL be caught eventually, especially if they are interfering with police, emergency services, business users, and broadcasters. And all of these are very easy to do if you own a Boafeng and don't know how to use it.
- gorgoiler 4y ago
  This is not technically true. These radios can — and most commonly do — use the unlicensed UHF bands (PMR446 in the EU, FRS 462Mhz in the US.)
  - iasay 4y ago
    Can vs will. Usually idiots turn up on 2m with them.
  - harg 4y ago
    Even if used on the unlicensed bands it’s still illegal to transmit in those frequencies without a license as the UV5R doesn’t comply with the restrictions of license free radios. I.e it exceeds the max allowed power and has a detachable antenna. However, there’s nothing illegal about using the uv5r to receive. And in reality if you only use it on the pmr446 frequencies you’re very unlikely to get busted.
    - aosmith 4y ago
      Nobody cares about the ism band, I doubt anyone has ever been "busted" using under a watt.
      - eternityforest 4y ago
        You're probably not going to be busted, but FRS is very much not ISM band
    - gorgoiler 4y ago
      I am licensed up to 10W but this is still good to know!
- aosmith 4y ago
  Nobody cares in an emergency...
  - iasay 4y ago
    Other than the legit licensed responders who now have to traffic manage a pile of morons with no operating experience.
    - aosmith 4y ago
      That's fair especially now.
    - runnerup 4y ago
      You’re allowed to use any frequency in an actual emergency.
      - iasay 4y ago
        No you can’t. You can only frequencies within the allocated spectrum for amateur radio. And it must be for the specific purpose of emergency comms. And that’s not universally true everywhere.
      - aosmith 4y ago
        My point wasn't a legal question, if it's life or death you do what you whatever you can to survive.
Yeahsureok 4y ago
The great thing about the ubiquitous cheap Baofengs is that they operate on frequencies that regular legit radios generally won't let you receive and transmit on due to local laws. For an unknown emergency situation at that price point they seem ideal. You never know what band you might need to communicate on and CB has its own limitations.
- jimnotgym 4y ago
  The technical (rather than legal) problem with the baofeng is the lack of input filtering. This means if you are near a strong transmitter on any nearby band you won't hear anything! Since in the UK it is common to put radio masts on a hill top this can make them useless on adjacent hill tops. Adding a decent antenna makes it worse. In fact the only way to get clear receive is to use an input notch filter or a narrow band and highly directional aerial like a yagi Edit: if you really want to use it on 2m or 70cm amatuer spend another £40 and get a yaesu
- bityard 4y ago
  > For an unknown emergency situation at that price point they seem ideal. No, they are the worst thing you can buy "for an emergency." Sometimes people buy them with no intention of transmitting, they see the Baofengs as cheap VHF/UHF scanners. But they make terrible scanners. Their frequency range is very limited, their scanning is very slow, their selectivity is poor, and they are missing almost all of the bells and whistles that come with modern hand-held scanners. If you think you might want to transmit during an emergency, then just grabbing a Baofeng or three off the jungle site and hoping for the best is a TERRIBLE plan. A popular line of thinking is, "but during an emergency, you can use any radio and frequency necessary." Yes, that is logically true but those who say it are conveniently ignoring several aspects of reality: Unless you have a business license or an amateur radio license, you are not allowed push the Transmit button on a Baofeng. If you cannot transmit with the radio, then you cannot practice using it. If you cannot practice using it, you are NOT PREPARED to use it in an emergency and your own incompetence with it could lead to loss of life. You also have to consider what kind of emergency you are likely to face. If you're out in the back country where there is no cell service, then a VHF/UHF radio is very unlikely to do you any good either. You need something with satellite capability in this case. If you want to be prepared for an urban emergency (tornado, flooding, terrorist attack, war) then you want TWO radios: a scanner for receiving weather, listening in on emergency services (if not encrypted), and listening to others on various services. To communicate: a CB, FRS, or MURS radio. A $25 Baofeng CANNOT be used as any of these. Potentially the best option is to learn about radio, get an amateur radio license, AND THEN purchase a Baofeng or higher-quality amateur radio. Then you will have the skills and license to actually operate the thing correctly when needed and legally when not. Disclaimer: I own a Baofeng and use it legally.

And not a single mention of the BaoFeng UV5R, what a shame.

iasay 4y ago

Probably because it’s illegal to use one without a license.

logopop 4y ago
... and it's also crap.
- samatman 4y ago
  Can you elaborate? I'm interested in having an emergency radio which can listen to (and send on) frequencies I'm not allowed on, I have no intention of transmitting on the prohibited channels, and I have a Baofeng. Is there some obviously better radio I should have instead, and why?
  - iasay 4y ago
    Honestly the Baofeng is mostly fine. Just use it. 90% of it is elitism. The harmonic suppression of the transmitter is crap which is the issue but the radiated power is constrained by the antenna so not usually a problem unless you’re testing it in a lab. Most of the problem is just sinophobia. If you want something actually with decent capability then the Yaesu FT818 is a good bet. It does all amateur bands, UHF, VHF, airband, FM broadcast all modes. But it costs money. I’m not an active ham anymore but I keep an 818 around. As for why I’m not a ham anymore, spend some time with some hams and you will get the idea.
    - linsomniac 4y ago
      I'm also an ex-ham, I sometimes wish I had renewed my license because it would be nice to have access to a good radio sometimes, but not so nice that I'm willing to go through the exam process again. So I have 4 GMRS radios that I just have to have one license for the whole family to use.
    - zanethomas 4y ago
      "sinophobia" That translates to "fear of china" which is almost always incorrectly applied. Were there a single word for "boycotting china" that would be more appropriate.
      - iasay 4y ago
        It’s definitely fear based on the crap I’ve heard. “Why would I buy a radio from communists. It’s probably bugged” I facepalmed so hard I nearly imploded my skull on that.
    - AlbertCory 4y ago
      > spend some time with some hams and you will get the idea Also a former ham (age 14!). Nearly all conversations: "We read you loud and clear here. What kind of equipment are you using? Mine is blah blah blah. How do I sound? Ok, over and out."
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - bityard 4y ago
    I wrote a longer comment about this elsewhere in these comments but the short version is: a Baofeng is a terrible scanner and can't be used to transmit on ANYTHING without a license of some kind. If you can't transmit, then you can't practice, and if you can't practice, you aren't prepared for an emergency. If you just want to listen, a handheld scanner would be a far better option than a Baofeng (but of course cost a bit more).
    - nibbleshifter 4y ago
      > implying anyone actually cares about the "radio laws" besides HAM's.
      - bityard 4y ago
        The FCC cares a lot, to the tune of $25k: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-fines-ca-amateur-radio-operator-25k-malicious-interference https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-fines-ca-amateur-radio-oper... Anyone who makes a habit of transmitting on a frequency they are not authorized on WILL be caught eventually, especially if they are interfering with police, emergency services, business users, and broadcasters. And all of these are very easy to do if you own a Boafeng and don't know how to use it.
gorgoiler 4y ago
This is not technically true. These radios can — and most commonly do — use the unlicensed UHF bands (PMR446 in the EU, FRS 462Mhz in the US.)
- iasay 4y ago
  Can vs will. Usually idiots turn up on 2m with them.
- harg 4y ago
  Even if used on the unlicensed bands it’s still illegal to transmit in those frequencies without a license as the UV5R doesn’t comply with the restrictions of license free radios. I.e it exceeds the max allowed power and has a detachable antenna. However, there’s nothing illegal about using the uv5r to receive. And in reality if you only use it on the pmr446 frequencies you’re very unlikely to get busted.
  - aosmith 4y ago
    Nobody cares about the ism band, I doubt anyone has ever been "busted" using under a watt.
    - eternityforest 4y ago
      You're probably not going to be busted, but FRS is very much not ISM band
  - gorgoiler 4y ago
    I am licensed up to 10W but this is still good to know!
aosmith 4y ago
Nobody cares in an emergency...
- iasay 4y ago
  Other than the legit licensed responders who now have to traffic manage a pile of morons with no operating experience.
  - aosmith 4y ago
    That's fair especially now.
  - runnerup 4y ago
    You’re allowed to use any frequency in an actual emergency.
    - iasay 4y ago
      No you can’t. You can only frequencies within the allocated spectrum for amateur radio. And it must be for the specific purpose of emergency comms. And that’s not universally true everywhere.
    - aosmith 4y ago
      My point wasn't a legal question, if it's life or death you do what you whatever you can to survive.

Yeahsureok 4y ago

The great thing about the ubiquitous cheap Baofengs is that they operate on frequencies that regular legit radios generally won't let you receive and transmit on due to local laws. For an unknown emergency situation at that price point they seem ideal. You never know what band you might need to communicate on and CB has its own limitations.

jimnotgym 4y ago
The technical (rather than legal) problem with the baofeng is the lack of input filtering. This means if you are near a strong transmitter on any nearby band you won't hear anything! Since in the UK it is common to put radio masts on a hill top this can make them useless on adjacent hill tops. Adding a decent antenna makes it worse. In fact the only way to get clear receive is to use an input notch filter or a narrow band and highly directional aerial like a yagi Edit: if you really want to use it on 2m or 70cm amatuer spend another £40 and get a yaesu
bityard 4y ago
> For an unknown emergency situation at that price point they seem ideal. No, they are the worst thing you can buy "for an emergency." Sometimes people buy them with no intention of transmitting, they see the Baofengs as cheap VHF/UHF scanners. But they make terrible scanners. Their frequency range is very limited, their scanning is very slow, their selectivity is poor, and they are missing almost all of the bells and whistles that come with modern hand-held scanners. If you think you might want to transmit during an emergency, then just grabbing a Baofeng or three off the jungle site and hoping for the best is a TERRIBLE plan. A popular line of thinking is, "but during an emergency, you can use any radio and frequency necessary." Yes, that is logically true but those who say it are conveniently ignoring several aspects of reality: Unless you have a business license or an amateur radio license, you are not allowed push the Transmit button on a Baofeng. If you cannot transmit with the radio, then you cannot practice using it. If you cannot practice using it, you are NOT PREPARED to use it in an emergency and your own incompetence with it could lead to loss of life. You also have to consider what kind of emergency you are likely to face. If you're out in the back country where there is no cell service, then a VHF/UHF radio is very unlikely to do you any good either. You need something with satellite capability in this case. If you want to be prepared for an urban emergency (tornado, flooding, terrorist attack, war) then you want TWO radios: a scanner for receiving weather, listening in on emergency services (if not encrypted), and listening to others on various services. To communicate: a CB, FRS, or MURS radio. A $25 Baofeng CANNOT be used as any of these. Potentially the best option is to learn about radio, get an amateur radio license, AND THEN purchase a Baofeng or higher-quality amateur radio. Then you will have the skills and license to actually operate the thing correctly when needed and legally when not. Disclaimer: I own a Baofeng and use it legally.