Baofeng UV-5R

[gm2]

So, with the upcoming ban on these things I went ahead and got 6 of them and have a book coming to study for my test.

Honestly I'm just still in shock that my wife let me get them. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190822/18c7f11caa9e9a104af07209a09ef211.jpg

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[bacpacker]

I just added a couple to my stock on Amazon Prime Day. I plan to use them as radios for the GHB in our vehicles.
I know several different folks that have them and have heard ZERO issues so far.

[gm2]

I've just started studying for my tech license. Looks like it will be a long road though

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[bacpacker]

Tech license isn't too bad, General is a little tougher, Extra was a bitch.

Are you using any of the on-line testing sites? If not I would recommend them. Go thru them repeatedly until your passing 75-80% regular before you go for your test.

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Here is a link.

https://www.eham.net/exams/

[gm2]

Yeah, plus I have some free print offs and a book coming. There are a couple flash card apps for my phone too. I'm doing my best. Electricity is not my thing though.

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[bacpacker]

Just stick with it. You'll get there.

[Kesephist]

Looks like a plan. Any of em got more advanced antennas than what Baofeng supplies? It may sound like a small thing, but when you are down there doing QRP, getting all you can out of it may be crucial.

And fergossakes make sure your people know how to run SIMPLEX... In candor I am not all wedded to repeaters the way some are. In a SHTF they may be down with the rest of things.

[bacpacker]

Completely agree about using simplex for emergency ops. Some repeaters are solar powered, but most aren't.

[orangetom1999]

I have a number of these Baofeng radios in 5 and 8 watt models as well as the oversized batteries.

Most walkie talkies..the factory antennas on them are marginal at best..and better more efficient antennas are available for them.

I believe these are designed as a commercial radio which just happens to accommodate the ham radio bands.

I have the GMRS/FRS frequencies programmed into mine as well as the MURS frequencies.

I have also taught myself to program these radios manually so as not to be dependent on a computer program or programming cable should the SHTF or worse. I believe in manual override when I can....self sufficiency …..and not to be too dependent on a lot of tech requiring extensive support.

I believe these radios were cutting too deeply into the American ham radio markets at those prices....hence the ban.


But for the monies the Baofengs cannot be beat and I can afford to loose or get them damaged and not be out a lot of money.

Here is the link to one of my better Baofeng antennas though it is a long antenna..it is noticeably efficient for what it is.


https://www.amazon.com/42-5-Inch-ABBREE-SMA-Female-Foldable-Tactical/dp/B07STB8BD6/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=ABBREE+42+5+Inch+Dual+Band+Fol dable+Blade+Antenna&qid=1580783995&sr=8-1

Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

Just got done with the weekly drill......we started up again. "geriatric club" as I like to call them. The Baofengs are great, dump the rubber ducks. Uh antennas. I started making my own little j-poles, "throw-n-gos" as I call them. They work pretty damn good. I 've manged to hit repeaters as far as 70 an 80 miles away. Simplex at 40 an 50. Strange thing we noticed this past few weeks is the damn things are working on 6 meters. They are designed to work 2m and 70cm. Now distance on 6m has been only about 10miles and I haven't tried to stretch it. It just didn't make sense. NO, I'm not running a Baofeng on 6m, I'm running a TYT 9800. I have a temporary rig set up here at the new place. My "TNG" rig is sittin 25ft up on a pvc pole, zip tied to the shop's downspout. Yeah, do what you have to for now, but it's workin. I'm in Moore county, TN and have worked 2 adjacent counties. I'm sitting in a bowl. Not braggin. I need to go mobile on the 4 wheeler and go up to the ridge and see what I can do.

Back to the topic at hand, GUNNER GO FOR IT! If a Boatswainsmate can do it, a gunner sure as shit can do it. It doesn't even have cartoons on the test and I made General! Repetition, Repetition, Repetition! Slam the tests like BP said over and over till you're passin and then go take the exam. That's how Domey, Izzy, and I did it. Oh, did I mention there was I little "apple pie" involved the night before?

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Oh, and I made the antennas for the handhelds and those were the results from that. The 6meter thing was just recent findings because I needed to throw something together.

[gm2]

Well BWRR, I am having to delay my studies. I just started a new job and it is taking up the majority of my time.

Once things calm down this summer and my Tuesdays are open again I will start trying to attend the meetings. So far it seems pretty straightforward. Mostly it's just the terminology and memorizing what bands I can use that takes time. The electrical seems super basic.

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[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

I have also taught myself to program these radios manually so as not to be dependent on a computer program or programming cable should the SHTF or worse. I believe in manual override when I can....self sufficiency …..and not to be too dependent on a lot of tech requiring extensive support.




https://www.amazon.com/42-5-Inch-ABBREE-SMA-Female-Foldable-Tactical/dp/B07STB8BD6/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=ABBREE+42+5+Inch+Dual+Band+Fol dable+Blade+Antenna&qid=1580783995&sr=8-1

Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite

BZ! The only way to learn to work a radio is by pushin those buttons brother! At's what this site's all about! WTSHTF you can't rely on computers you have to rely on yourself! I cannot emphasize this enough, be self sufficient.........as I'm tappin away on this keyboard.

[orangetom1999]

Been manually programming four Baofeng UV5 R radios...good grief is it tedious....had to put it aside on occasion so as not to burn out...but I am determined to get it done and not be dependent on a computer for this task.

Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite.

[gm2]

So I wanted a way to keep all my radios charged and ready to throw in the truck. I took a larger amount can I had, put a false bottom in that has all my charging stuff under it and then mounted the radio bases on it. Everything can be upright and stay exactly how I want it.

I can even charge it with the lid on and latchedhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200331/1ab55072ba7fdec6711a100de087271d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200331/a08ef214b0e03615777e858c45ed2850.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200331/31d6a73e38de978a3ee4e5f47b52462c.jpg

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[bacpacker]

Nice set up and only one connection

[orangetom1999]

Indeed....that is a big can...

Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

I like it, I like it.....at's like a Hunt's snack pack baby. Everyone on the team gets one! Nice set up, KISS

[orangetom1999]

Hey ...listen guys.....

Not sure if I have posted this information on this forum concerning comms...so here goes...

About the Baofeng radios and also ham...shortwave rigs...

What the Baofengs do is give one access to short range comms...not just in receiving but also in transmit functions.

As I stated..I have both the MURS frequencies and the GMRS/FRS frequencies programmed into mine and they do not require a license. These frequencies can be found on the web.

However....be aware that in a legitimate emergency you do not need a license to transmit on the ham bands....emergencies take priority over everything.

Now...I taught myself to build my own antennas for Short range Baofeng VHF/UHF frequencies out of angle bar and or solid aluminum rod. I can also do this out of that olde 300 ohm flat antenna stereo/TV antenna wire. Also from what is called ladder line.

Gaining altitude with a radio antenna helps a lot in receiving and transmitting.

The upper floors of a parking garage will also help..bearing in mind...operational security.

For long range reception I have my ham radio transmitters/receivers as they will also receive the short wave bands.

I am also in the habit of keeping around three of these receivers...one of them in a locker at work....with a hidden long wire antenna which can be pulled out then stashed back into hiding when I am done..

here..

https://www.amazon.com/Tecsun-PL-660-Portable-Shortwave-Single/dp/B004H9C4JK

This shortwave radio was chosen specifically because can receive single side band signals....via what is called a beat frequency oscillator...BFO. I like to listen to certain of the hams..and ham nets and they mostly use Single Sideband mode.

You also want to keep back plenty of batteries for this kind of rig and I keep four spare AA batteries in my pocket at all times and another four in my daily BOB/GHB....as they also fit my Mag Lite.
One should, as much as possible, plan around a common battery type as necessary.

I have spare batteries for my Baofengs radios as well...the oversized 3800 mAh batteries.

I also have this Grundig radio from the early days....but it does not have Single Sideband Capabilities but only AM on short wave.

https://www.amazon.com/Grundig-FR200-Emergency-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B000083CUA


The shortwave radios give you both short range reception in the AM/FM bands and also long range reception in the shortwave bands...,that is their advantage to me.

The baofeng radios are an inexpensive adaption in a group setting and particularly on large areas/properties to keep in touch. This would be where a base station Baofeng would come in handy ..to keep in touch with people on the outlying areas of the property. There are antenna adapters made for this.,..to hook the baofeng up to a base station type antenna.

https://www.amazon.com/onelinkmore-Adapter-Female-Antenna-Connector/dp/B011AYJGLS/ref=sr_1_3?crid=BCHFE8U94WIF&dchild=1&keywords=pl-259+to+sma+female&qid=1585840586&s=electronics&sprefix=pl+259+to+female+%2Celectronics%2C155&sr=1-3

Nonetheless..the advantage is should one desire both long range and short range communications.

Hope some of you find this information's useful.


Orangetom

Not an Ishmaelite.

[orangetom1999]

I have made two of these J pole antennas for some preppers out in the country west of Richmond, Virginia and they both have Baofeng UV5 R radios and antenna adapters...

here these antenna plans..from the web...

https://kc7hxc.us/links/radio/jpole/build-jpole.html

They can hit the Richmond repeater on the roof of a bank building downtown Richmond...some 40 miles east of them and I can also hit it at night....from here to Richmond some 60 to 70 miles north west of me. though I am using a more powerful mobile radio on my base station..some 45 watts. This is how we keep in touch on occasion..in addition to texting.

I figure the total crow flies distance is about 120 miles.

But should cell phones go down we have this method using repeaters..as one of the people in this group is a technician ham.

But Ideally ...hf radio would be best and not dependent on repeaters.

Nonetheless there are things you can do and the baofeng radios fit in nicely without breaking the bank and that is to me their very great advantage.

And you can do things to make them more efficient with a bit of knowledge and or experience/thought.

Again ..hope this helps,
Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite.

[Kesephist]

get the pre-ban variants if you can...

And, bloody hell, it looks like antifa has taken a liking to em as well, the filth.

[kteas]

The antenna I like is the original Ed Fong db j 1 and dbj 2. Also a good roll up is the n9tax.. One model sits In 3/4 inch pvc 5ft 200 psi (don't use schedule 40). About 5 dollars at Lowes for 10 feet. The other is a roll up, you can't get up into a tree or hanging on pvc. whatever isn't metal. You can mount on a metal pole, but only the first 10 inches of the pvc, but works with u bolts. 30-40 dollar range. Order the connection you like. Come in two frequency setups. Vhf/uhf ham. And gmrs,murs. I got both. Plus a spare for each. The swr and range is great. If you run 25 feet of cable use rg8x. If you want 50 foot run, use minimum, lmr 240 coax. If you go cheap on the cable run, the cable sucks up a lot of transmit power. You can Google ed fong, and n9tax. Both available on e Bay. These roll up nice into a bob.

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