Baofeng UV-5R: Feature

These things sure are full featured - they even act as a remote for auto-opening garbage cans.

Anytone AT3318UV-E: Mini-review

A mini-review from Mike on the Anytone AT3318UV (A,B,C,D &E) Yahoo Group:

"I talked a friend into buying two of these tri-band handhelds because of the advertised FHSS (frequency hopping spread spectrum) feature, which turned out to be more of a random frequency trunking feature and probably a misunderstanding of the FHSS term by the Chinese manufacturer.

The radios were purchased from the exclusive US importer "Import Communications", who notified all buyers about the mistake with the FHSS option and offered a refund if so desired. 

So here I sat with my friends two otherwise good looking and great sounding 2m, 220MHZ and 440MHz plus part 90 certified handhelds as he mulled over keeping or returning the radios. After reading up on the manual, perusing the extensive programming software and living with these handhelds for a week I decided I can't live without it and and purchased one from my buddy who originally bought the pair.

These radios cover 136 to 174, 220 to 225 and 400 to 520MHz transmit and receive plus .52 to 30MHz AM HF (10KHz steps), 64 to 108MHz WBFM, 118 to 136MHz AM and 225 to about 260MHz FM receive only. The radio works surprisingly well in the AM broadcast and HF SW bands with an appropriate antenna and I did not detect any overload problems feeding it with a large G5RV type HF antenna.

The radios have a very extensive but fairly easy to navigate menu system unlike any Baofeng or Wouxun I have used and I love the various banks I can assign to memory channels to scan only specific banks if I want or I can scan the entire memory. There is also a quick talk around feature for your programmed repeater frequencies and all sorts of other nifty features that I don't see on other Chinese brands.

When using the AM/FM broadcast or SW feature, if you receive a call on whatever two way frequency is being monitored the broadcast band will temporarily mute during the call then pop back in about 5 seconds later. You can listen to music or local news and not miss a radio call. 

The receiver performance is also much better than Baofeng and Wouxun radios I've tested. I live in a very RF rich environment and was recently comparing a Baofeng UV-5R, a Wouxun UV8 plus a Yaesu VX-8R and FT-60 at a local hilltop about a half mile from a major repeater site with lots of RFI.

While listening to some simplex activity on 146.52 I noticed both Yaesu radios were hearing lots of things the Baofeng was not. Some of the signals that were almost full quieting on both Yaesu radios just did not exist on the Baofeng UV-5R. I was also playing with the cross band repeat on the new Wouxun KG-UV8D at the same location and noticed it was not repeating things that I could hear clearly on the input frequency on the Yaesu radios. 

I repeated the same tests with the new Anytone AT-3318UV-E and its on par with the Yaesu radios and could hear every weak signal the Yaesu's could in the heavy RF environment. The Anytone also cross band repeated weak signals very well under the same conditions.

I'm not knocking the inexpensive Baofeng radios, for the price they great little radios and they measure very sensitive on a service monitor. But put them in a busy RF environment and their shortcomings will show up. The Wouxun KG-UV8D is also a really nice radio and quite a leap from the first Wouxuns I played with. But the AT-3318UV-E performance is is better and you get 220MHz tx/rx and a lot more features for just a little more money.

Playing with the AT-3318UV-E menus its also apparent that Anytone engineers are familiar with how American commercial and amateur users interface with two way radio equipment. Other Chinese brands have odd and useless features and will not do many things that radio users are demanding. 

The transmit and receive audio is extremely good and better than most handhelds I own including many Motorola, Yaesu, Icom and the like. The receive audio is almost Hi-Fi and people who I know personally come out of the speaker sounding much more like themselves than any other handheld radio I have used in recent times. I also gets great unsolicited transmit audio reports.

The 3318UV-E is also more compact than a Wouxun KG-UV3 type or KG-UV8D, which I had just purchased and sold after playing with the Anytone. So far battery life is very good from the stock 1800mah pack and I can't say enough good things about this very modestly priced handheld, its just a winner all around, despite the misunderstood FHSS feature.

I think the closest competitor to the AT-3318UV-E model is probably the Kenwood TF6a, which runs about $190 more and is not FCC Part 90 compliant, although its HF receive is SSB capable. The TH6a is also a design from 10+ years ago.

So there is my story about a pair of radios purchased for a specific feature and when that feature did not pan out the radios turned out to be so good I couldn't send them back.

Mike"

Baofeng UV-5R: Bugs

If you are having problems with your UV-5R where the receiver is muted, check out Miklor and the BuyTwoWayRadios pages for some common problems and fixes.

From the Miklor page, the affected radios are:

Some newer radios with N5R-20 and N5R-30 firmware.
This is a current firmware that will ship with ALL UV5R series radios. This includes all UV5R, RA, GT-3, BFF8, F8HP, etc.

Baofeng BF-F8HP: High Power

So a there is a new kid on the block... the Baofeng BF-F8HP.

From the Baofeng Tech website:

• It has 3 Power Levels (1, 4, 8 watt) 
• A new 76 Page In-Depth User's Guide 
• It includes the High Gain V-85 Antenna to Optimize Performance 
• It is the only second generation BaoFeng with the Tri-Color Display 
• Full Accessory Compatibility with ALL UV-5R accessories 

Miklor has a review. He says it has the same chip as the GT-3. He also has output power measurements and they look good.

You can order one at Amazon for about $63.

Baofeng UV-5R: Battery Eliminator Wiring

Baofeng UV-5R Battery Eliminator Wiring - inside the battery eliminator.

Baofeng UV-5R Plus for $29.99

Deal is at Radioddity - Baofeng UV-5R Plus for $29.99 (Free Shipping).

Hat tip to the Reddit post.

More Baofeng Version Notes from Nate

From Nate... he's compiled some information from the various links below. Corrections/additions are welcome.

Complete list of links:

General Radio Descriptions:
http://baofengtech.com/radios
Comparison Chart:
http://baofengtech.com/compare
FAQ (Myths and Facts)
http://baofengtech.com/faq
Firmware Guide:
http://baofengtech.com/firmwareguide

Also reference to:
http://www.brickolore.com/2014/06/baofengtech-charts.html

Radio's currently listed on BaofengTech (Plus some additions):


Generation Zero:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UV-3R, 3R+ (UV-100, UV-100 MKII, UV-200, UV-200 MKII, UV-3R MKII, Vero Electronics UV-X4.
The improved Vero Electronics UV-X5 = TYT TH-UV3R probably belongs here too*).


First Generation:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UV-5R, UV5R+, UV-5RA/X, UV-5RC/X, UV-5RE (and most re-branded clones such as the Ronson UV-8R, the Waccom WUV-5R . 409Shop models - UV5R[A-Q] ** belong here too. also if they have + or UU after the model number, it just means that the frequency range was extended by software on the UHF band from 400-470/480 to 400-520, not an improved firmware ).

Slightly better receiver and newer firmware:
UV-B5, UV-B6, UV-82 (=UV82L), UV-82X (=144/220 Mhz model), UV-82C, (And probably the F11, BFUV66 and BFUV89 belong here too).


Second Generation:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GT-3, A-52, B-580T, BF-F8+ (Also BF-530I, BFE500S and maybe BF-F9+  ***).

Notes:

* Vero Electronics UV-X5 = TYT TH-UV3R probably has some small changes in the filter section, similar to what RadioMart\Martyn was trying to do with the TYT TH-UVF9 that probably became the TYT TH-UVF9D.
Ref1: http://www.worldwidedx.com/handitalkies/153179-tyt-th-uv3r-2m-440-also-does-220-a.html
Ref2: http://www.uv3r.com/
Ref3: http://www.brickolore.com/2012/06/tyt-th-uvf9-more-tri-band-info.html
Ref4: http://www.brickolore.com/2012/06/tyt-th-uvf9-story-so-far.html
Ref5: http://www.tyt888.com/en/Products/Detail.asp?ID=2068
** 409Shop models names UV5R[A-Q] might have added letters to indicate the color R/BLUE/CC 
*** Note the lack of [BAND] button on second gen radios that have the UV-5R form - the BF-F8+, the 409Shop's Baofeng BF-F9+ and possibly other clones that we will see in the future.

I hope this will put an end to the Baofeng/Pofung model variation confusion.

Baofeng UV-5R: Change Requests

Mike (W9MDB) is talking with the factory and asking for several changes on behalf of the user community. I always like to see how the manufacturers respond. I don't expect them to meet every demand, but when they do share the reasoning behind making the change or not, it helps me understand their technical abilities and business perspective better:

#1 Bug – The [Exit] key sends DTMF "0" instead of "D".

#2 Bug -- The mic jacks seem to be a very common problem.  The contacts will stay open preventing the internal mic from working.  Apparently due to some material around the jacks which melts in heat and will clog up the contacts.

#3 New -- Need to the ability to disable the VFO/MR button so the radio can be truly Part 90 compliant.

#4 New -- The ability to turn off the lower display (2nd VFO) completely -- and the A/B switch – for simple Part 90 operation scenarios

#5 New -- Get the “real” firmware revision level – maybe using the “9” key during power on?

#6 Bug – When scanning MR channels that have R-CTCS tones there is not enough time allotted to allow them to lock on the lower frequency R-CTCS tones

.#7 New – Allow the alarm to be completely disabled 

#8 Bug – When SAVE is not OFF and ABR > 8, the broadcast FM radio will have a pulsing noise after returning from being interrupted by a received signal.

#9 Bug – The enable/disable VHF TX and UHF TX features do not work#10 New – MDF-AB – OFF,FREQ,NAME – OFF means the display is left alone, FREQ means selecting a channel with [A/B] will force the selected channel to display FREQ and the other channel to display NAME.  NAME forces the selected channel to NAME and the other channel to FREQ.

Wouxun KG-UV8D

First and foremost, thanks again to the guys at BuyTwoWayRadios for loaning the KG-UV8D to me.

For the TLDR crowd, I'll sum up by saying that I think this radio is the next step in the evolution of the Chinese handheld transceivers. I say this for a few reasons. First, I think we will start to see a lot more color displays. The true dual receive is a step forward as well. While I don't believe that cross-band repeat will now be available on every new radio, it does demonstrate the potential capabilities coming out of China. And little things like the blinking phone icon for activity (that I discuss next) also add up to make this an great evolutionary step.

As I mentioned, I'll start with a small thing that makes a huge difference and makes me wish all my radios had this feature - the blinking phone icon to indicate which frequency had the most recent activity. Such a simple thing, but when you aren't staring at the screen and are monitoring two repeaters owned by the same ham, it eliminates any confusion about where the activity was.

And for what it's worth, I do like green for the "A/B" and "EXIT" buttons. It just makes navigating a little easier. I don't know why the new radios have all black buttons - saving a penny in the manufacturing cost?

From a subjective perspective, I really like how the radio feels in my hand. It isn't that much thinner than the KG-UV1DP, but it feels better. I also like the feel better than the Baofeng UV-5R.

The dual receive works perfectly. While my brain/CPU can't always follow two conversations at once, it allows me to hear both and then easily pick one to monitor using the RPT button to switch to the single frequency mode.

As for the cross-band repeat, I did not encounter any problems using it. I think it is a great feature/option to have, but not something I will use all the time. For temporary usage I think it is perfect, but I cringe anytime I read about someone trying to make this a "permanent" repeater.

Speaking of options, the KG-UV8D lets you customize the functions of some of the keys, so you can tailor it a bit to meet your preferences.

People always ask about the S meter on these radios. Between my good QTH and mostly listening to some great repeaters, I don't see much besides a full meter. Here is a short video here showing something besides zero and full strength.

Scanning is fine for my use, but by others' standards it is still too slow. A sample is here, so you can decide for yourself.

John has a mini-review on the Yahoo Group:

"Receive sensitivity is very good- about 0.25 microvolt.
Transmit power- 5W VHF, 4W UHF
True Dual Band Rx- you hear both upper and lower simultaneously
Easy to setup XBand repeat
Nice large multi-color display 

Annoyances:
Back light stays on during scan- same as other Wouxuns. Seems it should be OFF during scan and ON when it stops on an active channel.
Scan is still not professional- scan stops when any button is pressed. As a result, if you think you are scanning but bump any button, scan stops and you don't know it. The scan button should start and stop scan period, unless it is in SE mode where it automatically stops on any active channel.
The 8D is a very nice radio and it will replace my aging (but still working) 4 year old KG-UVD1P."

My test unit would do 135 to 174.995 and 400 to 479.995 out of the box. Miklor has the software to expand the frequencies (134 to 174 and 400 to 519), but you do so at your own risk.

Hans has the KG-UV8D on his test bench (along with the Puxing PX-UV973) and reports that harmonic suppression and sensitivity measurements are where they should be expected. He goes on to say:

"preventing both oscillators of interfering with each other
Here both radios fail miserably. For some reason both manufacturers weren’t able to to get this right, resulting in an awful lot of spurious emissions up and down the carrier. 

The problem is most evident when you’re receiving around the third harmonics of your transmit frequency."

His post indicates more information will follow.

Wouxun KG-UV899

An upgrade to the KG-UV1DP? An answer to the Baofeng UV-5R?

BuyTwoWayRadios is about to get the Wouxun KG-UV899. They point out a few features:

"Dual frequency, Dual Display and Dual Standby
105 Groups DCS / 50 Groups CTCSS
Inspection, Monitor, Stun, Kill and Emergency Alarm
Call Ring
Channel Knob
IP55 water resistant"

Wouxun KG-UV8D: Size Comparison

The first surprise I had was the size of the UV8D. From the pictures I had seen, I thought it was going to be a hefty radio. The reality is different. In the pictures you can see (from left to right) the Baofeng UV-3R, the Baofeng UV-5R, the Wouxun KG-UV8D, and the Wouxun KG-UV1DP.

(And, yes, I found my UV-5R.)

Another problem

I have too many radios. I can't find my Baofeng UV-5R.

Baofeng UV-5R Undressed

Some good shots of the disassembly of a UV-5R.

Via reddit

Baofeng GT-3: Programming

There are always people having problems with programming their Baofeng radios. For those that prefer video tutorials, here is one featuring the GT-3, but might be helpful to UV-5R users.

Baofeng GT-3: UV-5R Comparison

This video makes me want to try a GT-3.

Baofeng GT-3: BF-E500S

Thanks to Nate for pointing out the first revision of the GT-3 revision of the UV-5R: BF-E500S at the 409Shop for $49 USD.

I'd pay a few bucks more to get the GT-3 based on the looks alone. Yikes. And I continue to be amazed by the creative model numbers. This one sounds like the latest Mercedes.

Amazon Trade-In PSA

Post Christmas Public Service Announcement:

If you got an old, busted (as in lame, not broken) UV-5R and want the new hotness that is the GT-3, try the Amazon Trade-In service.

Via WiredInsider

Baofeng GT-3: Review by W9MDB

Mike (W9MDB) shares his thoughts on the GT-3 on a post to the UV-5R Yahoo Group:

"My observations so far. 

#1 Same poor performing antenna as what people refer to as the UV-5R "stock"antenna (it's the Baofeng UV-5R Logo antenna)

#2 Battery/charger is not compatible with UV-5R batteries at all - nomodification possible that I see

#3 Speaker sounds a lot better to my ear (I have some high frequency hearingloss and I hear more low freq on the GT-3)

#4 Had to trim my FTDI cable jack as the radio case around the jack is atouch deeper than the UV-5R so the top pin wasn't seating fully

#5 CHIRP speaks to it as a UV-5R

#6 Firmware is BFS311 and reports as BFB297 on power up so should be fullycompatible with UV-5R

#7 The GT-3 software has one more menu than the UV-5R for setting freq rangeotherwise it's identical that I see.

#8 The specifications in the manual are identical to the UV-5R.

#9 I'm seeing better FM performance on my UV-5R then the GT-3. Stationscoming in weaker on the GT-3 with both radios using identical Diamond RH771antennas. My experience contradicts Jerry's review.YMMV apparently.

#10 I'm questioning the weather resistance. I don't see a lot of differencefrom the UV-5R. The speaker grill is quite open and you can see the LEDlight through the microphone hole. The keys don't look like they are sealedto the case. I suppose they might've coated the board (haven't taken itapart yet to see)..that would be the only thing I can think of that mightmake it more water resistant than the UV-5R.manual/box says nothing aboutwater resistant.

Software available here if you want to try the Baofeng VIP software

http://www.radioddity.com/downloads

Mike W9MDB"

Baofeng GT-3: UV-5R Comparison

A GT-3/UV-5R comparison video from Radioddity



He points out the different chips used in the GT-3 and UV-5R.

And has the following details on the site:

Radio Frequency IC

• Upgrade SQ to enhance the anti-interference ability
• RDA1846S add an new tail tone elimination function,when transmit and receive signal between 50Hz with 55H
• Improve the receiver AGV switching noise when signal strength changes severe

Frequency-Modulated Receiver Chip

The RDA5802N has a powerful low-IF digital audio processor, this make it have optimum sound quality with varying reception conditions

Power Amplifier IC

• Low crossover distortion
• Low quiescent circuit current

LED Flashlight

High lumens degrees

Shell

Upgrade Dustproof， waterproof and drop resistance ability

Baofeng GT-3: This is the one!

Okay, I don't actually know that this is THE ONE, but Hans points out some differences between the UV-5R and the pretty GT-3. John is taking one for the team and going to try a GT-3 out to see if it is just different or actually better.

And the Baofeng website says it is the one, so there is that.