When I was in the army and stationed in Germany someone I worked with had a ham radio. Calling home was very expensive and he suggested using his ham radio and contacting a ham radio user in the U.S.. That radio operator then contacted a telephone operator who called my home number. I got to talk to my parents and siblings for about 20 minutes. It was a pretty cool experience!
@@porosadventure5687 Anyone can buy them. You don't need a license to listen only. Amazon sells them. Good way to get your feet wet in Ham and other amateur radio.
It's a national registry in disguise funded by the public, and managed by the FCC. A 3 letter government entity, much like the EPA, ATF, IRS, FDA, etc making unenforcable "laws" (only the legislative branch can make laws).
Idk if it's just because I'm a young guy, but I love my baofeng. Not licensed so can't transmit, and I wouldn't transmit anyways because of the harmonics, I just learned that, but I really wish some of the older hams would be a little more open to em. Get them on the spurious emissions for sure, but for the price, you really can't beat this kind of radio for just listening to random people talk, which I like doing :)
@@3v068I'm an old guy - I do have a license (not that it matters - I did it long ago as a formality), and several of those huge plastic totes of radios of all shapes and sizes. The only one thats always by me is a UV5R. Great little radio, great price, if I beat the living shit out of it Im not working hours to fix it - it goes on the recycle pile and I crack open an new box. They do make awesome little monitor radios too and CHIRP makes them easy to program and clone when needed.... As for the license - as long as someone isn't being a douche nozzle, it doesn't matter. I honestly know more of those radio rambos with FCC issued call signs than I do folks who just enjoy using the walkies. We need MORE people getting interested in radio of every kind, not making it so difficult people just don't feel like its worth the effort. Its a really fun hobby and really useful in a lot of situations.
@@3v068B-Tech is your key to that - they’re the same radio as this, however they’re tested and approved to function without all of the spill over.. by the way I’ve been a licensed ham for over 10 years, I personally dislike the Chinese radios, but I do see them as great starter radios for someone who’s just getting into it, or doesn’t necessarily have the means to buy something top notch. When I got into it I was a broke college student and a Baofeng, and a $40 used mobile from a hamfest were just about all I could afford at the time, so definitely see the benefit for some. I did have the benefit of being able to use my dad’s equipment when I was home for HF.
I was at the bus stop when I played this video, all the sudden a guy behind me passed out the had to call 911, Then I found out the guy was a Ham radio Operator, Stress is a real killer, so be careful. keep your finger away from the PPT button. FCC has agents everywhere.
Ooooo.... dats illegal. And exactly what I use. But I have the extended life battery in mine to make it taller and the dual band whip antenna. Now it looks like a clone if those $1k radios the sad hams use, for like $40.
The Baofeng UV-5R ALSO can use MURS. (In the VHF band) MURS is NO LICENCE! Plus, the Baofeng UV-5R is actually a "ham" radio, so IF one decides to get a "ham" license, they already HAVE a ham radio! Am I a fan of the Baofeng UV-5R? Well HELL YEAH!
Okay, not that I care, but TECHNICALLY speaking, we’re not “allowed” to use a ham radio for anything but ham. Not saying you’ll get in trouble. But there are some strings attached to your advice. Again, I don’t care. Just saying for people to do their own research.
True, But hopefully anyone with an interest at all in a ham radio with the ability to go out of "it's (ham) lane" is doing their research even if it's just reading about them or watching videos like this. Honestly using a UV-5R on GMRS is NOT "allowed" but it's also pretty "low risk". But YES do your research to see if the risk is worthwhile. (and my knowledge is from th US only.).@@matthewHizzle
It is illegal to use most UV-5R for GMRS because they Fe not certified by the FCC for GMRS. Notarubicon did a review on a recent version of UV-5R that is certified for both GMRS and HAM though. Otherwise, you need two radios, one for each band, unless you can find a radio that is certified for both which seems rare.
I get the "regs". It's also NOT LEGAL to ride a BICYCLE on the Sidewalk in a BUSINESS DISTICT in Pennsylvania. No one ENFORCES this. Same thing.@@HawkeyePierce1981
And remember. They use this radio as a prop in todays Ghostbusters movie. Not the ones in the 80s for kids. Its the new ones for adults that grew up watching Ghostbusters! Lol
I'm going for my ham license, I'm the radio nerd of my friend group, but my friends are getting slightly interested in radios, just sadly in my opinion, they aren't too keen on ham. Might get them on GMRS for when we're taking road trips. Honestly, if you really want to get into radio for cheap and just talk to random people nearby, don't need to worry about a test or anything, GMRS is absolutely perfect. I recommend it for anyone wanting to dip their toes in the waters of radio. 😊
Some will say that. Some will use it for amateur radio, GMRS, FRS, MURS, LPR433, and listening to the NOAA weather stations. There are anal retentive operators and there are really easy going amateur radio operators. I have done a lot of work for the easy going amateur radio operators. They are actually, dare I say, really cool.
@@joshuafletcher4963 You will be punished severely. Hold out your hand and wait for the slap. I hope you learned your lesson. You dissapoint me, the amateur radio community, the CB community, the GMRS community, Uncle Sam, and have made sweet baby Jesus cry. I hope you can live with your sinful ways.
So I am in Montana. Can I talk to my sister in Oregon? I'm looking for long range comms. I'm on the go but I guess I can install something in my car. Any tips? Recommendations?
What is the estimated cost for this radio ? I do have old 40-channels CB radio with whip antenna but, it doesn’t have any space to fit in my 2002 truck and it was used to fit on 1987 GMC Jimmy, it works great. Thank you.
Oh just hold down the PTT and the orange buttons while turning it on. Fyi you will have to reprogram your frequencies back in so save them before you do.
Hi just to let the UK 🇬🇧 views know that the Baofeng UV-5Rs and their derivatives can only be used to Transmit on Amateur radio frequencies if you have a minimum Foundation Licence and to listen SWL and not transmit on PMR446 due to removable antenna and more than the maximum 0.5 watt output
In the US it is the same. But all the F___ HEADs in the US who do not care about the law do it anyway. The FCC will track down any violators. No enforcement, no law.
HELP 😊 I’m 80 trips around the sun My radio came yesterday The instruction manual I can’t read or do I understand? I don’t understand all the letters I’m going to practice for the beginners Ham license but also wish to follow Local police n fire What do you suggest Thank you Thanks the old timer
Don't let this jerk discourage your use of the Baofeng. It's a great radio to start out in ham radio to figure out if you want to invest in a more expensive radio.
It really depends on your budget - the UV5X series is very affordable and has a lot of accessories - Midland makes a fine unit as well. We just put out a longer format version of this video here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-S7rGKdmSuOI.htmlsi=zzMGt61eb1YPQir0 www.youtube.com/@TheNotaRubicon has a lot of information on individual radios - he's a wealth of information!
Covering up the model with your thumb lol. That’s like drinking a 40 in a paper bag so nobody knows what your drinkin 😂. Get a baofeng gmrs radio and you won’t have to program it, just turn it on and it works. But yeah, the 5r is a great cheap throw away.
Five VHF frequencies in MURS. (Multiple use radio service) No license required and while it's only five freqs hardly anyone is on it (Wal*Mart uses it in their stores, but outside of that it's EMPTY! And of course, there's the FRS frequencies in UHF. They are shared with GMRS, No license required, but lower power transmitting than GMRS is allowed.. The UV-5R is a highly adjustable radio, You chan set it up for these fregs a nd the "right" power levels.
the ham bands are self policed anyways, if you are interfering with a proper ham band you were going to do it anyway. radios arent hard to make either, just because its got a keypad, it self isnt propblematic
I bought one of these couldn't find out how to get a license what I read was I had to take a course or something couldn't really figure out the radio it's completely over complex like a million different things it gets zero reception never got one channel of course I don't press the red button now this is even possibly simple I don't even know what these settings are in the menu
I am looking to get a good little radio for when I go out into the desert to explore for abandoned mines. I love the size of this one. Question though: I've heard that you can program these to only work on channels that do not require a license. Is this true for this radio?
Yes. You can program them to transmit only on FRS channels, but as a UHF radio, a tall hill or adit will all but completely isolate you. Just remember that for the most part, VHF/UHF are line-of-sight. I have however talked all over the world on my good ol Cobra 2000GTL with a strapped clarifier and channel expansion kit. 10 or 11 meters might be a better fit for what you are talking about. Bad part is, longer antenna, bulkier radio. But! 10/11 meters will "bounce" off of terrain and you are all but guaranteed to find someone on channel 19 on a CB almost anywhere in the US.
Have both, the T600 is not 2 watts (about 1.5 best case). The baofeng is about 4 watts on GMRS and better antenna. Repeaters can get you all the way across the country when linked (MyGMRS is a good resource).
Correct - this was the Scanner I used for the visual since it is physically the same as the UV-5G. The UV5R is a fine choice for this as out of the box, you can't transmit on inappropriate bands despite any programming.
@@DennisMartinezCalifornia I would agree for expensive radios, except with this you could just dig $30 out of your couch and buy the compliant version of the radio.
@Agent Kevin Raat tried it by hand a number of times, couldn’t figure it out, it’s not easy like my yaesu ft 60 or ft3dr, I did end up taking it to a friend who has a computer, unfortunately I don’t own one, just an iPhone.
@Agent Kevin Raat getting the frequency is easy, it’s programming the repeaters and saving it into memory that’s an issue on the keypad. Thank you though, I can still troll Walmart 😂😂
