Those pesky Baofeng batteries

OK, you have finally gave in and joined the frenzy.

Well, you finally did it. With all the media that has been created over the Baofeng dual band radios that hit the market you finally gave in and purchased a little Baofeng radio just to see what all the frenzy was about. With it's extended frequency capabilities and low price tag the Baofeng radios are a great choice for everyone. Now what to do about your stock battery.
 The Baofeng batteries are very inexpensive and rugged. They are also interchangeable between all the UV-5R series of radios and the BF series. But which one to get ?

Lets all hum a few bars for the Baofeng radios

 Let's all hum a few bars for the Boafeng radio.

Ran across this article today over at W7DTG and thought I would share it. Very amusing article, and slightly informative. As Don points out, the Baofeng radio is a great bargain for almost any radio enthusiast. Not only is it inexpensive but it has a ton of accessories that are inexpensive as well.

Baofeng UV-5RA package deal includes 3800Mah Battery

Package deal on Baofeng UV-5R

The Baofeng UV-5R with 3800Mah Battery pack

Well, after a long successful run NewEgg has decided to drop the Pavkage deal on the excellent Baofeng UV-5R radios. At this time the best deal I can find on this popular dual band handheld radio comes from Amazon.
You can view the latest packages that are available at Amazon.

Choosing the right Baofeng radio PT 3

OK, so I have decided on the model that I want, now should I go with the standard black or pick one of the other colors ? The Baofeng dual band handheld radios are a great bargain for use in the amateur radio service, as well as public service. Although they are not geared specifically for ham radio use, they are more than adequate for that service. Once you have decided on what model to purchase, then next big decision you have to make is what color do you want. Currently the color choices are:

• Flame Red
• Yellow
• Royal blue
• Camouflage
• Black

 As you can tell, their are several choices to be made when deciding.
Another point of interest would be that not all radio accessories are interchangeable. For instance, the Camouflage battery does not fit well on the standard black UV-5R handheld. The extra coloring adds just enough bulk to the battery that it makes it fit rather tightly.
 All the connectors are the same, although some are spaced a little bit differently. The standard handheld speaker microphone that is available fits alittle snug on the Camouflage UV-5R. On my Baofeng BF-F9 it fits rather loosely, and will sometimes fall out. On my UV-5R dual band handheld it fits perfectly.


BaoFeng UV-5R Plus Qualette Two way Radio (Flame Red)

BaoFeng UV-5R BLUE COLOR 136-174/400-480 MHz Dual-Band DTMF CTCSS DCS FM Ham Two Way Radio + Free Earpiece USA

BaoFeng UV-5R YELLOW COLOR 136-174/400-480 MHz Dual-Band DTMF CTCSS DCS FM Ham Two Way Radio + Free Earpiece USA

Which baofeng radio is right for you PT 2

The Baofeng 2m/220 dual band handheld radios

 When deciding on the right Baofeng radio to choose from, it really comes down to a matter of preference. All the Baofeng UV-5R series of radios are the exact same thing, except for a few minor firmware versions, they can all be programmed by a USB computer cable.

 The only difference that I know of are the Baofeng UV-5RAX/RCX radios that are 2M/220 versions. These are programmed at the baofeng factory and are only available at Radio Mart at this time. I have never had any affiliation with Radio Mart and have never made any purchases through this company.

 The Baofeng UV-RCX is NOT a modification to existing 2m/440 versions, but a factory made version. Sure most of the Baofeng radios out their can be modified to receive in the 220 range but the performance and receive are very poor and the modified radios will not transmit.
 The Baofeng UV-5RAX is the same as a UV-5RXC with 2M/220 capabilities.  Again the only difference between the 2M/220 dual band handheld radios is the cosmetics.

Great prices on the Baofeng UV-5R at Amazon

Choosing which Baofeng radio is right for you

Choosing which Baofeng UV-5R is right for YOU.

 As we are flooded with Baofeng radio equipment the choices that are available become more and more confusing. Other than a few cosmetic changes most Baofeng dual band handheld radio are the same, excluding the 2m/220 models like the Baofeng  UV-R/AX/CX and others. The only difference may also be the Software version built into the radio, which is NOT upgradeable at this time.
 Some models like the Baofeng UV-3R do not include a keypad for direct frequency entry and programming and requires the USB programming cable and software. 

 The first that become popular was the Baofeng UV-5R radio that started the craze. The baofeng uv5r dual band two way radio came in black

Baofeng Comparison Chart.



The Baofeng UV-5R 2m/440 dual band handheld was an innocent enough looking little radio that went viral almost overnight. Right now the price tag on these original radio is down close to $30 bucks.

The little baofeng uv5r dual band two way radio black

 The little Baofeng UV-5R transmits on from 136-174 and400-480 MHz. This includes all public service frequencies and VHF marine bands and Amateur radio frequencies. All Baofeng dual band handheld radios have this range.

VHF coverage and services.
UHF coverage and services

 Next in the lineup came the Baofeng UV-5RA. Same radio folks, same coverage and same programming scheme through either direct entry from the keypad OR the USB programming cable. Only difference was the cosmetics. Maybe it's Maybelline ?

Next up: The Baofeng 2M/220 dual band handhelds.

Looking for a DUAL band base antenna for your Baofeng CLICK HERE