UPDATED Review: Baofeng UV-5X GMRS - Is the Baofeng UV5X Now The Best Inexpensive GMRS HT Radio?
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- Опубликовано: 29 окт 2024
- Not shown in the video: UV-5X power output test results:
Power-output on GMRS CH1: 3.9 Watts (both high and low power setting)
Power output on GMRS CH8: 1.5 Watts (both high and low power setting)
Power output on GMRS CH16: 3.9 Watts (both high and low power setting)
Power output on Repeater CH3: 4.1 Watts (both high and low power setting)
It seems that the power-settings (menu item #2) do not affect the power-levels.
Correction: I mentioned that the UV-5X can use all UV-5R accessories - this is true except for the antenna. The UV-5X has a different antenna connector and requires a UV-5X/GMRS specific antenna.
This is an updated review for the new Baofeng UV-5X GMRS HT walkie-walkie radio. In my previous review of the UV5X GMRS radio I found some problems but Baofeng has done some fixes and says they have fixed all of the issues and problems that were in the first-run of the radios - The UV-5X is basically the tried-and-true UV-5R but with all of the FCC Part 95E rules for GMRS baked in, making the UV5X legal for use on GMRS bands. Is the Baofeng UV-5X now the best low-cost GMRS radio?
LINKS:
You can get the new/updated UV-5X GMRS radio here:
amzn.to/3tnuaQl
You can get the large battery for both the UV-5R and UV-5X here:
amzn.to/3sk5RRN
#BAOFENG #GMRS
Music by Stern Beats - You can find him here:
/ @sternbeatsmusic
are all Americans angry gun owners?
Are all non-Americans humorless dolts?
Most of us are happy gun owners....
i am a very happy gun owner.
NO! I am a very calm and HAPPY gun owner. I just hate stupid non-gun owner!
There's an easy way to find out... ;)
From this day forward, any radio manufacturer that wants a market share of the "usable by reasonable humans" space, is going to need your stamp of approval.
I second this motion.
Look at you being the INFLUENCER with the radio group! Nicely done!!
I just received mine. No issues at all. It's nice to see a manufacturer listen and respond, so quickly to their customer base. Thanks for the video.
Randy, I think a lot of your favorite viewers would LOVE to see you build a GMRS repeater using 2 UV-5X radios, settings for the receive and transmit settings, a controller like the Surecom SR-328, and some external antennas.
Something like this would be incredibly valuable for many to see, as it would also include power options such as solar, Jackery, AC powered options, and battery/UBS, etc.
If you wanted to go all out, possibly grounding options as well. :)
I made and tested several variants. Too many issues. Ended up buying a RT97S with a nice back to school discount promotion.
You have the highest degree of "dry humor" out there coupled with good technical info which always brings me back!
lol true or something like that, but looking in perspective I bet he himself will get tired of it some time. I find it entertaining and its also excellent info. I also tend to filter out excesses but also there are a lot of very annoying ignoramus people out there ready to criticize anyone. That said let’s benefit from his gracious contribution nite
I appreciate the distinction between unboxing and de-boxing - two distinct and separate things
totally agree if this was an unboxing video I would have turned off straight away cos they are stupid as it was clearly a dee boxing video I watched it all the way through nice
As of today, Chirp can program the UV-5X(UV-5G) with any gmrs frequencies on ch. 0 and ch. 31 to ch.127 including duplicate repeater frequencies with different PL Tones for different repeaters. Time for you to give this radio another shot.
Definitely interested in getting the UV-5X after watching your video. I’ve got the UV-5R and it’s a nice radio. I’ve got my GMRS license and feel the 5X would be a nice addition. Really nice to know what accessories I have with my 5R will work. Keep up the great work on your videos
I always get a chuckle when you offer all the various readioddity pronunciations.
I love his sense of humor and vast radio knowledge. Sense of humor though lol
I like the fact he admits he is human like the rest of us and makes mistakes. That's gives me the biggest chuckles.
I think they should sponsor you. Your reviews and honestly make strong selling points for the world's best ham radios.
Please keep the GMRS videos coming. Your videos helped me a lot in choosing GMRS over Ham radio. Also your reviews helped me pick out what radios I wanted.
I would like to see some GMRS base station videos. Also would like to see you do a review of the midland MXT115 and other midland micro mobile rado
Had I never stumbled onto you a few months ago I’d never be enjoying a new hobby…..and a reason to raid eBay and Amazon 😊rock on.
What made you go with GMRS over HAM? No need for an extended-explantion or anything. Just the basics. I ask because I'm looking to get my first radio(s?) for general awareness during natural disasters, and I just started researching this stuff today, so I have no knowledge lol.
The videos I've seen are recommending the UV-5R for a beginner radio.
Just received my GMRS license. Thanks for exciting me. Looking forward to your upcoming Reviews when the combination GMRS/MUR HT comes out soon and subsequent "How To" clips. Enjoy the heck out of your clips.
It's nice to hear that a company messed up and when the customers said the problems Baofeng went straight to work to fix the problem. It would be nice if more companies actually followed suit. I love my Baofengs 5R's.
The manufacturer emailed me today 6/4/2021 that the 5x has been recalled and a new version 2 will be in the US in mid July 2021. Thanks for the update.
Great review, I am constantly amazed at the price of these radios.
Just bought set. Adding to my list of radios..WRVM616 out of Arizona. Like your Vids
Ordered from your affiliate link. Been waiting on this video!.... Now, will keep them boxed until the FCC decides to eventually change the price. My guess is that someone lost the passcode to the locked HTML code from 1995.
$35 savings is a premium price to pay for you to delay satisfaction. I choose to bite the bullet and paid the $70. Good luck to you and hope that you get to enjoy your radios soon.
I waited for months then just paid it. Had radio installed then said heck with it.
Look at you. You made Baofeng bow to you. Nicely done lol
Great video as always, Randy. Great re-visit to the UV5X
Found you by accident. Got a sub. Now I'm bing watching 😆 great videos
Caught this video just in time, I wrote off the Baofeng UV-5X after watching your last video. Now it's back to the top of my list. Thanks
Get your SET OF TWO UV-5X radios here! - amzn.to/3tnuaQl
You can get that large battery for both the UV-5R and UV-5X here: - amzn.to/3sk5RRN
Not a Rubicon, for once a serious question by me, here. Are these in your link the newer firmware versions as are the ones you showed in this video? Not trying to be a smart-a.
That link _SHOULD_ get you the updated radios! If you get a defective one, send it back! - thats what I like about Amazon, they make it very easy to return things. I shipped back my defective set and had my refund in just a few days.
@@TheNotaRubicon
Thank You, Sir!
@@TheNotaRubicon Just ordered my pair. Do you mind another RUclips channel linking to your GMRS videos? A certain Nerf Organization needs to get its coms in order. :)
The more links, the better!
I like your videos. But I got a special surprise on this one when, right when you started to open the box, an ad cut in that said "This revolutionary device was designed to loosen all the phlegm in your chest." I had no idea. I will watch the rest of the video now. Keep up the good work!
I really enjoy your vids, they are clear cut & to the point..And I enjoy watching you go after the "sad hams" , and everyone screwing the hobby of radio comm over. And your travel are fun too, as I used to live at 29 Palms, Ca & Yuma Az. [btw I would move back to Yuma, in half a Marine Corps Boot Camp heartbeat]
Just bought the updated version of the UV-5X using the Amazon link in the youtube description. Will be my first time using a GMSR radio so I'm looking forward to trying it out. In the past I all ways been a CB user mostly cause of my dad was a truck driver.
My GMSR radio should be here on friday unless the mail ends up running slow. So I went ahead and applied for my GMSR license then paid the fee. I done that in hoping I will have my call sign before I get my GMSR radio.
That way I can practice memorizing my call sign using the international phonetics alphabet way.
There is 1 GMSR repeater like 25 miles away from me. It says that GMSR repeater has proximately a 50 mile range. On the map I'm like dead center of the circle which it shows for it's range. So I'm kinda hoping the GMSR repeater will be able to pickup my HT once I get it.
Thank you! These videos are super-helpful for those of us who are evaluating GMRS radio option!
Very informative, and appreciated. I am getting a pair of the UV-5X Baofeng GMRS radios for Fathers day, and hope I get the upgraded models, they came from Amazon. I will drop a note, as I move forward with these radios. Again thanks for all you time & help, it is appreciated.
Unboxing videos can be extremely valuable for figuring out how to put a pile of carp back into the box, for example, for shipping back. Easy enough with these radios, not so for some stuff that I bought.
Thank you for making comms understandable to the rest of us.
Man, Palomar Mt.! I used to ride my Harley up there with some shipmates all the time back when I was stationed on Coronado. Noooow I’m retired out in flat flat Kansas. Love your videos! I’ve been binging them for several days!
I noticed on min. 9:26 that the radio has an SMA female connector, not like the UV-5R that has an SMA male connector. Something to consider if you plan to buy another antenna.
BTW, great review style. Straight to the point and funny.
Good eye! I added that to the Info section.
I'm adding BNC addapters to my HT radios so I can have a common antenna connector.
Is the Tidradio GM-5R the same radio as the Baofeng UV-5x? I accidently ordered a set thinking they were the Baofengs as they look just like them.
Thanks for the thoughtful review. Watch to the end!
This is an excellent unboxing video!
"De-boxing"... what a rebel.
box extracting
Thank you for the follow-up and great update on this radio. Keep your great vids coming!
Great follow up! I watched the first review and was disappointed as the UV5R+ plus is a great HAM radio, and I followed along with your video to program it. I then watched your review of the comparison on the GMRS Baofeng, Radiodditiy, BTech, Wouxon radios and was about to buy one of those, when I took a breath, paid for my GMRS license (still $70 with no definitive known date for fee reduction, as of August 18, 2021), and returned to use one of your affiliate links... when I stumbled upon this update review. Glad to see the updates they made, that they are, or will be added to the CHIRP list, and sold as a pair. Pulled the trigger just now, along with the larger batteries to boot. Thanks for the links, and the info. Great stuff. I will highly recommend your channel to others.
As a licensed ham I’m insulted. You didn’t even mention let alone give screen time to Sad Ham!
😂😂😂, KG5GZX here. I know, I feel so neglected???
this isn't part 95/97/105/132/156/195/210 sections (a)-(f) and (aa) through (gg) compliant, as revised in 2019 on page 22 of the regulations on the FCC website due to the inability of the FDA to certify that this doesn't cause ham cancer. How can he possibly recommend this. I'm sending the FCC's SWAT team over to confiscate those dangerous items
@@DataGeek903 fcc swat = a gal 25 states away with a form letter and a print button
wouldnt you be InSalted?
i was waiting for you to touch them in your special way.
these are now on my amazon list.
love the box eviction part...since you dont do unboxing.
Ordered the radios and battery from your link. I very much appreciate your content! Thank you.
I found them to be much stronger than the Radioddity GMRS s. So now I'll have to order 5X again.
I ordered the radios and the extended life batteries using your links. They got here crazy fast! At first, estimated delivery was about ten days after the order. Then shortened to about five. Got them for real about two or three days later. Ditto the batteries. Ordered them after I ordered the radios and they beat the radios here! To some that may seem like a minor thing, but not to me. This is a big deal in that I haven't received a package from anywhere that quickly in over a year. I was impressed!
Radios work well for what I paid. I can somewhat reliably hit a repeater about 30 miles away, which is a BFD in this terrain. Reports of xmit audio are good. These ARE the improved radios that addressed the issues you noted in your previous video on this model. Battery life with included and extended batteries is very good. My only gripe is that there is no adjacent channel rejection on receive. First time I have encountered that problem on FRS/GMRS. I know Baofeng is trying to keep the price point low, but I would gladly pay more for enhanced adjacent channel rejection.
Thank You for the video and the links, NAR!
They also now have a HAM compliant version, called the GT-5R. And it has no (or very few) "spurious emissions" (as tested by the latest speculum analyzer).
Love your videos and Your Humor makes them even better. I am newer than new to the GMRS radio community. I had to look it up just to know how to spell GMRS. Q. My neighbor gave me two handheld radios one is a UV-5X3 the other is a YAESU FT-70D. Can these be used as GMRS radios?
Great job for standing up for the conscious consumer! Appreciate you strong but humble opinion….
Wow. I am surprise Baofeng react to your video. Salute.
They are back in stock right now, well pre-order, June 13, 2021. Good luck. Shipping in 2 weeks or less.
Nice to see you happy again...👍🏼
Thanks for looking out for the non-windows users! (MacOS, in the house)
I despise unboxing. However due to the fact that you care enough about my feelings to avoid unboxing and proceed to professionally "debox" the radios I've watched this multiple times. It's comforting to know that in this brutal world there is one compassionate man.
Thanks for your videos, I have watched a bunch of them on GSMR radios and you had me sold on the 805G. But now with this updated video I am on the fence between the 805g and the uv-5x.
How much better will the receiver on the 805g along with the 771g antenna make it compared to this model? Might there be a video coming comparing the 2 radios? since the uv--5x was removed from your comparison video a few weeks ago. Thanks
Paused the video ordered 2 UV 5x using your link of course, maybe an hour after the vid posted. Got them today LOVE them, tried to order more, everyone is out ( insert frown face).. I will have 4-6 more of these ecoms for my gray brigade. We should be able to cover a good number of sqmi, I have a base with a 40w radio and a good 40' antenna. most of the brigade can hit my base with wallyworld cheapies best range here in the hills and forest for a cheapy is about 2miles.. So so happy thanks.
you always crack me up with good info. thank you!
So enjoy your humor and information. Thanks!
Glad to see that they work now. Bought a set and have not received them yet. Will not arrive until Friday. Hopefully will not have any issues. I do have Windows 10 and hopefully CHIRP will let me fix and firmware issues if there are and also thanks for the great review.
Love your channel and content. esp the videos on the Baofeng. Thank You!!!
Of course these are unavailable on Amazon when I wanted to grab them. Ugh! Thanks for the update.
greetings from germany thanks for your work. it has helped me a lot to better understand
Great revisit of this radio. You were honest and knew when you were right and when you should apologize for a mistake. Cheers mate!
Awesome as usual! From a NOT sad-ham.
Great review, I always check your reviews before buying...Thank you.
Always fun watching your videos.
Great video! I also just got two of the larger backs for the six AA batteries. Very well made and work well. The happy ham.
Randy- You Inspired me to get my GRMS License. That ought to make Someone Happy. Sad Hams. Big Thumbs Up.
this is why i got the BTECH UV82HP and TYT 8000-E. And very happy.
I just ordered the 4 Pack Kit with 2 1800mah batteries and 2 3600mah batteries with all accessories for each radio for black friday deals for 87 dollars with tax which makes these UV-5X Radios 21 Dollars per kit which isnt bad at all couldn't pass on the deal Hopefully they work good and sound good for the price Randy @NotaRubicon Productions
I think you just did an unboxing video...lol. Great video as always and thank you for teaching everyone about these radios. I have the UV-5 and still unable to hear anything on them. I set up some frequencies you showed on a video... police, first responder, school buses, etc.. and nothing on the radio. Maybe I am doing something working or we just don't have crime or fires anymore.
That was the funniest video, yet. Bar's pretty high, Randy. Keep it up.
Just wanted to join the mob of folks saying: Your videos are awesome. I'm new to GMRS, and these vids have been really informative, helpful, and entertaining.
It was so exciting when you turned it on.
...excellent video as always! Thanks for the info...however, I missed the screen protector removal "love scene"!!! Lol!!! Please keep making these videos. Good stuff!
Near the 11:00 minute mark where you were checking that the CTCSS enc/dec was not pre-programmed in the new radios, you transmitted with the UV5X to the KG-805G. You, I think, intended to run the experiment in the reverse. Natually the KG-805G would have heard the UV5X either way since I assume the 805G did not have a CTCSS decode programmed on receive anyway. I knew what you were up to, you just reversed the intention which is something like I would do so I may have been the only one to have caught it, LOL. Love the radio hobby and I enjoy your videos. I know this one is a year old video but this was the first time I watched it. I have 2 of the BF-F8HPs and use them almost daily. Great radios. Been a Happy😁 Ham for 31 years and GMRS licensed for over 4 years and still not an expert, haha.
Thank you Randy, I still like my TIDRADIO GM-5R with a 3800-mAh battery. Basically the same radio as the UV- 5X but with a bigger battery😊👍
"Not that I'm not honest. I'm usually honest." This guy cracks me up!!
Thank you 🙏 love the info and comedy
Thanks for the review, just grabbed and updated pair from amazon today.
Just a word of warning when ordering the UV-5X from Amazon. I got my pair of radios today and the power adaptor for one of them was basically broken in half. From the look of the internals of it, they're very flimsy. I'm sending it back and getting a GMRS-9R instead. I'm excited about the GMRS-9R (I saw your video about it after I had already ordered the UV-5X), but I'm admittedly disappointed that the UV-5X didn't work out. I love how small and light those little radios are. Still love Baofeng, though!
I just ordered mine. I was going to get me a set tell I saw you first review on the Baofeng UV-5X . Now with your update on this radio I have changed my mind. You didn't mention if you could enter a different CTCS code for the same repeater and store it in memory. Can it be done?
My first, and so far only HT’s, are the Triband Baofeng UV-S9X3.
I’ve jailbroken both so I could add GMRS as well, making them quad bands.
As I now can transmit on 2M, 1.25M, 70cm, and GMRS 65cm, I have bought a total of 6 antennas (x2 radios) suitable for all 4 bands.
For the money paid, I cannot phantom there is a better unit on the market.
No, I don’t expect to use repeaters where I live, but I do expect to use simplex when in the city as well as on the 4x4 tracks.
I hope this isn't a stupid comment but only a stupid question which in some of your videos you have stated was OK. I bought a Baofeng UV-5R for my wife to use as a scanner since a friend of hers told her that she could hear the EMS services on this device now that our town had gone to a regional dispatch. I watched your video on how to set it up as a scanner (nice job!) and it works! Then, I got hooked on your other videos about this radio and I started thinking that it might be better to have a pair of these radios for my buddy and I when we go deer hunting in northern Maine vs. the WalMart walkie talkies we use now (feel free to correct me if the range would not be any better in the woods and mountains). When I checked the mega on-line box store I found the set of two radios but they were this new version (UV-5X). Immediately I went to your channel to see if you had any videos on this new version and so here I am. Does it make sense to buy the UV-5X vs. the UV-5R for my needs or is the 5R still a better option. I know only a little more than zero about radios other than they are great when I can get a hold of my friend in the woods and frustrating and worrisome when I can't. Thanks in advance for your help!
I see that your comment is a few months old, so I hope you found your answer already but if not... and in the interest of future viewers who may be reading this, I thought I'd throw in my two cents...
The UV-5R is a HAM radio. While it doesn't require anything additional just to listen to it (as a scanner) if you wanted to transmit on it, such as talk to your buddy, the FCC requires you to have a license. That means both you and your buddy would have to take the test and acquire a HAM radio license.
The UV-5X (now called the UV-5G) is a GMRS radio. It still requires a license from the FCC, but there is no test involved. The GMRS radios will also communicate with those standard walkie-talkies (FRS). The advantage to the GMRS radios is that you can make use of repeaters if there are any in the area.
So for your purposes of needing something to communicate with your buddy while hiking, I'd suggest going with a GMRS radio since it would fit your needs, has the ability to reach farther with the use of repeaters, and can still communicate with someone that is using the very common standard walkie-talkie.
Rather than the UV-5G however, I'd suggest the Baofeng UV-9G instead. It is also a GMRS radio but is also waterproof, which would be very handy if you are hiking out in the mountains.
Hope that was helpful! (to someone)
Thank you for sharing that radio that's just what I'm looking for like always your videos are very useful Thanks again
These radios will really confuse those tens of thousands of National Park Service employees we've been told will pop out of the bushes and issue on-the-spot megabuck citations to anyone with a UV-5_ who hits the PTT on a GMRS channel. 🤣🤣🤣
Aloha from Hawaii. I always enjoy your videos, thank you. I just ordered two radios through your links and will be using these with the Big Island Jeep Club. Come visit one day!
Just watched your UV-9G update video where you revealed your massive..... influence. Any chance you could swing that thing around for the UV-5X to get us personalized channels like the UV-9G and UV-5R? Seems just a software adjustment allows this change and would make the UV-5X THE best GMRS radio known to man. Thanks! Keep up the awesome content!
The multi-repeater problem still exists, and a small correction. Using their software, you still cannot configure a duplicate repeater (or simplex) channel. You can enter the receive frequency and PL tone but their piece of sh.. software will not accept a transmit frequency. Maybe Chirp will (eventually) but using the most recent Baofeng software it cannot. The correction is that if you can trick the radio into transmitting on ham frequencies (and you have a ham license, of course), there is nothing illegal about using a GMRS radio on ham frequencies. You just can't go the other way (Ham radio on GMRS). So with all this said, if you feel like having some fun with your favorite text editor you CAN edit the XML file that holds the configuration and it will accept anything you put in. I put in two repeaters and a bunch of ham simplex frequencies in my UV-5X GMRS radio. It's a complete pain in the butt, but it works.
If the radio can actually be tricked into Tx outside of the GMRS band, then it actually invalidates the FCC Certification. The radio may not last long if this is the case.
@@greylingstudios I suspect you're right, but the main issue with Part 95E certification is that the radio cannot be keypad programmable, which is indeed the case. Hacking an XML file is a lot different, but I maintain that *all* of these types of radios should have their CPUs hardwired to disallow transmit on any frequency not in the type-accepted list as a condition of import. Period.
Definition of an unboxing video: the thing I'm about to do whenever I say I don't do unboxing videos.
9:10 You said it right the first time, they're also called hex keys. I typically call them allen keys, either or means the same thing. Torx looks like a 8 point star screw for reference.
Today I received my GMRS call sign. Also got Baofeng UV-5G which is a 5X improved. Both radios did not have the screw in the antennas.
How are you hitting a repeater 69 miles away from inside the house with the stock antenna? Wowzers!
Yeah, when your radio has only a 1 mile range....... ;-)
Have you done any testing with compatible antennas to see which one works best with the UV-5X? I am wondering if a shorter antenna, like the one you cut down for the Btech radio, would work better?
BaoFeng is my savior.
Absolutely love your channel! Thanks so much!!
Hey Randy, New subscriber and loving the content! I just picked up a pair of these which has the updated firmware after getting my GMRS license. Either I've discovered a couple more issues, or I'm missing something. Probably equally likely. The new firmware sets the duplex setting to OFF for anything above channel 30 after flashing, meaning no extra repeaters. The second problem is the freqs of channel 23-30 are static, cannot be changed. So you can only have a maximum of 8 repeaters configured at any one point in time, and they have to sit on different frequencies. I haven't tried to play with any of the lower channel freqs, but suspect the same.
Any chance you know anything about these issues or fixing them? Alternatively, point on the Baofeng where I'm being oblivious. Love the presentation, keep up the thick sarcasm!
EDIT: Upon further review (RTFM), it lists 30 GMRS, 11 NOAA, and 127 scanner channels. Guess it's working as they intended, just not as I desire. Wonder if they can adjust this and stay compliant?
Unboxing vs deboxing, such nuance.
I will be testing a new firmware soon that should allow for the programming of additional repeater channels with different tones. Hoping it makes for a better radio overall.
Thank you Randy for the update
Randy, thanks for the awesome videos, love em'. A few videos ago you mentioned a GMRS repeater on Mt. Palomar, 462.700. Is that an open public repeater or is it private?
Hey Randy ... Boy am I glad I found you. New subscriber, here. I would like to use this for team Airsoft training. Do you know if there might be a problem using the Baofeng Wearable Antenna Package (BNC-M Antenna W/Baofeng SMA-F Adaptor) with this radio? Might need a different BNC adaptor? Also, can you reccomend a good handheld mic/speaker with a 3.5mm output for private monitoring. Thanks for your help.