BAOFENGK5PLUS Radio Ham Radio 10W Rechargeable Walkie Talkies Long Range UV32 5RM Handheld Two Way Radio NOAA Weather Radio with Copy Frequency,USB-C Charginng for Hunting Survival Gear

Because of the remarkably low cost, this makes a great first radio for a new ham, and equally great as a spare to keep tucked away in case of emergency. Features are impressive: Tri-band, 10 watts power, good volume, AM air band monitoring and FM monitoring beyond the ham bands, weather band, nice scanning capability, USB-C charging, easy programming via computer or the front panel, and 1000 storable channels, and 2 antennas. It’s held up well to use and some minor drops. I keep looking for the gotcha in this radio, but haven’t found it yet. Certainly worth the price.

In all the years as a federally licensed amateur radio operator I have only purchased the common name brands (Kenwood, Yaesu and Icom) transceivers. Up until recently, I never had a desire to purchase one of the cheaper HT transceivers found here on Amazon. But, a few weeks ago I decided to see what was available in a tri-band HT.I've been using a high-end Kenwood HT in my company vehicle, and I had become concerned about the extra wear and tear it was receiving on a daily basis as I travel around the country. I wanted something that wasn't such a large investment. Something that is reliable and performs well. Can I get this from a $30 radio?In my search here on Amazon, I came across the Baofeng K5Plus. I had heard of Baofeng from other hams. Some hate them, some like them, some make fun of the name. I watched some youtube, read reviews here, and in the end I decided to take the plunge. For $30, I'll try it and see.I'm here to tell you, that for a $30 investment, I am impressed. This little HT performs very well. I have gotten excellent audio reports. The battery has held a charge for a very long time - several days of scanning programmed frequencies and a few extended rag chews, and the battery display says that I'm down to 7.7 volts. Not bad. For the first 2 charge cycles, I did let the battery fully deplete before charging again.And, for $30 the radio came with a tri-band antenna (ABBREE AR-771), another dual-band antenna, a charging cradle (the AC cord is a bit too short for my taste), and ear-piece microphone, a lanyard and a nice belt-clip. Oh, you can charge the battery with a USB-C charging cable. This also came in the box.Separately, I purchased a few SMA female to BNC connectors to use in my mobile antenna set-up. I already had a Kenwood HT microphone, and it plugs right into this radio and works like a charm.I did some audio checks to check the audio quality of the transmitted audio with and without the Kenwood mike. To my ear, the audio from from the built in microphone on the Baofeng is as good (and maybe better) as the when using the Kenwood mike. The received audio is good as well.Did I say that is a $30 radio? Amazing.I measured the output power using what I have at hand. No dummy load. Just a regular home brew antenna and a standard SWR meter. So granted, this isn't precision. But keep in mind that the high-end Kenwood underwent the same exact test with the same components. The Baofeng transmit power is higher than the Kenwood. Did I mention that this is a $30 radio?Okay, it's a $30 radio. It's not perfect. The receiver does suffer in high RF environments. If you're in an environment with a lot of strong RF, you'll get some breakup of the signal you're receiving. But this is temporary until you move out of the high RF area. But hey, it's a $30 radio. My Kenwood even has issues at times, but not as bad. So far, this is the only knock I would give the Baofeng K5Plus.The display is nice and clear. I can even see it without my readers on. I have not tried viewing it in sunlight, I read that this is a possible issue. But for me, in the car, it hasn't been an issue. The display will turn off completely after a bit (depending how you program it), or not (you can choose always on setting. But a key press turns it back on. Scanning is slower than what you will find in higher end radios. Hey, it's a $30 radio.Programming the radio from the keypad was a bit daunting at first. But after you figure out the key sequences, it's a breeze. You can also use CHIRP to program the radio. But then you'll be missing the cute Chinese female voice (if you have that feature enabled) guide you through the key sequences. I kind of like her. Hahaha.Again, I'm impressed. This radio can receive AM air band, FM broadcast, and it can transmit on GMRS frequencies.Do you get what you pay for? My opinion is that you get more. Now, this transceiver is only 3 weeks old. Time will tell. Heck, for $30, I may outfit the whole family with this HT transceiver. It's a keeper!

I bought 2 of these radios for an event our club was having.Pros:Includes a drop-in charger and a USB-C charging cable.Battery can be charged directly via USB-C.The radio is larger and feels more durable.The screen looks nice when you can see it.Cons:The screen turns off within 5 secondsThe screen is impossible to read in sunlight.The included Abbree antennas are of terrible quality.With the original antennas, any movement caused the radio to cut out on receive. After switching to a Nagoya NA701 and a Diamond SRJ77CA antenna, which I already had, the reception improved significantly, and the radio no longer cuts out with slight movement.I recommend disabling the radio button using CHIRP software. This allows you to quickly turn the screen back on by pressing the button after it automatically turns off. Overall, these radios are typical Baofengs with a few enhancements. For $30 and a good antenna, you get a descent radio.

Identical internals to the Baofeng 5RM and AR-5RM, just different clamshell and button layout. Even programs the same through CHIRP. Great radio. Seeing 8-10 watts across the 70cm and 2m bands and 3-4 watts in the 1.25m band. This (and the 5RM and AR-5RM) are (IMHO) the best HT ham radios for the money. They are also capable of transmitting on MURS and GMRS (rx and tx) and receiving (rx only) airband AM if you're into that. WJ4CFW

The display is nice but it's a little cumbersome to manipulate through. Other than that it feels great in the hand. It's a great looking radio for the cost for $25. You really can't go wrong. Just make sure you have a cable to program it with chirp and your PC.

This radio works great. With a 10W output it ensures the "rubber ducky" antenna can transmit and "hit" the repeaters in my area which earlier radios with lesser power could not. Very easy to use, comes with the accessories needed to get started. Overall very impressed with the radio and its operation.

The Baofeng K5 Plus is indeed a popular choice among ham radio enthusiasts. With its 10W output, it offers very impressive power for a handheld, making it suitable for both casual communication and more serious operations. Its compact design, user-friendly interface, and range of features such as dual-band frequencies and programmable channels makes it awesome. Love its performance in various conditions, making it a solid investment for both beginners and experienced operators in the amateur radio world.