Went to the Baofeng website and these were listed under Ham radios. Do I need a license to operate?
It depends on what frequencies you use. You can listen to anything, but if you don't have a HAM-license you can only transmit on some specific channels/frequencies. This varies some between countries. But the UV-5R may be a good buy even if you don't have a HAM-license. And if you get a license even better... You will have to do some research to figure out what frequencies you are free to use and how to program them into the radio. There is plenty of information specifically for the UV-5R on the Internet, so it should not be too difficult. There are a LOT of UV-5R radios out there...
For the low low price of $35 the UV-5r is a GREAT radio ..
Yes , In Europe - USA the rules vary greatly , and I believe there are license free frequencies to use .. Depending on country .
In Australia ( NZ ? ) You are required to be licensed ( VK3FORK here ) , amateur radio license . ( Just being in possession of one of these is a breach )
Back to the radios ... I like the UV-5r for the battery choices , if you want a better interface , more up to date firmware ( modern - user friendly - functional ) you may wish to look at a UV-B5 or UV-B6 ...
If your in the USA , the BF-F8HP may need some attention ..
Oh yeah , Troll Ebay for the best prices and watch for feedback scores .. Anything under 10,000 feedback might be worth avoiding ...
thanks for the review. 
i was planning to buy one but maybe i’ll search for wouxun
Looking at the specs it should be programmable to the 477mhz UHF CB range? 5w is within legal specs for that too. Ive got a couple of older Uniden (UH041) Id like to upgrade.
In Europe / USA this radio seems to be legal for USB CB ..
To the best of my knowledge , it would be a breach of the communications act to use a Ham radio for public frequencies ( people have been prosecuted for such )
The problem lays in the radio being able to operate outside the UHF frequency range ( Same in the USA I believe ) ...
Baofeng has software for locking the radio into Memory Mode , so if you program in the 80 UHF CB frequencies ( 70cm ) and the radio is unable to operate outside said frequencies then it would be legal for such ...
Unfortunately only Americans have access to such (1) Radios ( the right firmware ) and (2) the programming software to lock the radio ( correct firmware ) ... This is apparently proprietary , and is only available through one Baofeng seller in the USA ...
SO you would need to source the correct UV-5r from the states , and use the correct software to make ( program ) yourself a 80 channel hand held CB or walkie talkie ...
Yes I have done the research - I have contacted Baofeng about getting the software to lock the UV-5r to channel mode , and heard nothing back .
Next step is to see if the guy that writes the CHIRP software can mod his programming software to allow such ..
For now , the Baofeng is for licensed ham operators in Australia : There have apparently been a lot of problems with these radios in Australia as they cover Police / Ambulance / Fire frequencies as well a few others used by the Government . So the ability to limit the radios to amateur band plans is a plus ..
I have already programmed the GT-3 to 144-148mhz as well as 430-450mhz and it wont operate outside these frequencies , not even by accident . I also have all the 2 meter and 70cm repeaters programmed in for the state .
For your information only , the frequency range can be greatly expanded . The Baofengs will work well outside the frequencies listed by the factory ...
I guess this is why a few people have bricked ( killed ) their radios , trying for as much frequency range as they can get ...
I converted a UV-5r to a scanner , then when it could not transmit at all ( only receive ) I pushed the frequency range well beyond stock ...
They are a fun little radio for sure ...
> one Baofeng seller in the USA
Just curious, which one? I’m N6VSB
a couple questions about this-
First off can the radio be programmed as a trunking scanner or does it lack the hardware?
Secondly would it be able to be programmed as a scanner only on my frequency but still be able to transmit on other frequencies. Say if I wanted to set up a couple of these at different locations for people to be able to hear me on my frequency if I want to get their attention (but dont allow them to use my license) but then have it allow them to switch over to a public channel (or even GSM/FRS) for them to be able to talk back / to each other?
1/ No
2/ No
I would have to find it ...
Try a google search on VFO lock out ...
thanks’s
do you know of any equipment that can accomplish question #2 (doesnt have to be GSM/FRS at all, public frequencies would be fine). I’d really like to be able to get setup like that, where I can leave a unit at both my wife’s work and at our barn and be able to talk over those radios but because there’s other people there I dont care to let use my license so I’d only want them to be able to talk on the legal to transmit on the public channels but still hear me on mine.
Doesnt even have to be handheld.
Amazon has the BF-F8HP and the same store there sells the UV5RA in a pair with double everything for almost the same price. For the average user is the BF-F8HP that much better? Of course I want the F8 -it’s got more power, but for camping do I need that much more power?
Most likely, no. Better, and more fun, to have a few extra radios...
And if you temporarily need more range and want to have some extra fun, it is easy to rig two UV-5Rs to form an ad-hoc repeater.
Hoist them up high in a tree, possibly with better antennas, and you've suddenly got amazing range.
The only extra hardware needed is a cable with 2.5 and 3.5 mm plugs, so you can connect external speaker on one radio to external mic on the other.
http://www.amazon.com/Gino-2-5mm-3-5mm-Audio-Adapter/dp/B009PJG2TU
I thought you only needed one radio to function as a repeater… now it’s two with a jumper between them like a telomere on a dividing cell. Whycome ya’ gotta use two of them radidios to make a repeater?
Adobe, sorry I just realized you are in Europe and might not get the spelling to sound like the ignorant red necks of my humble heritage. Humor is tricky.
do you know of any equipment that can accomplish question #2 Sorry no ...
For the average user is the BF-F8HP that much better? Its should be better for everyone , Its tri power , 3 power settings , so you use what you need , what makes it better is it has more power .
More range = Just make a external antenna , something like a vertical dipole , some RG58 , BNC connectors and a pole ( telescopic ) , even a commercially made magnetic base antenna , as long as you can get it up ( height )
Here is my dipole , http://old4570.com/reviews/dipole.html
Repeater function , there are two hand held radios out there that cross band repeat http://hamgear.wordpress.com/2014/05/04/puxing-px-uv973-vs-wouxun-kg-uvd8d-i/
As for baofengs , you need more than cables . you need a repeater control box , otherwise the radios go into an infinite loop ,
old4570 it looks like you have the Mark II version - they have a Mark III now.
UV-5R is awesome
I like to program mine with a miriad of emergency radio frequencies
This site has a very large database
And a better programming software than the Chinese one (that might be full of malware and junk)
Remember, you can listen w/o a license, to broadcast on amateur radio frequencies you need the license
I got this radio a month ago but got a problem with the power output.
If i use try to select high/med/lo transmit power on a saved frequency it always default on high i can’t set it at med or lo,meanwhile when not use a saved frequency i can set it either high/med/lo.
Anyone got the same problem as me?