Hardware Costs for UV3R and UV5R

[Skean Dhude]

I'm looking at procuring a couple more of these radios and as I already have UV3Rs and UV5Rs I want more of these rather than something new.

I've looked on eBay and discovered that the UV5Rs are cheaper than the older UV3Rs which makes me curious. Is that because UV3Rs are better or just because it is obsolete and harder to source.

I understood that the UV5Rs are the better model and now that they have been out there for some time we should have evidence.

Any views?

[NorthernRaider]

[Tartar Horde]

Bloody hell lads they are quite resonably priced!!! what sort of range are you getting with these, I would be very interested to know?

[NorthernRaider]

Line if sight using my UV 5s and a 771 ant tuned to the PMR frequencies I get 9.5 miles up here, about 3 to 5 indirect depending on weather and topography, not used the ham frequencies you would need to ask others about 2m and 70 cm but if your licenced and use repeaters I guess the world is your oyster.

[Devonian]

Line if sight using my UV 5s and a 771 ant tuned to the PMR frequencies I get 9.5 miles up here, about 3 to 5 indirect depending on weather and topography.

Are the PMR frequencies public/legal frequencies for anyone to use?

[NorthernRaider]

YES if you have a legal PMR radio IE .5 watt and a fixed antenna,

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Baofeng UV5R Frequency list PMR 446
Loc Frequency Name Tone
mode
Tone Tone sql Dtcs
code
Dtcs rx
code
Dtcs
pol
Cross mode Duplex Offset Mode PWR Skip
0 1666.665250 (none) Tone tone (off) 0.000000 FM Low
1 446.00625 P1 (none) 88.5 88.5 23 23 NN (None) FM High
2 446.01875 P2
3 446.03125 P3
4 446.04375 P4
5 446.05625 P5
6 446.06875 P6
7 446.08125 P7
8 446.09375 P8 Calling
9 446.10625 P9
10 446.11875 P0
11 446.13125 H1
12 446.14375 H2
13 446.15625 H3
14 446.16875 H4
15 446.18125 H5
16 446.19375 H6
17 446.20625 H7
18 446.21875 H8
19 446.23125 H9
20 446.24375 H0
12.5KHZ steps

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Your not supposed to have the ability to put a better antenna on a UK spec PMR radio and its supposed to be locked at .5 watt power, The UV5 can be set and locked at .5 watt and of course no one would change that capability.

(Hah tell that to some of the quarry truck drivers up here who don't know the meaning of low powered radios!!)

[Devonian]

OK, thanks, I didn't realise that.

I always though these UV5 thingy's needed a ham radio licence.

[NorthernRaider]

[Devonian]

Yes, I'm already set up CB wise and that's easy to use and understand and it even gets regular use!

But these hand held radio's are a mystery and I'm never sure what the legalities are, but like you I'd only ever use (need) them after TSHTF, and even them I'm sceptical as to how useful they would be for 'me'..... but who knows!

[NorthernRaider]

Well if you need COMPACT but very effective short to intermediate range good quality coms that can be greatly enhanced with better antenna, extension mike / speaker that can be easily adapted to us AA batteries or fitted with 3000ma batteries etc for interfamily comms after TSHTF the UVs are superb as well as being cheap, THEN if you do decide to get a ham licence you already have a very capable set in the UV5.

I got mine at about £30 each compared with the less capable because of its fixed ant Mt50-50 which costs about £80 each or the hand held CBs that are equally far more expensive and bloody huge.

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I'll add that PMR 446 is pretty darn quiet up this region which means more air space for me compared to the chattery ham bands and troll infested cb bands.