Okay first let's start off by saying you get what you pay for these days it seems. That said, if you're looking for a low cost budget, I lost it, I dropped it, It fell off the motorcycle I never stopped to get it sort of radio then here's your gig. If you watch for sales on Amazon, you can have it for less than $30 bucks, can't beat that can you?

The rig has some nice extra's such as a flash light, a siren and a FM broadcast radio. Why a Flash light or Siren? Who knows, anyone's guess on that but it does come in handy if you're playing outside in the dark. Siren? Again who knows why but it does have this option, maybe the Chinese have Siren contests? Or I suppose and again if you're in the dark and attacked by a rig nabbing sort of person it might come in handy.

When you receive your new El'cheapo Radio, you'll find out the manual is about as useless as Hen's teeth!
Throw it down and pay it no attention as it will just confuse you further. My suggestion is simply go to YouTube and seek out programming your model Baofeng and you'll be surprised to see how many hams have figured out this little monster.

It's been said this rigs are almost impossible to program using the key pad or direct key entry on the rig itself and one must use a programming cable (another problem will address in a minute) This is just crap because the rig can be programmed very easily using it's key pad. You just have to go Step by Step and remember to get things right and move each step accordingly and do it in order. Much like older Handy Talkies of the past, you must complete each step before moving to the next. So yes you can program it using the direct key in method.

Please note, if you do revert to using a programming cable you may find it becomes more difficult for reasons unknown to me to program your little radio using it's key pad.

Now if you fall pray to purchasing a Counterfeit cable off Ebay you most likely will scream, pull out your hair and decide to murder the computer as Later Windows Version Take issue with both the Prolific cable and drivers supplied.

In order to avoid such anger, Buy a Real Baofeng cable increasing your chances to get the thing to work.

That said, not everyone suffers from issues with these Counterfeit cables but if you research any you will find out that this is few and far between, although I have heard several hams say they had no issues. Hard to believe that actually as so many have reported troubles.

Me, I bought the Baofeng cable and later decided to see the Problem cable also. Just for kicks and grins, I wanted to see what all the complaints was about for myself.

Trust me, avoid those crappy counterfeit cables, you can tell usually by the price, a real cable, is about $14 to 15 bucks, and the counterfeits are any where from $3 to 7 dollars. Also the CD's have I/Y on them and nothing else written on the CD cover. Or that was my experience. They're all about Ebay so be wise to that fact...

Several free software programs can be had out there, like CHIRP it works pretty well and easy to configure.

It does make things simpler to program and you can clone rigs if you have more than one of these little monsters.

Then again if you want to use your key pad for programming it does make it harder it seems or that has been my experience and if you use the cable and you've programmed in power settings forget changing those. Again that is my experiences, once it is written by the software, I can't change it or that is how it seems. I guess it would be easier said, if you want to program your radio with your keypad, avoid the cable. Now that is my opinion only as I said others may find their radios are not bothered by the cabling effects. Mine are, both of them!

Okay let's look at the rig, transmit has been okay, It does a good job, good audio. But the antenna base heats, I talked with several other hams, theirs do this too. They feel and I agree this is due to the lack of heat sinking and the fact the rig seems to be all plastic so the only metal is at the base of the antenna, maybe this is by design and their using the metal there as heat sinking but again I don't know.

Receive is good, maybe too good at times because certain things get into the rig, like for example lawn mowers. Cars, motorcycles. You don't have to be on or in them either, just near by!

It has cross band receive you can cut on by the menu, also I might have forgotten to mention but this rig is mostly menu driven.


I think this one does about 4 watts on 440 and 5 on 2 meters. Pretty fair!

For a less than $50 buck radio, you can't beat it but keep in mind that is exactly what it is and if it breaks throw it away.

I really like it, it does a good job and the battery holds up well and the drop in charger makes it nice to stow away during down times. Yes it comes with a nice drop in charger, also and lanyard for your wrist which for me is a must due to the fact I drop everything over and over.

Okay I also have a Wouxun which is supposed to be a little better rig and I find it is made very similar to Motorola stuff. Oh, no way am I saying it is the same quality but it just is made to appear like Moto stuff.

One thing about both this rigs I have noticed, they don't like certain ways you might hold them. They like to be held with your thumb activating the PTT. Hand wrapped around the back of the rig, thumb on the PTT.

If you hold mine in other styles both of them buzz the audio. Why? I don't know...

And both suffer the same cabling and programming issues it seems. Once you've connected, you'll be limited in using your keypads.

The Wouxun is a lot more expensive but you can purchase them for around $100 bucks and here again they're worth that.
A very good friend to me, is Mike Atkins down in Winston Salem, he owns and operates Triad Electronics, if you need a Wouxun he's the man to see. He can pre-program your radio so you see no hassles. They also have all the extra goodies for those rigs, which some will work with the Baofeng's too. He has a website on the net, he sales both new and used Amateur Gear and does repairs. Triadelectronics.com I believe is the correct address. He's a very honest man and does great works!

If links are not allowed, just remove that.

I could speak all day about either but here's the key thing, you get what you pay for. Keep that in mind! For a beater rig one you don't have to worry so much about you really can't beat either for the costs.