Communications ยท Gear Review
Baofeng UV-5R. A fine first ham radio, not a family walkie-talkie.
The UV-5R is the radio most people find first, because it costs about $20 and shows up in many preparedness lists online. For a licensed ham on a budget, it works, and it is a good radio to learn on. It is not a radio you can hand to an unlicensed family member, and it is not the radio we would pick as your main one.
Verdict
Good to learn on
Typical price
About $18 to $25
License needed
Amateur, to transmit
At a glance: Baofeng UV-5R
Strengths
- At about $20, it is the least expensive way for a new ham to get on the air.
- It covers both of the bands most local repeaters use.
- Free CHIRP software and a compatible cable make programming quick.
Limitations
- The receiver is easily overloaded near strong signals.
- Programming from the keypad is slow and confusing.
- It is not legal for FRS or GMRS, so it cannot serve as an unlicensed family radio.
By Dan Whelan, founder of New World Survival
Researched from FCC rules and certification records, ARRL lab testing, and owner reports. See our sources
What it is
A small dual-band radio that started a lot of hams.
The UV-5R is an FM handheld for the 2 meter and 70 centimeter bands, the two bands most local ham repeaters use. The Amazon listing gives 4 watts on high power and 1 watt on low, with a 1,500 mAh battery. It ships with a short antenna, a charging cradle, and an earpiece.
The name covers a lot of radios. Baofeng and its resellers have sold many versions over more than a decade, and the listings do not always agree with each other. The best-selling Amazon listing we checked names only the ham bands in its title while its bullet points list a much wider range. Read the description of the exact unit you buy.
The main listing had more than 13,000 ratings averaging 4.5 stars when we checked on November 4, 2026, at $17.99.
What it does well
Cheap enough to learn on without worry.
It gets you on the air
For the price of a pizza, a newly licensed ham can check into a local net and talk through a repeater. That first week of practice is worth more than the difference between radios.
It is a good spare
A second radio in the car or the closet, programmed the same as your main one, costs little. If it gets lost or dropped, the loss is small.
Quality varies by unit
A UV-5R bought in 2021 and tested by the ARRL lab met the amateur limits for unwanted signals on 2 meters, but it carried no FCC ID and could transmit outside the ham bands from the keypad. (ARRL test report) Check the label on yours for an FCC ID before you buy.
What owners actually say
It works. Plan on a cable.
These patterns come from Amazon owner reviews and ham radio forums, read November 4, 2026.
Programming
The most common complaint is the keypad. Owners describe entering a repeater by hand as slow and easy to get wrong, and nearly all of them recommend CHIRP and a programming cable.
Crowded places
Owners near cities or broadcast towers report hearing noise and stray stations. That is the receiver being overloaded by strong nearby signals, a known weak spot in inexpensive radios.
Locked bands
Many US buyers report newer units that transmit only on the ham bands. Some see that as a defect. It is how a ham radio should behave. Not every unit is locked, so check yours.
The one thing to know
Every transmission needs a licensed operator.
FCC rules require a licensed operator to be in control of every transmission on amateur frequencies. (47 CFR 97.7) An unlicensed person may speak only with that operator present and supervising, so for independent use, each person needs a license. (47 CFR 97.115) Listening needs none.
Many lists suggest the UV-5R as a family walkie-talkie on the FRS or GMRS channels. FCC rules allow only radios certified for those services to transmit there. (47 CFR 95.335 and 95.1761) The original UV-5R was certified under the land mobile rules, not the family radio rules. (FCC DA 18-801) FCC rules also bar GMRS certification for any radio that can transmit on ham frequencies. (47 CFR 95.1761) A GMRS license does not change that.
If you want radios for an unlicensed household, buy certified FRS radios, or GMRS radios with a GMRS license, which the license holder's immediate family may also use. (47 CFR 95.1705) Our GMRS radio picks cover that route, and our ham radio handbook explains how to get licensed.
How it fails, and what to do then
Most problems have a cheap fix.
Short range
The stock antenna is the usual cause. A longer aftermarket antenna made for the radio's connector, and a little height, help more than anything else.
Noise and stray stations
Strong nearby signals overload the receiver. Moving away from the source helps. If you live near towers, a radio with a better receiver is the real fix.
A dead battery
Packs fade when stored empty. Charge it every few months, and keep a spare battery for long outages.
Cable will not connect
Owners often trace this to a cheap cable or driver. Buy a cable sold for this radio and for CHIRP, and check CHIRP's notes for your model.
What it costs over time
About $70 for a radio you can actually use.
Plan on the radio at about $20, a programming cable at about $15 to $25, and a better antenna at about $20 to $35. A spare battery adds a little more. The license is a one-time exam and application fee, good for ten years; our handbook lists the current fees. Even with the extras, it is the least expensive way into ham radio.
Who should skip this
A good radio for some people.
Households without a license
If no one will take the exam, the UV-5R can only listen. Buy certified family radios instead.
Anyone buying one main radio
If this will be the only radio you rely on for years, spend more for a sturdier build, a warranty, and a better receiver.
People who will not use a computer
Keypad programming is the radio's weakest point. A radio programmed from a phone app will be far less frustrating.
Where it fits in your readiness
A first step into a longer skill.
A ham radio belongs in the Sustain tier, after the household plan and a weather radio are in place. Its value comes from practice: checking into a weekly net, knowing your local repeaters, and knowing the people on them.
Alternatives worth knowing
When to spend a little more.
Our handheld ham radio roundup compares these side by side.
Yaesu FT-65R
Our top pick for a main radio: IP54, a battery rated for over nine hours, and a three-year warranty. About $120 to $190.
Find it on AmazonBTECH UV-PRO
Programmed from a phone app over Bluetooth, with IP67, GPS, and USB-C charging. About $165.
Find it on AmazonGMRS radios
The right choice when the goal is keeping the whole household in touch under one license.
See our GMRS picksAffiliate disclosure: New World Survival earns a small commission on qualifying Amazon purchases at no cost to you. This helps us cover operating costs and keep building new content. We only recommend gear we would put in our own kit. Commission never decides a recommendation.
Setup and maintenance
Four steps before you need it.
- Earn your Technician license. Until then, use the radio only to listen.
- Install the free CHIRP software, connect the cable, and load your local repeaters and the NOAA weather channels.
- Fit a better antenna. Our handbook's antenna section explains what to look for.
- Check into a local net every week, and charge the battery every few months.
Questions people ask
About the Baofeng UV-5R.
Is the Baofeng UV-5R legal to use?
Yes, for a licensed amateur on the ham bands, if your unit carries an FCC ID or can transmit only on the ham bands. Check the label before you buy. It is not legal for FRS or GMRS, because only radios certified for those services may transmit there, and the UV-5R was certified under the land mobile rules instead. Listening needs no license.
Can I give a UV-5R to family members for emergencies?
Not on their own. An unlicensed person may talk on it only with a licensed ham present and supervising. A GMRS license does not cover the UV-5R. For unlicensed family members, buy certified FRS radios, or GMRS radios with a GMRS license, which the license holder's immediate family may use.
Do I need a computer to program a UV-5R?
No, but it helps a great deal. The keypad works for a few channels. For a full set of local repeaters, most owners use the free CHIRP software and a programming cable.
Is the UV-5R or the Yaesu FT-65R the better first radio?
The Yaesu FT-65R, if it will be your main radio for years. It is sturdier, carries a three-year warranty, and has a better receiver. The UV-5R makes sense as a radio to learn on or a spare.