Cheap Comms - Baofeng Radios

[Grant H.]

I never really got into the Baofeng. I mostly have Icom, Yaesu, and a few B.K.s. But for the money it would be worth having a few tucked away.
The thing that kills it is trying to find a good cable to program it with. Manually programming can be a pain but it's doable.

I have all the big name brands as well (been buying radios since I got into ham when I was like 7...) and I will never argue that these are in the same realm. However, as you mentioned, for the price I can stash a pile of these with the batteries removed and in a metal container, and they will likely survive even an EMP type of SHTF scenario. I now have my better radios for personal/family, and cheaper radios that I can hand out to folks as our plans unfold and a number of groups link up and head to BFE.

Any of the FTDI cables, like the one I linked, will work just fine with windows and mac (I think linux as well, but I honestly haven't tried... I have an rdp linux machine if someone needs me to try it)...

The Radioddity antennas are coming slow boat out of China so I ordered some 7.5" and 14.5" ExpertPower antenna for around twice the price, still pretty cheap. Hell, after I ordered some UV-5R+ I dove in and ordered two UV-82. Still only 5/1W but the reviews on them seemed more positive (bigger buttons). extra batteries, larger batteries, etc. it's starting to add up and I haven't even touched one. LOL.

Now I have to go figure out a sub $100 RC boat that I can get before Monday...

Yep. I have a handful of them already, and just bought a few more to stash. Upgraded antennas, a couple of 25W truck radios that cover the same bands (playing with a solar powered, "drop" repeater for SHTF), batteries, etc... I've spent more than a few dollars with china on these...

[Grant H.]

My problem with the Baofengs is they listen to two channels, and auto switch if something happens on the other channel. Then all the sudden you're talking on a channel you don't mean to be. That's a big deal if you're trying to use them as FRS without a HAM license and pop you over to a HAM channel on a repeater.

I'll have to play with this, because mine have never done this. Certainly not saying they don't, just saying that I've never run across this. Could be I have the channel scan/switch feature off.

[O2HeN2]

Thanks for the info and especially the included links which removes all doubt about what you're referencing. Ordered a couple and look forward to your documentation!

O2

[Irving]

I'll have to play with this, because mine have never done this. Certainly not saying they don't, just saying that I've never run across this. Could be I have the channel scan/switch feature off.

Yeah, I barely programmed mine the first time as is, so don't assume that I've gone through every option and am a master operator.

[brutal]

Yeah, I barely programmed mine the first time as is, so don't assume that I've gone through every option and am a Tier-1 operator.

FIFY

[Fentonite]

Thanks for this thread, Grant! Looking forward to your instructional post (since I just ordered a trio of your recommendations).

[thedave1164]

I need to look, I have a bunch of repeaters already programmed in a file for Chirp.

Let me see if I have it on a computer that has internet access so I can email it out

[Great-Kazoo]

I'll pick up a few more. There's a local group, down the road that programs them at no charge. Had to reprogram mine, which had all the ones the dave installed.

[Irving]

I've got the programming from Dave as well. It's nice to have a Chirrp program to install when you have several radios because making them identical is a cinch. Since I keep pretending to get into HAM, but haven't actually done it, reprogramming mine to pull all the HAM stations out might actually be a good idea for me.

[ChickNorris]

Pardon the ping...