BeofEng UV-5RM GPS HT Radio
What's in the box
Product Review
Overview
The Beofeng UV-5RM Plus GPS is a multi-band handheld transceiver that caters to both amateur radio enthusiasts and professionals. The radio features a versatile mix of features at an excellent price point. The UV-5RM Plus GPS features FM/AIR/NOAA/UHF/VHF bands, GPS functionality and location sharing with integrated GPS radar map, 10Watts power output and a larger 1.77" color display. Though not advertised for whatever reason, the unit also offers APRS transmit functionality, though limited, which I personally tested. The Beofeng UV-5RM Plus GPS boasts a 2500Mah rechargeable lithium-ion battery and Type-C charging for faster more convenient charging. Having 640 channels and 10 Zones, you'll be able to manage complex communications easily.
Features and Functionality
*Channel Capacity and Programming*
With 640 channels and 10 Zones, users can store a variety of frequencies, including repeaters and simplex channels. Programming can be done directly via the radio keypad or through dedicated PC software, which you'll find a link to below. Advanced features like CTCSSS (Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System) and DCS (Digital-Coded Squelch) are available.
*Power Options*
The UV-5RM Plus GPS offers adjustable power settings: low-power and high-power. The Type-C charging port is well-covered by a rubber gasket that provides excellent dust and dirt protection. This seal fits snuggly and tightly and is one of my favorite parts of the radio. The Type-C charge port is cleanly placed on the back of the radio flush with the battery surface.
*Scanning and Monitoring*
Integrated scanning functions enable users to search through channels, zones, frequencies and CTCSS/DCS codes for instant access to active channels. Additional features such as dual-watch or priority channel scanning enhance its usability in dynamic communication scenarios. The radio also features an Airband receiver and NOAA weather mode.
Receiviing frequencies: FM 76-108 MHz, AM 108-136 MHz, VHF 136-174 MHz, 220-260 MHz, UHF 350-390 MHz, 400-520 MHz
*Additional Functionalities*
Emergency alert features, VOX (voice-activated transmission), DTMF manual dial, one-button frequency copy, customizable side keys and other handy functions are included. Personalize the SK1 and SK2 keys to suit your needs, with options like scan, monitor, CM, TX power, 1750Hz, SOS, Vox and more.
Channel Spacing: 25.0KHz/12.5KHz
Operating Temperature: -10C to 60C
Connection for accessories: 2-pin Kenwood jack
Dimensions: 5.3 x 2.4 x 1.3 in / 135 x 63 x 39 mm
Weight: 10.2 oz / 290 g
My Review
Being a general amateur radio operator with some experience under my belt, I have high standards for my radio equipment.
*Aesthetics, Look and Feel*
Out of the box, the radio feels solid. The buttons are well-placed and sit semi-flush with the radio, feeling strong and durable when pressed. The 1.77 inch color display provides great visibility, and can be adjusted to increase or decrease brightness. The volume knob is larger than the volume knobs on my other radios (Tidradio H8 and Anytone 878-Plus), which makes turning the volume up or down a bit easier. One of my favorite build qualities of this radio are the Type-C and Kenwood jack gaskets that seal very tightly, providing maximum dust and dirt protection.
*TX and RX Quality*
TX
Like many or perhaps most budget radios (in comparison to Yeasu, for example), the out of the box antenna isn't the best and should be replaced immediately. Understand this is an issue with many HT radios, where the manufacturer-provided antenna does not perform well. Testing with my SWR meter, I experienced around 3.0 SWR using the manufacturer-provided antenna, a bit less using my Tidradio 18" whip, and around 2.0 SWR @ ~7.2Watts using a different manufacturer-provided antenna from another radio. I am going to purchase a genuine Nagoya NA-771 15.6 inch whip to see if I can get SWR at around 1.5 or lower, which will get us closer to 10Watts transmit.
The Nagoya NA-771 Dual Band VHF/UHF Amateur Antenna offers a notable performance increase, with a gain of up to 3 dBi, and is made by US company BTech.
Links to purchase on Amazon:
NAGOYA 15.6 inch NA-771 VHF/UHF Antenna @ 3 dBi increase
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NAGOYA 8 inch NA-701 VHF/UHF Antenna @ 2.15 dBi increase
Using a different antenna producing around 2.0 SWR @ ~7.2Watts, I tested hitting a local repeater while standing in my back yard. I performed a radio check and received great feedback from two other operators. As you can see, the display, though turned up to maximum brightness, is a bit difficult to see, however for the price of this radio with all it has to offer, I cannot complain.
RX
The RX quality is excellent, and in this test, was crystal clear. I am able to hit my local repeater and receive with clear audio from inside my house as well.
*Programming the Radio*
Programming the radio manually is very simple due to the interface being very simple and straightforward. There's nothing notable to say about this experience other than it is simple and straightforward.
If you wish to program the radio using your Windows PC, you'll need a couple resources.
Programming Software
Many Beofeng programming cables uses the WCH Chipset (CH340/341), which the cable I received uses. When you plug in the cable to the computer, windows will may not recognize the driver. Though the driver should be downloaded automatically, you can download the WCH (CH340/341) driver HERE.
After downloading and installing the driver, download the Beofeng UV-5RH Pro software HERE. I personally tested both the driver mentioned above and the software - both work as expected. Just like the menus in the radio, the manufacturer-provided software is straightforward and easy to use.
*Additional Features and Thoughts*
For around $40, this radio is outstanding and performs extremely well.
I found it strange but amazing that this radio is APRS-transmit capable. You can program APRS using the manufacturer provided software. Though the APRS functionality is limited and isn't nearly as capable as my Anytone 878-Plus, it does work. I was able to transmit my location latitude and longitude coordinates to my APRS iGate easily, which showed up on aprs-map.info.
You can purchase this radio at Amazon for around $40 which is a great price for a radio having so many features.
