Any radio amateurs here?

[Vortex2]

I am a licensed radio amateur ... but have no kit nor used any for decades.

I am therfeore looking for advice on a good CHEAP handheld 2m/70cm transceiver.

Can anyone help?

[clv101]

Chinese Baofeng uv-5r is cheap and solid.

[Catweazle]

Chinese Baofeng uv-5r is cheap and solid.

And the batteries stay charged for ages too. Downside - they are quite complicated and the user manual is rubbish. Upside - many people have written setup guides and Chirp software is able to program them.

[Vortex2]

Thanks both!

[Vortex2]

Just wondering - have you tried 'jail breaking' the radio?

(See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sg3RJf1ZEA)

Will this trick work with UK purchased radios?

Asking for a friend ...

[BritDownUnder]

At that price I will have to get a pair for my EMP resistant (hopefully) doom stores.

Back in the day when I dabbled Yaesu was the brand to buy.

[Catweazle]

Just wondering - have you tried 'jail breaking' the radio?

(See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sg3RJf1ZEA)

Will this trick work with UK purchased radios?

Asking for a friend ...

I think the "locking" must be a recent thing, mine aren't locked. I don't know what your proposed use is, but if, for example, it was just for post-apocalypse comms between a small group of local people then you don't really need or even want to use govt allocated public frequencies. With the Baofengs you can simply choose your own set of frequencies anywhere in the huge supported range and be pretty confidant nobody else is going to be listening in on your group.

[clv101]

At that price I will have to get a pair for my EMP resistant (hopefully) doom stores.

Back in the day when I dabbled Yaesu was the brand to buy.

Yep, I have a big Yaesu, does HF as well. Haven't used it in a decade though.

[Vortex2]

First the good news:

My new and very cheap Baufeng UV-5RE Plus arrived, plus a decent whip antenna.

More good news : I worked out how to use it with 'interesting' frequences .. only where legal of course.

The bad news:

2m and 70cm are dead around here ... nad all the local repeaters are too far away.

I heard one single amateur calling CQ - but I think he was driving so disappeared.

I have done a wide range scan - only to find a few non-amateur data channels chirping away.

Great.

[clv101]

Get in touch with your local (nearest?) club.
You've got some land - put up a tower and your own 2m repeater.

[Vortex2]

Get in touch with your local (nearest?) club.
You've got some land - put up a tower and your own 2m repeater.

What would that cost?

[clv101]

Dunno, few hundred for a tower, couple hundred for the antenna and feeder cable and no clue about the radio hardware, maybe a grand! Google probably has the answer.