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The best of the Baofeng handhelds
5 December 2013 | by 
How do the cheap Baofeng handhelds compare? I have had the Baofeng UV-5R since I bought it from the 409shop in April 2012, but recently I noticed that the UV-B5, UV-B6, and UV-82 have appeared on the market also. If I should need another handheld transceiver for VHF/UHF, is there any advantage in getting any of the other models?
I prepared the following table in order to highlight differences and similarities. Bold characters signify an improvement for what I conceive to be typical radio amateur use.
Feature |  UV-5R |  UV-82 |  UV-B5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front-end | OK | OK | Improved |
| Antenna | Short | Longer | Longer |
| Signal meter | On/off | On/off | Dynamic |
| Squelch | VHF: On/off UHF: Tiny steps 21. Dec 2013 | As the UV-5R 21. Dec 2013 | Larger steps |
| Size and shape | Square and small | Fits better in hand, larger buttons | Fits better in hand |
| Frequency/channel change | Up/down | Up/down | Rotary encoder |
| VFO/MR button | Yes | Turn radio off, then press menu as you turn it on 3. Jan 2014 | Yes |
| Band button | Yes | No (in menu) | Switches automatically |
| Dual PTT button | No | Yes | No |
| Programming | Need a computer to enter alpha tags | Alpha tags can be entered from keyboard | Alpha tags can be entered from keyboard |
| Memory channels | 128 | 128 | 99 + 16 for FM radio |
| Display | 7 characters in name | 7 characters in name | Harder to read, only 5 characters in name |
| Modifications | Enlarge mic hole, (and here), Low modulation mod | – | Unused button as background light switch |
My main sources are the blogs of PD0AC (UV-82, UV-B5/B6) and the Miklor FAQs
In general I think the design of much radio equipment is lagging behind other electronics when it comes to user interfaces. Imagine a smart phone user interface on a handheld! That is why I emphasize user interface issues in my final evaluation.
I like the improved front-end, signal meter, and squelch of the UV-B5 making it a strong contender for the winner position. But I don’t think they are worth the price of a poorer display. On the other hand, the UV-82 is inferior in my view to the UV-5R due to the need to enter the menu for VFO/MR and band switch functions. So for now I’ll stick with the UV-5R.
4 Responses to “The best of the Baofeng handhelds”
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R and L Electronics has them for $40 shipped.
May not be my best ht but it works and for the low cost hard to beat !!
I have a few UV-5Rs, and I don’t see why you even need the “Band” button. I have UHF and VHF repeaters programmed in, and I certainly don’t need to press the “Band” button to switch between the two. It’s only in “Frequency Mode” that it’s an issue, but why would anyone need to use that mode? It’s not as if repeaters change frequencies constantly. And you can programme the simplex channels in, too. Maybe in other countries, simplex isn’t “channelised”, but it is in the U.S.
There are many different ways to use these HTs. I for one prefer to be able to access the Band button, as I sometimes enter a frequency manually. But of course, the automatic switching of the UV-B5 is the most elegant solution.
Hey thanks for that work. I was just looking at a site selling them and wondering how in the world I could begin to compare them.
Thanks, that helps.
Randall