BF-UV5R (third generation UV-5R) 5W dual-band two-way radio (136-174MHz VHF and 400-520MHz UHF) 1800mAh long battery life (USB connector)

SKU: GW50.0007

  • 51.99
Overall Rating 4.6   597
Reviews
5
Fantastic radio with so many capabilities, read this if you're a beginner
I"ve bought a total of 4 of these BF-F8HP's now (not all for me) and I will probably be buying more as gifts to family and friends. I just started getting into listening to HAM frequencies and learning basic/intermediate terms and functionalities, so I'm not an expert by any means, this review is for newbies/beginners. This is what I've picked up so far, it can be used as a regular walkie talkie using the MURS, FRS, and/or GMRS frequencies (make sure to research first in order to use legally, a license is needed for some of the FRS/GMRS frequencies and a limited power use), HAM radio frequencies used with repeaters that can cover long distances (license is needed for transmitting but you can listen to all the repeaters around you), police scanner (non-trucked systems, would need a digital trunked scanner for those specific cities), NOAA emergency weather, regular FM radio, and probably many others that I haven't learned yet.The user manual doesn't provide good instructions, especially when saving frequencies into the memory (I've had to learn the manual process because I don't have a computer that supports the programs, but it's also nice to learn this in case I need to input frequencies on the fly), but there are many youtube videos out there that walk you through it easy enough. The other websites that are very helpful for finding your State/County/City radio frequency information and HAM repeater info are radioreference.com & repeaterbook.com. I've already learned so much from this little radio and the research I've done to where I'm thinking to maybe studying to get my amateur radio license (HAM license) eventually so that I can start talking over the repeaters and see what range and clarity I can get, not to mention these things are perfect for SHTF scenarios!
26/06/2020
Related Reviews
Geeky Girl
4
Good camera backed by a solid brand but has room t
This is a good remote monitoring camera from a great company in wireless and network technology -- a major draw into why I purchased this camera over other brands. The camera works well and the accompanying phone app is superb. However, my two things that I don't like: 1) there is no two-way audio; and 2) there is no way to set time parameters for notifications. For example, I would like to schedule notifications for when I'm away and then turn off notifications for when I am home. Currently, I have to actually toggle the camera off (via the app) and then remember to turn it back on when I leave again.
20/11/2022
Gus
5
Best camera I've owned.
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 This camera is amazing. The video quality is really good, very easy to install, just download the app and follow the instructions. Having the option to rotate the camera sideways or up and down is a plus, no need to reposition it when you need a different angle. And the AI detection, if you choose to use it, is great because the camera can distinguish between animal, people, etc. I'm finally able to see who's ravaging my veggies day or night! Last but not least is the solar panel; no need to dismount the camera to charge periodically. All in all, this is a great investment at the right price.
26/04/2022
Lara H
5
Camera far exceeded expected performance
Camera far exceeded expected performance. Notably, the clarity of the picture & speed of PTZ motion. And the distance and brightness of the night vision. Very happy with the quality.Issues:The included chain between the camera and the wall bracket does NOT fit in the hole provided in the camera's bracket. I had to drill a larger hole in that bracket for the chain's link to fit through it.The documentation for How to Use Face Detection is missing online. But I was able to figure it out based on other camera models' similar documentation.The Help Center button, when clicked on, didn't usually have the same Help for options on the page I was viewing.
05/03/2022
John B. Sandlin
5
It can be a challenge to get the camera fully snug
This little clamp based camera mount actually works well. At first I had trouble getting the camera to fit tight. My challenge was that I'm doing a top down video (looking at a piano keyboard from above) and the camera was balanced so that it would UNSCREW a tiny bit and end up pointing down at an angle. I had to attach the camera to the clamp and make sure it is locked in before putting it on the crossbar. It does stay put now, so just a challenge, not a problem.It feels well made and is really quite adaptable - the whole reason I bought it, of course. And it works.
21/12/2021
DementedDad DementedDad
5
Effective Security Cam POE IP Camera P14-4X-5MP
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 This is a very nice, solidly constructed, all-metal camera. I anticipate many years of use from it. I selected the POE connection because I have an area I want to cover that is far away from a power outlet and also has weak or no wifi coverage. This camera meets my needs perfectly. See the photo for my test setup. I will use wifi to connect to a wifi extender about 126 feet way from the router. At that point I have power available and the wifi signal is still good. From there I will use a good cat 7 ethernet cable (intended for outdoor use) connected to a POE injector to run about 80 ft to the camera on the other side of a metal barn. The cable length I have is 100 ft. This works perfectly on the bench.I get good picture and video quality along with superb night images and video in black and white using the IR LEDs. There are 10 LEDs so there is very good IR illumination, The LEDs do glow red when they are on.The camera arrived well packed in a generic, unbranded box.Interestingly, the manufacturer supplies a power brick with the camera and the camera has a cable coming from it that accepts the power directly from the brick's output cable. I guess this is intended for initial testing and set up. It works and the camera powers up with it. The problem that I see is that there is no included plug to seal off the cable end on the camera when powering it with POE.Installation is easy by first attaching the bracket to the wall using 4 screws and then hooking the camera base to the bracket. The camera is locked to the bracket using a final screw at the bottom of the base. There is no gasket or other means provided to waterproof the mounting bracket against the wall where it is mounted. This could allow moisture to reach the speaker that is mounted in the base. The rear of the speaker is completely exposed inside the camera base.There is no way to really waterproof the Ethernet connection. The supplied pieces do not fit over an Ethernet cable connector so are basically useless. The main cable from the camera base to where it splits into the 3 connections (power cable, the Ethernet connection, and the camera reset button) is 14 inches long. I am planning to run this cable into the building through a grommeted hole and thus keep the connections themselves out of the weather.There are two large, unexplained holes on either side of the mounting base that are plugged with some soft silicone press-in plugs. They appear to seal the holes well enough but owing to the softness of the silicone, I think it might be possible to lose them. This is also a place of potential water intrusion that could affect the speaker.It is also easy to install the microSD card and this area looks to be waterproof when installed.The user manual's set up instructions for the POE camera initial connection are really misleading. This is because the manual is written to cover multiple cameras, including some that connect with WiFi. Luckily, it was easy to set up. I pretty much ignored the instructions and simply connected the Ethernet cable to the router and powered up the camera. Using my phone and the CamHiPro app I was able to complete the setup and access all of the camera functions. The phone was connected wirelessly to the same network that the camera was on. I have not tested the remote connection possibilities yet.Apps are a little hit and miss. For example, I was able to set up motion detection and the alarms using the CamHiPro app on my phone but did not find the same menu items available from the camera's web server so I could not accomplish the same things from my PC. To be honest, I prefer to use iSpy to control and observe the camera from my PC.Overall, this is a very nice security camera and I am glad to own it. My biggest issue is the few places of weakness in the weatherproofing I have already mentioned. My camera will be located in a place that is totally exposed to the wind and rain. I will take a few extra measures where I can to further weatherproof the connections.Here are a few final thoughts:Pros:- Good picture and video quality.- Excellent night images and video in black and white using the IR LEDs.- Really good night vision range with the IR LEDs.- Pan and tilt are responsive and smooth. The zoom feature is a little slower, but works nicely.- POE functions as expected.- Motion detection works well.- Two way audio works well.Cons:- Bullet style camera allows an observer to easily see the camera movement and potentially exposes the moving parts to more dust and dirt.- IR LEDs glow red when on, also making it obvious to someone seeing the camera at night that they are being observed.- Wall mounting limits the field of view to 180 degrees even though the camera is capable of panning nearly a full 360 degrees.- Weatherproofing of the base and the electrical connections needs to be better.Note that all pictures and the video taken with the POE camera itself were acquired using the iSpy program.
27/08/2021
William H.
5
Very solid camera with excellent features and perf
I've used the camera a few times now. I first used it as something of a dash camera. The picture was very clear and the stabilization did a great job of keeping the majority of the jitter out of the video. Given the state of roads in my area that's really saying something. I like that I can access the menu using buttons while the camera is in the case, but to be honest, if I need to really dig through menus to get to settings, I take the camera out of the case and use the touchscreen to navigate the menu and make selections much more quickly. The touchscreen feature is such a nice time saver. I am also impressed with all of the mounting equipment that came with the camera. I plan to use the camera when biking (bicycle and motorcycle, both). There is a mount in the kit that I think would work right away with my bicycle helmet, but I think I'll get a "chin" mount for the motorcycle helmet or get the chest strap mount so that my head turning doesn't create motion sickness when watching later. For the money I don't think you can beat this camera.
09/06/2021
Ashlee Ashlee
5
Amazing camera. Don't think about it,
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 We bought this camera as a replacement from a different brand, and let me tell you it's amazing! We decided to get one that you can move the camera ( old one didn't ) and it's made things so easy. We can watch both of kids sleeping with one camera instead of two. When you move it, the actual camera doesn't make any noise, so don't work about waking them up. I know I already plan on buying the 3 more it will support so I can have extra.
09/05/2021
Terre
5
Take the time to learn this camera pre-trip
This camera was recommended for use on African safari because it was great for dim lighting. It was very easy to use and would make a great all-around camera for any conditions. There's NO instruction manual which cause me to buy one on EBay, but it never arrived in time for the trip, so I carried 2 cameras on that trip. There is a lot to learn about this point-and-shoot camera but worth it. It offers the super close-up of macro shots, if you're into that. It is sturdy and very easy to handle. I can't tell you about shooting pics underwater because that is not my thing, but this camera offers that feature as well.
23/04/2021