Review on Black BAOFENG UV-5R Dual Band Two-Way Radio by Brad Atl

There are never enough company walkie talkies where I work so I decided to buy my own in hopes it would work with our system. I chose BaoFeng based on rumours. I took the cheapest model (UV-5R) hoping it would work. And so it was. Given our operating frequency, this is not a problem. I gave it 2 stars because it constantly produces a VERY annoying rhythmic noise. Carrying this noise all day can drive me crazy! Another problem with the radio was that the speaker stopped working after a week. Its volume dropped to a whisper, even on the highest setting. I know it wasn't the radio itself because I tried it with a different earbud and it was fine. except for that awful static pulse. So I returned it and upgraded to the new and improved BF-F8hp model for $62 and was happy as a clam :) It's more than twice the price but is more than twice the quality. No static noise and good performance. Definitely worth the cost. The workmanship and materials are excellent on both models, the battery on both models is impressive and lasts me through several 8-hour working days. If BaoFeng ever solves the noise problem on the cheaper UV-5R model, it will be a walkie-talkie for home use, IMO. Oh I should mention I bought a short aftermarket antenna for easy portability and it works great. $8 well spent.