He claimed to be a Ham....

[David R. Fordham]

Thanks to Don Landes for sharing this.

[Herbert Slade]

As you probably know, Baofengs are sold without informing the buyer that appropriate licensing is required before their use.  They are generally quite cheap, and my step-son bought me a UV-5RA handheld HT as a gift.  He is not a ham.

As I tried to read the accompanying instructions, it was apparent that the author was not fluent in English, as I am not, in Mandarin.  The instructions were quite sparse.  Bob VanFossen (W4DJG) alerted us several months ago of a manual for the UV-5R by Lennart Lidberg entitled "Baofeng UV-5R, The (Chinese) Radio Documentation Project".  Lidberg acknowledges that this manual is "rough around the edges", and will be eventually followed by a revised edition.

That said, his explanations are far better than the information accompanying the purchased unit.  However, I feel for the one referred to in the picture "He Claimed to be a Ham", when all he had was a Baofeng and a CB.  My own experience with the UV-5RA is that it has entirely too many menu options, accompanied by a tight keyboard of keys with dual use including such tiny symbols, that it takes forever to remember how to use them in combination.  I wouldn't recommend this device to anyone, no matter how cheap it is in the market.

Herb Slade, AA2BF 

On August 21, 2018 at 4:23 PM "David R. Fordham" <ford...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks to Don Landes for sharing this.

 

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[Mark Whitis]

Executive summary: This is a long message.  In it, I rebut the complaints against the UV-5R made by Herb about there being too many menu items (it does not, they are just in the wrong order) and there being lots of hard to use (and read) double functions (most of the double functions actually aren't, they are just shortcuts to menu items that are mostly infrequently used) and the small size is common to any other modern radio.   While the baofengs have problems, what he is complaining about is even worse on a typical modern japanese handheld radio.   And unlike the japanese radios, the baofeng will actually display the 0-9 button labels on the screen and even read them out loud to you if you ask it to..       And in the process, I include a lot of information about these radios that others may find useful, including how to manually program them, where to find better documentation, new information for blind users, etc.

For its first radio, baofeng loosely copied yaesu.    Then, they totally lost their minds and started copying Wouxon, which was a bad case of the blind leading the blind.    Also, the radio is a combination LMRS (business band) and ham radio and the quick settings are tailored to radio USERS rather than radio OPERATORS.

I would also point out that you appear to be using a version of the rewritten manual.   5 years ago, Jim Unroe KC9HI added annotations to the rewritten manual.   

 http://www.miklor.com/uv5r/UV5R-Manuals.html

There is also much more information on that site including FAQs, manual programming instructions, flowcharts, etc.  The flow chart has various problems such as being written in a way that fails to consider the initial state your radio is in, omitting steps, and doing steps in a subobtimal order.  And, yes, I could still make a lot of improvements to the rewritten mauals.

On Tue, Aug 21, 2018 at 8:27 PM, Herbert Slade <herb...@comcast.net> wrote:

it has entirely too many menu options, 

I disagree.   It doesn't have that many options for a modern radio.   It has HALF as many menu options as my  15 year old Yaesu Handheld.   And considerably less than a digital radio.  Just because you don't need a menu option doesn't mean other people should be deprived of it.    What they did do wrong is scatter the functions you need for typical ham radio settings throughout the menu instead of grouping them together.   They should have at least put them in menus 10-19 if not on the quick access 0-9.    Here are the ones you need to program a typical memory, in order.   You can also use the individual steps as hints of how to perform most settings you might need during operating.   It started as a list that showed how the key menu items were scattered around.

• repeat long press # until key indicator (keyboard lock) disappears
• optional: [EXIT][ [MENU] [4] [0] (display "RESET") [MENU] 2 ("VFO") [MENU] [MENU]  - reset VFO.   CAREFUL, value 1 "ALL" erases all the memories.   If you have been messing around with DCS, ANI-ID/PTT-ID, or menu settings you don't understand then a VFO reset is in order. 
• [EXIT] [MENU] [1] [4] (display "VOICE") [MENU] [1] ("ENG") [MENU] [EXIT]  (speak english please)
• repeat [VFO/MR] until channel numbers disappear = VFO mode
• repeat [A/B] until until caret points up (top line selected)
• repeat [BAND] until displayed frequency in desired band.  This may not be necessary if you plan to type in the frequency instead of tune using up/down arrows.
• repeat [*] until "R" disappears (reverse mode off); blind users note that the tone sounds slightly different between turning on and off and that turning the radio off and back on seems to cancel REVerse mode.
• [EXIT] [MENU] [0] [7] (display "TDR" =dual watch) [MENU] {set value} [MENU] [EXIT]; rumored to interfere with programming.
• [EXIT] [MENU] [2] [8] (display "DEL-CH"= delete memory channel) [MENU] {select channel number} [MENU] [EXIT]
• [EXIT] [MENU] [0] [1] (display: "STEP" = step size) [MENU] {set value} [MENU] [EXIT]
• {enter receive frequency} 
• [EXIT] [MENU] [0] [2] (display: "TXP"= transmit power) [MENU] {set value} [MENU] [EXIT]
• [EXIT] [MENU] [0] [5] (display: "WN"= wide/narrow deviation) [MENU] {set value} [MENU][EXIT]
• [EXIT] [MENU] [1] [0] (display: "R-DCS"=receive DCS} [MENU] {set value usually OFF} [MENU][EXIT]
  
• [EXIT] [MENU] [1] [1] (display: "R-CTCS"=receive CTCSS freq)  {set value or "OFF"} [MENU][EXIT]; on some older radios, if you press the [*] (SCAN) key setting the CTCSS value, it will scan for a CTCSS tone being received.
• [EXIT] [MENU] [1] [2] (display: "T-DCS")=transmit DCS} [MENU] {set value usually OFF} [MENU][EXIT]
• [EXIT] [MENU] [1] [3] (display: "T-CTCS"=transmit CTCSS} [MENU] {set value or "OFF"} [MENU][EXIT]
• [EXIT] [MENU] [2] [5] (display: "SFT-D"=duplex direction} [MENU] {set value or "OFF"} [MENU][EXIT]
• [EXIT] [MENU] [2] [6] (display: "OFFSET"=duplex offset} [MENU] {set value}[MENU][EXIT]
• [EXIT][ MENU] [2] [7] (display: "MEM-CH"=write to memory channel) [MENU]{select channel number}[MENU][EXIT]; note, this step only saves the receive parameters.
• repeat [*] until "R" appears above freqeuency (turn on REVerse mode).   Frequency display should now show transmit frequency.
• IF you want an odd split you can type in that frequency here to override the value displayed.
• [EXIT] [MENU] [2] [7] (display: MEM-CH"=write to memory channel) [MENU]{select channel number}[MENU][EXIT]; note, this step only saves the transmit parameters; receive parameters aren't stored.   Also, OFFSET and SFT-D are not actually stored in this step, just the transmit frequency that was calculated by the radio using receive frequency, offset, and sft-d when you hit the [*] (REVerse) button.   
• repeat [*] until "R" disappears (turn off REVerse mode)

If you fail to do the second save or fail to hit [*] (REVerse) or enter an odd split before doing the second save, you will end up with a simplex channel.

You might stick a label on your radio 

   "1,2,5,10-13,25-28" 

or better yet: 

    VFO,A,BAND,7=OFF,*=off,28,freq,1,2,5,10-13,25-26,27,*=REV,27,*=off"

which gives a hint as to what menus, and other functions, to hit in what order to program the radio.  Or the following hich just gives the anmes and numbers of the most useful menu items

0QSL 1STEP  2TXP 5WIDE 10T-DTCSS 11T-CTCSS 12T-DCS 13T-CTCSS 25SHFT-D 26OFFSET 27MEM-CH 28DEL-CH *REV long#lock

I added [EXIT] before [MENU] at the beginning of each instruction above.  This helps insures you are in a known state.  It is very easy to try to jump to a menu item only to find you were already in the menu and now you are clobbering values.

when entering [MENU] [digit] [digit] shortcuts, do not press [MENU] if you are already in the menu and on the top line and do not delay between digits or radio will time out and just use the first digit.     

Entering values uses [UP], [DOWN] or [0] through [9].  Usually where one method works the other will too.  You can also frequently mix digits and up down arrow.   Looking for a menu item number twenty something?  

[EXIT] [MENU] [2] [0] [UP] [UP] [UP] [UP]... 

get tired of tuning up for a frequency in small steps?   

[UP] [UP] .... [UP] 146850

 You can use digits when select the value for a menu setting even when it isn't a number.  Here are a few examples; you don't need to remember they idea could be useful if you were trying to make specific instructions:

• on off settings: "1" = on, "0" = off     
• Duplex 1="+", 2="-", 0="OFF"
• R-CTCSS: enter a 4 digit frequency (ex 131.4) even if it isn't on the list.
• Step size: 1=2.5kHz, 2=5kHz, 3=10kHz
• TX power: 0=high, 1=low, 2=high   (may be different on models with more than 2 power settings)
• deviation: 0=wide, 1=narrow
  

The rewritten user manual shows the values to be used by many of these (although I got them by experimenting with the radio).   Direct entry of these values can also be useful for blind people.   Want to turn TDR off?  

   Type [EXIT] [MENU] [0] [7] [MENU] [0] [MENU] [EXIT]

On Tue, Aug 21, 2018 at 8:27 PM, Herbert Slade <herb...@comcast.net> wrote:

accompanied by a tight keyboard of keys with dual use including such tiny symbols, that it takes forever to remember how to use them in combination. 

The same can be said for any other small and modern handheld.   And actually, only 3 of the buttons on the front of the radio have real second functions and two on the side.   9 additional keys appear to have a second function but they don't as they just jump to the correspondingly numbered menu option; you can actually jump to any menu item by pressing [MENU] and the two digit number, so pressing [MENU] and a digit and letting it time out is just a degenerate case.   Also, you may have trouble remembering them because you don't need most of them and you could actually use your radio just fine if you painted over the blue ink on 0-9.  buttons [0] (squelch) and [2] (transmit power) are ones worth remembering, though.

Also, if you have trouble reading them, the radio will display the labels on screen 

Just press [EXIT] [MENU] and SLOWLY press digits 0-9.   you need to wait log enough for it to give up on you pressing a second digit of a two digit number before you move to the next digit  and while the menu item label is displayed, if you simply press [MENU] (wait for speech) [MENU].   This works because when you switch from selecting a menu item to editing its value, the radio speaks the name of the menu item (if speech is turned on in menu item 14) and says "confirm" when you switch back.    Also note that pressing [MENU] after pressing the digit does not end the timeout.  Pressing 0 before each digit key to make it a two digit number (don't wait to long between digits) helps avoid the timeout problems or you can wait till the display blanks before proceeding.   Check the menu number (where channel number usually is) to make sure you haven't accidentally entered a two digit number.

If you are legally or completely blind and want to read the menu items, use the following sequence:

   [EXIT] [MENU] [digit] [digit] [MENU] (listen) [EXIT]

This way you will be less affected by the radio getting confused about 1 digit vs 2 digit numbers and other cases of the radio being in the wrong state.

  

 Some of the menu items don't have voice descriptions and some differ or are more or less detailed than the menu item labels.   "T-CTCS" and "R-CTCS" both speak as "CTCS".   "STEP" is pronounced "frequency step".   "TXP" is pronounced "power".   And the tansmitter time out timer "TOT" is pronounced "transmit over time".   The values in menus aren't pronounced.   Button [6 ABR] doesn't have a spoken prununciation.   Many of the menu items 10-40 have pronunciations but some don't; generally the ones that don't are less important than the ones that do.

Buttons 1-9 have exactly one function each, to enter the digits 1-9.  Depending on context, those digits can be:

• part of a frequency, normal
• A DTMF tone to be sent (while transmitting, I.E. PTT down)
• If you are in a menu and on top line (menu item), then you can quickly enter a two digit number (or a one digit number and pause) to jump to that menu number.    The up and down buttons can also be used instead of entering a number.   In most places, the up/down arrows and the digits 0-9 are closely related in function.
• If you are in a menu and on the second line (menu value), then you can enter a value if the menu item takes a numeric value.   The up and down buttons can also be used instead of entering a number.

  The buttons 1-0 can be used as shortcuts to menu items 1-9. 

• [MENU] + [1]  = short cut to menu item #01   (set step size "STP")
• [MENU] + [2] = short cut to menu item #02   (set transmit power "TXP") (duplicate, see below)  
• [MENU] + [3] =  short cut to menu item #03 (battery saver "SAVE" ); note, holding down the 3 button while turning on the radio shows firmware version (not always accurate).
• [MENU] + [4] = short cut to menu item #04  (Voice operated TX "VOX")
• [MENU] + [5] = short cut to menu item #05   (Wide/Narrow "WN")
• [MENU] + [6] = short cut to menu item #06   (display illumination time "ABR")
• [MENU] + [7] = short cut to menu item #07 (keypad beep on/off "BEEP") 
• [MENU] + [8] = short cut to menu item #08 (transmission time out timer on/off ("TOT").
• [MENU] + [9] = short cut to menu item  #09    (timeout timers "TOT") 
  

In fact, they aren't even really dual use because you can access any menu option by pressing [MENU] followed by quickly pressing the one or two digit menu number.     So [MENU] [1]  (wait)  merely does the same thing as [MENU] [0] [1].   Can't read the hints on buttons 0-9?   No problem, just press [MENU] and use the up and down arrows to scroll through menu items 01 through 09.     The real problem with 1-9  is that they made poor choices as to which functions to put in the first ten menu slots as far as a ham is concerned.  So, they fail to provide shortcuts to many of the functions that should have shortcuts.   Part of the problem here is that these are LMRS (business/public service band = Land Mobile Radio Service) radios and those users don't configure the radios frequency, duplex, or CTCSS settings.   In fact, it is now illlegal to introduce a new radio model that is aimed at the LMRS bands and ships from the factory in a mode that allows the user to change these settings.   So these are tailored to radio USERS instead of radio OPERATORS.

DTMF  (touch tone) doesn't really count as a second function.   You are still just entering digits, you are just entering them to the system on the other end through the DTMF encoder.

    The other 3 keypad buttons have real second functions:

• [0]
• [MENU] [0] = short cut to menu item #09: adjust squelch  ("SQL")
• long press [0]  = display battery voltage (no label) 
• [*]
• short press =  Toggle REVerse transmit and receive frequencies.  Note: On older firmware, this doesn't work in dual watch mode.
• long press [*]  = start scan ("SCAN")
• [#]
  
• short press [#] = toggle low/high transmit power  (no label).   Same as [MENU] [2] [UP/DOWN] [EXIT] so they wasted shortcut on 2.   Note than on older firmware versions, this function doesn't work if TDR (dual watch) is on.
• long press [#] = lock keyboard  (key icon)

Other buttons:

• [A/B] - single use     Switches between top/bottom lines.  
  
• [BAND] - single use   swiches bands.   You can also use menu item 33 or just type in a frequency in the desired band.
• [VFO/MR] - single use
• [PTT] -single use
• [MENU]   
• If you aren't in a menu, enter the menu
• If you are already in the menu, switch between top line (menu item) and bottom line (value).   This is really an extension of the first function.  You ought to be able to do this with the A/B key, which does this normally, but can't.   
• while transmitting: acts like a digit key and sends DTMF tone A
• [EXIT] single function: exit menu.    However, when sending DTMF tones, it doubles as the "D" button but this is the same behavior shift as the buttons 0-9 and the other 3 keys in the same row.
  
• [UP ARROW]/[DOWN ARROW]  - single function, might appear to change by context but always boils down to changing the current value up or down, whether it be channel, frequency, menu item, or menu value.  Holding the button down is the same as repeatedly pressing it.
• VFO mode: tune up/down by one step
• VFO mode, direct frequency entry: if you need to enter a frequency for a narrow mode frequency step, such as 151.0625 but the radio won't let you enter all the digits, enter a frequency that is close (i.e. as many digits as it will let you) and then use UP/DOWN arrows (with appropriate step size) to fine tune it. 
• Channel mode: change channel up/down     
• Menu mode, top line: select menu item
• Menu mode, bottom line: select menu value
• transmit mode: acts like the digits 0-9 and sends a DTMF tone B or C.   Which sends which depends on firmware version; newer ones the buttons (left to right) send A B C D but older ones it is A C B D (down came before up)
• [PTT] single function
  
• [MONI] dual function
  
• hold: MONItor the channel (i.e. open squelch) for traffic
• short press: turn flashlight on/off
• [CALL]  several functions
  
• Primary function: send the 1750Hz call tone if depressed while already transmitting
• short press: toggle the broadcast band FM receiver on/off
• long press: make operator look like a fool (alarm)

Manual programming tips:

   Where people usually get tripped up manually programming these radios, compared to others, is:

• You must clear a memory channel before you can save to it unless the radio considers it empty (i.e. never written to since last full factory reset or it has been manually deleted).
• [MENU] [2] [8] (display: "DEL-CH") {select channel using up/down 0-9}  [MENU] [EXIT]
  
• You must write to the memory channel twice.   This is unusual.   Some real radios also require you to write to memory twice but ONLY if you are doing an odd split and they have a different write instruction for the second write which usually just overwrites the transmit frequency that was previously stored.   In the case of the UV-5R, the first write doesn't save the transmit frequency or transmit CTCSS/DCS.
• [MENU] [2] [7] (display: "MEM-CH) {select channel using up/down 0-9} [MENU] [EXIT]
• Short press [*] to enter reverse mode.  "R" indicator appears above freqency
• optionally enter a different frequency (odd split)
• [MENU] [2] [7]  (display: "MEM-CH") {select channel using up/down 0-9} [MENU][ [EXIT]
• Short press [*] to Exit reverse mode   "R" indicator disappears above frequency
• instead of a separate control to turn tone off/on (T/TSQL/off), there is an "OFF" choice integrated into the T-CTCSS and R-CTCSS options.
• dual watch mode is rumored to interfere with programming, so turn it off first.   One reason may be that on some firmware versions the [*] REVerse function doesn't work if TDR is on, another might be that incoming transmissions might switch you to B channel, another is the # key can't be used to change power level on some firmware)
  
• The usual mistakes (common to many other radios):  Must be in VFO mode, must be on appropriate half (top half), failure to perform partial reset or manually reset unusual menu settings, must not be in REVerse mode, must set step size that will let you actually enter desired frequency, check your offset values, choose the channel number you want to save into BEFORE you begin setting the parameters, not setting all the relevent parameters, etc.

They did a smart thing by letting you jump to a particular menu item by two digit number.   It makes writing instructions much easier and can make following them easier too.   But you may notice that, unlike some others, I have written my instructions so they include both the channel number and the menu item name so you can 1) scroll through the menu, if you prefer, instead of jumpingr  2) verify that you have reached the correct menu item (might be different on some firmware, 3) know what function you are manipulating when reading instructions.

Another (original) pro tip:  if you want to manually program a channel with transmit disabled, set duplex to minus and set the offset frequency to equal the receive frequency.    I.e.  frequency 162.450, duplex minus, offset = 162.450 gives a transmit frequency of 000.000 which will disable transmit (and, no, the radio won't let you enter 000.000 during the second half of writing the channel to memory as you would do for any other odd split) but it will let you enter 162.450 into the  offset.   Remember to set the offset back to the default value afterwards.    Note that this trick may not work on all firmware versions.

Differences between baofengs and typical japanese handheld radios:

• japanese radios have better transmit and receive filters
• A replacement or spare battery for a japanese radio costs more than a new baofeng radio and a used japanese radio will probably need one.
• japanese radios usually can usually be powered from an external 12V source that will operate the radio and charge the battery.   Baofeng (except uv-3R mk II) and wouxon require a bulky battery elimnator to run off of car power and won't charge the battery.
• japanese radios include FM pre-emphasis/de-emphasis which match the pre-emphasis/de-emphasis that older FM modulators produced accidentally.    baofengs don't.   So the high frequency's sound a little different.
• The japanese want you to buy two separate radios for LMRS and ham radio.   Some of the baofengs are certificated for Part 90 (LMRS) operation but the japanese ham radios aren't and the Japanese LMRS radios front panels are too crippled to make good ham radios.
• Japanese have better build quality
• The baofeng will speak to you which helps if you are blind or have poor vision.   It is pretty incomplete, but it is a start.
• Japanese write better manuals
• baofengs provide direct access to individual menu items by number
• some of the japanese radios have real channel/frequency/menu knobs.     Yaesu VX-5R/7R have knobs with weak detent that unfortunately make it almost impossible to not bump off frequency unless you lock the radio.  Baofeng UV-3R mk II and UV-B5 also have channel knobs; the UV-B5 knob has decent detent and the UV-3R knob actually has a mechanical lock built in (you press the knob to lock it and lift it to unlock).

Since manufacturers aren't building USB computer interfaces into handheld radios, there aren't any handheld radios that support open source firmware, and there are are a variety of different underwealming and incompatible digitial voice modes, any handheld radio you buy is obsolete before you even open the box so it isn't a good time to invest in a decent radio. 

[David R. Fordham]

Mark, many thanks for the very useful information.  

From an old-timer's perspective, the length and utility of the content in your reply more than adequately proves Herb's point, and properly adds Japanese and other modern radios to the mix.  

Few product designers today pay any attention to Donald Norman's 1980s book, "The Psychology of Everyday Things", about how to design user interfaces, pointing out that  (1) a device that does everything is worthless if the intended user can't figure out how to use it, (2) if the interface is not intuitive for ALL intended users, it is imperative to provide clear unambiguous labels on the controls, plus a clear, logical, organized and indexed manual for those who do not find them intuitive, (3) it is almost always better to sacrifice features for ease of usability, creating two (or more) easy to use devices rather than a single device which  even a minority of intended users find difficult to use, (see footnote below), and most important of all, (4) usability must trump all other aspects of design, with reliability a close second, which if you think carefully, is merely an extension of usability. 

 I really like  Norman's quote, "Ease of use in getting the job done is the only reason for having technology in the first place."

David R. Fordham

Footnote-- one way a complex device can be made usable is to provide quick, intuitive access to controls that will be needed by 75% of users or 75% of the time, and "hiding" a logical easy-to-navigate-and-east-to-operate distinctly-separate set of controls for the lesser-used features. The trouble with the Baofengs is that radio USERS do not need and therefore should not have access to, ANY programming capability.  A separate radio should have been designed for OPERATORS.  

"Try to be all things to all people and you will be nothing to everyone." -- unknown

--