Leaderboard

I also own a Uv5r and it is 4yrs old, it has been submerged in water dropped and run over by a truck, has had antennas broken off and left in the sun for hours. Still works perfectly. I have a friend who also has one, his was flooded by water running down the feedline, still works like new. Output power matches original test no splatter on adjacent channels. just a few days ago, it was dropped at a shell station, we went back and found the 50 dollar BF radio, If it was gone, I have a drawer full of replacements. I can not be trusted with a 400 or 500 dollar HT, some of my friends are even worse. I see no quality issues with BF, just the lack of certification.

I have 5 and i have no issues with the quality of my UV5R's. This brings me to something that i have noticed over the many many years. I have NEVER heard of anyone talk about its "application", or reasoning for wanting to get what they are looking at? What in the world do you the end user want to do and what do you NEED to do? how far do you need to be talking? this means "you" and in the general sense pertaining to anyone looking to buy these. I could very easily spend well over $1,000 bucks on a ham multi band base unit in the 15, 10, 6 meter bands if i were "INTERESTED" in talking all over the friggin world. I'm not the least bit interested so dont rightly care and therefor having a radio that costs a total of 65 bucks for HT and Antenna is perfect when i can meet my needs talking 25 miles. Yet we as people tend to have our own biases and prejudices about things we like and dont like and tend to force these upon others whether we realize it or not. I dont view mine as JUNK but see it as a "application specific" unit. in this sense its not junk at all but a highly useful tool that says "why spend $250 to $400" bucks on a major leading brand radios to do the same thing you can get out of that 40 dollar unit? And if i destroy it, drive over it, drop in inside a water tank, burn it up in a wildland fire or what have you i'm not out $250 -$1200 bucks (like a bendix king). The cheaper radio's have their place and i personally feel its best left to the end user/purchaser to best decide that aspect. I feel we can be better help people by simply asking them what it is they would like to do...first, before we start recommending or giving opinions. Most come here seeking advice or information because they simply dont want to spend more money on something than they have to, or they want to know something they are interested in for "their application" will work. So from me, i don't consider them junk. To me, now, a 4 watt CB is the most worthless JUNK on the planet and an absolute waste of money and time to even consider purchasing.... so its all subjective and relative to one and only one constant that will NEVER EVER CHANGE....US individuals and OUR Personal Desire and interest!