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Many, if not most, use the Kenwood "K" type side connector for programming and other accessories. My guess is when the Chinese needed to "copy" something and wanted a standard to follow they picked Kenwood, which BTW also used the reverse SMA antenna connectors, long before the CCR's did. I'm guessing that's how it all got started. The number of Kenwood radios for commercial use far outstrips their Ham portfolio. I guess if you're going to copy something as a standard pick one with a large market presence. For me it's really convenient since I can pickup the cheap accessories used for the CCR's and use those on most of my Kenwood radios. If you leave the port cover off they can get water and dirt/dust inside of the radio. That's the main disadvantage. Not all of the Kenwood radios use that "K" type side port. A surprising number use a multi-pin side port like you see on Motorola radios, but of course they won't use the same accessories. These ports are more environment proof since there are no openings into the radio. Unfortunately one of those pins has a live +5VDC supply on it, used by some of the GPS and noise canceling microphones. Shorting that pin out isn't healthy for the radio. If the port is not being use the cover should be installed. Now about the reverse SMA connector. Some of the older Motorola radios use them. However they are not "exactly" standard. If you look at a real Motorola antenna verses the one used on the CCR's and Kenwoods you'll notice the tip of the screw connector for the center pin is flush with the end. On the other antennas it's typically recessed a tiny bit. If you try to screw it into the Motorola radio the center pin in the socket won't slip into the connector on the antenna because the threaded barrel section bottoms out too soon. I'm sure that was done to get the aftermarket parts business for antennas. The four areas on a radio that frequently seems to get broken, or lost, are belt clips, antennas, the knobs and side port covers. People like to use the antenna or top side knobs to yank the radio out of the pocket or off the belt, particularly the antenna. The belt clips break when twisting the radio while trying to take it off the belt, or the radio will catch on something, cloths etc. and rip the radio off. Side port covers, well I guess that's the first thing that's lost after programming the radio, or attaching that external speaker mic.

Just messing around with it I was getting 10 miles of communication. The RT1 was just dropped next to a road on a hill while I walked around some trails.

Baofeng went against the grain with the UV-5R. The "correct" way to use the SMA is with the male on the antenna and the female on the radio, so that if and when the "male" pin breaks off, you only have to replace the antenna and not the radio.

Mine are a mix as well...the yaesu and vertex vx, and the wouxun uv7d are sma-f on the radio; the ft4x, wouxun kg805g, and the baofengs are sma-m. The vertex evx and the moto xpr's are similar to a sma-m, but don't have the channel around the edge for the "lip" on the standard sma-f comnector...their version of sma-f has the inner part flat with the end of the threads. BTech stock antenna (sma-f) on the left, vertex evx stock on the right https://i.imgur.com/q1X5Bqg.png

The few XPR6550’s I got used were missing the side port covers. I was at a Ham radio flea market a while back and spotted a bag with 4 or 5 of them inside on a table. The guy was selling mostly Motorola gear. Unbelievable he just gave me the bag for free after I inquired about what he wanted for them. He said he had no use for them. Who says there aren’t any nice people around anymore, there are!

How are you programming the radio? Are you using a program in a computer or through the radio keyboard?

Although there was at least one run of Ft-65 and Ft-4x radios made in China, both of mine were made in Japan. I do understand that the UV5R predates both of these Yaesu handhelds by many years.

No, he's right, he needs SMA Male on the antenna for UV-5G. The connections are the opposite of UV-5R (they did that just to make us buy more I guess). The one you show in the picture is the standard UV-5R SMA Male connector (threads inside just like PL-259). Neither the UV-5G nor UV-5R radios I have have Reversed SMA. But if you think that is confusing, I just had to order an N-type connector and it was really hard to figure out male vs female [female has a center pin but it's hollow and very hard to see that].

Wait a second. Double check that connector. The connector on the Baofeng is a hybrid with a female threaded portion and a male center pin, so the antenna must have a male threaded portion and a female inner socket.

3 pages of arguing over a control station, fixed station....yet we help guys use non certified radios for use......im baffled...

Bullshit. That’s a cheap shot that paints all of us with the same brush. Yes, there are those that simply memorize enough to pass the Technicians test, but they don’t hang around long. There are still many who work within clubs to help provide backup long distance communications. There are hams helping out during every tornado, flood, and hurricane.