Unlocked UV-5G?

[TerriKennedy]

On 6/13/2025 at 5:34 PM, WSIK532 said:

Has the UV-5G been unlocked and what's the advantages to doing so?

I'm just wondering.

The original UV-5G or the new UV-5G Plus? If it's the UV-5G Plus, it is the same hardware as the UV-5RH and you can flash 5RH firmware to it to turn it into an amateur radio. There's no known firmware file to flash back to a 5G Plus, so this is a one-way trip out of GMRS land.

If you press and hold the [8] key while turning on, both a 5G Plus and a 5RH will say "5RH" at the top, some version, and one of "GMRS", "General" or "Part 97" on the bottom. The UV-5RM will say "5RHBK" at the top.

AFAIK, switching General / Part 97 is a "magic salute" on these, except for the 5G Plus which seems to have custom firmware that ignores that. 

[WSIK532]

4 hours ago, TerriKennedy said:

The original UV-5G or the new UV-5G Plus? If it's the UV-5G Plus, it is the same hardware as the UV-5RH and you can flash 5RH firmware to it to turn it into an amateur radio. There's no known firmware file to flash back to a 5G Plus, so this is a one-way trip out of GMRS land.

If you press and hold the [8] key while turning on, both a 5G Plus and a 5RH will say "5RH" at the top, some version, and one of "GMRS", "General" or "Part 97" on the bottom. The UV-5RM will say "5RHBK" at the top.

AFAIK, switching General / Part 97 is a "magic salute" on these, except for the 5G Plus which seems to have custom firmware that ignores that. 

Mines says 5R-M8 GM-V02

[WSIK532]

I'm not going to try any unlocking I was just curious.

[TerriKennedy]

20 hours ago, WSIK532 said:

Mines says 5R-M8 GM-V02

That may be the original 2-line display model. The ones I was referring to are the new full-color screen models.

[WSIK532]

5 minutes ago, TerriKennedy said:

That may be the original 2-line display model. The ones I was referring to are the new full-color screen models.

You are correct it is the two lined version.