NOAA weather radio

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I have done a little checking on the UV-5R+plus radio I bought from eBay. It is a European radio and has no US FCC markings of any kind.
This makes me a little suspicious and I'm going to request a return and buy one from Amazon or some place else.
Here's what my favorite one looks like:
One button. So simple, even she can use it. :thumbs:
...But I hear they are hard to find these days.:rolleyes:
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has no US FCC markings of any kind
Many people buy Baofengs for the express purpose of ignoring FCC regulations. Others just don't realize the problems they can cause with a Baofeng. Tune it to receive a NOAA weather broadcast? Well don't key it up because it will happily transmit on that frequency too. Which is not cool. Listening to the pilots in the air? Why not talk with them too?! - I'm sure they wouldn't mind. The Baofeng facilitates that.

I think some of the newer Baofeng revisions are attempting to stop transmission on certain frequencies. To be honest, I don't know if this is something they have actually implemented already, or something they were asked to implement by the FCC and Lord knows who else.

Don't expect to find many FCC approval markings on a Baofeng. IIRC, they did manage to get it approved for one specific use, which nobody probably ever uses it for. Some business use I think, but businesses shy away from $25 radios. However, that was their foot in the door to be able to sell it in countries that are a little more respectful of regulations than the Chinese (who make the Baofeng).

https://www.jpole-antenna.com/2018/08/13/baofeng-uv-5r-radios-illegal-the-real-story/
The best thing a Baofeng owner can do for the radio community at large ... is never touch the transmit button. Use it as a receiver only - this is a fine use for the Baofeng. You can wreck havoc transmitting on all kinds of frequencies that you shouldn't be with a Baofeng. The radio's Chinese designers don't seem to care. I think every other radio on the planet limits its transmissions to the bands it is certified for (but many receive-only on a bunch of other bands - receiving is fine). This self-restraint for transmissions was not implemented on the Baofeng however.
 
I have no intention of transmitting with it. In fact I will programed all the channels to not transmit.
That is a good thing to do. Be aware that the Baofeng can only be programmed to prevent transmission on a frequency chosen from a memory location (i.e., a "channel"). If you chose that same frequency using the VFO, then the Baofeng will still happily transmit. Chances are, you won't be using the VFO much, if at all, given your intended use. "VFO" = "Variable Frequency Oscillator" - this is when you are using the arrow keys to step up (or down) through the frequencies. You can also use these same arrow keys to step up/down through memory locations. What they step through depends on if the radio is set in "memory mode" or "VFO mode". You will want to stay in memory mode for your intended use.

The strength of the Baofeng is that "you can do anything you want with it". The weakness of the Baofeng is "you can do anything you want with it". And the double-weakness is "you can do things you don't intend to with it". I would have no qualms handing you a Baofeng. It is obvious that you have learned, and are continuing to learn, how to use one appropriately. Unfortunately, this is not the case for a lot of people. For these others, a Baofeng is like handing them a full auto when they've never shot a gun before.
 
I have done a little checking on the UV-5R+plus radio I bought from eBay. It is a European radio and has no US FCC markings of any kind.
This makes me a little suspicious and I'm going to request a return and buy one from Amazon or some place else.
U.S. amateur radio VHF frequencies range from 144.00 to 147.99 and UHF ranges from 420.00 to 450.00. If the radio you got lets you broadcast in those ranges, you may as well keep it. If it's limited to European amateur frequencies, then you should return it for a U.S. version.
 
U.S. amateur radio VHF frequencies range from 144.00 to 147.99 and UHF ranges from 420.00 to 450.00. If the radio you got lets you broadcast in those ranges, you may as well keep it. If it's limited to European amateur frequencies, then you should return it for a U.S. version.

The radio works on those frequencies so I guess it's OK.
@Haertig
Good advice I hadn't thought about that.
 
The radio works on those frequencies so I guess it's OK.
So, just to be clear, being able to receive is not the same as being able to transmit. If you have dummy load or if you're kerchunking a local repeater to be sure the radio will work fine for you, that's one thing. If you're just listening on those frequencies or seeing if the radio will let you enter those in the VFO, that is something else.
 
I have not transmitted and don't plan to unless it's a real emergency and there is no other option.
This is a radio for my preps but I will probably play with it some just to see what I can hear.
The only thing I have received is the NOAA channel and an FM radio station.
I am returning the radio and getting a US radio with the proper power plug, not a plug made for the UK.
I just don't have a good feeling about the one I bought on eBay.
Even thought I am only listening I might get my Tech license just because I can.
 

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