Baofeng 5RH Pro Dual-Band Radio Review

This larger size makes it fit into my hand a lot better than the old UV-5R, as I have larger sized hands. As with most of these type radios, the edges are well-rounded, including the ones on the clip, to make it fit into your palm comfortably. Everything falls right where it should, such as my finger on the PTT button.

Another feature you will spot on the Baofeng 5RH Pro pretty quickly is the new screens. They are now using 1.77″ full color LCDs with an upgraded resolution, making text bright and easy to read…when the screen is on. Unlike the UV-5R, when the LCD backlight turns off, the screen goes completely black. If you are used to glancing across the desk to see what frequency something is being transmitted on, you will need to change the setting to keep the screen on all the time.

The good news is the Baofeng 5RH Pro is a little different from some of the newer radios I have tested in that it uses the new menu structure. This means there is actually a way to change the backlight timer right in the menus, instead of having to use a computer to program it. That’s nice, because as of right now CHIRP does not support this radio, so you have to rely on the factory software or maybe RT Systems programming software.

What I do not like about the new screens is that even on maximum brightness, they are much harder to read outside in the sun than the old style LCDs in the UV-5Rs.

Speaking of the new menu structure, it is a lot cleaner by dividing settings into categories instead of just one long list. This is especially helpful because the Baofeng 5RH Pro includes a GPS module, or should I say, GNSS module. The difference is that GNSS, which stands for Global Navigation Satellite System, can work with a variety of systems including the US GPS, EU’s Galileo, Russia’s GLONASS, and China’s BeiDou. The GPS function seems to work well and locks on fairly quickly. 

The buttons on the front of the Baofeng 5RH Pro are pretty nice and spaced far enough apart to make using them pretty easy and reliable. That extra space on the radio paid off here. The side buttons are all good, including the PTT. Now, the oversized knob on the top is a mixed bag. On the one hand, I like the bigger knob as it give me more control and seems smoother. On the other hand, a bigger knob, especially as close as it is to the side of the radio, invites everything in the world around you to change the volume. Your jacket, your seatbelt, and your hand as you reach into your pocket.

This same style knob is used on several of their other radios, such as the UV-K5 Plus, and even the Quansheng UV-K5 Plus uses a very similar knob in the same place, but those two radios have a guard on the side to prevent ‘accidental volume adjustments’.

They have added a USB-C charging port on the battery which is nice, it even comes with a USB-C charging cable because, you know, I don’t have nearly enough of those. What I don’t like is the lack of a drop-in charger in the kit I purchased. I much prefer walking in the door and dropping my radio into a charger instead of fumbling with cables and the rubber cover. Besides, it is easier to see when the charge is done when the LED is front and center on a desktop charger.

They make a kit with the drop in charger, so be sure you select the kit that has the accessories you want.

Performance:

Power output is 7.5 watts on 2m and 4 watts on 70cm which makes it one of the most powerful radios I have tested. In fact, the only handheld radio I have tested to date that puts out more power than this Baofeng 5RH Pro, is the Baofeng UV-25, and it is a beast of a radio.

The spectrum analysis shows respectable power output, even if it is not as smooth and consistent as I would like. It is fantastic considering the Baofeng 5RH Pro’s price point. Unfortunately, all that power is being put out of a mediocre at best antenna. The antenna really is pretty good at 70cm, but it is just meh at 2m. Fortunately, replacement antennas are easy to get and inexpensive.

Images:

Radio Specifics:

Test Images:

• 1.77″ color screen
• 640 channels
• 2500mAh battery
• USB-C charging
• Wireless frequency copy
• AM/FM/VHF/1.25m/UHF receiver
• Includes aviation bands and NOAA channels
• GNSS GPS system

It wasn’t too long ago where only the top-of-the-line radios costing $500 or more had color screens, GPS, one-key frequency copy, and USB-C charging. Now, radios like this Baofeng 5RH Pro bring all those features and more into a radio for less than $40. Amazing. Yes, my ID-52 and TH-D74 kick it’s tail into the ground, but it seems the difference between the low-end and high-end gets closer every day.

Conclusions

I really like the Baofeng 5RH Pro radio, and I really dislike that my kit not come with a drop-in charger, although some kits do. That isn’t a big problem for me because I have several radios on this platform, so I can use their drop-in charger for this radio. For you, though, you have to ask yourself how badly you want a drop-in charger and choose your kit accordingly. Then again, the 5RM desktop charger only adds another $10.

Other than that, I think the Baofeng 5RH Pro offers an excellent bang for your buck for features and usability, with my only reservations on the radio itself being the use of the screen in bright sunlight and the lack of a guard next to the volume knob.

Here are some reviews of the Baofeng 5RH Pro!