Baofeng UV-K5 Plus Handheld radio review

The Baofeng UV-K5 Plus is a larger radio than the old Uv-5R, which I quite like since my large hands fell off the bottom of the UV-5R. In fact, I would go so far as to say this platform is about the perfect size for large hands. Like most of these types of radios today, the edges have been thoughtfully rounded to keep things from poking into your hand or snagging on your clothing.

The front panel buttons on the K5Plus are a little muddy feeling and there is an obvious difference in some of the key presses, although this does not affect the use at all. I am worried about the PTT button, however, as it seems to be less supported than it should be. You can feel this when you press on the edges of the button, it feels like you are twisting or flexing the shaft of the button to depress it. This may cause the button to prematurely fail.

Twisting the knob on the top has good smooth resistance and a nice substantial click when turning it on and off. The larger knob is a trade-off, as it makes it easier for you to get the volume right where you want it, but also makes it easier to get moved unintentionally. This is where the little shield on the Baofeng UV-K5R becomes important.

Attaching the K5Plus to your belt is easy with the spring-loaded clip on the back. It feels reasonably sturdy and well-made for something in this price range. I wish it had an actual hook at the bottom instead of just a right angle, as I prefer the added security of a hook, especially when getting in and out of a vehicle.

Almost all of the new radios seem to have the same type of 1.77″ full color screen. This makes it really easy to read the frequencies as long as the LCD is on. Like several others of these types of radios, the Baofeng UV-K5 Plus has no way in the radio to change the approximately 15-second timer that turns off the screen. You can, however, change the setting using programming software such as CHIRP.

One serious drawback for me is the new common practice of putting the menu down on the bottom half of the screen and then making it dark red. The Baofeng UV-K5 Plus has a reasonable menu structure, but I can hardly read anything except in the best of light. They really need to fix that.

On the back is a pretty standard Baofeng battery these days, the BL-5RH rated at 2500 mAh. I like the way they connect to the radio, the same way the UV-5R’s battery did. Too many radios these days use hard to use clips (I am looking at you Tidradio and Yaesu) which can easily break a fingernail. The Baofeng UV-K5 Plus sticks with the tried and true spring button on the top. The only real change from the UV-5R’s battery, other than size, is the USB-C charing port.

Performance:

Looking at the antenna chart shows a pretty good antenna for both 2m and 70cm. Both SWR and return loss are very good for a factory antenna. I like the solid base that comes up a couple of inches.

As for power output, the Baofeng UV-K5 Plus puts out 6 watts on 2m and 5 watts on 70cm on a reasonable signal. The spectrum analysis shows that it starts out strong and clear but gets a little spotty as the transmitter heats up. Over all though, it does a fine job with pretty clear transmitted audio.

Images:

Radio Specifics:

Test Images:

• High-power output, claimed 10W

• Dual-band 2m/70cm plus 1.25m receive

• Large 2500mAh battery

• USB-C charging

• CHIRP compatible

• 1.77″ Color screen

• 999 Channels

• One-key wireless frequency copy

• NOAA weather channels

I do like the fact that the Baofeng UV-K5 Plus comes with both a USB-C and a drop-in charger, as well as a second longer antenna (which I suspect is a rebranded Nagoya 771). Overall it is a nice kit with all the modern features and accessories you need to get going.

Conclusions

The Baofeng UV-K5 Plus is a well-rounded beginner radio with some nice accessories and reasonable performance.  I think there might be better radios in this class, but not by much, and you probably wouldn’t get the nice second antenna and drop-in charger.

So would I recommend the K5Plus? Yes, but it is a tough call. The Baofeng UV-5RM Plus is a better radio overall, but it doesn’t come with a drop-in charger or a really nice extra antenna so that kinda stinks. They both have the horrible red menu color and require you to use programming software to do some simple tasks like change the screen timeout. In the end between those two, I would take this kit and be happy.

Here are some reviews of the Baofeng UV-K5 Plus!