I thought I would pick up the Quansheng UV-K5 because I really don’t hear much about Quanshen. They have been selling ham gear in the United States for over a decade with models like the TG-UV8D and TG-UV2, however it is not a name you see mentioned that often, which is a shame.
Opening the box for the Quansheng UV-K5 reveals a radio a little different from the typical Baofeng style radio, with its distinctive gray faceplate on the top of the face. Yes, other radios have multicolored or materials on the front, but the gray here nicely offsets the black without being too gaudy like some of the bright chrome and silver radios out there.
I thought I would pick up the Quanshen UV-K5 because I really don’t hear much about Quanshen. They have been selling ham gear in the United States for over a decade with models like the TG-UV8D and TG-UV2, however it is not a name you see mentioned that often, which is a shame.
Opening the box for the Quansheng UV-K5 reveals a radio a little different than the typical Baofeng style radio, with its distinctive gray faceplate on the top of the face. Yes, other radios have multicolored or materials on the front, but the gray here nicely offsets the black without being too gaudy like some of the bright chrome and silver radios out there.
Graphics on the buttons on the left side of the Quanshen UV-K5 are a little different, with a much larger button at the top for the menu. It’s hard to miss that with the huge M on it 😉
Looking at the screen, you will immediately see that it is narrower than something like a UV-5R or later 5RM models, but it is taller than most UV-5R copies. Unlike most newer radios, this screen is not color, but is more of a standard monochrome LCD with a backlight. That backlight however is orange and surprisingly sharp and clear. I think it is a little higher resolution than the UV-5R type screens, while not quite as sharp as the newer full color screens.
Using the screen on the Quanshen UV-K5 is a nice experience, and I particularly like the way they do the menu with the main items scrolling on the left side, and the options for each menu item on the right. It is nice being able to see the item you are currently on, the previous item and the next item right there.
The body of the Quanshen UV-K5 is a little more rounded than similar radios and maybe a little narrower. It holds well, but might be a little small for my large hands. Everything is rounded off with no sharp edges to be found, and the clip doesn’t get in the way at all.
Speaking of the clip, it seems to be very sturdy with a nice little hook at the bottom of the clip helping prevent the radio from accidentally coming off your belt. I find this really helpful if you are getting in and out of a vehicle, bending over, or generally doing a lot of physical moving.
Buttons on the keypad are a little small and close together, and while they seem to function well they also seem to be a little muddy, adding extra resistance to being pressed. One thing that bothers me is the PTT button, which feels cheap and not well-supported. I can press in on the very top and bottom and the switch underneath does not click. I am concerned that this could fail and leave me with a Quansheng UV-K5 that has no PTT.
One thing I really do like about the Quanshen UV-K5 is that it comes with a drop-in charger and USB-C charging. Unlike many other current model radios that add the USB-C charging directly into the battery, this radio puts it into the radio under a rubber cover on the side just below the headphone and microphone jacks. I do like the USB-C charging capability, but have to admit the convenience of walking in the door and dropping my radio into a charger instead of fumbling with cables and covers is a welcome addition.
Performance:
Power output from the Quanshen UV-K5 is pretty reasonable, with 3.3 watts out at 2m, and 2.2 watts out at 70cm. This is perfectly in line with other UV-5R class radios. The antenna is not that great in either SWR or return loss, which is also in line with the UV-5R, although probably a little worse. Interestingly enough, looking at the antenna chart there is a bump between 2m and 70cm at around 162.0 – 174.0 MHz which is where you would find NOAA weather radio, federal agencies, and local police/fire/ems. This might help reception for those services.
As far as the signal quality of the Quansheng UV-K5, it is not bad at all for a radio in this price range. The transmission is not as consistent or concentrated as I would like, but again, not at all bad for a UV-5R class radio.
Images:
Radio Specifics:
| Screen readability | Very Good | |
| In-hand feel | Good | |
| Included antenna | Fair | |
| Construction quality | Good | |
| Belt clip | Very Good | |
| Programmability | Very Good | |
| Transmit audio | CLICK TO LISTEN | |
| Frequency accuracy | 145.000 @ 145.000 | |
| Maximum power output 2m/70cm | 3.3 watts / 2.2 watts | |
| Actual weight | 250 g | |
| Battery advertised mAh | 1600mAh | |
| Battery tested mAh | ||
| Radio manual | CLICK TO DOWNLOAD | |
| Programming software | CLICK TO DOWNLOAD | |
| Price based score 0-5 | 3 | |
| Overall score 0-10 | 3 |
Test Images:
If you are interested, click here for an article on how I test radios.
FEATURES:
- Dual-band operation
- Frog sound tail signal
- Cross-band intercom
- Wireless radio replication
- Power on password
- NOAA weather channels
- AM/FM aviation band receiving
- FM radio reception
- USB-C charging or desktop drop-in charging
- 200 channels
- Flashlight
| PROS: | CONS: |
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The Quansheng UV-K5 is currently under $30 which is in line with more modern UV-5R clones and just a little more than an actual UV-5R. The kit includes the radio, USB-C charging cable, drop-in desk charger, manual, and earpiece/microphone. One thing to watch out for is mine did not include a US power adapter, only the European one. That isn’t a dealbreaker as those are only a few dollars each.
Conclusions
The bottom line is that the Quansheng UV-K5 does nothing really well, but it does everything pretty well. There might be better radios out there for your money, but you absolutely won’t regret buying one of these if you do. I hate being this neutral about a radio, but it is what it is. If you are looking for a nice dual-band radio that does its job well and comes with the accessories you need, this is a fine choice.
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