A couple of weeks ago I was having problems with my UV-5R – it was unable to transmit signals. After much research I was able to understand what was going on and find a solution.
This post includes my research findings.
This article has been organized to present some basic checks first. After that it gets into problems with transmission and solutions.
The solutions presented in this article apply to the following Baofeng radios:
Table of Contents
Basic UV-5R Troubleshooting
Check the Battery
As a basic check, make sure that the battery is fully charged. Note that the radio is shipped from the factory with a battery that is completely discharged. Use the charger either provided or specified by the manufacturer.
The charge time for the UV-5R is 4-5 hours. Once charged, the LED should turn a solid green color.
If the radio still doesn’t transmit, try removing the battery completely and reinstalling it.
Antenna Installation
A basic check is to ensure that the antenna has been installed correctly.
Install as shown in the picture above. Turn the antenna clockwise until it stops rotating. Never rotate the radio to install the antenna. That will damage the connector and prevent the ability to transmit or receive signals.
Also never transmit signals without an antenna. Doing so will damage the electronics inside the radio permanently.
How to Transmit
The Push-to-talk (PTT) key is pressed for transmission and released for reception. The key is number 7 in the picture below.
UV-5R Transmission Problems and Solutions
Here is a list of specific problems and solutions
Other members of the group cannot hear you
- Make sure the undertones CTCSS and or code DCS programmed into your transceiver is the same as those programmed into the radios of other members of your group
- The distance between your radio and others could be too large. The range of the Baofeng can be 10 miles but that’s only when there are no obstructions or radio interference. In a city there’s seldom a line-of-sight path between the transmitter and receiver. As well there are many interfering signals. As a result, the range can be only a mile or even less.
UV-5R can receive but not transmit
If your radio can receive, we know that there’s no issue with the battery and antenna or programming. Does the UV-5R beep when trying to transmit on certain frequencies? If the answer is yes, that means that the frequencies you are trying to operate on are locked in firmware. This is why you are unable to transmit. Let’s understand why.
While the UV-5R can transmit across many frequency bands, newer versions of the radio sold can only work in select bands. Furthermore these working bands depend on your geographic region. In the USA for instance, this has been done so that users comply with the FCC rules. Spectrum regulators in other country as well require that radios transmit only in designated bands.
GT-3TP’s sold in the USA and Canada for instance, will only transmit on frequencies in the range of 144 – 148 MHz and 420 – 450 MHz. These are the amateur radio bands. These specific frequency ranges are also called 2 m and 70 cm bands. Owing to the popularity of this dual band, manufacturers have developed antennas specifically for 2m and 70 cm.
The radio will only receive in other bands. The UV-5R covers three frequency bands:
- 65 – 108 MHz
- 136 – 174 MHz
- 400 – 520 MHz
In the USA you will be able to listen to the FM band 88-108 MHz. But you will not be allowed to transmit in the FM band. The band over which the radio receives is wider than that over which it is able to transmit.
Below is a table that shows the frequencies of the UV-5R in different countries:
| Region | Frequency Range |
|---|---|
| USA/Canada | 144-148 MHz 420-450 MHz |
| UK | 136-174 MHz 400-479.995 MHz |
| China | 136-174 MHz 400-520 MHz |
| India | 136-174 MHz 400-480 MHz |
Note that if you live in the USA and bought your Baofeng radio in the UK, you will have a wider frequency range for transmission. However operating outside of the two ranges 144-148 MHz and 420-450 MHz in the USA is not legal.
Note that there’s another variant of the radio called the UV-5R Tri-band. This radio is able to operate in three frequency ranges.
- 136 – 174 MHz
- 220 – 225 MHz
- 400 – 520 MHz
However, as with the UV-5R the legal operating bands are restricted depending on geography. Note that in addition to the 144-148 MHz and 420-450 MHz bands the other allowable band for amateur radio in the USA is 222-225 MHz. Canada also allows 219–220 MHz.
Radio Desense
The receiver in a Baofeng radio is not built like a receiver in test equipment. It can get desensitized (or desensed) very easily. When this happens to a receiver, it might lead you to conclude that the transmitter is not working.
This means that if two radios are too close to each other or if there’s a strong interfering signal nearby it can overload the receiver. In that case you might think that your radio is not transmitting but in actual fact it is. The issue is that the other radio trying to listen but cannot as there is too much signal going into it.
The solution in this case is to separate the two radios. In the case of an interfering signal – it will have to be found and removed or shut down.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the frequency range of the Baofeng UV-5R?
- The Transmit frequency range of the GT-3TP is 136-174 MHz and 400-520 MHz.
- The Receive frequency range of the GT-3TP is 68-108 MHz, 136 – 174 MHz and 400 – 520 MHz
Summary
In this post we have discussed the problem of UV-5R not transmitting. Various problem scenarios are covered and solutions for each have been provided. To summarize here are the main transmission problems that can be solved:
- Other members of the group cannot hear you
- GT-3TP can receive but not transmit
- Radio Desense
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