Quansheng UV-K5
Out of the box this radio will do 144/220/440 and Airband AM. This Radio can be taken out of Ham Radio restrictions from the menu built into the radio.
This Radio offers USB-C Charging, so it can be charged in the field from a battery pack or solar panel. Along with all the typical features of a modern Hand Held radio this radio also boasts a strong price point! At around $12 to $35 depending on the website of your choosing, this radio is Baofeng UV5R‘s biggest competitor. You get a lot of radio for your buck with the Quansheng UV-K5 . Not only do the standard Baofeng programming cables work with CHIRP but also allow custom firmware to be loaded.
This radio has all the features of a baofeng UV5r and some extras, like the ability to scan and locate the strongest signal on the band in very little time. Don’t let the bad reviews of the Quansheng UV-K5 deter you from not trying it, all the claims of spurious and unwanted emissions only happen when you transmit out of band. The VHF and UHF filter and amplifier system performs very well inside its intended frequencies. This is a well designed radio and can out perform the competitors any day of the week.
There is a large community making custom firmware that unlocks the full potential of this radio. Using the BK4819 RF Chip it allows frequencies from 18Mhz to 1.3Ghz to be achieved! Look out Baofeng, Theres a new kid on the block!