Currently my Amateur Radio transmitters and recievers are Baofeng UV-5Rs.

A great little handset that does the 2m and 70cm bands, and if programmed with the right software, can do PMR446. But that would technically be illegal.

I have three. One sits in the cradle (above) and is connected to the SlimJim mast project, one lives in the car for testing mobile antennae, and one just hangs about the place in case I decide to go walking for a range test.

If you have one of these but don’t have the programming cable, then I wish you luck. You will need it.

But, if you do have the cable, and have installed CHIRP on your PC then you can program in all the commonly used frequencies for 2m/70cm, along with your local Repeaters.

You can also program in the PMR466 frequencies, but just remember that it is not legal for you to transmit on them, even on the low power settings.

Even though the UV-5R only transmits at approx 0.5W on its alleged 1w “low power” setting (just based on an average of the three I’ve tested), the non-fixed antenna makes it unlawful.

Not that anyone actually cares, but if you start quoting your Ofcom assigned callsign on PMR at high (approx 8w) power, then someone might complain.