This short article was inspired by an email from Rob:
“I’ve just purchased a Baofeng UV-5R Plus, and I’m a complete novice but really want to get into ham radio. I cannot seem to pick anything up on my radio.
I’ve tried to set it up with help from people on the web but with no luck. I do not have a PC, so I cannot programme it using a computer. Could you please help me get it sorted manually or point me in the right direction?”
Baofeng UV-5R basics
The Baofeng UV-5R is a low-cost handheld transceiver commonly used by radio amateurs. It covers the popular 2 metre and 70cm amateur bands and can be programmed directly from the keypad, so a computer is not essential.
If you’re not yet licensed, you can use the radio to listen to amateur radio activity, but you must not transmit on the amateur bands until you hold the appropriate amateur radio licence.
If you’re interested in getting licensed, see our guide to getting started in amateur radio.
What frequencies should I listen to?
The Baofeng UV-5R transceiver
For local amateur radio activity, the two main bands supported by the UV-5R are:
- 2 metres: 144 to 146 MHz
- 70cm: 430 to 440 MHz
Simply tuning somewhere inside those ranges does not guarantee that you’ll hear anything. Amateur radio isn’t like broadcast radio – most frequencies are silent until someone chooses to transmit.
Try the 2m calling channel
A useful place to start is 145.500 MHz, the national FM calling channel on 2 metres.
Radio amateurs may use this frequency to call another station or put out a general call before moving to another frequency for a conversation.
Don’t be surprised if it’s quiet when you first tune in. Activity varies considerably by location and time of day.
Try a local repeater
Another good place to listen is your nearest amateur radio repeater. Repeaters are normally located at elevated sites and retransmit signals over a wider area, so they can often be easier to receive than individual stations.
In this part of Essex, one of the best-known repeaters is GB3DA at Danbury, which transmits on 145.725 MHz.
If you’re elsewhere in the UK, use UKRepeater.net to find repeaters near you.
You can also see the current amateur radio band plans on the RSGB Band Plans page.
Why can’t I hear anything on my Baofeng?
If your UV-5R appears to be working but all you hear is silence, there are several possible reasons.
1. There may simply be nobody transmitting
This is the most common explanation.
Amateur radio frequencies are not continuously occupied. A channel may be quiet for half an hour and then suddenly become busy when a net starts or someone calls CQ.
Try listening at different times of the day and find out when local clubs or repeaters run scheduled nets.
2. The supplied antenna is limited
The short flexible antenna supplied with many low-cost handhelds is convenient, but its performance is limited.
Reception can often be improved by:
- Taking the radio outdoors
- Moving upstairs or to a higher location
- Trying a longer replacement handheld antenna
- Using a suitable external antenna
- Connecting to a rooftop or loft-mounted VHF/UHF antenna
Height and a clear path are often more important than the price of the radio.
3. Your location may be screening the signal
VHF and UHF signals are strongly affected by buildings, hills and other obstructions.
Using a handheld inside a brick or concrete building can make reception much worse. If possible, try the radio upstairs, near a window or outside.
4. The squelch may be set too high
The squelch control stops the radio producing background noise when no signal is present.
If the squelch level is set too high, weaker amateur radio signals may not open the receiver.
Try reducing the squelch setting temporarily and see whether you begin to hear more activity.
5. Strong nearby signals can overload the receiver
The UV-5R is inexpensive and its receiver is not as selective as many dedicated amateur radio handhelds.
In areas with strong broadcast, paging or other radio signals, the receiver can sometimes become overloaded. Oddly, fitting a larger external antenna can occasionally make this worse rather than better.
If reception becomes poorer with a better antenna, receiver overload may be the reason.
Do I need to programme the radio just to listen?
No. If all you want to do is listen, you can normally enter a frequency directly from the keypad and listen.
For example, you can select frequency mode and enter:
145.500 MHz
or, in Essex:
145.725 MHz for GB3DA
You do not need to configure repeater offsets or CTCSS tones merely to hear the repeater’s output.
What about transmitting through a repeater?
Once you’re licensed and want to transmit through a repeater, the radio normally needs some additional settings, including the correct transmit offset and, for many repeaters, a CTCSS access tone.
Those settings vary between repeaters, so check the current information for the repeater you want to use.
See our Getting Started with Repeaters guide for more information.
Listening before getting your licence
Listening is a useful way to get a feel for amateur radio before taking the exam. You can hear how callsigns are used, how contacts are made and how local nets and repeaters operate.
If you like what you hear, the next step is the entry-level UK Foundation licence.
Want to get on the air yourself?Essex Ham offers a FREE online Foundation training course for people new to amateur radio. |
Related content
- How to become a radio amateur
- Using amateur radio repeaters
- Guide to using the Baofeng UV-5R
- Free Foundation Online course
This is the best bit of info if had yet also it was very simple, and I can now say iv just picked up my local repeater(I think) or at least one of them which is a start.
Thanks for your help Pete.
Great. Happy to help. If you have any more questions, please ask away.
Alright Pete whats the chances of me listening to the iss on my uv-5r I’m in the Cambridge area (Ely) ?
Hi Pete,
Your online trading helped me get licensed last FEB. A big thankyou again
Now I’m Trying to get my head around vhf. I have a handheld. Nothing.
I recently bought an IC 705 that covers all bands. I’ve managed to get som Hf reception now but after buying a 2m vertical diamond x50 antenna and mounting it 12+ ft on the hf antenna mast, I’ve yet to hear any vhf or uhf communication. I’ve dialled all the broadcast frequencies of the nearby repeaters… a big nothing but the air band via same aerial and radio.
Is it possible being ~10-17 miles from any repeater exceeds the propagation of 2m?
I can’t get anything in any mode on vhf or uhf ham bands
Thanks for input,
Geoff Cox (Stansted Essex)
M7COX
Hi Pete,
Your online trading helped me get licensed last FEB. A big thankyou again
Now I’m Trying to get my head around vhf. I have a handheld. Nothing.
I recently bought an IC 705 that covers all bands. I’ve managed to get som Hf reception now but after buying a 2m vertical diamond x50 antenna and mounting it 12+ ft on the hf antenna mast, I’ve yet to hear any vhf or uhf communication. I’ve dialled all the broadcast frequencies of the nearby repeaters… a big nothing but the air band via same aerial and radio.
Is it possible being ~10-17 miles from any repeater exceeds the propagation of 2m?
I can’t get anything in any mode on vhf or uhf ham bands
Thanks for input,
Geoff Cox (Stansted Essex)
M7COX
I got radio aaofeng
Hi, stupid question – probably – Tx/Rx is on the same frequency / Band – UNLESS via a repeater where the offset function needs to be set up ?
Brand new to the hobby. Was given a cheap handheld and have been picking up (LISTENING ONLY, I don’t have my license yet) our local repeater. But there’s not much going on there. VERY quiet. The odd burst of Morse Code, the occasional chat about the weather. I took it camping with me last weekend and there was nothing – and I mean nothing – to hear. I was pretty disappointed. I’ve just bought a mag mount antenna for the car that I hope will do a bit better than the stock rubber duck supplied.
Have any tips on how best to hear more? I think I need to get out a bit, go for a mountain walk. Put some distance between me and the ground of the valley I live in (obviously).
Might be worth finding out if there are any Nets on your local repeater (as these are a focal point for locals). Also, talk to local amateurs and clubs to find out where and when there’s activity (assuming there is some).
With a larger/better antenna, you should be able to pull in signals from further afield, including other repeaters.
Pete
If I buy a ham radio just two listening like a radio do I need a licence to use one,
Please get back to me as soon as possible as I am in the process of buying one it is an Icom lc R9500 the person I am buying it off is also selling me and antenna which happens to be and 800 model and I am getting it at a cut price just on £6.000 so I need your answer ASAP please help me if you can
You do not need a licence to listen to amateur radio in the UK. You do need a licence to transmit on amateur radio frequencies. Pete
I can’t hear Shi just annoying sound Why?
Tips please
What frequency are you listening to? What radio? What aerial? Have you read/tried the tips in the article?
Happy xmas pete
From NR512 Richard
446 mhz ch8 Dorset
You do a great job
Hi, I am listening to a particular channel using this device. However, my charger broke and until i get a replacment, I wanted to know if I can listen via a website?? It’s a long shot but I thought id ask on here, thanks!
It depends what you’re trying to listen to. Some repeaters and nets ‘stream’ over the Internet, some are relayed over the net using what’s called a WebSDR, and some repeaters are relayed over Zello (a smartphone voice-over-Internet app)
WebSDR.org
Hi
When we scan the frequencies we can get the network if we actually find the RX frequency while we are talking, my question is, can we find the TX frequency?
I assume you’re referring to a repeater? If so, there is a list of repeater RX and TX frequencies here: https://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaterlist1.htm
I have a Baofeng uv5r 111. I cant hear much where I live. I think this is due to being fairly low down. Can you recommend an aerial set up that I could buy. For roof or outside of an upper floor window.
Hello, I recently bought a Baofeng uv5r and was recieiving large amounts of static and no conversations etc. I then adjusted the squelch levels using chirp, this stopped the large amounts of static and now I’m not picking up anything. Could it be where I live or the radio itself ? Thanks.
Hi James – did you read the advice under “Struggling to hear anything?”?
Great info thanks – is there a list of services, I.e. weather, emergency, government (in case of SHTF lol) in the U.K., so anyone unlicensed could listen in case of global/national trouble, etc? Thank you – waiting to start my foundation course with essexham
Matthew, Just search for PREPPER & SURVIVALIST SHTF FREQUENCIES 2 WAY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS on internet and download and print the sheet from RADIOFREEQ.WORDPRESS.com Should give all you need but if you cannot do this you can use 446.030 146.420 146.520 146.550 for prepper and survivalist channels 155.160 is FM search and rescue 156.800 is marine vhf FM safety calling and 156.625 is FM boat prepper. All worth programming in. Good luck
Hi Doug.
Are there any offsets or ctcss tones for any of these channels? I assume not for ease of access?
Thanks
Matt
Hi great article which is helping me understand this baffling hobby (only been looking into it for a couple of days). Which baofeng would you guys recommend and which antenna for inside a loft? Cheers.
Was looking for radios for Airsoft and seem to have fallen into the mysteries of Radio, but not complaining. My father-in-law was a professional radio tech who started with Freddy Laker’s airline and ended up specialising in ship to shore satellite comms, including doing the radio training for the British Antarctic survey teams. We won’t discuss his seconded civilian role with British forces in the Falklands war (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). He had a large transmitter scavenged from a ship and refurbished operating from his garage for many years after his retirement. Unfortunately he is no longer with us to share his stories.
My UV5R TP arrived today, and I have registered to do the foundation through you from 16/8/20. Although I live in Milton Keynes I have found your club site to be the most informative so far for a Physics numpty like me. Thanks for all of the useful info so far.
i have just got a baefong uv-5r am struggling to find local repeater im innorthamptonshire , is it uhf or vhf and wide on narrow , thanks for any help
Hi There
I am in London and would like to listen to HAM conversations using my Internet. Kindly help me
Thanks
Harry
I have Purchased a UV9R Plus Am i doing anything illegal by listening to the local reapeater? I have done some of the Essex Ham Course but dont feel confident just yet . Im looking for a club in the County Durham or Newcastle area Looking to eventually do the beginers intermediate course
hi pete
im very very new to this hobby but would like to progress in it . i purchased a new ailunce to just get to know a bit about the amateur radio etiquette but as yet cant find any communications conversations just white noise and a green screen . i live in sunderland north east . as im new to it i dont know if the handheld is faulted . i really want to progress and get my foundation licance but not having much luck at the moment , any advise would be amazing .
thank you
joe
Hi Joe – did you read the advice under “Struggling to hear anything?”? What have you tried so far?
hi pete e
thank you for your quick response , ive had the radio for a week now and havnt heard a word spoken !
i can get fm radio but thats it . im scanning on fm and dmr but as yet nothing . should i be on narrow band or wide band ? im so sorry for asking all these questions but i have no idea and just learning mate . what basic settings should i be on just the listen ? and should i need to connect to a repeater ?
thank you
joe
What type of antenna have you got? How far away is your nearest repeater?
Out of interest, have you started studying for Foundation yet?
Just signed uo for the foundation course. I have a few HTs , radtel and baofeng and a few antennas. Also have a handheld CB. All USB chargeable.
I’ve read about the Nagoya 771 helping bring in more stations, is that correct or just waffle. And im guessing yhats for 2m and 70cm, also I’m mainly listening indoors so all I can really pick up is ATC from the Thames Radar plus Marine from the Thames.
I haven’t heard anything on the 2m calling channel or 70cm or the lo Al repeaters in Bromley.
When scanning I get lots of hits for distortion or static so I’m guessing they are DMR.
It’s all very interesting.
Looking forward ro getting going, I also bought the EssexHam study guide which made me sit up and take notice.
I’ve previously taken and passed my drone licence exams and it seems a similar method of learning and gaining licences.