I just bought one the other day, a UV-5X3

See comments in text below:

On Wed, Mar 21, 2018 at 11:30 PM, Christopher F. Beesley <chrisbees2@hotmail.com> wrote:

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The whole concept of programmable devices that can be programmed to destruction by interfering with the 'wrong' memory is flawed from the start and I don't understand why people buy them. The whole concept of programmable devices that require the use of non-standard cables which in turn require the use of out-of-date drivers on the programming device is ridiculous. Why these radios have gained such a following is beyond me. Why most of them have not been returned for refunds the minute they exhibit the faults that I have read about on here time and time again is also beyond me. Whatever happened to Plug And Play?

I removed radio from box, put it on the charger, and made sure it was charged.

Then I plugged USB device into computer, and radio started Chirp, told it

what the radio was, downloaded the original radio data, made a copy and

started from there.

As an example, even the cheapest printer has more complex user-selectable parameters available than most of the programmable radios. Printers come with drivers that work, with user-friendly user-interfaces that only allow the programming of whatever is sensibly programmable, and with hardware interfaces that are connected to the programming device via standard cables available from the average supermarket down the road. When I bought my UV5R it came with a programming cable that didn't work, and an incomprehensible CD full of software that is mostly useless. When I finally got something to work the user-interface to the spread-sheet lookalike was at best clunky - I would describe it as awful. There were no instructions to speak of and no support from the suppliers.

I read the manual that came with the radio, yes it was somewhat banged up

English but it got enough information to me to be able to get the radio up and

going with a minimum of fidgeting.

I see that most of the issues seem to revolve around the USB drivers for

windows, but alas, I do not have that issue as I use Linux. Perhaps a change

of OS?

When I add up the hours I have spent and apply a reasonable hourly rate it becomes obvious that these radios are not cheap at all.

I recently read somewhere that recent handhelds from at least one of the big three suffers from the same problems. That's it then - the end of amateur radio is nigh. My one regret is that me and my UV5R have contributed to that because I did not return it for a refund.

(The UV5R is not a particularly good radio anyway. The colour display uses far too much power and cannot cope with bright sunlight. Mono displays are generally far better in both respects, and who really needs colour?)

73, Chris, an Amateur Radio operator since 1973.

Yes the screens can be hard to read in sunlight, and you probably do not want

to drop one on concrete, but for the price it really can't be beat, and I have

a few young people that I think I can get going to become amateurs because of

these little radios.

Oh yes it took me perhaps a total of 15 minutes (not counting the charge time)

to go from box to loaded radio, so I do not consider that a lot of wasted time.

Yes there are a lot of issues, but for what I paid to get on the air with it, it is

chump change.

I even have 220 mHz on the little box, something I have never had a real chance

at playing with.

When I travel for work it is neat to be able to access 3 bands and get on the

air from the hotel room on those 3 bands. All for less than $60. Can't beat that.

And then there is the TYT MD-380, DMR all over the place, those two radios

have made my amateur radio activity a lot more universal, so I will take the

"issues" every day if i can get from a device what I get from those two radios.

Best regards and above all:

ENJOY!

Chirp + Editcp + MD380Tools on Linux

Celestial!!!

Chuck -- KP4DJT