I'll mainly highlight the differences between the UV-82 (this unit) and the UV-5RV2. I have both (and the BF-F9V2+, but it's effectively identical to the UV-5R except for output power).
The 82 feels better in your hand. The body seems like it would withstand incidental contact with the elements better than the UV-5R, but it's not waterproof. It also has fewer sharp edges to snag on things. The 82 is about 1" taller (body only) than the 5R.
The number buttons on the 82 are about three times the size of those on the 5R and the up/down/menu/exit buttons are about twice the size of those on the other unit. All buttons, including PTT, mon, and FM are rubberized on the 82 and just feel right. The buttons on the 5R are too small for human fingers. Don't even try to hit one if you're wearing gloves.
The 82 has dual PTT to match the dual VOF present on both units. However, I prefer single PTT and the buttons can only be combined on the commercial version (twice the price!?!).
Apart from the dual PTT, the two radios are functionally identical from a software and interface standpoint. Both radios program easily with CHIRP and a USB adapter.
The antennas on both models are SMA female rubber duckies, but the stock antenna on the 82 is slightly longer and *seems* to work better. Neither will impress you, though. My Nagoya antenna fits into the plastic surround of the 82 slightly better than the 5R and I expect it would keep out contaminants a bit better.
The 82's charging base (included) is nearly weightless, just like the 5R's, but it doesn't have room inside to insert a roll of pennies for adding appropriate weight. And the 82's charger has the *asinine* status LED that stupidly flashes red/green when you don't have the radio in the cradle. Seriously, who decided that was a good idea?!? The 5R's charging cradle glows a pleasant, solid green when the radio isn't present (but the cradle that came with the BF-F9V2+ does the stupid flash thing). The 82 fits *very* snugly into the cradle. Too snugly, IMO. The barrel connectors and power specs on the two cradles are identical, meaning you can use either cradle with the same wall wart, but the two radios don't physically fit into each other's cradle.
The OEM battery on the 82 fits extremely snugly--again, too snugly, IMO. The molded plastic feet on the bottom of the battery are too short, which makes the 82 rock on a perfectly flat surface (the middle of the battery sticks down lower than the feet). There is a larger battery available for the 82, but it doesn't have a direct charging port (barrel connector) like the high capacity battery for the 5R. Other power options (cigarette lighter battery eliminator, AAA battery pack) are available for both.
Update: There is now a larger battery available for the UV-82 with an independent charging port: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082PYQ2TQ/
The 82 has no VFO/MR button, so in order to tune directly to a particular frequency you have to switch modes first in the software menu, which can be pretty cryptic on all the Baofengs. The 5R has a dedicated button for switching between channel and freq modes. [Edit: I discovered you can hold down the Menu button while turning on the 82 to switch between channel and frequency modes.]
Both radios sound about the same at 50% volume when talking between the two. I believe the mic and speakers in both are roughly equivalent. Both share the same external mic/speaker/program ports behind a flap on the right side of the radio.
Bottom line: Functionally, they're nearly identical. They're roughly the same price. To me, the appropriately-sized (and rubberized) controls and generally better shell design make the UV-82 the better choice.
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From the manufacturer
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| UV-82HP (7W), High-Power +(3rd Gen) | UV-82C, Commercial, Employer Model | UV-5X3, Tribander Model | BF-F8HP (8W), High Power + (3rd Gen) | BF-F8+ Variants, (2nd Gen) | UV-5R & Variants (2nd Gen) | |
| Output | 7 Watt Max | 5 Watt Max | 5 Watt Max | 8 Watt Max | 4-5 Watt Max | 4-5 Watt Max |
| Speaker Output | 1 Watt | 1 Watt | 1 Watt | 700mw | 700mw | 700mw |
| Frequency Range (mhz) | VHF (136-174), UHF (400-520) | VHF (136-174), UHF (400-520) | VHF (130-179.99), 1.25M (222-225.99), UHF (400-520.99) | VHF (136-174), UHF (400-520) | VHF (136-174), UHF (400-520) | VHF (136-174), UHF (400-520) |
| Case Durability | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commuter | Commuter | Commuter |
| Push-to-Talk: Single, Dual, or Both | Both | Both | Single | Single | Single | Single |
| Display | Tri-Color | Tri-Color | Tri-Color | Tri-Color | Inverted | Tri-Color |
| Disable VFO (Frequency) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| FCC Part 90 Licensed and Compliant for Commercial Applications | ✓ | |||||
| High Gain 7" Antenna | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Updated In-Depth User's Guide | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
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Customer reviews
Excellent radio, upgrade antenna and you're golden.
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2016
So I had to return the first one because it had a bad button, but this is still an EXCELLENT radio. Read other reviews about the performance, here I wanna talk about what antenna upgrade I chose.You have a couple of options, the Nagoya NA-701, NA-771 are the two most popular over stock antenna. I've tried both. While 771 is definitely better, it's way too long for practical daily use. I settled with NA-701 which offers better performance over stock antenna, adding only 1 inch maybe in length. For easy and quick connect and disconnect, I bought 2 bnc adapters and bought the BNC version of 701 antenna. The adapters I bought on Amazon as well, $6 for 2.Radio itself is excellent. I especially love the dual PTT function allowing me to talk to 2 different channels without having to press channel switch button first. Great great radio.
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2016
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