Do you enjoy the content ? DONATE with PayPal to support me !
Amateur, business and free-license radios. Shop now with exclusive discounts on radioddity.com. Use the code YO6DXE for 15% OFF at checkout.
Introduction
The Baofeng UV-7B was sent to me by my friend YO5BDL as he just purchased it and he wanted me to have a look at it. At first it looks like “just another HT”. When I started measuring stuff, things got interesting. Not what I expected ! Let’s see what it has to offer though. The transceiver I tested was not the unlocked version sold by Radioddity, so it only works on VHF and UHF. In this article though, I will talk about the technical details for those sold on Radioddity.
Baofeng UV-7B
Here you have the link to the product but please read the article and watch the video first:
Multi-Band Transmission And Reception;
BT App Programming;
Large And Clear Display;
1000 Channels And 10 Zones;
Custom Controls And Quick Sync;
Rechargeable And Ready.
Baofeng UV-7B – 5W VHF / UHF Transceiver
Multi-Band Transmission And Reception
Transmit reliably on VHF, UHF, and the 1.25m band, while receiving across 7 bands, including FM radio, Aviation, NOAA weather, 1.25m and 350MHz. Perfect for scanning, travel or emergency use.
BT App Programming
Easily customize channels, frequencies and settings from your smartphone ( iOS and Android ) with the BT app. Fast, wireless, and beginner-friendly. Ideal for hikers, travelers, and ham operators. For advanced or bulk setup, CPS and CHIRP software on PC are also supported.
Large And Clear Display
The 1.77″ color screen provides outstanding readability in any lighting condition. With a clean, intuitive interface, it clearly shows frequencies, channel names, and real-time activity, making operation smoother and more efficient. Here I have to admit that the “in any lighting conditions” statement may be a little too much. I noticed that outside the screen is hardly visible, especially when is sunny days. But the display seems nice indeed.
1000 Channels And 10 Zones
Organize up to 1000 channels into 10 customizable zones, allowing you to quickly switch between groups for work, outdoor activities or emergency communication. Simplify channel management and stay connected without hassle.
Custom Controls And Quick Sync
Assign essential functions. FM radio, scanning, VOX or frequency copy to the side key for instant access. One-touch frequency copy allows you to quickly and easily match frequencies with teammates in the field.
Rechargeable And Ready
Equipped with a rechargeable battery and convenient USB-C charging for use at home or on the go. Features a built-in flashlight with steady and SOS modes and NOAA weather reception. Ideal for hiking, camping, and emergency situations. I really liked the double LED flashlight. Seems pretty strong compared to the single LED we have on most transceivers on the marked.
The Downside Of The Transceiver
In the video and here in the article I am talking specifically about the transceiver I had on hand for testing. So my conclusions in the video are based on that one. I can only guess it can’t be the only one with issues and clearly there are more on the marked just the same. I made measurements on the power output and also for the harmonics suppression. The power output was only about 4W and not 5W as stated in the technical specifications ( even with a full battery ). That would not be a big issue as there is not such a big difference in signal strength between 4W and 5W anyway.
The biggest problem for me were the harmonics. In the video I only measured the harmonics suppression on the 2m band. As you could tell that didn’t look to great. Off camera I was curious and also measured the 70cm band. Those looked even worst unfortunately. After chatting with a few fellow YouTube friends that also teste the Baofeng UV-7B, turns out that none seem to perform the same. Some seem to be ok on 70cm, but a lot worst than my measurements on 2m and so on. So at this moment my conclusion on this one will remain the same. Personally I cannot recommend it.
Final Thoughts
I honestly really liked the transceiver at first and I had big hopes. I will not lie but since my very first transceiver was a Baofeng UV-5R, I will always be a Baofeng fan. Overall it does seem to be a nice transceiver, especially for beginners. Too bad it’s not clean and clearly it does not respect the FCC regulations on harmonics suppression. I can only say that I cannot recommend it, but if you still want to try it and you think that maybe you may have a little more luck than Vlad did, feel free to purchase it. I do recommend you to do a harmonics suppression test on all transmitting frequencies. Just so you make sure that you have a clean output signal. Maybe they are not all the same. Sadly the one I tested was not great at all. But since I was disappointed on this one, I would still prefer a good old UV-5R instead. I am sure some of those may have issues as well, but the two I had were clean and also they had a little over the 5W output power from the technical specs.
73, YO6DXE
