In parallel with the purchase of the radio station, I purchased some more accessories for the Baofeng UV-5R, which additionally expand the already rather meager capabilities of the radio station. Today I will tell you more about them.
In this post I will focus on some alternatives to the batteries included in the package, as well as a decent alternative to the standard antenna for the Baofeng UV-5R. Without further ado, we pass on to the consideration of the mentioned accessories.
As I mentioned in the previous article on Baofeng UV-5R, the basic package of the radio station includes a 1800 mAh battery. I have no complaints about the radio station or the battery itself during use. With an energy saving level of 3-4 (see menu item 03 - SAVE in the previous article) and active use of the station (both for reception and transmission), the battery can provide operation for up to 24 hours. In addition, in the Baofeng product line there is a battery with increased dimensions and a capacity of 3800 mAh, sufficient to significantly increase the service life of the station during long exits or in difficult weather conditions (strong winds, high humidity and / or frost), which quickly consume battery power.
Extended battery BL-5L
Structurally, the BL-5L battery of increased capacity looks like the standard BL-5, but has a protrusion in the lower part, the depth of which is twice the size of the standard battery. The method of fixing the battery to the radio station is identical, and is carried out by snapping the protrusion of the battery to the radio chassis by means of a longitudinal movement.
Key features of BL-5L battery:
- Main material: plastic.
- Capacity: 3800 mAh.
- Voltage: 7.4 V.
- Dimensions: 12 cm x 5.1 cm x 1 cm (height \ width \ depth).
The very protrusion that significantly increases the overall dimensions of the radio when using the BL-5L battery is clearly visible in the photo above. The total height of the radio (without antenna) is increased from 11 cm to 15 cm.
Another photo that clearly demonstrates the difference between the standard BL-5 battery and the BL-5L extended capacity battery.
Also in the photo above, you can see the difference between the two Baofeng UV-5R radios, using the enlarged and standard batteries.
In the photo above, you may have already noticed the hole located at the top of the right side of the BL-5L battery. This is nothing more than an additional port, which provides the ability to charge the battery directly without using the standard charger included in the Baofeng UV-5R package. This port has a slightly smaller diameter than the AC / DC cable connector from the radio's charging cup, therefore such recharging is possible only with the additional adapter shown in the photo above.
Except through this port, the BL-5L battery of increased capacity can be charged similarly to the standard BL-5 battery through an ordinary docking station ("glass") from Baofeng UV-5R by means of three connectors present in the lower part of the rear wall of the battery. Thus, you can choose the option that is best for your use case.
The battery with increased capacity 3800 mAh BL-5L, mentioned above, was purchased at punisher.com.ua store.
But even despite the almost doubled capacity of the BL-5L battery at 3800 mAh, I am confused by the same moment as in the standard one - in fact, what to do with it in the field after its capacity is exhausted? Since both batteries are charged only through a standard charging cup (or through an AC / DC cable from it), it is very problematic to replenish the battery capacity in the field without having access to a generator or a car. And lugging several batteries on you and then returning with them is costly not only in terms of weight, but also finances. In this context, you may be interested in the following accessory from the Baofeng product line.
Battery pack for AA
The unit described below is not really a rechargeable one, but rather an adapter that allows you to power your Baofeng UV-5R walkie-talkie from batteries or AA batteries, which gives you the possibility of greater autonomy in the field, because the latter can be easily recharge on the go using, for example, the Nomad 3.5 or Nomad 7 solar panels from Goal Zero. A little more about him:
- Main material: plastic.
- Batteries: 6 AA.
- Capacity: Depends on the AA batteries used.
- Voltage: 7.4 V.
- Dimensions: 11.3 cm x 5.1 cm x 1.9 cm (height \ width \ depth).
This case is stylized as a standard enlarged BL-5L 3800 mAh battery, which I already mentioned earlier, but has a lower height and slightly thicker compared to it. In a simple cardboard box, only an additional dummy battery is supplied with it, the purpose of which I will tell you a little later.
All textured elements and dimensions are fully consistent with the design of the Baofeng UV-5R radio itself. Below are a few shots for a better understanding of the size of this battery pack relative to the included BL-5 1800 mAh battery.
Top view, which clearly shows that the battery case has a larger profile than regular or enlarged batteries for the Baofeng UV-5R station.
Bottom view, where the "PRESS" button is clearly visible, by pressing which you can get access to the inner space of the case. Please note that the bottom plane of the case has no slots in the side edges that would hold it in the charging glass. Since this is a case, not a battery, this was done on purpose, so that the case would not be mistakenly put into the cradle for charging. For the same reason, there are no three connectors for charging from the docking station.
By pressing the "PRESS" button we get access to the inner space, divided into two halves, one of which has indicators of the correct location of the batteries. This is where our batteries are inserted.
To power the Baofeng UV-5R, the case is equally capable of using both AA batteries and rechargeable batteries. Due to the fact that the batteries have a higher voltage (1.5 V versus 1.2 V for the battery), then we need only five batteries to create the total voltage. This is where the complete "dummy battery" that closes the circuit will come in handy. If we plan to use batteries as a battery, then six of them will have to be inserted. The photo above shows both options with different types of AA batteries.
Finally, a comparative photo showing the dimensions of Baofeng UV-5R radios using an enlarged BL-5L 3800 mAh battery and a case for AA. Also nice is the fact that the use of a battery pack with a greater depth does not prevent the use of the clip located at the back of the Baofeng UV-5R radio, as evidenced by the photo above. Even with a battery compartment, the radio can still be fastened to a belt or equipment using the standard clip.
The AA case for Baofeng UV-5R presented in the review was purchased from punisher.com.ua store, where you can always check the current price and availability.
Antenna Nagoya NA-771
Another accessory I purchased together with the Baofeng UV-5R radio is the Nagoya NA-771 dual-band antenna. Its brief characteristics are below:
- Frequency range: 144/430 Mhz.
- Gain: 144 Mhz (2.15) dB / 430 Mhz (3.0) dB.
- Maximum power: up to 10 Wt.
- V.S.W.R. (standing wave ratio): <1.5.
- Available connectors: SMA F (Baofeng UV-5R compatible), SMA M, BNC, Motorola.
- Length: 39 cm
Supplied in a simple plastic blister with a fastener, which contains the main characteristics that we listed earlier.
Comparative photo of the Nagoya NA-771 antenna and the standard antenna of the Baofeng UV-5R radio station. It is noteworthy that when the walkie-talkies operate at the same frequency and at the same distance from the signal source, the walkie-talkie equipped with the Nagoya NA-771 antenna receives the signal, on average, a few seconds earlier than the walkie-talkie with the standard antenna. The clarity of the reception is also noticeably higher. So, the difference is noticeable almost immediately, which is very important at long transmission distances, busy air or in situations where seconds matter.
The Nagoya NA-771 antenna presented in this review was purchased at punisher.com.ua store, where you can always check the current price and availability.
In the next post I will focus on cables for the Baofeng UV-5R radio, so stay tuned.
Source: https://secretsquirrel.com.ua/snaryazhenie/aksessuary-dlya-baofeng-uv-5r-chast-1/
Author: MAD
