[ Getting Started with the Quansheng UV-K5 ]

My other handheld is a Quansheng UV-K5, and it's the one I tinker with. On
paper it's another cheap dual-band radio: 2 meters and 70 centimeters, up to
5 W, 200 channels. What sets it apart is inside. It's built around a single
radio chip, the Beken BK4819, and in 2023 people reverse-engineered its
firmware and started writing their own. Mods and open-source firmware turned
it into a spectrum analyzer, a better airband receiver and a lot more, which
is why so many hackers own one.

It also listens well outside the ham bands, anywhere from 50 to 600 MHz: FM
broadcast, the aircraft band, weather and marine.

This guide covers the same ground as my UV-5R Mini guide, adjusted
for the K5: the rules, the keys, what to listen to, programming, repeaters
and getting licensed. It adds the part the K5 is known for, firmware. If
you're in Hawaii, my channel list is further down, sized for this radio.
And there's a one-page cheat sheet to print and keep with the radio.

This part matters more than any setting. I'm writing for the US; other
countries have their own rules, so check yours.

Listening is fine. Anyone can receive with this radio.

Transmitting is where the rules start:

  - Ham bands (2 m and 70 cm): you need an amateur radio license. The
    entry-level one, Technician, covers both.
  - FRS, GMRS and MURS: don't transmit there with this radio. Those
    services only allow radios certified for them under FCC Part 95, and
    the K5's FCC record lists only the 50-76 and 108-136 MHz
    receive bands, nothing for its transmitter. A GMRS license doesn't
    change that, because it covers you, not the radio.
  - Everything else (marine, business, public safety): listen at most,
    never transmit.

Ham radio is what makes the K5 legal at all. A licensed ham can transmit
with gear that has no FCC grant, so on 2 m and 70 cm, once you're licensed,
it's fine.

The K5 makes it easy to break the rules by accident. A hidden menu, some
mods and most custom firmware can unlock transmit far outside the ham bands.
Unlocking it doesn't make it legal. Transmit on 144-148 and 420-450 MHz and
nowhere else, and program everything outside the ham bands as receive only.

Once you're licensed, say your callsign at least every 10 minutes and at the
end of a conversation, and don't encrypt or scramble anything. That includes
this radio's scrambler (SCR in the menu), so leave it off. The rules live in
FCC Part 97.

  Transmit      144-148 and 420-450 MHz with the US (FCC) region lock,
                which covers both ham bands it can reach
  Receive       50-600 MHz in pieces, including FM broadcast (76-108),
                airband (108-136, AM), weather and marine
  Power         up to 5 W, with low, medium and high settings
  Memory        200 channels, names up to 10 characters
  Battery       1600 mAh Li-ion, charged in the desk cradle; some
                versions add a USB-C port for emergency charging
  Screen        monochrome LCD, 128 x 64 pixels, with a backlight
  Jacks         SMA antenna jack, the Baofeng kind (male); Kenwood-style
                2-pin jack for speaker mics and the programming cable
  Extras        flashlight, FM radio, NOAA weather channels
  Size          115 x 60 x 37.5 mm, 234 g

Quansheng only promises "up to 5 W." A bench test of a UV-K5(8), a close
sibling, measured 4.8 W on 2 m and 3.2 W on 70 cm, and CHIRP labels the three
settings 1.5, 3 and 5 W. On some radios the 70 cm power runs low on older
firmware; more on that under quirks.

The K5 leans on a function key. Press F (the # key), let go, then press a
number. The ones I use:

  F, 1          change band
  F, 2          switch between the A and B lines
  F, 3          switch between channel mode and frequency mode (VFO)
  F, 4          frequency meter: reads a nearby radio's frequency
  F, 5          NOAA weather
  F, 6          power: low, medium or high
  F, 7          VOX
  F, 8          reverse, to listen on a repeater's input
  F, 9          the one-key call channel
  F, 0          FM broadcast radio
  F, *          find the CTCSS or DCS tone on a signal

The rest:

  MENU          open the settings and confirm a choice
  EXIT          back out; hold it to jump to the main screen
  Up / down     step through channels, or frequencies in VFO mode
  * (hold)      start or stop scanning
  # (hold)      lock or unlock the keypad
  Side keys     two buttons under the PTT, each with a short and a long
                press. You pick what they do in CHIRP: monitor,
                flashlight, power, scan, VOX, alarm, FM radio or the
                1750 Hz tone.

Dual watch is TDR in the menu. Set it to CHAN_A or CHAN_B and the radio
watches both lines, with DW on the screen; the setting picks which line you
transmit on. Watch out for WX in the same menu: it isn't weather. It's
cross-band, receiving on one line and transmitting on the other, and it's
confusing if you turn it on by accident.

Scan lists. The K5 doesn't scan every channel. Each channel can be in
scan list 1, list 2, both or neither (S-ADD1 and S-ADD2 in the menu), and
S-LIST picks which list a scan uses. A channel in neither list never gets
scanned.

The menus go by short names (SQL, TXP, SFT-D, OFFSET and so on), and the
numbers shift between hardware versions, so go by the names. Quansheng's
manual for each version is on its UV-K5 page.

I'd spend the first week just listening, same as with any new radio.

  FM broadcast    F, 0. It holds 20 presets.
  Weather         F, 5 for NOAA weather mode, or the weather channels in my
                  list. In the US that's NOAA Weather Radio, on 162.400-162.550
                  MHz.
  Airband         108-136 MHz, AM. Turn on AM for the channel (AM in the
                  menu, or the Mode column in CHIRP). Stock firmware only
                  does AM in that band, and strong nearby signals swamp
                  it; fixing that is a big reason people mod these. Voice
                  traffic starts at 118, so try your nearest airport's
                  tower first.
  Marine          channel 16 is distress and calling, and 22A is where the
                  Coast Guard talks to boaters. Both are in my list,
                  receive only.
  Ham repeaters   find the ones near you on RepeaterBook or your
                  coordinator's list, and listen in on a net.
  Frequency meter F, 4, then have a friend key up close by. The K5 reads
                  their frequency, which is handy for copying a channel.
  Spectrum        stock firmware doesn't have one. Mine does, from the
                  patch I flashed; more under firmware.

I use CHIRP for everything. Quansheng has its own PC software, but CHIRP does
more and works the same across brands.

CHIRP (free, Windows, Mac and Linux, get CHIRP-next). The driver is
listed as Quansheng UV-K5, and CHIRP marks it experimental. You need a USB
programming cable with the Kenwood-style 2-pin plug. CH340 and CP2102 cables
both work; on Windows a CH340 cable may need WCH's driver.

  1. Turn the radio on first, then plug the cable in and push it all the
     way home. CHIRP warns it may not connect if the cable was already in
     at power-on.
  2. In CHIRP, choose Radio, then Download From Radio, and pick Quansheng
     and UV-K5.
  3. Save that file right away. It's your backup, and it includes your
     radio's calibration data.
  4. Make your changes, then Upload To Radio.

The first time you pick the UV-K5, CHIRP asks you to accept the risk of an
experimental driver. Yes is fine. The backup it asks for is step 3.

CHIRP reads the firmware version when it connects, and shows it under
Settings as Firmware Version. If it doesn't recognize the firmware, it opens
the radio read-only. Stock and patched stock use this driver; full custom
firmware needs its own (more under firmware).

Scan lists after an import. Channels you import from a CSV land in no
scan list, so a scan skips all of them. Open a channel's properties in CHIRP
and set Scanlists to 1, 2 or both, or use S-ADD1 and S-ADD2 on the radio. I
keep the weather and listen-only channels out of my scan list.

The power-on message. The Hax0rs in my photo is a CHIRP setting, not a
hack. Under Settings, Logo string 1 and Logo string 2 take up to 12
characters each, and Power on display mode set to Welcome Info shows them
when the radio turns on. The other choices are Full Screen and Voltage.

The keypad is fine for quick listening: press F, 3 for frequency mode
and type the frequency, so 146520 for 146.520 MHz. Offsets and tones by
hand are possible from the menu (SFT-D, OFFSET, T-CTCS), but CHIRP is faster
and harder to get wrong.

Which K5 you have matters more here than anywhere else. Quansheng has
made three hardware versions under the same name, and firmware for one can
brick another. The community wiki tells them apart:

  V1        DP32G030 chip, no mark under the battery, firmware 2.01.x
  V2        PY32F030 chip, "V2" under the battery, firmware 1.0x
  V3        PY32F071 chip, "V3" under the battery, programs over USB-C

The same radio is also sold as the UV-K5(8), the UV-K6 and the UV-5R Plus.
To check yours, pull the battery and look, or read Firmware Version in CHIRP
after a download. Mine reports 2.01.26, so it's a V1.

A V1 can run three kinds of firmware:

  Stock          Quansheng's own. Quansheng posts updates and an updater
                 tool on its UV-K5 page.
  Patched stock  UVMOD, and the tools before it, take stock 2.01.26 and
                 patch features in: one add-on app (a spectrum analyzer,
                 an S-meter or a text messenger), AM on every band,
                 fonts, a custom boot image, more mic gain. CHIRP still
                 sees 2.01.26 and uses the regular driver.
  Full custom    open-source firmware that replaces Quansheng's:
                 F4HWN (4.3, December 2025, likely the last for V1) and
                 egzumer (0.22, January 2024), which F4HWN grew out of.
                 Bandscope, the AM fix, SSB receive, better menus.
                 CHIRP needs the module that comes with each release.

Mine runs patched stock (UVMOD, as far as I remember), and the spectrum
analyzer is why. In UVMOD's builds the spectrum app starts from the
flashlight button. It's the gentle option: you keep Quansheng's firmware,
CHIRP keeps working, and you get the one feature that makes the K5 fun.

Flashing a V1 takes a browser and the same programming cable:

  1. Back up first. Download from the radio in CHIRP and keep that file.
     It has your channels and the calibration data that's unique to your
     radio. K5TOOL can also dump the calibration on its own.
  2. Put the radio in bootloader mode: hold PTT while you turn it on. The
     flashlight comes on and the screen stays dark.
  3. In Chrome or Edge (they have Web Serial), open the flasher and send
     the firmware. UVMOD builds and flashes patched stock from one page;
     egzumer's flasher sends a custom firmware file.
  4. Turn the radio off and on. If you went full custom, load that
     firmware's CHIRP module (Help, Developer Mode, then File, Load
     Module) before you program it.

Going back is the same steps with Quansheng's firmware. Never flash a V1
build onto a V2 or V3; people have bricked radios that way. The V3 and the
UV-K1 have their own F4HWN line, flashed with UV Studio.

The hidden menu. On stock and patched stock, holding PTT and side key 1
while you turn the radio on adds extra items to the menu. Most of them
unlock transmit outside the ham bands, so leave them alone. The one worth a
look is F-LOCK, the region lock. On FCC it transmits only on 144-148 and
420-450 MHz, which is where a US radio belongs. Owners have reported units
shipping with it off, which transmits on 136-174 and 400-470 MHz.

UVMOD's own warnings say it plainly: the transmit-unlock mods can't be used
legally without knowing what they do. I don't use them.

A handheld on its own reaches a few miles at best, and less in hills or
around buildings. A repeater fixes that. It sits up high, listens on one
frequency, and retransmits what it hears on another, so your little radio
suddenly covers a whole region.

To use one, your radio needs three settings:

  Output    the frequency you listen on (the one repeater lists show)
  Offset    how far away the repeater listens: 600 kHz on 2 m, 5 MHz
            on 70 cm, either up (+) or down (-)
  Tone      a CTCSS or "PL" tone your radio sends so the repeater knows
            you mean it. No tone, no access.

Get any one of those three wrong and the repeater stays silent when you key
up. That's the number one beginner problem, and it's why I load channels
from a list in CHIRP instead of typing them. On the K5 the offset direction
is SFT-D and the transmit tone is T-CTCS, if you do set one by hand.

Talking radio to radio with no repeater is called simplex. The national
simplex calling frequencies are 146.520 MHz on 2 m and 446.000 MHz on 70 cm.

Your first time on the air: listen for a minute so you don't talk over
anyone, then press PTT, wait a beat, and say your callsign, like "N0CALL
listening." Hold the radio a few inches from your mouth and talk normally.
Shouting just distorts it.

Here's the list I run on mine. It's the same statewide list as on my UV-5R
Mini, resized for the K5's 200 channels and 10-character names. Channels 1
to 31 are my everyday Maui County set: the two calling frequencies, the NOAA
weather channels and 22 repeaters across Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi. Then
come blocks for the rest of Hawaii, numbered so they're easy to find: 41 for
more of Maui County, 51 for Hawaiʻi Island, 91 for Oʻahu and 141 for
Kauaʻi. From 161 there's a listen-only block with FRS and GMRS, MURS and the
main marine channels. That's 173 channels.

Download it as a CHIRP CSV. To load it, download from your radio in
CHIRP first, then File, Import, and pick the CSV. Set the scan lists, since
imported channels aren't in one, check the Power column, and upload.

   Ch  Name       Output    Shift    Tone   Where

  Calling
    1  2M CALL    146.520   simplex  -      2 m calling
    2  70CM CALL  446.000   simplex  -      70 cm calling

  Weather (receive only)
    3  WX1        162.550   RX only  -      NOAA weather
    4  WX2        162.400   RX only  -      NOAA weather
    5  WX3        162.475   RX only  -      NOAA weather
    6  WX4        162.425   RX only  -      NOAA weather
    7  WX5        162.450   RX only  -      NOAA weather
    8  WX6        162.500   RX only  -      NOAA weather
    9  WX7        162.525   RX only  -      NOAA weather

  West Maui
   10  KAANAP 2M  146.900   -0.6     136.5  Kaanapali (KH6COM)
   11  KAANAP 70  442.350   +5.0     136.5  Kaanapali (KH6COM)
   12  KAPALUA    442.000   +5.0     110.9  Kapalua (KH6COM)
   13  NAPILI     444.800   +5.0     88.5   Lahaina (WH6FQM)
   14  KAHAKULOA  442.400   +5.0     136.5  Kahakuloa (KH6COM)

  Haleakala
   15  HAL 146.94 146.940   -0.6     110.9  Haleakala (KH6COM)
   16  HAL 147.08 147.080   +0.6     107.2  Haleakala (KH6COM)
   17  HAL 442.10 442.100   +5.0     136.5  Haleakala (KH6COM)
   18  HAL 444.22 444.225   +5.0     110.9  Haleakala (KH6COM)

  Central and East Maui
   19  WAILUKU 2M 146.760   -0.6     100.0  Wailuku (KH6COM)
   20  KAHULUI    147.180   +0.6     136.5  Kahului (AH6GR)
   21  WAILUKU443 443.025   +5.0     103.5  Wailuku (WH6AV)
   22  WAILUKU CM 443.225   +5.0     110.9  Wailuku (KH6COM)
   23  PUKALANI   147.140   +0.6     88.5   Pukalani (WH6CYD)
   24  KAHUA      442.275   +5.0     136.5  Kahua (KH6COM)
   25  WAILEA     442.050   +5.0     136.5  Puu Mahoe (KH6COM)
   26  KEANAE     146.900   -0.6     110.9  Keanae (KH6COM)
   27  HANA       442.300   +5.0     110.9  Hana (KH6COM)

  Lanai and Molokai
   28  LANAI      442.225   +5.0     110.9  Lanai City (KH6COM)
   29  PUU NANA   442.300   +5.0     136.5  Puu Nana (KH6COM)
   30  KUALAPUU   145.370   -0.6     110.9  Kualapuu (WH6IT)
   31  HALAWA     442.125   +5.0     110.9  Puu Hoku (KH6COM)

   Ch  Name       Output    Shift    Tone   Where
   41  HAL 146.74 146.740   -0.6     -      Haleakala (KH6HC)
   42  LAN 146.92 146.920   -0.6     -      Waiakeakua (KH6COM)
   43  KAA 442.50 442.500   +5.0     136.5  Kaanapali (KH6COM)
   44  WEH 442.52 442.525   +5.0     100.0  Waiehu (WH6FGS)
   45  NIA 442.60 442.600   +5.0     136.5  Puu Niaunau (KH6COM)
   46  WLK 442.75 442.750   +5.0     136.5  Wailuku (AH6GR)
   47  WLK 444.10 444.100   +5.0     103.5  Wailuku (WH6AV)

   Ch  Name       Output    Shift    Tone   Where
   51  PEP 145.19 145.190   -0.6     110.9  Pepeekeo (NH7GF)
   52  OCV 145.29 145.290   -0.6     100.0  Ocean View (WH6FC)
   53  HLO 145.31 145.310   -0.6     -      Hilo (AH6JA)
   54  HLO 145.47 145.470   -0.6     110.9  Hilo (NH7GX)
   55  HAK 146.62 146.620   -0.6     110.9  Hakalau (NH7GB)
   56  KON 146.66 146.660   -0.6     100.0  Kona (WH6FC)
   57  HLO 146.68 146.680   -0.6     -      Hilo (KH6EJ)
   58  KON 146.70 146.700   -0.6     110.9  Kona (NH6M)
   59  MLO 146.72 146.720   -0.6     -      Mauna Loa (KH6EJ)
   60  KUL 146.76 146.760   -0.6     100.0  Kulani Cone (KH6EJ)
   61  HKA 146.78 146.780   -0.6     100.0  Honokaa (NH7GF)
   62  PEP 146.88 146.880   -0.6     100.0  Pepeekeo (KH6EJ)
   63  SKO 146.96 146.960   -0.6     107.2  South Kona (WH6EUR)
   64  PUN 147.00 147.000   +0.6     110.9  Puna (WH6DVI)
   65  KON 147.16 147.160   +0.6     100.0  Kona (WH6DEW)
   66  KAM 147.24 147.240   +0.6     100.0  Kamuela (NH6EE)
   67  HLO 147.28 147.280   +0.6     88.5   Hilo (WH6EPQ)
   68  OCV 147.30 147.300   +0.6     100.0  Ocean View (KH6FA)
   69  WMA 147.32 147.320   +0.6     100.0  Waimea (NH7HI)
   70  OCV 442.00 442.000   +5.0     100.0  Ocean View (KH7MS)
   71  KON 442.02 442.025   +5.0     100.0  Kona (NH6M)
   72  WKL 442.18 442.175   +5.0     100.0  Waikoloa (WH6DPT)
   73  HLO 442.20 442.200   +5.0     110.9  Hilo (NH7GX)
   74  KON 442.32 442.325   +5.0     -      Kona (WH6TAT)
   75  KEA 442.50 442.500   +5.0     100.0  Keaau (KH6EJ)
   76  LAU 442.55 442.550   +5.0     110.9  Laupahoehoe (WH6FSK)
   77  MLO 442.57 442.575   +5.0     100.0  Mauna Loa (KH6EJ)
   78  HMU 442.65 442.650   +5.0     -      Humuula (KH6BFD)
   79  KEA 442.70 442.700   +5.0     127.3  Keaau (KH6TD)
   80  WKL 443.25 443.250   +5.0     100.0  Waikoloa Village (WH6FM)
   81  OCV 443.40 443.400   +5.0     77.0   Ocean View (KH7MS)
   82  KON 443.65 443.650   +5.0     100.0  Kona (KH6BFD)
   83  HLO 443.82 443.825   +5.0     103.5  Hilo (KH6HPZ)
   84  KLP 444.27 444.275   +5.0     88.5   Kalapana (NH6OV)
   85  KOH 444.45 444.450   +5.0     88.5   Kohala (KH6EJ)
   86  KAM 444.62 444.625   +5.0     146.2  Kamuela (NH6EE)
   87  LAL 444.62 444.625   +5.0     146.2  Lalamilo (NH6EE)
   88  WKL 444.98 444.975   +5.0     103.5  Waikoloa (NH6EE)

   Ch  Name       Output    Shift    Tone   Where
   91  LEE 145.13 145.130   -0.6     -      Leeward (KH6AZ)
   92  KNE 145.17 145.170   -0.6     100.0  Kaneohe (WH6FWS)
   93  HAU 145.19 145.190   -0.6     100.0  Hau'ula (WH6FYE)
   94  WAH 145.23 145.230   -0.6     -      Wahiawa (WH6VP)
   95  HKI 145.27 145.270   -0.6     100.0  Hawaii Kai (WH6GBF)
   96  WAH 145.27 145.270   -0.6     100.0  Wahiawa (WH6DNA)
   97  NSH 145.29 145.290   -0.6     123.0  North Shore (KH6BYU)
   98  WAH 145.41 145.410   -0.6     103.5  Wahiawa (KH7WM)
   99  SLT 145.47 145.470   -0.6     -      Salt Lake (WH6F)
  100  HNL 145.49 145.490   -0.6     -      Honolulu (KH6AZ)
  101  EWA 146.60 146.600   -0.6     103.5  Ewa (WH6PD)
  102  LAI 146.64 146.640   -0.6     103.5  Laie (WH6CZB)
  103  KAI 146.66 146.660   -0.6     88.5   Kailua (WH6CZB)
  104  WML 146.68 146.680   -0.6     88.5   Waimanalo (KH6OCD)
  105  MOK 146.76 146.760   -0.6     88.5   Mokuleia (KH6OCD)
  106  HNL 146.78 146.780   -0.6     -      Honolulu (KH6BB)
  107  MKP 146.80 146.800   -0.6     159.8  Mauna Kapu (WH6CZB)
  108  MAN 146.86 146.860   -0.6     88.5   Manawahua (KH6OCD)
  109  DMH 146.88 146.880   -0.6     88.5   Diamond Head (KH6OCD)
  110  KHK 146.90 146.900   -0.6     88.5   Kahuku (KH6OCD)
  111  KNE 146.96 146.960   -0.6     88.5   Kaneohe (KH6OCD)
  112  HNL 146.98 146.980   -0.6     88.5   Honolulu (KH6OCD)
  113  KAI 147.00 147.000   +0.6     103.5  Kailua (WR6AVM)
  114  SLT 147.10 147.100   +0.6     123.0  Salt Lake (KH6IB)
  115  MKP 147.12 147.120   +0.6     -      Mauna Kapu (KH6JPL)
  116  HNL 147.18 147.180   +0.6     -      Honolulu (WH6DIG)
  117  EWB 147.22 147.220   +0.6     -      Ewa Beach (KH6ICX)
  118  WPH 147.26 147.260   +0.6     110.9  Waipahu (WH7ER)
  119  KMK 147.36 147.360   +0.6     -      Kaimuki (WH6ARC)
  120  EWA 442.02 442.025   +5.0     74.4   Ewa (WH6PD)
  121  MIL 442.18 442.175   +5.0     103.5  Mililani (KH6IN)
  122  HNL 442.30 442.300   +5.0     103.5  Honolulu (KH6IN)
  123  WAH 442.32 442.325   +5.0     103.5  Wahiawa (KH7WM)
  124  WAH 442.68 442.675   +5.0     100.0  Wahiawa (KH6IN)
  125  KMK 442.77 442.775   +5.0     123.0  Kaimuki (KH6MP)
  126  KMK 442.88 442.875   +5.0     123.0  Kaimuki (KH6MP)
  127  EWB 443.10 443.100   +5.0     100.0  Ewa Beach (KH6JW)
  128  LAI 443.12 443.125   +5.0     100.0  Laie (WH7D)
  129  MOK 443.40 443.400   +5.0     114.8  Mokuleia (KH6HFD)
  130  RTP 443.43 443.425   +5.0     107.2  Round Top 2 (KH6HFD)
  131  HNL 443.45 443.450   +5.0     103.5  Honolulu (KH6OJ)
  132  MAN 443.55 443.550   +5.0     114.8  Manawahua (KH6HFD)
  133  HNL 444.05 444.050   +5.0     -      Honolulu (KH6OCD)
  134  KAI 444.15 444.150   +5.0     88.5   Kailua (WH6CZB)
  135  WML 444.38 444.375   +5.0     114.8  Waimanalo (KH6HFD)
  136  MOK 444.55 444.550   +5.0     114.8  Mokuleia (KH6OCD)
  137  WKK 444.57 444.575   +5.0     -      Waikiki (AH6Q)
  138  LEE 444.80 444.800   +5.0     171.3  Leeward (KH6QM)

   Ch  Name       Output    Shift    Tone   Where
  141  KIL 146.70 146.700   -0.6     100.0  Kilauea Crater Hill (KH6E)
  142  KIL 146.74 146.740   -0.6     -      Kilauea (KH6NS)
  143  KLE 146.92 146.920   -0.6     100.0  Kalepa (KH6E)
  144  PRV 147.00 147.000   +0.6     100.0  Princeville (KH6S)
  145  KLH 147.08 147.080   +0.6     100.0  Kalaheo (KH6E)
  146  KUK 147.10 147.100   +0.6     100.0  Kukui-Waimea (KH6E)
  147  LIH 147.16 147.160   +0.6     100.0  Lihue (KH6E)
  148  HNP 442.18 442.175   +5.0     100.0  Hanapepe (KH6S)
  149  LIH 442.25 442.250   +5.0     100.0  Lihue (KH6S)
  150  KPA 442.50 442.500   +5.0     100.0  Kapaa (KH6S)
  151  KLH 443.82 443.825   +5.0     118.8  Kalaheo (KH6E)
  152  KPA 444.60 444.600   +5.0     100.0  Kapa'a (KH6S)
  153  KLH 444.98 444.975   +5.0     100.0  Kalaheo (KH6S)

   Ch  Name       Output    Shift    Tone   Where
  161  FRS 01     462.5625  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 1
  162  FRS 02     462.5875  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 2
  163  FRS 03     462.6125  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 3
  164  FRS 04     462.6375  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 4
  165  FRS 05     462.6625  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 5
  166  FRS 06     462.6875  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 6
  167  FRS 07     462.7125  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 7
  168  FRS 08     467.5625  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 8
  169  FRS 09     467.5875  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 9
  170  FRS 10     467.6125  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 10
  171  FRS 11     467.6375  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 11
  172  FRS 12     467.6625  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 12
  173  FRS 13     467.6875  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 13
  174  FRS 14     467.7125  RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 14
  175  FRS 15     462.550   RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 15
  176  FRS 16     462.575   RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 16
  177  FRS 17     462.600   RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 17
  178  FRS 18     462.625   RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 18
  179  FRS 19     462.650   RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 19
  180  FRS 20     462.675   RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 20
  181  FRS 21     462.700   RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 21
  182  FRS 22     462.725   RX only  -      FRS/GMRS 22
  183  MURS 1     151.820   RX only  -      MURS 1
  184  MURS 2     151.880   RX only  -      MURS 2
  185  MURS 3     151.940   RX only  -      MURS 3
  186  MURS 4     154.570   RX only  -      MURS 4
  187  MURS 5     154.600   RX only  -      MURS 5
  188  MARINE 16  156.800   RX only  -      Marine 16, distress and calling
  189  MARINE 09  156.450   RX only  -      Marine 09, boater calling
  190  MARINE 13  156.650   RX only  -      Marine 13, bridge to bridge
  191  MARINE 22A 157.100   RX only  -      Marine 22A, Coast Guard liaison
  192  MARINE 06  156.300   RX only  -      Marine 06, ship safety
  193  MARINE 68  156.425   RX only  -      Marine 68, recreational
  194  MARINE 69  156.475   RX only  -      Marine 69, recreational
  195  MARINE 71  156.575   RX only  -      Marine 71, recreational
  196  MARINE 72  156.625   RX only  -      Marine 72, recreational

Every repeater here, my own set included, comes from the Hawaii repeater
coordination list at hawaiirepeaters.net (Rick KH7O), updated July 22, 2026.
I kept only analog FM machines on 2 m and 70 cm and left out digital-only
repeaters (DMR, P25, D-STAR, Fusion), portable ones and the shared statewide
pairs. The listen-only frequencies come from the FCC's own channel plans:
Part 95 for FRS, GMRS and MURS, and Part 80 for marine.

How it's set up, if you want to copy the approach:

  - The weather and listen-only channels are receive only. In CHIRP that's
    Duplex set to "off", which turns transmit off for that channel, so a
    bumped PTT can't key up on GMRS or marine.
  - Tone mode is "Tone": the radio sends the repeater's tone when you
    transmit but listens without one, so you hear everything on the output.
  - Names are a three-letter place code and the frequency (HAL 146.74 is
    Haleakalā on 146.740), because 10 characters doesn't leave room for
    much else.
  - Island blocks at round numbers keep a full radio easy to get around.

And a few things to know about the data:

  - Some outputs are shared, like 146.900 (Kaʻanapali and Keʻanae) and
    442.300 (Hāna and Puʻu Nana). The tone decides which one you key up,
    but from a spot that reaches both, you'll hear both.
  - A "no tone listed" entry may be carrier access, or the tone may just be
    missing from the list. If one won't come up, look it up.
  - The coordinator lists Humuʻula 442.650 with a 110.0 tone, which isn't a
    standard tone, so that channel has none set.
  - The coordinator lists Wailuku 443.025 with a 448.325 input instead of the
    usual +5 MHz. My channel uses the standard +5.0; if it won't come up, try
    the coordinator's split.
  - A coordinated pair means the frequency is assigned, not that the machine
    is on the air today. Check the coordination list before you depend on
    any of it.

The Technician license is one multiple-choice exam: 35 questions, and you need
26 right. There's no Morse code. A couple of weeks with a free practice site is
enough for most people.

  1. Study the actual question pool on HamStudy, which explains each
     answer.
  2. Get an FCC Registration Number (FRN) in the FCC's CORES system before
     the exam. The examiners will ask for it.
  3. Find an exam session near you, or an online one, with the
     ARRL's exam search. Volunteer examiners run them, and some charge
     a small fee.
  4. After you pass, the FCC emails you to pay its $35 application fee. Your
     callsign shows up in the FCC database, usually within a week or two,
     and the license is good for 10 years.

Technician gets you every ham frequency this radio can transmit on.

Testing on Maui. The Maui Volunteer Exam Team (MAUIVET) runs ARRL exam
sessions in Wailuku. Since the August 2023 Lahaina fire, they've let people
who can't make it in person take the exam over Zoom, which matters if you're
out in Lahaina, Hāna or on Molokaʻi and the drive isn't happening. Find their
next session in the HamStudy session finder (search for Maui), register
through the link on the session page, and plan on a $15 fee. If you go in
person, bring a laptop or tablet, since the exam is taken on a screen. On
Oʻahu, the Emergency Amateur Radio Club (EARC) also runs fully remote sessions
over Zoom.

  Antenna       the biggest single improvement. The K5 takes the same
                SMA-female antennas as a Baofeng, so anything sold "for
                Baofeng" screws on, and a BNC antenna needs the adapter
                from my UV-5R Mini guide.
  Cable         a USB programming cable with the Kenwood-style plug, for
                CHIRP and for flashing.
  Battery       a spare 1600 mAh pack.
  Speaker mic   the 2-pin jack takes the same speaker mics and earpieces
                as a Baofeng.

Mine wears an ABBREE AR-771, the one printed GMRS, and it's worth checking
which version you buy. The plain AR-771 is listed for 144 and 430 MHz, the
ham bands. The GMRS one is listed as tuned around 155 and 462 MHz, a little
above them. For listening that hardly matters. For transmitting on 2 m and
70 cm, the ham version is the better match.

  - Harmonics. Two hams bench-tested the UV-K5(8). G4IYT found the
    third harmonic of a 2 m signal only 23 dB below the carrier; a Baofeng
    UV-5R in the same test managed 27. That passes the UK license terms
    G4IYT tested against, but the US rule for 2 m asks for at least 40 dB
    (97.307). Advanced Amateur had one 2 m harmonic right on the ITU line
    and one on 70 cm about 3 dB over. It's the same story as most cheap
    handhelds: fine into a repeater, but don't add an amplifier without a
    filter.
  - Low 70 cm power on 2.01.26. UVMOD's notes say stock 2.01.26 can put
    out less than it should above 435 MHz, depending on the factory
    calibration, and 2.01.27 fixed it. To check, watch another radio's
    signal meter: if L looks stronger than H, yours is affected.
  - Stock AM overloads. Strong signals swamp it, and it only works in
    108-136 MHz. The AM fix in custom firmware is the cure.
  - No front-end filter to speak of. A strong transmitter nearby, like an
    FM broadcast or paging site, can bleed in where it shouldn't.
  - WX isn't weather. In the menu it's cross-band. Weather is F, 5.
  - Imported channels don't scan until you add them to a scan list.
  - The CHIRP driver is experimental, and firmware it doesn't know opens
    read-only. Keep your first download as a backup.
  - USB-C charging, on versions that have it, is what Quansheng calls
    emergency charging, and owners report it stops around 80%. The cradle
    charges it full.
  - Short names. Channel names top out at 10 characters and the
    power-on message at 12 per line.

Do I need a license to use the Quansheng UV-K5?
Not to listen. Anyone can receive with it. To transmit you need an amateur
radio license, and the entry-level Technician license covers both bands it
transmits on, 2 m and 70 cm.

Can I use the UV-K5 on GMRS or FRS?
No. FRS, GMRS and MURS only allow radios certified for them under FCC Part 95.
The UV-K5's FCC record covers it only as a receiver, so transmitting there
isn't legal, GMRS license or not. Listening is fine.

Does CHIRP support the Quansheng UV-K5?
Yes. The driver is listed as Quansheng UV-K5 and marked experimental. It works
with stock firmware and with patched stock like UVMOD. egzumer firmware is
detected automatically, and F4HWN needs the CHIRP module that comes with its
release.

How do I tell which UV-K5 hardware version I have?
Look under the battery: V2 and V3 radios are marked there, and a V1 has no
mark. The firmware version tells you too: 2.01.x is a V1 and 1.0x is a V2.
CHIRP shows it under Settings as Firmware Version after a download.

Should I flash custom firmware on my UV-K5?
It's optional; stock works fine for ham use. If you want a spectrum analyzer or
better AM, patched stock (UVMOD) is the gentle option on a V1, and F4HWN is the
full replacement. Back up in CHIRP first, and only flash firmware built for
your hardware version.

How do I change the UV-K5 power-on message?
In CHIRP, under Settings, fill in Logo string 1 and Logo string 2 (up to 12
characters each), set Power on display mode to Welcome Info, and upload.

Can the UV-K5 receive airband?
Yes, 108-136 MHz in AM. Stock firmware only does AM in that band, and strong
signals overload it. The AM fix in custom firmware handles them much better.

What antenna fits the Quansheng UV-K5?
Baofeng-style antennas with an SMA-female base screw straight on. A BNC antenna
needs an SMA-female to BNC-female adapter.

Is there a UV-K5 channel list for Hawaii?
Mine is on this page as a CHIRP CSV: my everyday Maui County set, every
coordinated analog FM repeater in the state from the Hawaii repeater
coordination list, and a receive-only block for FRS/GMRS, MURS and marine.
That's 173 channels, inside the K5's 200.