Description
What This Kit Is
The BAOFENG AR-5RM is a handheld amateur radio transceiver sold here as a two pack with a substantial accessory bundle: two radios, two batteries, two USB-C chargers, two base chargers, a programming cable, two speaker microphones, two AR-771 antennas, two earpieces, two belt clips, two hand straps and two manuals. Buying a pair with accessories is a sensible way to enter the hobby, since a single radio is of limited use without someone to talk to.
The regulatory point needs stating before anything else, and the listing does not state it clearly enough. The transmit range of 144 to 148 MHz and 420 to 450 MHz corresponds exactly to the US amateur 2 metre and 70 centimetre bands, and transmitting on them requires an FCC amateur radio license. The title correctly says “Ham Radio”, but the product is ranked on Amazon at number 8 in Portable FRS Two-Way Radios, a category of license-free consumer walkie-talkies that this is not. Families wanting radios they can use immediately should buy an FRS product such as the Midland T51VP3 X-TALKER.
Transmit Versus Receive Coverage
The distinction between what this radio can hear and what it can legally send on is the most commonly misunderstood aspect of radios in this family, and it is worth setting out plainly. The receive range covers 108 to 136 MHz, 136 to 174 MHz, 220 to 260 MHz, 350 to 390 MHz and 400 to 520 MHz. The transmit range covers only 144 to 148 MHz and 420 to 450 MHz.
That means the radio can listen to aviation traffic, marine channels, business radio and public service frequencies within those receive bands, but it is not authorized to transmit on any of them. Listening is generally permitted; transmitting outside the amateur allocations is not, regardless of what the hardware is physically capable of. Anyone whose actual interest is listening should buy a dedicated scanner such as the Uniden Bearcat BC125AT, which requires no license and is designed for the job.
Programming, Channels and the Display
999 storage channels is far more than most operators will use, and the practical question is how they get programmed. BAOFENG supports CHIRP, the widely used open-source programming application, and includes a programming cable in the box. That combination is what makes a radio like this usable, because entering repeater frequencies, offsets and tone squelch settings by hand on a small keypad is slow and error prone.
The listing also describes a frequency copy function that lets settings be cloned from another radio, which is useful for a group heading out together where only one person has done the programming. A 1.77 inch color screen is generous for this class of radio and makes channel identification easier in the field than the monochrome displays on older models. The FCC ID is given as 2AJGM-5RM.
Power and Charging
Each radio ships with a 2500 mAh battery, a USB-C charging cable and a base charger. USB-C is the change that most improves this generation over its predecessors, because it means the radio charges from a power bank, a car, a laptop or any USB source rather than requiring a proprietary cradle and a mains socket.
For emergency preparedness, which is a large part of why these radios sell, that flexibility is the point. A radio that can only be charged from a wall outlet is of limited use during a power outage. Combined with the NOAA weather receiver, which carries the continuous National Weather Service broadcasts and alert tones, the kit is credible as part of a preparedness plan for a licensed operator.
Build and Accessories
BAOFENG describes an enlarged body designed ergonomically, and the two pack ships with speaker microphones and earpieces, which matter more than they might appear to. A speaker microphone clips to a shoulder strap and lets the radio stay on a belt, which is how these are actually used while hiking or working. The included AR-771 antennas are longer than the stock rubber duck antennas usually supplied and generally perform better.
The listing gives the packaged weight for the full kit as 3.16 pounds and the package dimensions as 9.09 by 8.07 by 4.37 inches. Customer feedback stands at 4.5 stars across roughly 924 ratings. Operators comparing within the same brand should look at the tri-band BAOFENG BF-F8HP PRO, and the two-way radios category covers both licensed and license-free options side by side.
Highlights
- Two radios and a full accessory bundle in one purchase, including a programming cable.
- CHIRP support, which makes programming 999 channels practical.
- USB-C charging alongside conventional base chargers.
- 2500 mAh batteries for extended standby.
- NOAA weather reception for severe weather warnings.
- 1.77 inch color display and speaker microphones included.
Things To Consider
The single most important consideration is licensing, and the Amazon category placement actively works against a buyer understanding it. Beyond that, the listing carries almost no specification data: there is no antenna specification, no receiver sensitivity, no output power figure in the specification block, and no dimensions for the radio itself as opposed to the package. The bullet text also contains raw encoding artifacts where separator characters should appear.
- An FCC amateur license is required to transmit on the bands this radio uses.
- The Amazon category is misleading, listing it among license-free FRS radios.
- Wide receive coverage does not confer transmit rights on those frequencies.
- Programming realistically requires a computer and the supplied cable.
- No IP rating or durability specification is published.
- The specification block is nearly empty, with no sensitivity or power figures.
Who Should Buy It and Who Should Skip It
This kit suits a newly licensed amateur operator, or a licensed operator equipping a family member or a club, who wants two radios and the accessories that make them usable without a series of separate orders. It also suits preparedness planning for a licensed household, where the NOAA reception and the USB-C charging both earn their place. The accessory bundle is the real value here, since speaker microphones, upgraded antennas and a programming cable bought separately would cost a significant fraction of the kit.
Everyone without a license should skip it. That is not a matter of caution but of law, and buying an amateur transceiver intending to use it as a family walkie-talkie is a mistake the Amazon category ranking makes far too easy. Buyers in that position want FRS or GMRS equipment, and buyers who only want to listen want a scanner, which the radio scanners category covers.
