Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

There are already some awesome, *very* helpful reviews on this and other Baofeng UV-5xx radios. I'm not a HAM or an experienced "COMS" operator, so there is nothing I can really add of significant value that has not already been mentioned by many more qualified reviewers. However... though the UV-5 series of radios may be priced like a toy, they definitely are *not* toys. I bought a few just to keep on hand, unopened, in the event of a SHTF situation where normal communications were not available, thinking "it's a walkie-talkie, how hard could it be?" Yeah, I'm an idiot. In all likelihood I represent the majority of purchasers, with the requisite thinking outlined above. Boy, was I wrong! If you're not familiar with amateur radio, and how it works (and, like me, are likely not licensed) you will find out the hard way that there is a real learning curve with these things -- input / output frequencies, tone frequencies, PL, +/- Offsets, repeaters, and the list goes on! I didn't know any of these things when I bought them, and without that understanding they're basically useless. Sure, you can use them as FRS walkie talkies, but even that takes some study to get them to work properly. You would be better-served to just get a cheap set of walkies that are purpose-built for the task if that's what you're really looking for. No, these are RADIOS -- real "dual band transceivers" that can actually get you into trouble with the law -- Google "Code 10-30" ("Illegal Use of Radio") if you don't believe me. They allow you to transmit on frequencies that require a specific license and operate under strict regulations. In other words, a $35 radio can get you into significant trouble, and we're talking about FCC and other fines that can easily exceed $10,000 (Google: "unlicensed HAM fines"). Since doing more research, I find myself becoming more and more fascinated with amateur radio and how things work, and this over just the last few days. It's literally a flood of information, and I still do not have these radios operating properly. I originally thought I'd just pick up a few of these and sit on them until I needed to pull them out of the boxes. I'm glad I didn't wait until then, because I'd be screwed. There is no way I would ever have been able to put them to any practical use if I hadn't gotten curious and decided to "play" with them. I feel like I've stumbled onto a giant repository of information that I never knew existed, and I'm only now beginning to scratch the surface. To demonstrate my ignorance, I actually thought that I might be able to hear, or talk to, people around the country, if not the world, with these hand-held radios! After all, if you have a HAM radio you have unlimited range! Right? Did I mention I'm not too bright? If you're in the same boat, and figured that at these prices you "might as well" buy some "just in case" it's important to know up front, you're only wasting money unless you invest some real time into learning how to operate them properly. Otherwise you'll be in for a world of disappointment should the day come where you will actually need to put them into service in the event of an emergency. They're completely useless without knowing how to operate them -- in your local area! Now, for the insatiably curious, I can't think of anything else that costs $35 and will keep you occupied for endless hours, days, weeks, and possibly years while giving you a valuable education in something that could possibly save your life, or the lives of others, should that day ever come.