Boafeng UV-5R

[Sam P]

You are very probably right....

However, the packaging etc for these 771s, wot I has purchased, is exactly as described in the 'genuine' thingy in the Nagoya guide you posted above. They came from Knights.

So far not so good....

All that glisters is not, necessarily, gold

[Admiral]

Well, if you compare the spec then a genuine 771 will outperform the stock 5R rubber duck on every test, so maybe it's a dud and needs to go back to the reputable dealer in question?

[Sam P]

Well, if you compare the spec then a genuine 771 will outperform the stock 5R rubber duck on every test, so maybe it's a dud and needs to go back to the reputable dealer in question?

I bought two of them, both are performing as bad as each other.... I'll stick an analyser on it once I get a free minute...

[Admiral]

I use the 773 (I think) telescopic jobby on my 5R, I have been using it for a year or so, so can select the required length by eye, not a great technical benchmark but it works fo me.
I have a boating lake near to my bachelor pad and there is a bench where I sit and plan my conquest of the World, my 3R on a realistic 1.4W via its standard twig hits my local 2m repeater first time every time, my 5R with 3.2w and standard twig won't open it but will receive the output, with the 773 almost fully extended it breaks in just fine. Work that one out. That's where I get my unscientific theory that the Nagoya is better than the standard antenna, maybe just for me.

[Sam P]

Well, my 5R just about manages to hit a repeater 20 miles away with a stock antenna .... stick in the 771 and it's nada, zilch, nothing.....

I don't think shoving the analyser on a rubber ducky demonstrates anything but for what it's worth the 771 had an SWR or 3.8 and z was around 90 ohms.

I won't give up on them yet

[Admiral]

I'm not knocking the radios, bang-for-buck they are untouchable, and I would have ripped your arm off for a 5R back in the early 80's when I was carrying around 3 channel ex-PMR Pye kit to access 2m/p, and we didn't have belt clips, the thing had an over the shoulder leather strap to defy gravity as they were the size of a ladies handbag.

[VintageTin]

My 771 is a great improvement on the stock antenna, apart from its greater ability to poke your eye out

[Sam P]

Well I'm not getting it.... the 771s I have seem to be genuine items - them's a pile of horse poo.

I spoke to knights today to check they are getting genuine articles and they have offered to swap them for 702s but I'm not sure that will be any improvement.

[WeatherWatcher]

Use original antenna on mine but as it is currently sitting in a drawer because I can't be bothered to use it at home whilst we have a scaffolding cage on the building.