The Baofeng UV-5R is one of the most widely used handheld radios in the world, largely because it costs less than a restaurant meal and covers both the VHF and UHF bands. In Australia, however, using one correctly means understanding what the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) permits — and a few of the UV-5R’s default settings will get you into trouble straight away.
What the UV-5R can and cannot do in Australia
The UV-5R covers 136 to 174 MHz on VHF and 400 to 520 MHz on UHF, giving it broad coverage across the 2-metre and 70-centimetre amateur bands. Receiving on any of these frequencies is legal for anyone. Transmitting is a different matter.
To transmit legally in Australia, you need an amateur radio licence issued by ACMA. The three licence classes — Foundation, Standard, and Advanced — each grant access to different bands and power levels. The UV-5R is not type-approved for UHF CB (477 MHz) or commercial land mobile use, so programming it to those frequencies and transmitting is not permitted regardless of which licence you hold.
The 2-metre band (VHF): 144 to 148 MHz
This is the UV-5R’s most useful band for Australian amateur operators. The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) band plan sets the FM simplex and repeater segment from around 146.400 MHz upward, with 25 kHz channel spacing. Key frequencies to programme include:
- 146.500 MHz — the national FM simplex calling frequency. Make contact here, then move to a working channel.
- 146.400, 146.450, 146.550, 146.600 MHz — additional FM simplex channels.
- Repeater outputs run from approximately 146.625 to 147.975 MHz with a standard 600 kHz offset. Local repeater inputs are 600 kHz below the output.
Avoid 145.800 to 146.000 MHz entirely — this segment is reserved for satellite use and transmitting there will cause interference to satellite passes.
The 70-centimetre band (UHF): 430 to 440 MHz
Australian repeaters in the 70 cm band output between 438.025 and 439.975 MHz. New repeaters in the 438 to 439 segment use a 7.0 MHz offset, meaning the input (transmit) frequency is 7.0 MHz lower than the output. Repeaters in the 439.800 to 440.000 MHz segment use a 5.0 MHz offset instead.
Recommended simplex channels sit at 25 kHz spacing within the FM segment. Common working simplex frequencies include 438.400, 438.450, and 438.500 MHz, though local band plans vary by state and region.
The digital voice simplex primary channel is 438.900 MHz (D-Star), with secondary channels at 438.9125 and 438.925 MHz.
Finding local repeaters
Band plans provide the framework, but finding active repeaters near you requires a current directory. The WIA publishes a repeater list through its affiliated clubs, and sites such as RepeaterBook and OnlineRepeaterMap list Australian 2-metre and 70-centimetre repeaters with outputs, inputs, and CTCSS tones. Australia has roughly 247 active 2-metre repeaters and 218 on 70 cm, spread across all states and territories.
Most Australian repeaters require a CTCSS tone to open the squelch. The WIA band plan specifies 141.3 Hz or 146.2 Hz to activate links to repeaters on other bands, though individual repeater tones vary widely. Check the directory entry for each repeater before programming.
What not to programme
Several frequency ranges the UV-5R can physically access are off-limits for transmission in Australia. These include the UHF CB channels at 477 MHz (requires type-approved equipment), all frequencies below 144 MHz that fall outside licensed amateur allocations, and any commercial or emergency service frequencies. Transmitting on police, ambulance, or fire service channels carries serious penalties under the Radiocommunications Act 1992.
A practical starting channel list
| Channel | Frequency | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 146.500 MHz | 2m FM simplex calling |
| 2 | 146.450 MHz | 2m FM simplex working |
| 3 | 146.550 MHz | 2m FM simplex working |
| 4–onwards | Local repeater outputs | Check WIA/RepeaterBook |
| — | 438.900 MHz | 70cm D-Star simplex |
| — | 438.400 MHz | 70cm FM simplex |
Programming the UV-5R is most reliably done with CHIRP, a free open-source tool that supports the radio natively and lets you import repeater lists directly from RepeaterBook for your region.