I am new to hams. I picked up a baofeng uv5r. I have been reading here and there about different antennas for it. I have found a few Diamonds I like, but everyone I find is a fake. What is everyone's opinion on upgraded antennas for these little radios?

I got the Nagoya NA-701 with mine and it's a BIG improvement over stock and still small enough to be manageable.  I hear that the longer NA-771 is even better, but you could poke your eye out with that thing!  

I'm not sure, but you may find the answer in the ARFCOM HT Thread

I like the  diamond srj77ca and the nagoya 701

I have actually tested, not with test equipment, but driving down the highway away from a local repeater, talking to the repeater owner, swapping antennas.  In order, we found, worst to best for range:

Stock Baofeng - sucks

Nagoya NA-666    so-so    appx 8" long

Puxing J0125A (aka "The $3.79 antenna", which is now just over $4.00)   a pleasant surprise -  appx 8" long

Nagoya NA-701    Better than the J0125A by a mile or two - appx 8" long

Nagoya NA-771    Best overall - BUT it is 16" long.  It was just a mile or two better than the NA-701.


Overall, yes, the NA-771 gave the best range, but it is far from "handy".    If you just have to have maximum range, this is the choice, but to carry this around daily, no way.

I recommend the NA-701 as a more "handy" antenna, which still gives very good range.  Both the NA-771 and NA-701 sell for about $13 on ebay.

I consider the J0125A a "best buy", and a pretty noticeable step up from the stock Baofeng antenna.

So, where to buy the Nagoya antennas and get a genuine one?  Let me recommend ebay seller radioshop888.  I've bought three NA-701s from them for myself, and others for friends.  

So, there, pick your poison.

Nagoya NA-701 is what I use... Works better then stock thats for sure.

How about the Nagoya UT-106?

Just ordered two.  

Been meaning to make a thread like this myself but just hadn't.

Ed Fong j-pole 60ft up in a tree.  

I prefer a 17 element Yagi

I've never used it but at $9.99 it might be worth a try if you're looking for a mobile antenna.

Jupiter7200 - I bought my 701 based on your testing.  Thanks!

bought both the 701 and 771. Thanks for the input.

You're welcome, guys!

Right now, discard the manual that came in the box and never look at it again.  

Go here and download this one, it is free.  http://radiodoc.github.io/

Check this out.  http://www.miklor.com/uv5r

Manual programming flow chart:  

http://www.miklor.com/COM/UV_ProgMem.php   and  http://www.miklor.com/uv5r/UV5R-ProgFlow.html