The antenna is one of the most crucial components of a radio. While the type of radio, wattage, and battery life are important things to consider, it is the choice of antenna that ultimately determines the overall quality of a transceiver's signal.
A properly tuned antenna is key to obtaining the maximum range of any radio. There are many antennas available on the market today, and the one you choose can not only affect performance, but also the life of the radio itself. However, though there are options, there are also limitations. While base stations and mobile radios allow considerable latitude when it comes to choosing an antenna, handheld transceivers or walkie talkies are another matter.
A handheld two way radio will have one of two types of antennas, either fixed or removable. A fixed antenna is built into the case of the radio itself and cannot be removed. Consumer FRS, GMRS and some low wattage business radios such as the Motorola CLS1410 and RMU2080d have permanently mounted, fixed antennas. Most higher end, higher wattage handheld business two way radios have a removable antenna that is tuned specifically to the band and frequencies used by each model. For instance, a UHF antenna tuned to business frequencies between 403 and 470MHz theoretically should work with a business radio that uses those frequencies.
But there is one caveat. While such an antenna may be removable, it may not necessarily be swappable. This is because the connector on the antenna may be different from the connector on the radio.
There are several types of connectors used for attaching antennas to handheld radios. Most are standard types, but a few may be proprietary to a specific manufacturer. The chart below lists the makes and models of popular radios at Buy Two Way Radios with removable antennas along with the types of connectors used to attach an antenna to specific models. Refer to this chart before you purchase an antenna to ensure it will fit the connector on your radio. To learn more about what these connectors are and how to identify them, see our chart of Two Way Radio Antenna Connector Types.
What is the antenna connection for the Baofeng UV5G? It is not listed.
Hi Chris, we only have that information on the products that we carry or have carried on our site. We don't carry the Baofeng UV5G, so we have no information on it. You may need to contact the manufacturer for support.
In your antenna list there is no antenna listing for the Baofeng UV9R Plus handheld. Every search for antenna for this radio takes me SMA Female standard connector for this radio. But does this radio really take a standard SMA FEMALE connector type???
There is no antenna listing for the Baofeng UV9R Plus because we do not carry that model and have no information on it. The list includes radios that we do carry here at Buy Two Way Radios and for which we do have the specs.