If you’re diving into the world of amateur radio without breaking the bank, you’ve almost certainly come across two heavy hitters from Baofeng: the UV-82 and the UV-9R .
You won’t be unhappy with either—they both transmit 8 watts further than most FRS/GMRS bubble packs. But if you drop your UV-82 in a puddle, it’s a paperweight. If you drop your UV-9R in a puddle, you just rinse it off and keep talking.
The UV-82 has a large, open speaker grille. It gets loud and stays clear even in high-noise environments like construction sites or tailgating events.
Battery Life & Accessories Both radios typically come with a 1800-2200mAh battery (depending on the kit). Performance is similar—roughly 10-12 hours of light use.