[Austin]

I posted this around a few groups on Facebook today, but wanted to put the info here as well.

The radios used in Frozen Empire are Baofeng UV-5R with the extended battery. Yellow and black tape has been added in different configurations depending on whose radio it is.





These are HAM radios, so if you plan to use these as working walkies, you will need a license to do so.

[Dr. Stantz Jr.]

Nice! Cheap option too as you can pick up a pair with this same configuration for under $70 AUD ($50 USD)

[Mercifull]

I’ve just bought two radios as well. Only problem is you can’t use them without a licence in the uk so either I need to a) pay for a commercial licence or b) do a ham radio exam and then I can be licensed for free. Might do that. Can’t be too difficult for the foundation level online examination.

[TheLoneGhostbuster]

I posted this around a few groups on Facebook today, but wanted to put the info here as well.

The radios used in Frozen Empire are Baofeng UV-5R with the extended battery. Yellow and black tape has been added in different configurations depending on whose radio it is.





These are HAM radios, so if you plan to use these as working walkies, you will need a license to do so.

Did that shot of Grooberson's pocket come from the trailer?

[Nerdy NotionZ]

I’ve just bought two radios as well. Only problem is you can’t use them without a licence in the uk so either I need to a) pay for a commercial licence or b) do a ham radio exam and then I can be licensed for free. Might do that. Can’t be too difficult for the foundation level online examination.

Same in the US. You can get in a lot of trouble if you use these without the license

[Mercifull]

I did a mock test and failed haha. A good half of the questions are good old common sense, but others relate to specific wavelengths and some acronyms I hadn’t heard of. So I’ve ordered myself a ham radio foundation guide and booked onto a free online course with an aim to sit the “exam” before the premiere of Frozen Empire. I can’t get in trouble for just owning these radios and it’s perfectly legal to listen in without transmitting but it would be use to actually use these things. My mt500 doesn’t function so I never bothered getting a licence before.

[RiverofSlime]

Great job with the identification!

What do you think for belt clips for these things?

[tobycj]

I did a mock test and failed haha. A good half of the questions are good old common sense, but others relate to specific wavelengths and some acronyms I hadn’t heard of. So I’ve ordered myself a ham radio foundation guide and booked onto a free online course with an aim to sit the “exam” before the premiere of Frozen Empire. I can’t get in trouble for just owning these radios and it’s perfectly legal to listen in without transmitting but it would be use to actually use these things. My mt500 doesn’t function so I never bothered getting a licence before.

I assume the exam costs something? If you feel inclined to post links up for the mock exam, and the online course you're doing that'd be lovely

[Mercifull]

These resources may be useful for all but they only officially apply to UK residents.

Online training links - https://rsgb.org/main/clubs-training/fo ... -students/
Foundation licence information - https://rsgb.org/main/clubs-training/fo ... oundation/
Recommended manuals - https://www.rsgbshop.org/acatalog/Onlin ... ng_19.html
Mock exams and sample questions - https://rsgb.org/main/clubs-training/tr ... ock-exams/
Free online training course - https://www.essexham.co.uk/train/foundation-online/
Boox exam online - https://rsgb.org/main/clubs-training/fo ... your-exam/

The exam costs £32.50 but when you pass the licence is free afterwards https://ofcomlive.my.site.com/licensingcomlogin

The exam consists of 26 multiple-choice questions and you have up to 60 minutes to complete them. I do not know the % correct required to pass but presumably pretty much all of them. Many of the questions are common sense but there are some about frequencies and wavelengths that you'd probably need to revise up on.

[Mercifull]

The Baufeng UV-5R can be programmed to operate on PRM446 which is free to use without a licence (in the UK) however it technically operates at a power rating over the 0.5 watt legal limit (more like 4watts!) which means that you should still hold a licence even using that frequency. The chances of being found out are very slim, but not zero.

[kahuna900]

Baofeng makes a lot of radios, including a GMRS (UV-5G/UV-5X) version that uses the same extended batteries as the UV-5R. In the U.S. a GMRS license is much easier to get and is good for 10 years.

[kahuna900]

Great job with the identification!

What do you think for belt clips for these things?

The radios come with belt clips.

[Mercifull]

Yeah they come with belt clips so that saves having to make/buy a leather holster for it like you do with the mt500s. They are about 2/3 the size of a mt500 even with the extended battery.

[RiverofSlime]

Amazing! I put one on order!

[kahuna900]

Here's a shot of the radios compared to the old Motorola MT500.

The UV-5R8W, UV-5R and UV-5G(5X) all look identical except for the badges. They use the same antenas except for the 5G-5X GMRS versions.

[Dr. Stantz Jr.]

Got my UV-5R's today (was cheaper to get 2):


Stantz Special Issue (HT-220), Standard Issue (MT-500), & New Issue (UV-5R)

[Ecto-Roboto]

Important informations from Ben Eadie about those radios, please watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv052lTNvQM

[Dr. Stantz Jr.]

Important informations from Ben Eadie about those radios, please watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv052lTNvQM

Always good to know and to keep in mind.

Just for reference, I believe here in Australia they are programmed to the UHF CB frequencies. Looking into it, users don't need to be licensed here to operate them under these frequencies providing users aren't exceeding 5W.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UHF_CB

[Mercifull]

Important informations from Ben Eadie about those radios, please watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv052lTNvQM

Good video. I passed some information to Ben last week regarding the UK laws and regulations (the same ones I posted about here) so I hope he'll talk about that some more in his future videos on the subject. Using these responsibly is key here. If in doubt, leave it off. It still looks cool enough on your belt. Just because lots of people do misuse these (I'm told a lot of airsoft players use this exact radio on prm frequencies), let's not join them and ensure we as a community are being more sensible.

I started an amateur radio course last weekend with the aim of passing my foundation-level exam in a month or two. Bizarrely I have reconnected, via the uk ham community, with someone online whom I first met 20 years ago and lost contact years ago. It really is a small world.

[kahuna900]

If I key up any of my Baofeng radios close to my Bluetooth headphones, it will change the mode as if I physically touched the change mode button.

In the U.S. I believe the standard UV-5R is not legal to transmit at all, even if you have a H.A.M. license as the F.C C. has not approved the model. The UV-5G(5X) is legal to transmit on the GMRS channels as long as you pay the $35 for a ten year license.

[Dr. Stantz Jr.]

Gotta say I think I prefer the Stubby look:

[kahuna900]

I also jumped on the Frozen Empire radio bandwagon and converted one of my radios to look like one of the models used in the movie.

I also taped up the stock antenna and a cheap stubby antenna that I would never actually transmit on.



I'm only one part away from converting my second Haslab pack over to the FE pack, and I hope I can get everything together before release date.

[Evilchumlee]

Snatched up one of these, never was able to get my hands on the Motorola. I'm comfortable with a mixed-era style. I have no plans to actually use the radio so no legal concerns.

Just gotta find some of that tape now.

I kind of like having a mix-and-match with the older gear. I'm working on an original gear piece that's a wrist-mounted gizmo made from a slender bluetooth keyboard that does... things... and stuff.

[Mercifull]

Tip; don’t go too low with the tape on the extended battery or else it won’t nicely sit in the charging cradle.

[tobycj]

Just gotta find some of that tape now.

It's just white and yellow electrical tape, nothing fancy.

[Mercifull]

I've just passed my amateur radio foundation licence exam and now I can legally use my radio... although technically not for ghostbustery roleplay only CQs haha.

[hawkbatsquadron]

I'm good with the old Motorolla...

[Mercifull]

My MT500 is relegated to table duty if I have a display. I never got around to making a belt holster for it anyway and resented carrying it in my hand or in a pocket. The new radio is smaller and lighter and comes with a belt clip, although it's not long enough to wrap entirely around a pistol belt so I might see on eBay if you can get longer ones.

[hawkbatsquadron]

Of course, if I get one as a gift. Here's my take on it:





Sent from my Samsung Galaxy using a hacked pirate satellite in a decaying orbit

[OBSIDIAN]

Frozen Empire really loves the yellow, eh?