Explorer QRZ-1 5W VHF/UHF Handheld Transceiver

I picked up this radio through the quick-start program when I received my technician license. At 80% off you can't go wrong. The signal is clean and clear. I also picked up the bigger battery and the hi-gain whip antenna. I've been told that my modulation is clear and strong by others in various repeater nets. Some were surprised to learn that I was using the Explorer handheld. The only downside is that the programming software is proprietary and runs another $25 (and does not qualify for the 80% quick-start discount like the other accessories). Even so, the radio is a much better build than my 8W UV5R and sounds much cleaner. It should be noted that the antenna connector is SMA-F, so you won't be able to directly use antennas from a Baofeng or similar radio without an adapter. I have since picked up the new AnyTone handheld but am still using the QRZ Explorer too, as I navigate the steep learning curve for the AT radio. In short, the Explorer QRZ-1 is a good choice when obtained through the quick-start program, but I would be hard-pressed to purchase at its full retail price. The radio is a 5-star performer, but I gave it 4 stars due to the need for proprietary code plug software and Chirp incompatibility.

This is a good little radio if you are just starting out. You will need a better antenna of course. But, will do well as a EDC radio in your go bag for emergencies.

Feels good in the hand. Loud and decent audio. I do not like having to go through the menu to scan. Save your money for a Yaesu or equivalent.

This is a sturdy radio. You can feel the build quality when you hold it for the first time. I am new to HAM, and I am learning new things every day. I can hit repeaters 5 miles away from inside my house. I can't believe it either. I can hear some farther away, but they get a bit buried in static. I have learned to program this radio with Chirp - Next. For the price (plus shipping, etc.) you can't beat it. I am sure there are better radios (but I don't know which ones are better and why they are better). And I am sure I will want one or two. But I have a lot more to learn first. So I will go to club meetings and attend HAM events WITH MY EXPLORER QRZ-1. Thanks for helping on this new, fun adventure!

This really is a good radio grate for a beginner just starting out in ham radio.

This is a really good little radio, I’m impressed.

I completely understand the rationale behind the Jumpstart program and I support it 100%. However, I just don’t think *this* is the right radio for the job.

For starters, I have to second a few other reviewers here in that the range on this radio doesn’t really hold up. We know the stock antenna is no good so I replaced mine with a SignalStick right off the bat. This only marginally improved performance compared to the rubber duck but I still can only get about 2 miles of range on 2m simplex from a second story. I used the same setup with a Baofeng 5RM and was able to easily hit repeaters about 10 miles away. The difference between 5 watts and around 8 watts should NOT be this significant with HTs.

It feels nice to have a “real” radio that passes muster with the clean RF output and good build quality. But when you can’t utilize it to ‘Get on the Air’ (as the program is encouraging), it can be a disappointing experience. An FRS radio operates in this same area quite nicely for talking a few blocks over and you don’t need a license or any fancy gear to achieve the same results.

It’s not all bad though. When I was able to make a local contact on 2m, the radio worked well with clear signal reports and the speaker is quite nice. The standard K plug helps because I use a hand mic with this and it works like a charm. The discount from QRZ means you get a pretty comprehensive package for basically the price of the radio itself. Definitely pick up some of the spare batteries as the one included is NOT USB-C chargeable like other reviews online claim. Mine was only chargeable in the cradle with no port at the bottom.

One thing that bugged me is that Gigaparts didn’t have all the bundled accessories in stock so it was a decision of either to wait an undetermined amount of time for everything to be back in stock, or just clench teeth and pay full price for a comparable accessory. Keep in mind that it’s a one time deal so you can’t go back later and buy the accessories at the discounted price when they come back in stock.

All in all, if you can get the entire package at your discounted price, I’d still say go for it to get your feet wet to see what works and what doesn’t. It’s not a stellar radio that you’ll use daily for years to come but it might come in handy some day.

ALSO, don’t bother with the personalization. It is a poor quality label slapped on the top out of a standard label maker you might have at the house. I’d maybe pay a whole dollar for it for the special occasion of this being my first ‘real’ radio but $10 is highway robbery.

I have a 5R and two 5RX (M-5R) baofeng HTs, and none of them pass muster on spurious emissions (one passes in VHF but not UHF, the other two fail on both). My QRZ-1 radio passes just fine. I'd recommend it for the Jumpstart program as well as outright at full price - three cheap radios that can't be legally used to talk on for the same price point in total (not to mention any accessories and spare batteries, etc), vs one that can? It's a no-brainer to me.

Don't waste your money and time trying to get a clean Baofeng HT on Amazon (lucky you if yours tests clean. You won the lottery). You are responsible for the RF emissions you create. Get a good radio to start with.

I already had an inexpensive Baofeng handheld when I got this through the jumpstart program, but I really wanted to see how other radios compare. The QRZ1 is worth it at the discounted price, but I really hope no one is paying full price for this thing. For less money, you can get a pair of Baofengs and a ton of accessories.

I live in a rural area, and I'm able to connect to my local repeater with the Baofeng and the longer antenna the package deals include. The QRZ out of the box doesn't connect to that tower at all, and doesn't receive as well either. The QRZ's SMA is the opposite of the Baofeng, so I need to buy adapters or different antennas to try to get more range out of it.

The speaker works well though. Very clear.

Also the display is AMAZING. Beautiful and crisp. Mine's slightly off center, but it's okay because it still works and was cheap.

I'm sorry I paid extra for "engraving" because it's just a sticker. I could've made my own sticker for way less than $10. If I'd realized it was just a sticker, I would've skipped it. (In hindsight, I see that they do describe the personalization as a sticker, but only when you mouseover the option, and I bought this from a mobile device, so I wouldn't have seen the mouseover text. A larger, clearer photo of what the personalization looks like would've been nice.)

Programming it was okay... I used CHIRP but couldn't get the radio to transmit after, so I ended up paying $25 for the QRZ programming software, and that didn't fix it either. Ultimately I figured out that because I'd just used the same list of channels I have in my Baofeng, I'd included an off-limits channel for the QRZ (on my Baofeng, I programmed the local fire dept channels for listening, just because I live in a fire area), and once I removed that channel from the list, the radio worked again. I was not impressed by that "feature."

So once I got it programmed and proved that it worked, I stuck it in my kit of radio gear and haven't touched it. Since it can only be charged with a desktop charger, it's not even really something I want to leave in my car for emergencies. So it'll go in my home emergency kit in case I need a spare radio for family members in the event of a disaster.

So all told, with the programming cable, software, and personalization sticker, this radio cost me $74. That's significantly more than what I paid for two baofengs with a ton of accessories. I'm happy to pay for quality items, but I'm not sure the QRZ qualifies.

Newly licensed technician, happy that QRZ and gigaparts teamed up to design a radio with the features someone like me really needs. I appreciate two other members of the amateur community supporting what is probably a loss leader program to help people like me get started. With tax and shipping the Explorer was less than $29. (look for the jumpstart program on QRZ’s homepage if you have been licensed less than six months.) Seems to have a good receiver section, I know some of the CCR‘s out there don’t even have super het design, and I believe that this one has both a good receiver and transmitter design. A couple of downsides, you have to manually monitor input frequencies since there is no reverse function for repeater access, and there is also no weather alert function. But with the wide range of frequencies you can scan, they include public service and weather radio. I do plan to upgrade the antenna, possibly the battery, and definitely get the software to save the aggravation of manual programming. A great start to a great hobby!