Also known as: UV-25X2
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The BTECH UV-25X2 is a 25-watt mini mobile about the size of a paperback: analog 2m/70cm FM, dual watch, 200 memories, and easy CHIRP programming for around $130.1 It is the unbeatable entry price for a real mobile radio — with the receiver limits of its class, which we’ll be blunt about below.
Key takeaways The budget mobile that’s actually fine. 25 W on 2m/70cm, dual watch with synchronized display, good TX audio, CHIRP is the standard programming route, draws little enough to run off a cigarette plug, and works as a tiny base with a small power supply. Analog FM only — no digital, no GPS/APRS. Known trade-offs: front-end overload near strong transmitters, warm PA and fan at duty, cryptic Baofeng-style menus, receiver birdies. ~$130, second generation in production. License to transmit (Technician+); none to listen.
Overview
BTECH (BaofengTech) positioned the UV-25X2 as the mobile answer to the handheld Baofeng phenomenon, and it delivers the same bargain: real transmit power, a DTMF mic, VFO plus 200 memories with frequency-or-name display, dual watch with synchronized display modes, and receive coverage of 136–174 and 400–520 MHz. There is no detachable faceplate — the whole radio is already small enough to mount anywhere — no GPS or APRS, no digital modes, and no cross-band repeat. Running well under 10 A at full power, it is equally at home under a dash or on a desk with a modest power supply.
The honest part: this class of radio earns its price at the receiver. Expect overload and desense near strong transmitters — a busy commercial hilltop or downtown RF soup will punch through its front end in a way an Icom or Kenwood shrugs off — plus some receiver birdies, a PA and fan that run warm at 25 W duty, and a menu system that is Baofeng-style cryptic until CHIRP saves you. It is not the rig for an RF-dense metro site; it is a terrific first mobile, beater, or backup everywhere else.
Modes & coverage
- Analog FM only on amateur 2m/70cm — no DMR, D-STAR, or C4FM, and no APRS.
- RX 136–174 / 400–520 MHz, dual watch across any mix.
- 200 memories, DTMF mic, multiple display modes.
Programming
CHIRP is the standard way to program the UV-25X2 — free, mature driver, and far saner than the front panel. Second-generation units need a current CHIRP build, so update first. BTECH also sells a factory-software cable if you prefer their tooling.
GopherTrunk alternative
GopherTrunk receives; it cannot transmit — even a $130 mobile does something GopherTrunk never will. But the pairing is natural at this budget: a ~$30 RTL-SDR running free GopherTrunk costs a quarter of the UV-25X2 and lets you hear everything first — which repeaters are alive, what digital modes your area runs — and it records and logs every call, which no transceiver does. If you’re pre-license, that’s the whole game: listening requires no license at all, while transmitting on ham bands requires an FCC amateur license (Part 97, Technician class minimum). Scout with the SDR, buy the transmitter you actually need. Hardware picks: best SDR for GopherTrunk.
Who it’s for
- Buy the UV-25X2 as a first mobile, a beater truck radio, or a compact base on a budget — anywhere the RF environment is ordinary and $130 is the right spend. View on Amazon →
- Buy the Icom IC-2730A (~$330) when you outgrow the front end — it is the receiver this radio isn’t.
- Buy the QYT KT-8900D only if even $130 is too much — it’s cheaper and rougher still.
- Buy the AnyTone AT-D578UVIII Plus if what you actually want is DMR.
- The whole field, ranked: best mobile ham radios.
Sources
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BTECH UV-25X2 product page — BaofengTech, on the 25 W output, dual-watch display modes, frequency coverage, and second-generation status. ↩
Frequently asked questions
Is the BTECH UV-25X2 a good first mobile ham radio?
Yes, if the budget stops near $130. It’s a real 25 W dual-band mobile with easy CHIRP programming and good transmit audio. Just know the trade: the receiver front end overloads near strong transmitters, so in an RF-dense metro a $330 Icom IC-2730A is a meaningfully better radio.
How many watts does the UV-25X2 put out?
Up to 25 W — enough for reliable repeater work and most simplex, at well under 10 A of draw, so it can even run from a cigarette-lighter plug. It is not a 50 W flagship and doesn’t pretend to be.
Does the UV-25X2 do DMR or APRS?
No. It is analog FM only — no digital voice modes, no GPS, no APRS modem. For DMR in this general price universe you’d step up to the AnyTone AT-D578UVIII Plus at around $460.
Does CHIRP support the UV-25X2?
Yes — CHIRP is the standard way to program it, via the BTECH UV-25X2 driver. Second-generation units want a current CHIRP build, so update CHIRP before fighting the cable.
Do I need a license to use the UV-25X2?
To transmit, yes — an FCC amateur license (Part 97, Technician class minimum). Listening requires none, and a $30 RTL-SDR running free GopherTrunk hears the same repeaters and records them too.