The author confesses to mainly using their handheld ham radio for eavesdropping, but was intrigued by Quansheng’s UV-K5, challenging Baofeng’s dominance in the Chinese handheld market. The Quansheng K5 became popular due to its hackable nature, with hams developing software-based improvements and new features. Unlike Baofeng’s 5R, the K5’s firmware resides in flash memory, allowing for easy modifications. Various mods such as a graphical spectrum analyzer, text messaging, and improved AM signal reception have been developed. The author highlights the ease of installing mods using a web-based patcher/flasher created by a modder known as whosmatt, making the process simple for users. However, allowing such extensive modding raises concerns about potential abuse, but emphasizes the importance of an honor system in amateur radio. The K5 modding scene hints at a future where radios will be more customizable and have enhanced processing capabilities.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/quansheng-uv-k5-hacking