FM Broadcast Radio & Spectrum Analyzer

Summary: Listening to broadcast FM, and using the built-in spectrum sweep to see activity across a band.

FM Broadcast Radio

The radio can receive broadcast FM. Start it with F then 0 FM (or long-press 0 FM) and leave with EXIT. It does not decode RDS.

• Type the frequency (for example 929 for 92.9 MHz) or step in 100 kHz steps.
• Press M to store a station. There are 48 FM memories; in memory mode type 01 to 48.
• A short press of \* SCAN scans to the next station. A long press runs auto scan, which stores the first 48 stations and deletes any FM memories already saved.
• If you cannot find a station, long-press 1 BAND to change the FM range: 87.5-108, 76-108, 76-90 or 64-76 MHz.
• FM keeps stopping? That is normal – the active VFO has priority, so reception on it briefly interrupts broadcast FM.

Spectrum Analyzer

Press F then 5 NOAA. The current frequency is the centre of a sweep drawn as a graph, so you can see where activity is across a band. It can also sweep the range set up for ScnRng.

• M toggles AUTO and MANUAL trigger. In AUTO the trigger follows the noise floor with Weak, Normal or Strong sensitivity. In MANUAL you set the trigger level yourself.
• Keys 1/7 change the step between bars, 4 changes the number of bars, 5 lets you enter the lower frequency, 6 changes bandwidth and 0 changes mode.
• Side button 1 excludes the current frequency; side button 2 toggles the backlight.
• PTT switches to detail monitoring of the last received frequency.
• EXIT saves your analyzer settings and leaves.

The UV-K5 V3 uses a different receiver chip from older radios, so noise floor and signal readings are not directly comparable between models. If AUTO cannot settle on a good noise floor, switch to MANUAL and set the trigger yourself.