GMRS Guide
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Baofeng DM-32UV review: a cheap way into DMR, with fine print

The DM32 packs dual-slot DMR, GPS and APRS into a radio that costs about what a UV-5R kit does. It's a ham and Part 90 radio, not a GMRS one, and its grant tells a different power story than the box.

How we pick By , GMRS Radio Contributor · Updated · We earn a commission when you buy through our Amazon links.

The Baofeng DM-32UV (sold as the DM32) is the cheapest sensible way to get on DMR, the digital voice mode many ham repeaters and hotspots use. It does dual-slot DMR and analog FM with GPS and APRS, and it charges and programs over USB-C. Buy it if you have, or are about to get, a Technician license and want to learn digital modes without spending AnyTone money.

Two things the listings don't tell you. It's not a GMRS radio and never can be. And its FCC grant lists 5 watts of rated conducted power, half the 10 watts on the box.

Quick picks

Best budget DMR radioBaofeng DM-32UV (DM32)Amazon
Easiest start without a repeaterBaofeng DM32UV with MMDVM hotspotAmazon
Step-up DMR handheldAnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus (BridgeCom kit)Amazon
DIY hotspot for tinkerersAURSINC MMDVM hotspot boardAmazon

How we reviewed it

This is a spec review. We read Baofeng's DM-32UV product page and FAQ, the Amazon listings (the top one showed 500 bought in the past month on 334 ratings, October 13, 2026) and the FCC grant for 2AJGM-DM32UV on fccid.io, and we compared all of it with 47 CFR Parts 95 and 97. We didn't key up a DM-32UV ourselves, and we say where owner reports disagree.

"How we pick" is our honest label: specs, filings and the rules, not a field test. How we research.

DM-32UV specs at a glance

SpecBaofeng's figure
ModesDMR Tier I and II (two time slots) plus analog FM
Transmit136-174 MHz and 400-470 MHz (product page)
Receive extrasFM broadcast 65-108 MHz, airband AM 108-136 MHz, NOAA weather
Power10 W high, 4 W mid, 1 W low (listing); 5.0 W rated on the FCC grant
Memory4,000 channels, 250 zones, 32 scan lists
Contacts50,000 digital contacts
LocationBuilt-in GPS, digital APRS reporting
Battery2,500 mAh Li-ion, 7.4 V; "up to a full day" per Baofeng
Charging and programmingUSB-C, plus desktop charger base
Display2.0 in color
ProgrammingBaofeng CPS; not CHIRP compatible (Baofeng FAQ)
Size and weight182 x 67 x 41 mm, 350 g (12.4 oz)
FCC ID2AJGM-DM32UV

From Baofeng's DM-32UV product page and the Amazon listing, October 13, 2026. Baofeng's page doesn't state an IP rating.

What the FCC grant actually covers

The grant for 2AJGM-DM32UV was issued April 25, 2025 to PO Fung Electronic (HK) International Group, the company behind baofengradio.com. It has two parts. One is a Part 15B scanning receiver approval for 108-136, 136-174 and 400-470 MHz. The other certifies the transmitter as a "Licensed Non-Broadcast Transmitter Held to Face" under Part 90, the land mobile rules, on 136-174, 400-406 and 406.1-470 MHz at 5.0 watts rated conducted power, for analog FM (11K0F3E) and DMR (7K60F1D and 7K60F1E).

Where the DM-32UV can and can't transmit legally A frequency strip from 136 to 470 MHz. The 2 meter ham band at 144-148 MHz and the 70 centimeter ham band at 420-450 MHz are usable with an amateur license. Part 90 business frequencies need a Part 90 license. The GMRS channels at 462 and 467 MHz are off limits because the radio isn't certified for GMRS. 136 MHz470 MHz 2 m ham144-148 70 cm ham420-450 GMRS 462/467not allowed Part 90 business/public safety: only with a Part 90 license for that system Your license decides where you may transmit, not the keypad
The radio will transmit across 136-174 and 400-470 MHz. A Technician license covers the two highlighted ham bands; GMRS is out no matter what license you hold.

Two things follow. First, a ham radio doesn't need a transmit grant at all; Part 90 certification is what lets Baofeng sell a radio that can transmit outside the ham bands. With an amateur license you may use it on amateur frequencies within your privileges. Second, the grant's 5.0 W figure is the rated power Baofeng certified. The listing's 10 W "high" setting isn't on the grant, and reviewers' wattmeter numbers vary. Plan on a radio in the 5-watt class.

Why it's not a GMRS radio

People buy cheap Baofengs hoping to use them with a GMRS license. It doesn't work with this one, for three separate reasons in the rules:

  • No transmitter may be used in a Personal Radio Service unless it's certified for that service (95.335). The DM-32UV's grant has no Part 95E entry.
  • No transmitter that can operate in the amateur service can be certified for GMRS at all (95.1761(c)).
  • DMR digital voice isn't on the list of authorized GMRS emission types (95.1771(b)). GMRS voice is analog.

If you want a Baofeng for GMRS, buy one of the Part 95E models listed in our Baofeng on GMRS guide, such as the UV-5G Plus. And if you hold both licenses, our GMRS and ham license explainer covers what each one allows.

Getting on DMR with it, in order

  1. Get your Technician license. The exam is 35 questions and you need 26 right (97.503). Our Technician exam guide covers how to study, and ham license levels explains what each class adds.
  2. Register for a DMR ID at RadioID.net with your call sign. DMR networks identify you by that number.
  3. Download Baofeng's CPS from its site and connect by USB-C. Build a codeplug: your DMR ID, contacts (talkgroups), channels (frequency, color code, time slot) and zones.
  4. Get the repeater details (frequency, offset, color code, talkgroups per time slot) from the repeater's owner or club. Or use a personal hotspot, which links the radio to an internet DMR network from your house.
  5. Identify on air. Amateur stations give their call sign at the end of a communication and at least every 10 minutes (97.119). The DMR ID doesn't replace it.

Expect the codeplug to take an evening, not ten minutes. That's DMR, not Baofeng: every DMR radio needs one, and the most common complaint in DM-32UV reviews is the learning curve in the CPS.

An older man with arms folded laughing at a home workbench by lamplight, a coffee mug and hand tools on the bench
A hotspot on the desk puts a DMR radio on worldwide talkgroups from home, which is where most people start.

Buy it, or the alternatives

Best budget DMR radio

Baofeng DM-32UV (DM32)

The value case is hard to argue with. For about the price of a UV-5R accessory kit you get both DMR time slots, a full contact list, GPS with APRS, airband and NOAA receive, and one USB-C port that charges, programs and updates the firmware. Baofeng's page also lists voice recording and text messages up to 128 characters.

Where it falls short: the CPS is the only official programming route, owner reviews describe it as glitchy, and Baofeng's page doesn't claim water resistance. Treat the 10-watt claim as marketing; the grant says 5.

  • ModesDMR dual slot + analog
  • FCC ID2AJGM-DM32UV (Part 90, 5.0 W rated)
  • Listed power10/4/1 W
  • Memory4,000 ch, 250 zones, 50,000 contacts
  • GPS/APRSyes
  • ChargingUSB-C
  • Battery2,500 mAh

Why it stands out

  • Dual-slot DMR, GPS and APRS at a budget price
  • USB-C for charging and programming
  • Big memory for zones and talkgroups

Think twice if

  • You want CHIRP or a mature codeplug community
  • You plan to use it on GMRS (not legal)
Check price on Amazon
Easiest start without a repeater

Baofeng DM32UV with MMDVM hotspot

If there's no DMR repeater near you, this bundle solves it. The seller pairs the radio with a BlueDV MMDVM hotspot set up from a phone or PC app, so the radio talks to the hotspot at low power and the hotspot carries you onto online DMR networks. With 14 ratings it's a small seller, so read the listing's recent reviews.

  • In boxDM32 radio + BlueDV MMDVM hotspot
  • Hotspot setupBlueDV app (phone or PC)
  • Listed TX144-148, 420-450 MHz (US)
  • ModesDMR + analog

Why it stands out

  • Radio and hotspot in one box
  • Listing limits transmit to the US ham bands

Think twice if

  • A DMR repeater is already in range of your house
  • The listing advertises encryption, which hams can't use (97.113)
Check price on Amazon
Step-up DMR handheld

AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus (BridgeCom kit)

The radio most DMR guides and club codeplugs are written for. It costs several times the DM-32UV, and you get a mature, widely shared CPS ecosystem plus, in this BridgeCom kit, a ready codeplug and video training. If you already know you'll stick with DMR, start here and skip the learning-curve tax.

  • ModesDMR + analog
  • TX (listing)144-148, 420-450 MHz amateur
  • Memory4,000 channels
  • Battery3,100 mAh USB-C
  • In boxprogramming cable, charger base, free codeplug and training

Why it stands out

  • Huge community, shared codeplugs
  • Kit includes training and a starter codeplug
  • 3,100 mAh USB-C battery

Think twice if

  • You're testing whether DMR is for you (the DM-32UV costs far less)
Check price on Amazon
DIY hotspot for tinkerers

AURSINC MMDVM hotspot board

A hotspot board you mount on your own Raspberry Pi and run with Pi-Star or WPSD. It's the cheaper path if you already own a Pi and like configuring things. The listing links calibration and firmware notes, and expect to need them.

  • ModesDMR, YSF, P25, D-STAR, NXDN, POCSAG
  • Frequencies144-148, 420-475 MHz
  • HostRaspberry Pi (3B, 3B+, 4, Zero W, Zero 2 W)
  • Ratings311

Why it stands out

  • Low cost if you have a Raspberry Pi
  • Multi-mode beyond DMR

Think twice if

  • You want plug and play (buy the bundle above)
Check price on Amazon

DM-32UV vs the obvious alternatives

DM-32UVAnyTone 878UVII PlusBaofeng UV-5G Plus
ServiceHam (and Part 90)HamGMRS (95E)
LicenseTechnician or higherTechnician or higherGMRS, $35, no exam
DigitalDMR dual slotDMR dual slotNone (analog only)
GPS/APRSYesCheck listingNo
ProgrammingBaofeng CPSAnyTone CPS, shared codeplugsCHIRP (listing)
Best forTrying DMR cheaplyCommitted DMR usersFamilies on GMRS

Who should buy it

Buy the DM-32UV if you're a new or soon-to-be ham, you want to hear what DMR is about, and you're willing to learn a CPS. Pair it with a hotspot if no DMR repeater reaches your house.

Skip it if what you really want is a radio for the family on GMRS (get a 95E radio and the license), or if you want plain analog FM and CHIRP simplicity, where the UV-5R vs UV-K5 comparison or our BF-F8HP review is the better place to start. For a broader list, see the best handheld ham radio for beginners.

Sources: Baofeng DM-32UV product page and FAQ; Amazon listings (checked October 13, 2026); FCC grant 2AJGM-DM32UV (April 25, 2025) via fccid.io; 47 CFR 97.113, 97.119, 97.503, 95.335, 95.1761, 95.1771 (eCFR up to date as of October 9, 2026). How we research · Affiliate disclosure

Questions people ask

Is the Baofeng DM-32UV a good radio?
For a first DMR radio on a budget, yes. It has dual time slots, 4,000 channels, 50,000 contacts, GPS and APRS for about the price of a UV-5R kit. The trade-offs are a steep programming curve with Baofeng's own CPS (no CHIRP, per Baofeng's FAQ) and less owner history than an AnyTone 878.
Can I use the Baofeng DM-32UV on GMRS?
No. Its FCC grant (2AJGM-DM32UV) covers Part 90 land mobile and a Part 15 receiver, not Part 95E. A GMRS radio must be certified for GMRS (47 CFR 95.335), and no radio that can also operate on the ham bands can be certified for GMRS (95.1761(c)). DMR digital voice isn't an authorized GMRS emission either (95.1771).
Do I need a license for the DM-32UV?
Yes, to transmit. On the 2 m and 70 cm amateur bands you need at least a Technician license, a 35-question exam with 26 correct answers to pass (47 CFR 97.503). On Part 90 business frequencies you'd need a Part 90 license for that system. Listening needs no license.
Is the DM32 the same as the DM-32UV?
Yes. Amazon listings use both names for the same radio, and Baofeng's own product page calls it the DM-32UV with FCC ID 2AJGM-DM32UV. Check the label on the back: that FCC ID is how you know which radio you have.
Does the DM-32UV work with CHIRP?
Not according to Baofeng. The FAQ on Baofeng's DM-32UV product page says it isn't compatible with CHIRP; you program it with Baofeng's CPS, downloaded from its site, over the USB-C port. Some reviewers mention CHIRP support for analog channels, so check the current CHIRP model list before relying on it.
Can I use encryption on the DM-32UV?
Not on the ham bands. Some listings advertise AES or ARC4 encryption, but 47 CFR 97.113(a)(4) bars amateur messages encoded to obscure their meaning. Encryption is a feature for licensed Part 90 systems, not for ham operators.