Hey Zack:
I got a uv3r a while before I got the uv5r.
They are really great little radios as they are very small, 2 watts output 
and seem to perform reasonably well with an after market antenna.
However, as buddy has said, no key pad.  The radio can be manually 
programmed, but this requires you to use the multi-function knob on the top 
to select each part of the frequency you want to program...it takes a long 
tedious time to program things by hand on that particular radio.  The 
software is utterly non-accessible, though I never did try any of the rt 
systems software on the uv3r.
The battery is a 3.7 volt commonly available camera battery which can be had 
on amazon for a couple bucks.
 strategically throughout out the channels so that I could have a point of 
reference.the radio is precisely the height of a bick lighter, and if you 
were to put 2 bick lighters side by side, that is about how thick and wide 
the radio is.
The version I bought was one of the originals with two separate VHF and UHF 
antennas which doubled as harmonics filters lol.  I think the uv3r has been 
updated since then so that they are legal with or without an antenna 
attached.
The radio can be recharged via the usb jack on your computer as well.
On the front of the radio there are four buttons: power, band, menu and 
squelch/volume.
On the top there is one multi-function knob which works as your channel 
changer in memory mode, or to select menu items, or to set squelch or 
volume, as well as select frequency while in programming mode.
About 4 of us got some uv3r's a couple years ago and my friend programmed up 
everyones radio.  I inserted a weather channel of 164.400 in strategic 
places throughout the channels so I would have a point of reference.
For instance, between the last channel, and the first channel, there are two 
channels programmed with the weather...this way I know that when I find 
those two, I am at the beginning or end of the memory channels.  Then, I put 
all the VHF frequencies in, then a weather channel, and then all the UHF ham 
frequencies...then a weather channel and then some commercial VHF and UHF 
channels.  This makes memorization of the channel lay out a bit easier.
Neat little radio if you can get help programming it.

73
Colin, V A6BKX
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From: "Zach Shifflett" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 11:39 PM
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: baofeng uv3r

> Hi all,
> Any of you guys ever used the Baofeng uv3r?  I love my uv5r, but was
> considering getting a 3r as a backup.
> Also, do they use the same battery?
> Any ideas?
> Thanks,
> Zach