The Radio Better Than a Baofeng

I've been playing with this nice little unit over the past few days. Pretty impressed!

 

I appreciate the testing and review of the radio.

 

This is a great review by Hayden, he's concise and to the point, and he does actual testing with a spectrum analyzer. He also has responded to viewers questions and has done additional testing with more in-depth information here:

 

Thanks! I appreciate the kind comments

 

I like that USB-C charging is catching on. I find it exceedingly annoying that anyone would use anything but USB-C for charging when it is such an inexpensive option to add. I've seen products that violate the USB-C charging spec so I'd be reluctant to use cheap random brands but if tested for compliance in some kind of moderately thorough review then I'd be more confident in the product safety and durability. It would seem equally trivial to me for manufacturers to put in wide coverage receive on Amateur radios. Perhaps they don't have to go as wide as 50 to 600 MHz but covering some common bands adds considerable value for entertainment, getting news/weather/other info, and tracking down interference.

 

It really has some useful features, impressed with mine

 

Does it have a real S meter unlike the Boafungs?

 

Pretty much any radio is better than a baoturd!

 

I just can't understand why it would have a completely foreign DTMF pad. The universal standard for over 40 years would have 16, not 12, and the # and * would be on the bottom row with the zero. It doesn't have the A, B, C or D keys.
Very poor design in that aspect. It's like one of those disposable Retevis HTs.
To me a functional interface is as important as meeting all other standards.

 

...when all else fails, there's Motorola!

 

And that's OK. I too have been a HAM for 35 years, but I use the extra keys frequently, as do a lot of other HAMS who use certain features, such as remote control of repeater controllers, IRLP, AllStarLink, Remote Bases, Home IOT, X-10 (not many of those anymore, but you get the drift.)
Regardless, the keypad is a poor design that doesn't meet the norm.
You have to admit, we've seen a lot of changes over those 35 years, not all of them have been good.

To the OP, I too appreciate the article and your review, I just don't like the aesthetics of the rig and would not be comfortable operating such a foreign DTMF pad, nor could I use it to enable/disable my IRLP node without changing my codes first.

 

What a piece of junk.
Space patrol walkie-talkie from RadioShack

 

The article's title is misleading.
"The Radio Better than a Baofeng" could refer to literally any radio that's not a Baofeng.

 

Youngster. hi hi