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Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 25 Jul 2017, 14:39
by paulears
I've been reading the almost constant posts from people who can only afford the bottom dollar chinese radios, and often get told how really awful they are - so I thought I'd have a look at a few and see if the complaints hold up.
https://youtu.be/1LOqIlGH-KE

My conclusion is that for the money - the advantages are clear - have a look at the video and see what you think.

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 25 Jul 2017, 15:25
by Farty
£ for lb they're brilliant. People are idiots if they expect a top flight Yaesu level of quality and performance for £25 or so, but taken in isolation and measured against their price they're awesome.

I'm old enough to remember when Japanese cars first started appearing in the Seventies - everyone took the pith, but by the mid Eighties they'd taken over the World. Ditto Japanese electronics. More recently Korean cars and electeonics leaped to the fore very quickly. Another ten years and the Chinese electronics will be the same.

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 25 Jul 2017, 18:44
by Sam P
paulears wrote:I've been reading the almost constant posts from people who can only afford the bottom dollar chinese radios, and often get told how really awful they are - so I thought I'd have a look at a few and see if the complaints hold up.
https://youtu.be/1LOqIlGH-KE

My conclusion is that for the money - the advantages are clear - have a look at the video and see what you think.
What a really lovely review style.

Thanks :thumbup:

Please post up any future YouTube uploads, Paul... really good to watch and listen to.

WRT beofeng, I picked up two brand new UV5Rs for £24.... as you say, pocket money radios.

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 25 Jul 2017, 19:15
by kins
Brilliant video, looking forward to more.

I enjoy the Chinese radios, the quirks make them interesting to me. Plus using them I've never felt like I wanted more, and they get so much use because as you alluded to in the video it doesn't really matter if I lose it or break it. They go everywhere with me.

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 25 Jul 2017, 21:12
by paulears
I've got a few other slightly odd ones, so I'll perhaps give them a go too = I have one of those small size mobiles, that I really hate - and they get so hot the warning sticker really is vital - that might make another useful one. I've got all kinds of chinese odds and ends - I've got some headsets too that are a bit strange, but good. I'll see what I can find to do.

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 26 Jul 2017, 09:03
by nordhavn
Farty wrote:£ for lb they're brilliant. People are idiots if they expect a top flight Yaesu level of quality and performance for £25 or so, but taken in isolation and measured against their price they're awesome.

I'm old enough to remember when Japanese cars first started appearing in the Seventies - everyone took the pith, but by the mid Eighties they'd taken over the World. Ditto Japanese electronics. More recently Korean cars and electeonics leaped to the fore very quickly. Another ten years and the Chinese electronics will be the same.
As it happens the likes of Mercedes spent several million trying to get the auto parking to work and failed miserably. They now use Kia units that work .

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 26 Jul 2017, 10:08
by Admiral
Excellent video Paul, silky slick presentation skills and articulation, I found it very easy on the ear and eye and could quite happily watch a presentation by you on any subject.
And the content and summary were spot on. I have to agree about the 'thin' (I call it hollow) audio, if you keep turning it up to try and get some meat then it just distorts, it would probably only take one extra transistor and resistor at tuppence each to sort that.
One of my UV-3Rs is now 6 years old and works flawlessly, I can also get replacement batteries as it uses a mobile phone battery which is still very much available as OEM and for a reasonable price, but the UV-3Rs are still available to purchase new for about £14 so ironically a complete new radio and accessories is cheaper than a replacement quality OEM Kodak battery right now, but when they are no longer available I will still be able to get the batteries.

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 26 Jul 2017, 14:58
by paulears
Probably not the right section - but I've done pt 1 of a video on the RT-82 DMR -

https://youtu.be/778MUbQ2sZc

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 29 Jul 2017, 17:32
by kins
This video inspired me to add to my collection, my wouxun now has a baofeng GT3TP to keep it company. And what a great little radio it is, the sansonic antenna is very pocket friendly

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 29 Jul 2017, 21:21
by Dave_M0YAA
I've got several UV-5R's and a DM-5R, not bad for the price. Hit the local repeater well enough so they'll do for that. Certainly more use than my 16 channel TK-240s.

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 29 Jul 2017, 23:10
by bozzy
Great video and review, thanks for taking the time to do it.

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 30 Jul 2017, 13:10
by paulears
I've also got some simple radios too - just volume and channel - that are even cheaper - I think there is even a Baofeng 888 somewhere at what, less than ten quid - not really sure what I could say about them, but maybe a comparison between them and simple expensive ones? I wonder if people (perhaps not us) would like to see and hear what these kind of radios perform like? I have some oddities too - Icom V8s - VHF only handhelds Lots of Kenwood simple and more clever kit, some nexedge, then the FDMA stuff like the Kirisuns - portable and mobile. I can't see many people being interested but for completeness I could do it. I've been looking at MD380 and Retevis RT82 programming - but it needs people to read screens and so far has no chance of being anything other than dull!

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 30 Jul 2017, 15:38
by Admiral
Rachel Riley would struggle to make a programming video sexy, but the best Youtube videos are the ones you learn from.

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 30 Jul 2017, 21:29
by kins
paulears wrote:I've also got some simple radios too - just volume and channel - that are even cheaper - I think there is even a Baofeng 888 somewhere at what, less than ten quid - not really sure what I could say about them, but maybe a comparison between them and simple expensive ones? I wonder if people (perhaps not us) would like to see and hear what these kind of radios perform like? I have some oddities too - Icom V8s - VHF only handhelds Lots of Kenwood simple and more clever kit, some nexedge, then the FDMA stuff like the Kirisuns - portable and mobile. I can't see many people being interested but for completeness I could do it. I've been looking at MD380 and Retevis RT82 programming - but it needs people to read screens and so far has no chance of being anything other than dull!
Comparison videos, and videos of similar items or maybe more expensive versions would be exactly the kind of videos I'd watch. Certain functions or better operation of existing functions that maybe people aren't aware of etc. I like to research for quite a while before I purchase something cheap or expensive. Plus we all love radios and the various things we need to operate them.

Re: Chinese Hand-helds for newbies

Posted: 30 Jul 2017, 21:48
by bozzy
Admiral wrote:Rachel Riley would struggle to make a programming video sexy, but the best Youtube videos are the ones you learn from.
I'd still say Carol Vodeman is hotter than Rachel.