Any love for cheap chinese radio here? Yes, I know the Japanese ones are superior, but I just wanna play around here (and I’m on budget).

I just got a UV-5R and was thinking to get another one. It would be great to have multiple batteries handy for different HTs. Plus, the UV-5R model have battery case for AA and AAA batteries that might come handy for emergencies.

I could just get another UV-5R or a BF-F8HP (upgraded UV-5R), but I was looking at the GT-3TP, which is said to basically have the BF-F8HP guts in a weatherproof enclosure. When I looked at the battery model for it, it says BL-5, the same one as for the UV-5R. However, the battery looks a bit different (albeit very similar), and some have said they’re incompatible.

Anyone here can shed some light?

  • einfach_orangensaft@sh.itjust.works
    0·
    10 days ago

    I dont trust those cheap chines handsets, i hear most of what you see about them on yt are buyed reviews and that they resonate on all sorts of frequency’s beside what they should, but thats just anecdotal.

    Besides that i guess that they have some sort of EW off switch or worse u hit em with the right data package over the air and they just start broadcasting your location on max power till the battery is dead.

    To be real with radios that arent fully analog there is always the possibility of them having backdoors in the modem firmware.

    I just think its to good to be true that the chines flooding the marked aggressive with capable handsets that are so incredible cheap that everyone can get one or more than one.

    I heared parts of the firmware are replaceable with opensource firmware, maybe thats an option. But i bet there will be some software on the device that isnt replaceable, something bios or modem firmware alike.

  • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.works
    0·
    9 days ago

    Honestly, it’s Baofeng. I bought 4 of the exact “same” type, and they’re clearly different models and the parts aren’t interchangable between the “same” model.

    It’s the AliExpress/Wish model of description and quality. Let your expectations match the price. You’re not getting a 200 euro radio for 30 bucks, you’re getting a 30 euro radio.