DT-1130 EMF Meter Review

DT-1130 EMF Meter

Price: £5.50 free shipping
Manufacturer: Unknown
Model: DT-1130
Type: E.M.F. Meter (Electro-magnetic field) Single Axis meter
Measurements: Milligauss?
Run By: 1x 9V battery
Description:
Features: LCD display, Data hold button.
What's in the packet?: Meter and instructions (limited info)

Inside the meter - Everything run By the Chip

First Impressions

This cheap and cheerful EMF Meter is a remarkable bit of kit! Not only is it the cheapest EMF Meter on the planet (probably) but it can also measure other things?!  but more on that later..

After using an EMF countless times over the years I felt it was only fair that I bought my own and not always borrow someone elses. These meters can be quite expensive especially if you opt for a tri-axis model. As I don't need to use one all that often I thought I would try and get a cheap one. It turns out that this particular model is the cheapest on ebay costing around £5-£6 shipped. This is a fraction of the cost of a better known make and so I decided to buy it without question. 

Delivery was in the region of about three weeks from Kowloon which is a little longer than usual but OK.

The packet contained the meter in a bubble wrap bag and a flimsy instruction sheet. It turns out that this instruction sheet is far from informative. The reverse side was in Chinese and the English side was not much better. The biggest issue was the lack of explanation regarding which unit of measurement the meter would be using.  I can only assume that the display is giving Milligauss readings? Who knows? This small omission to the manual is not a good start. 

The build quality of this meter is understandably crap. It's built to a price and it's the innards which get the most attention here and rightly so. Without the battery the unit weighs badically nothing. 

Testing 

Baofeng radio on transmit

 The Kettle

WTF! Electro-Static Readings???

Usually it's quite common to find that Chinese manufacturers will overstate their products power or functionality and generally bullshit a bit. 

In a strange twist on convention we find that this manufacturer has this time understated their handy work.

It would appear that this seemingly conventional EMF Meter can actually measure static too! It's a little strange.

This fact came to light when I was going round the house pointing the meter at various mains sockets and at some poiny I accidentally metered the Cat!  Suffice to say he measured 867 Milligauss!? What! My Cat was not hooked up to the mains  so how can this be?

In a crude experiment I rubbed his fur much like you would to generate static with balloon. The figure rose and the buzzer went off!? 

Thinking I was dreaming or something I set up a separate test with a bubble wrap bag. 

I measured the bag straight off the shelf then vigorously rubbed it along my sleeve and measured again. Ha! 

Polythene Bag

Polythene Bag with some friction

Bit of a coincidence? So it measures static too... which unit of measurement is the device using now? How does it switch modes?
I'm sure this is not an Electrostatic Voltmeter. What on earth is going on?

The perceived inability to differentiate between EMF and static readings might compromise any testing? I'm not sure.

Doubt has crept in....



Rating: ✅✅✅ 3 out of 5
If you don't mind spurious readings and not knowing which unit of measurement is being used go ahead and pay the man.

Bizarre Ebay Bargains Part #1

Bizarre Ebay Bargains Part #1

This section of my blog is dedicated to all the unusual bargains that I sometimes bag on Ebay.  I dont go out of my way to look for these things, more that they come looking for me especially when I have small change burning a hole in my pocket. I suppose this is a continuation of the challenge I set myself a few months ago where I aimed to bag the cheapest things possible off the bay. As I recall the lowest priced items to date are the rather strange LED Earpicks which cost as little as 1p for 3 including postage. Here are my latest collection of low priced items not normally seen on my ebay summary page. In no particular order we start with...

2x Litmus Paper Books

Price: 10p - 25p per twin pack

Description: Universal Indicator Papers 80 strips X 2 

Will I use Them? : Maybe

These are a blast from the past! Litmus Paper from the chemistry class at school. Special strips of paper which changed colour depending on a liquids PH value (particless of Hydrogen) so anything acidic would turn the paper a shade of red and anything alkaline would turn the paper blue etc etc. Fascinating stuff as I remember. I have never seen any Litmus Paper for sale in the shops over the years so this little find was a rare novelty. Quite why I would need Litmus Paper round the house is another question! Buy now think later! 

Strange Vietnamese Medicated Patches

Price: 20p for 2 packs (16 Patches)
Description: Rheumatic Athoritic Relief Patches
Will I Use Them?: Probably not considering I don't have Arthoritis or anything and I don't know what the active ingredients are anyway.

What the hell was I thinking when I bid on these things!? I know, the price....that was it.

These patches are a mystery to be perfectly honest. Each sachet contains 8 medicated patches (like big sticking plasters) with no instructions or ingredients list in English. The picture on the front of each sachet suggests albino tiger as the active ingredient and as the orientals have a thing for killing tigers for medicines I'm a little apprehensive! The best way of working out what's going on in there is with your nose. The smell given off by these plasters is very similar to Tiger Balm (another oriental remedy) a slightly spicy menthol aroma would best describe it.
Tiger Balm is a known quantity whereas this isn't.
I'm thinking of donating these to the local care home first aid box.  😂😂

3D Butterfly Decorations

Price: 10p-20p per pack (12)
Description: 3D Decorative wall art
Will I Use Them?: Not me personally, I know people who will though

The reasons why a grown man would buy packets of plastic butterflies can easily be explained.
I actually bought these for other people for sticking on their walls at home. For the price it's hard not to like them. The butterflies come in different sizes and are made from a reasonably strong plastic film.  Each pack comes with a strip of sticky pads for sticking to the wall.  I have seen these packs going for £2.50 each so these are a massive saving. They are OK.

V For Vendetta/Guy Fawkes/Anonymous Masks

Price: 99p for 2
Description: Yellow V For Vendetta Masks
Will I Use Them?: Yes, It's Halloween and Guy Fawkes night soon.

With Bon Fire night and Halloween just around the corner I wanted something different to wear over both nights.
This twin pack was only 99p which seemed an absolute bargain at the time. I have since seen a single mask selling for almost £5 in the last couple of days which is outrageous.
The build quality and art work on these masks is actually very good indeed. They fit really nicely on the face and don't irritate like a lot of cheap shit costume masks.
I was really impressed with the Chinese seller who had packaged these up well when he sent them.
Two of these for a quid is a bargain!!

I definitely didn't buy these to take on an Anonymous movement rally. !

Skull Snood/Balaclava

Price: 50p
Description: Full Face Skull Balaclava Snood
Will I Use It?: Yes, an alternative Halloween mask? or for using in the winter time.

Winter is upon us and so is Halloween, what better than a warm skull printed Balaclava?!
I saw these a while back and thought that the £1.50-£2.00 going rate was a little steep.  Bagging this specimen for 50p seemed a good idea.
Although made from a polyester type fabric it's actually quite warm to wear. The skull print is quite effective when the Balaclava is fitted properly.
Another Halloween mask alternative should the need arise. Impressed.

Plastic Spudger/Pry Tools

Price: 1p-6p free Shipping
Description: Plastic pry tool for opening mobile phones and tablets
Will I Use Them?: Yes, already use them

I must say these are brilliant! I have already benefitted from them in way of opening up a phone and a Baofeng radio. Despite looking weak and puny these tools are as tough as old boots. I really can't complain at the price. A great addition to any tool box.

Anti-Snooring Device

Price: 20p
Description: Anti-Snooring Sleep Apnea Device
Will I Use This: haha No chance!

Why I bought this strange device is anyone's guess.  I think I was curious as to how it works? For the cheap price of 20p it was worth a look.
To this day it is still unclear as to what this device actually is? On the box it shows images of people running away from a presumed disaster coving their faces to avoid smoke/dust inhalation. It looks like a still image from the 9/11 attack?
The image adorning the front of the box shows a woman asleep in bed with one of these shoved up her nose. So what function does this device serve? Is it a smog/pollution filter or an Anti-Snooring Device?
Inside this nasal aid is nothing more than a thin piece of sponge... So it serves neither purpose I would suggest!

V For Vendetta Pendant + Chain

Price: 60p
Description:
Will I Use This?: Probably not
I saw this Vendetta Pendant lurking around the auction items of the seller I bought the masks from. Does he/she have a thing for vendetta? Who knows.
This pendant + chain ensemble cost considerably less than a pound which is quite remarkable when you consider the actual
size of this thing when it arrives.  The Guy fawkes face is a couple of inches long and feels weighty and solid. I wasn't expecting much if I'm being honest so being presented with this was a nice bonus.
Not sure I will use this chain. It's as big as a 1970's medallion often worn on top of an unbuttoned shirt. Very 'saturday night fever'


I must stop buying cheap tat!

Military Sighting Compass Review

Aphoristic Does Bush Craft 


Fake Meridian Prismatic Sighting Compass

Price: £3.00 winning bid usually go for £5-£7
Manufacturer: unknown
Model: unknown (K&R Meridian copy)
Description: Military Prismatic sighting Compass
Features: lensatic sighting, side ruler,  glow in the dark dial, spirit level, neck lanyard, marching line. Hard outer case.
Vendor: Seller bestbuy266
Shipped From: UK
What's in the packet?: Compass, neck lanyard,  comprehensive instruction booklet and green nylon carry pouch

For something so cheap it is well presented

First Impressions
I have been looking at these metal framed compasses for a while now and thought I might pull the trigger once a reasonably priced one came along. Lucky for me a UK based firm had this counterfeit Meridian up on auction with a low starting price. The normal ebay price of this model varies from £6 to £10 with free shipping so bagging this one for £3 in the end seemed an achievement.
After a couple of days the compass arrived nicely packaged.
Inside the main postal cardboard box was a rather crap looking retail box. It looked awful. Not the best first impression.
Thankfully a rather nice green pouch slipped out which felt like it had a bit of weight to it.  Inside the nylon pouch was the metal compass and a handy instruction manual.


The Real Meridian

Precision made in Germany by Kasper & Richter the original Meridian was a rugged Prism sighting compass with an appealing appearance and a strong reputation for its quality and reliability. These days it seems that this original model may have been discontinued? The K&R website makes no mention but instead promotes the improved Meridian Pro. This update features a side fitted inclination thing? 

Here is a link to the website Meridian Pro

In terms of looks then my fake copy isn't that far off the real thing. Taking a second look and a few little differences can be noticed but its not a big deal.  Lol I wager the bezel on the real Meridian isn't made from plastic!

In terms of the materials used for this cheap compass I'm in no doubt that it's cheap monkey metal being used here. It's not awful. It's just a little rough and the seni-pro paint job doesn't help the situation either. It doesn't feel very chip resistant?
So it's not like a real Meridian in that respect. Well I knew this from the start and for the £3 I paid it would be daft to expect anything else. Overall considering the build quality and the materials used I would say that this compass should be durable enough for most situations. I'm referring to the outside case here and not the cheap plastic bits on the inside.  Notably cheap plastic can be seen on the silver Bezel. A solid aluminium Bezel would have been nice to be honest but thats the deal.

Testing
Although I haven't taken this thing on any kind of orienteering excersize yet I have had the chance to play around a bit with it.
The most important test for this compass is the ability to find true north on the dial. Sitting it side by side with my other known working compasses it can certainly find true north. The amount of time it takes to get there is another matter. It can take a few seconds....no matter though as long as it gets there!

Using the lens sight to pin down a coordinate is easy to do. Just look through the little hole but make sure it's level when you do it. This feature could be useful.

The little spirit level works OK. An absolute essential part of taking an accurate reading of course. Nothing bad to report there.

Not bad for a fake

Overall then a good working compass. The build quality seems worth a lot more than £3. It's likely to be hard wearing apart from the flimsy plastic bezel. Worth a punt anyway.

It even has the side ruler like the Meridian!

Rating: ✅✅✅✅4 out of 5
A fully working Meridian rip-off for £3 is a bargain and no mistake. This thing will guide you to wherever you are going...... reliably. No one will know the difference 😁

Which Baofeng Radio Is The Best?

Some thoughts on the Baofeng UV-5R and UV-82 style radios

Baofeng has become a by-word for quality budget radios over the last three or four years with millions of piece being sold across the world. When compared to the market leaders like Kenwood they offer a very cheap and easy way into amateur radio.

As I currently own two of each variety and use them on a daily basis I now have a fair idea of what's good and what's crap about the 5R and 82.
Perhaps the title of this post was a little misleading as it may suggest that I'm comparing every single Baofeng model on the market. Not true. I don't own any of the 888 style radios or any without an LCD screen for that matter.
Instead a comparison between the two most popular models to which all the others are based on anyway?!

All these Baofengs are the same?
Baofeng don't break with tradition very often it would seem. The likes of the GT-3 and GT-5 are basically UV-5R's and UV-82's underneath with a little restyling here and there to set them apart.  The menu system and functionality stay the same across the range (mostly) making one hand set virtually identical to use from any other.
This uniform and some would say lazy approach means it's easy to pick up a new model and use it straight away. - unless you haven't used a Baofeng before! lol

So without further ado here are my thoughts on both of these great value radios.


The Ubiquitous Baofeng UV-5R ( plus all variants)

UV-5RTP - This version of the 5R has 8W of power! It looks exactly like the original 5R with only a slight change to the wording on the nameplate. Definitely a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Compared to the standard 4W power output of Baofeng radios this high power 8W beast can carry that signal much further. In terms of power output and transmitting in general I don't have a problem with the 5RTP. I do have a problem with the deafness of this radio when recieving. It just doesn't pull in signals like the enhanced UV-5RE and later models. Side by side the recieve performance of this radio is shite.

UV-5RE - I really like this radio for a couple of reasons. Firstly this was the enhanced version of the 5R which not only had a new silver front plate on the radio but also shipped with the improved A-V85 stock antenna (which came from the UV-82).
The second reason was the newer 5R firmware inside. Now sporting the 297 build the signal meter now worked and scanning channels seemed quicker?

And the Baofeng UV-82 

This radio was originally billed as being a complete redesign of the 5R from the ground up and I suppose it is. This Radio features a larger commercial size form factor with a 1W speaker providing a more fuller and richer sound than the smaller 0.7W speaker found on the 5R.  The advantage of a dual PTT button will win the vote with some people. Transmit and recieve performance is better than the 5R. This could be due to the upgraded chipset inside. 

Despite looking different the functionality is the same on both radios with only a few small differences to tell them apart. The Band and VFO/MR button are present on the 5R but not on the 82. The lack of a band button is not a big deal as the radio will switch between them automatically thus making a button redundant. Loosing the VFO or frequency mode button is more of a problem on the 82. To program a frequency into the handset (without the software) involves a convoluted series of procedures on the 82 which can be a little annoying but not a deal breaker by any means.

Overall I like both radios but the UV-82 is a more grown up looking handy with decent performance. Generally this model tends to be a few pounds more expensive but the savvy ebay surfers could get one for as little as £20 (like I did!) Which is cheaper than a 5R in most cases.

I would recommend both radios but the 82 has become my firm favourite.

The eBay Magnesium Fire Striker Scam

Aphoristic Does Bush Craft

Ebay Magnesium Fire Striker Scam

Which kit offers the best value for money?

Whilst checking over my survival gear the other day I noticed something rather amusing.
During one of my ebay shopping sprees I had purchased two different type of Magnesium Fire Striker/Fire Steel kits.
The first one acquired was a short 2-3 inch rod + striker, the second being a much longer 5-6 inch rod + striker. The longer of the two was much thicker in diameter and overall seemed more substantial.
Both rods cost roughly about the same which meant that the larger of the two seemed a much better proposition and great value for money.

The short rod + striker arrived first and worked well under testing. I was quite easy to make a fire.
It seems good quality and likely to last for a long time.

The extra long rod + striker arrived eventually and all was good until it came the time to test it.
Despite my best efforts I could not get any sparks what-so-ever. It was a little bit strange? Was this just a steel rod in disguise?

Can you see it? 

Turning the rod over revealed something rather bizarre.
Instead of the whole bar being made from a single piece of Magnesium like the shorter one, we get a full steel bar with a much thinner bead of Magnesium cut into a channel down one side?! The cheeky beggars!

Magnesium Rod is set in a channel

To be fair, the rod and striker do work provided your run the striker directly in one particular place.  The only problem with this is wear and tear over time. With only one side of the rod being used for striking, it won't be long before it's worn away. 

Bad design. Must try harder lads!

When the actual surface area of Magnesium is measured on both size rods it's the smaller one which has the most material and is the more versatile.
Simply wrapping a thin Magnesium rod in a steel bar is a blatant fraud imo.
There is no need to build a rod + striker kit like this - other than to fox the general public into thinking they are getting more.
It's amusing to say the least.

There's a lesson to be learned here I'm sure.

New European PMR446 Channel Allocations

News.

According to my fellow CTDX group member Del Boy,  a new PMR channel expansion has been proposed across Europe affecting both the analogue and digital band slots.
This effectively expands the analogue 446 platform from 8 to 16 channels and the digital platform to 16 or 32 channels.

The changes to the digital platform take effect from 2018 (presumably the UK will be included in that) with the new analogue allocation expected at the same time.
Some have already retuned their radios ahead of time but wether anyone will start using these channels unofficially before the 2018 date is debatable.

Is this the big shift that will kill off regular CB 27Mhz for good?
I don't think so, it seems that CB radio is still popular in certain areas and it would require a monumental shift in 446 adoption by the public to kill off CB popularity. -

As it's virtually impossible to buy a blister pack of 16 channel analogue Walkie-Talkies at the moment it's likely that the only early adopters of these extra channels (before 2018) will be the owners of ham radios.

The advantages of the extra channel require no explanation. The good old straight eight can become very congested at times and quite often you can be competing with big stores and motorcycle instructors for air space... Having the extra channels allows a little room to breath at least.

I think this proposal is a great idea and might just breath a bit of life into the PMR scene.
As a regular user of PMR 446 I wish that these changes could happen sooner but nevermind.


For all the latest PMR and CB news visit Del boys blog!
Del Boys 446 site
Del Boys Main Site

Charlie Tango DX Group 
CT DX

Baofeng UV-82 Spare Battery Deal

Spare Batteries for my Baofeng UV-82's

Twin pack of white label Baofeng BL-8

Price: £12.99 currently with free shipping
Manufacturer: Genuine Baofeng
Model: BL-8
Specifications: 3000mAh 7.4V
Description: 2 x Baofeng 7.4V BL-8L 3000mAh Li-ion Battery for UV-82 UV-82L
Vendor nextbigthink
Shipped From: UK or Germany

The 82L battery fits better than the one that came with it!

This isn't really a review as such more a recommendation regarding the acquisition of spare Baofeng UV-82 batteries. As I recently purchased two such radios I thought it was wise to buy up a few spares.
I didn't really want to wait a fortnight for some to ship from China so finding the best price from a UK seller on eBay was the only solution.
Happily for me I found a good deal on a twin pack of UV-82L batteries. Presumably the 'L' was an abbreviation of large capacity? The label rating of these particular batteries were 3000mAh which will undoubtedly be bullshit. - just the standard 1700mAh type I suspect but I'm not bothered about that.

Black Label = 2800mAh  White Label = 3000mAh 

There are many counterfeit batteries hidden amongst the ebay listings and it can be a nightmare finding a reputable seller with the genuine article.
I'm glad to say that these batteries are the real deal (at least I think they are?) and the seller has the relevant Baofeng reseller approval certification. I have bought radio equipment from these guys before and never had any problems so I trust them for now.

After the initial three charges and discharges the batteries were tested one after the other in my Misuta 82.
Everything worked as normal and the batteries lasted the same length of time as the standard one supplied with the radio. Lol no way are these 3000mAh!


So that's it, two fully working battery replacements. Handy handy handy!

Great value for money 👍 😁😁😁😁

Bear Claw BBQ Meat Shredder Review

Bear Claw BBQ Meat Shredders

Price: £1 free shipping
Manufacturer: unknown
Description: 1 pair bear paws/claws meat handler
Weight: 100g (50g each)
Materials: ABS plastic
Vendor: seller doitbest2010 via ebay
Shipped From: Kowloon, HK


First Impressions
(This is just a quick review and first impression)
As I glided through an ebay sellers shop I came across these in the auction section going for £1 approximately. Without giving it much thought I bid on them and won.
Listed as BBQ Meat pullers or shredders this pair of plastic claws promised to make light work of any large chunk of protein.

I hadn't heard of these Bear Claw meat shredders before so I was curious about what I would actually recieve.
Judging by the listing photos these things looked quite sharp and aggressive. The individual claws looked like they measured about 2-3 inches in length.
One wonders if these claws were made with self defence in mind as well as the meat shredding?

After a few weeks of waiting they finally arrived from Kowloon. Packaging wasn't such a big deal with this order. No real special care was needed as these claws are virtually indestructible as it turns out.
Inside the plastic bag were the two bear claws, made from an ABS tough plastic and black in appearance. The five claws on each handle were indeed very sharp and I did manage to stab myself a few times completely by accident!

In terms of durability these claws would take a fair bit of force before they might buckle and snap. They feel really firm and tough.
Gripping the claw handles is quite comfortable. The actual hole where the hand is placed is large enough to accommodate the biggest of hands making these a '1 claw fits all' item.

One nice feature of these claws is their weight. At 50g each they weigh hardly anything. Surprisingly light and yet incredibly strong.

Testing
At this point in time I don't have a hog roast or side of Beef to test these claws on which is a shame. Confidence is high though.
I don't doubt that these will do the job and do it well.

Going back to the previous mention of them possibly being self defence claws.... it wouldn't surprise me! if we can have tactical pens and tactical spike rings then why not tactical BBQ claws?
Thankfully I don't think that these claws are illegal to carry! lol

In conclusion I'm quite impressed with these items.  A novelty perhaps but definitely practical.
These Bear claws could make a good gift idea for someone who do a lot of cooking.  They would certainly be a talking point.

Rating: ✅✅✅✅✅ 5 out of 5
A straight 5 score for these unusual kitchen implements. They are strong and light and unlikely to break under normal circumstances.

Wether it's shredding a particulally large piece of Pork or shredding up an assailant you really can't go wrong for a quid!

Radio Mysteries: Ice X2 12W UHF Transceiver

Has Anyone Seen This Radio?

The Ice X2 12W UHF Transceiver 

I  was searching YouTube for some UV-82 review videos when I came across this video from December 2015. It features a Baofeng style 888s two-way radio which has a claimed output of >12W. - This sounds incredible and would be a guaranteed top seller but where is it? Who has one? Why are they not all over the ebay and Amazon listings? I'm a little confused. 

Here is the video...

One wonders if this radio ever existed? Is it a hoax video? Who knows.
I'm struggling to find any real information about this model on the internet, it's all very strange......

😏

GloveLite Torch Review

Flashlight Fiesta


GloveLite - Glove Torch 

Price: £1.95 free shipping
Manufacturer: unknown
Power: 2 X unknown mini LEDs
Run By: 2 X button cells
Shipped From:Dar es Salaam 

First Impressions
After waiting for what seemed like a decade, my new novelty 'Glove Light' torch finally arrived upon the doorstep to my frantic ripping of the crap plastic bag packaging.
This little parcel didn't actually ship from Hong Kong as stated on the auction lot, no this flew in from Dar es Salaam which is near Tanzania or somewhere? Who cares! I opened the package.......

What a confounded pile of tut! The outer box was cheap and crap looking. 
Inside the 'Glove' (if you can call it that) looked like the left overs from a surgical support bandage and the little LED's on the fingers pointless.
That may sound a little harsh but that's how it is. 
Not worth the £1.95 asking price at all. More like 50p fire sale stock to be honest.

It's such a bad piece of kit that I had considered leaving this review unwritten. Sigh...it's bloody awful.


Testing

Hmm, as far as performance goes, this strap on Flashlight bandage is absolutely crap. Yes it does offer some kind of modest illumination but it's only really effective at very close range. The concept of using your fingers as torches is a strange one. It never really feels quite right somehow.
I'm finding it hard to find an everyday application for this glove. It's simply pointless. 

Rating: ✅ 1 out of 5 
Hmm I give it a 1 for novelty value and nothing more.
I won't be daft enough to buy something like this again!
It's utter tat from the devil's toilet bowl - 

Baofeng UV-82 V Misuta UV-82+

 

Comparison: Baofeng V Misuta UV-82 FM Transceiver
Whats new and what's not!

Firmware Version: N822413
Both of these radios use the same firmware

Baofeng UV-82 and Misuta UV-82+

Following on my last post highlighting the fantastic Misuta 82+
Review Here.
I thought I might compare this model with a brand new standard Baofeng 82 which conveniently arrived in the post yesterday.
I wanted to see what all the hype was all about and get to the bottom of this '2016 upgraded cross-over' myth.

First of all both of these radios arrive in different boxes. The Misuta box is much smaller than the Baofeng.
Inside the box we find exactly the same bundled accessories with only two exceptions. The A-V85 antenna is slightly longer on the Misuta than the Baofeng and both of the belt clips are different in design.

Different belt clips

Other than those two small differences, the contents of the boxes are identical. 

Lifting both radios straight from their boxes it was difficult to see any immediate cosmetic differences between the two. It was only after rotating the Misuta in my hand that some subtle changes were noticed.

Cosmetic Differences On The Misuta UV-82+

• Separate PTT buttons (not a one piece rocker switch)
• No white lettering on the secondary side buttons
• Battery sticker says '3150mAh 
• Longer Antenna with no Baofeng branding
• Larger belt clip
• Misuta face plate replacing Baofeng 

Both Antennas perform the same

Internal Differences On The Misuta UV-82+

• None Whatsoever!

Ha! Just as I suspected! The overall performance of both radios is Identical to each other. Both transmit and receive with the same sound quality and strength of signal. Both are great radios but not perfect. The same trademark Baofeng choppy front end is still in evidence here. Baofeng owners will know this already. The Misuta battery claims to have a 3150mAh capacity but this is utter crap. In truth, both of the batteries on these radios are 1700mAh much like the UV-5R.  Both batteries lasted the same amount of time.

In general both of these radios performed marginally better than the celebrated UV-5R. 

2016 Upgraded Cross-over Version

I'm still at a loss as to where this cross-over comes in? Yes, the Misuta UV-82 is a slight redesign over its fellow Baofeng  and it does come with a higher capacity battery (or so they would have you believe) but to suggest that the internals have been overhauled is outrageous! Lol

Getting Baofeng to make your Radios

It's common knowledge that Baofeng will rebadge their radios for third party companies if they order enough of them and allegedly a stipulation of the contract is that the rebadged radios must not carry the Baofeng name anywhere on the radio. This is certainly true of the Misuta UV-82+. Baofeng only appears on the Chassis of the radio behind the battery and nowhere else. It is also alleged that Baofeng will print anything on those battery stickers. So if Misuta wanted them to be 5000mAh then no problem! Put a sticker on a standard 1700mAh battery. The Misuta has a unbranded antenna......more contract rules?.. hmm

I'm not making a big thing of this. Both radios cost the same and work the same. That isn't a problem. It's the lies and bullshit in order to sell more that's slightly annoying. 

My theory is that the ebay sellers add further crap to the claims by adding the 'new chipset' upgrade bull to the listings. The Misuta is meant to have a new chipset? Where is it then? I suspect that this new chipset bull is a throw back to when the original 82 came out. Indeed the original 82 was an overhaul and a total redesign over the UV-5R but that was about 3-4 years ago I think? Lol

 There has been no recent overhauls to the 82 innards as far as I'm aware.

So what can I make of this comparison? Well I like both of these radios but the Misuta is my favourite. The redesigned dual PTT is a helpful addition and the extra flexibility of the longer antenna is a bonus.

Misuta UV-82+ FM Transceiver Review

Baofeng X Misuta UV-82 plus dual band FM Transceiver

Price: £25.49 free shipping

Manufacturer: Baofeng / Misuta

Model: UV-82+

Power: 1W / 5W

Run By: 8.2V Lithium battery

Frequencies: 136-174MHz / 400-520MHz

Features: 

• Dual PTT buttons
• Dual Channel/ dual standby
• 3 Colour LCD display
• 128 channel memory
• Long battery life
• Dual PTT lapel mic / ear phone
• FM Radio
• Alarm
• High gain Antenna
• LED Flashlight
• Upgraded 2016 version*

Vendor: seller  theone-outlet   via ebay

Shipped from: UK 

Description: 2016 latest model. High capacity battery.

First Impressions

On the look out for a new radio I was looking to buy a standard Baofeng UV-82 from eBay. Prices are normally around the £25 mark which is only a few pounds more than the UV-5R.  Looking through the listings I saw this Misuta version of the 82 or as it's commonly known 'Baofeng X Misuta cross-over version'. I was intreged to say the least. The price was the same as the normal 82 so I ordered one. 

The radio arrived in only a couple of days and was well packaged. Thanks to the seller for a really good transaction. 👍

Inside the box we find the standard Baofeng bundle (mic, lanyard, instructions, belt clip, antenna) along with the radio and battery. 

The outer cardboard box says 'Misuta' on it but thats the only difference over the standard 82 so far

I'm guessing the Misuta stuff is going to be under the bonnet of the radio rather than any restyling? 

It might be a good opportunity to mention what 'Misuta' actually means. Well it's Japanese for 'Mister' or 'MR' which is perhaps why the logo has a huge moustache for an M?! anyway Misuta are a Japanese firm who apparently tweaked the radio?! How though?

*2016 Misuta Cross-over:

•  Higher Capacity 3100mAh Lithium Battery
• Improved circuitry
• Improved RX 
• Improved TX
• Improved front end

 Separate transmit buttons

Standard UV-82 battery by the looks of things

Cosmetically the only differences between this model and the standard 82 seem to be separate dual PTT  switches rather than the usual one piece rocker button. This actually helps select the right channel. 

The secondary buttons on the side are now totally black. The original had F and M printed in white. 

The Flashlight and RX/TX LED's are situated on the top of the radio.

Testing
Anyone familiar with a Baofeng radio will find this radio no different to any other in terms of its menu system and general setup.
As I already own two UV-5R's the setup was done in a matter of minutes. Unlike the 5R the 82 doesn't have the VFO/MR button to toggle between frequency and channel modes.  Instead of a button Baofeng decided that switching the radio off and holding the 'menu' key then switching it back on was better!? - it's a pain in the arse to me but nevermind.

Recieve quality on this radio is very good. The sound is loud with a subtle bass note to it.
Compared to a UV-5RE it performs marginally better when it comes to recieving signals. The signal meter on the LCD display seems to have been optimised and responds to the slightest change. - this meter was unusable in previous Baofeng radios from the past. It's more responsive than the 5RE (which had enhancements itself) meter.

When it comes to transmitting on the Misuta it's very much the same as my UV-5RE.  The signal was clear over short distances but became a little choppy the further apart the radios got.

As with all Baofeng radios the front end can become overloaded very easily and this improved version was no better at minimising the effects.

Overall it's a good radio. A solid performer. It looks and sounds the part. And for £25 it's impossible to find a rival.

*2016 Upgraded Version?
So now I'm wondering where these so called improvements have been made? Unfortunately I don't have a standard Baofeng UV-82 handy to compare with the Misuta at the moment.  A back to back test with a standard model will reveal of any electronic upgrades have been made.
One of the upgrade claims is the capacity of the battery. According to the sticker on the battery it's a 3150mAh! - not really, infact it's probably a normal 1700mAh standard one with a bogus sticker on it. - further testing is in progress.
At the moment the only thing I have to go on is the general internet stock photo of the electronic upgrades

This upgraded chip photo is attached to the other Misuta radios on ebay which suggests misutas handy work perhaps? But then I find the same photo on other slightly older Baofeng branded radios and I'm confused?
Without opening up the radio I can confirm which chips are on there?

Until I get a standard Baofeng UV-82 to compare, I can only speculate that Misuta have done little to nothing in way of improving this radio. Just a re-badging excersize perhaps? - updates to follow.


Rating: 4 out of 5 ✅✅✅✅
The radio itself is really good. It's looks and feels like a professional radio and it's a fraction of the price of Kenwoods.
It only gets a 4 because of the inflated battery capacity lie and other potential falsehoods. Still a good radio! Great value for money


Review to be updated soon