Baofeng UV-B5: Flashlight Mod

You know I like opening radios up for no apparent reason. This UV-B5 was especially attractive to me - look two rotary encoders with that easily breakable blue plastic!

But that's not the point...

See, this enterprising soul has discovered that you can add a flashlight to the UV-B5:

"Just underneath where the rotary knob is the two holes for the flashlight L.E.D. on the UV-B6 model. 

Even though the circuit board is printed UV-B5; I assume that both radio's have the same circuit boards? 

It also look like the switching transistor for the L.E.D. next to it. I wonder if you put an led in here whether it would light up? If so maybe a backlight mod can be done as the button under the monitor IS wired in circuit (On the B5). I take it that the flashlight on the UV-B6 is either ON or OFF and doesn't flash? if so then this has given me food for thought!"

Then:

"Just temporarily put an L.E.D. in the holes and it works! So a mod can be done to have a UV-B5 with a flashlight!! All the components ARE already in circuit on the PCB."

Now some may ask "Why?" when you could get a UV-B6. To them I say, why not? Also, you could have both a flash light and knob for changing channels.

Via the UV-B5 Yahoo Group

AnyTone AT-398UV

On AliExpress, the AnyTone AT-398UV is available for $96 + $31 shipping.

Frequency Range:
(RX:) FM: 136-174MHZ + 400-480MHZ
(TX:) FM: 136-174MHZ + 400-480MHZ
FM Radio: 76-108MHZ

Function:
Working mode: UU, UV,V V, U,V
200 Channels+2 groups VFO
Output Power: 5W/0.5W
51 groups+1 group user defined CTCSS+1024 group DCS encode and decode.
DTMF encode and decode
2 Tone/5Tone encode and decode
Multi scan: VFO scan +channel Scan+ Priority scan
+CTCSS scan+DCS scan
VOX function(10 levels) multi-scrambler
Wide/narrow band
Squelch Tail Elimination




Accessories:
One charger
One Li-ion battery (1500mAh)
one rubber antenna
one user manual

AnyTone AT-3318UV

On AliExpress, the AnyTone AT-3318UV is available for $96 + $31 shipping.

Frequency Range:
(RX:) FM: 136-174MHZ + 400-480MHZ
(TX:) FM: 136-174MHZ + 400-480MHZ
FM Radio: 76-108MHZ

Function:
Working mode: UU, UV,V V, U,V
200 Channels+2 groups VFO
Output Power: 5W/0.5W
51 groups+1group user defined CTCSS+1024 group DCS encode and decode.
DTMF encode and decode
2 Tone/5Tone encode and decode
Multi scan: VFO scan +channel Scan+ Priority scan
+CTCSS scan+DCS scan
VOX function(10 levels) multi-scrambler
Wide/narrow band
Squelch Tail Elimination

Accessories:
One charger
One Li-ion battery (1500mAh)
one rubber antenna
one user manual 
One PC cable

Anytone AT-3318UV and AT-398UV

Anyone? I'm googling now.

bbrannan @brickolore Hey, you ever heard of an Anytone AT-3318UV or AT-398UV? Another with true dual band receive maybe. Mon, Jul 29 17:37:09 from web

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Web: http://t.co/G8WB608ghR

Bio: Cohost of Triple-Click Home and the Porkcast podcasts, ham radio op, SF fan, Seeing Eye dog user, & geek. http://t.co/opsNV48MVP http://t.co/PecedPG0Kg

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TLDR

TLDR

Chromecast Humor

Check out the model numbers on Chromecast and its charger.

Weierwei VEV-789 and VEV-889: Pricing

I got an e-mail back from the folks at Weierwei Radios with pricing for single units of the VEV-789 and VEV-889.

VEV-789VHF and 898UHF = $163

Also, the VEV-768 is $146. I just noticed the model on the site is actually listed as a VEV-768+. I don't know if that changed or I missed it.

Updates from Hans

KSUN KS-8R
What's different from all the others? Two memory banks with 128 spots each.

Quansheng TG-620
What's different from all the others? 245 MHz for Thailand or somewhere similar. I thought they had to be red, too.

Tesunho/EDCGear TH-UV7R
What's different from all the others? Colors for the operator who operates in operations. I want to build one of my AR-15 lowers in FDE, so maybe I need one of these to match.

Monoprice and Amazon Basics

I've bought my share of inexpensive electronics. If I need some cables, adapters, or other miscellaneous small electronics and I am wanting to save money, but avoid some risk, I usually check two places.

Monoprice (Coupon "xmasinjuly" good for 5% off today and tomorrow.) - I've bought a ton of network patch cables from them along with other cables.

- or -

Amazon Basics - These are Amazon store brand electronics. I've had bad luck with iPhone chargers and the like from overseas. Amazon's stuff is higher quality without paying a premium.

I fixed something.

My iPhone 5 thought the headphones were plugged in - even though they weren't. This meant no sound was coming out of the handset speaker.

I tried the fixes here, but what actually worked for me was removing almost all of the cotton from one end of a Q-tip. I gave it a little twist in the headphone jack cavity and pulled something out. That little black spec was the cause of all my problems. I was expecting a little metal shaving of some sort, but it looked more like lent.