Baofeng UV-82HP Review | A perfect High-power dual band 2-way radio

If you have ever taken your time to search for the Best high-power dual-band 2-way ham radios with improved battery life and great coverage, you would have undoubtedly come across the Baofeng Radio UV-82HP.

A seamless blend of functionality and simplicity, this is a ham radio suited for the amateur radio user looking to start up his or her radio experience with a highly functional, yet relatively easy radio.

The Baofeng UV-82HP is an upgrade to the Baofeng UV-82 and claims to provide improved battery life and by extension, improved power and performance.

Today, our Baofeng UV-82HP Review would be putting these claims (as well as many others flooding the internet) to the test as we review this device.

 

Our First Impression Of The Baofeng UV-82HP Review

Without a doubt, the Baofeng UV-82HP has a pretty sleek design, and we can say for certain that the very first impression we had of this device was pretty impressive.

Just out of the box, the UV-82HP comes with the ham radio essentials ─ a powerpack and adaptor, the radio, an antenna, a belt clip, wrist wrap, an 1800 mAh battery, a headset, and a user manual, all wrapped up in a neat package.

On handling the UV-82HP, we decided that we pretty much liked the feel and fit to it ─ substantial enough that the device doesn’t feel too light when held, but still has that portable design and feel to it that makes it comfortable enough to be carried around in the pocket or clipped to a belt.

We also like the fact that the Baofeng UV-82HP comes equipped with an in-built flashlight, and on testing this flashlight, we must admit, Baofeng really did outdo themselves on this one. Pretty bright and far-reaching, the UV-82HP’s flashlight would probably rank amongst the best in-built flashlights we’ve ever come across on any ham radio.

Finally, we took a quick glance through the user manual that came with the device, and again we were pretty impressed. Written excellently in English, the manual is pretty much explanatory and easy to use. Baofeng really should be commended for producing such an excellently written English manual.

All in all, the Baofeng UV-82HP seemed pretty good on the surface. Since most products usually are though, we decided to carry out a more detailed analysis of the device to find out if this device is really as good as it seems at the first glance or if there were any issues we should be worried about.

What Makes this Baofeng UV-82HP Unique?

• It has three Power Levels (1 watt, 5watt, and 7/8 watt).
• Frequency Mode: VFO/ MR can be locked via software.
• The Dual Push-to-Talk Switch can be synchronized via software to simplify the operation of the radio.
• A new 90 Page In-Depth User’s Guide.
• It includes the High Gain V-85 Antenna to Optimize Performance.
• Full Accessory Compatibility with all Baofeng UV-82 accessories.

 

Specs

What Did The Baofeng UV-82HP Get Right?

Quite frankly, we loved quite a lot of things about this device. Below are just a few of them:

What Did The Baofeng UV-82HP Get Wrong?

During our tests, we only really had one major dislike for the device, and that’s the fact that the device had no dedicated VFO memory mode switch. This meant that each time we wanted to switch from VFO (frequency mode) to memory (channel mode), we had to first turn off the device and then turn it on while pressing and holding the menu button to switch from one mode to the other. Apart from that, the UV-82HP pretty much surpassed all our expectations.

Easy setup and Programming

After unpacking the Baofeng UV-82HP it took us just a few minutes to get the radio set up, attaching the belt clip, wrist wrap, and antenna. After that, all we had to do was program the device.

Programming the Baofeng UV-82HP pretty much follows the same procedure as the majority of Baofeng’s other ham radios. The device can be programmed manually, but this can be a bit tasking and even confusing if you are new to using ham radios.

In such a case, we advise that you use a ham radio programming software like CHIRP. This would require you to use a computer and would require the appropriate programming cable but would be much easier and faster. The UV-82HP user manual also provides quite some useful information about setting up the device so you might want to check it out before you try anything else.

Related: Best Baofeng Radio

Performance – Baofeng UV-82HP

After setting up and programming the UV-82HP, we then began testing the radio’s performance. We first ran a receiver-transmitter test and then worked our way down from there.

Receiver/Transmitter Test

The first thing we noticed when we began testing the performance of the UV-82HP’s receiver and the transmitter was the improved range. While transmitting with this device, we were able to get a bit over 3.6 miles over a slightly wooded area while using a Baofeng UV-5RE as a receiver. When compared to the 3.2 miles gained from using two Baofeng UV-5RE, the improvement in the UV-82HP’s range was made pretty obvious.

Another thing we were able to notice was the UV-82HP’s improved speaker quality which provided a better clearer sounding receiver experience and was a good deal louder than basically every other radio on the Baofeng UV series. This was most likely due to the improved power on the UV-82HP.

Range Test

After carrying out the receiver/transmitter test on the UV-82HP, our next step was to test out the radio’s range. From the results of the receiver/transmitter test, we had great hopes for this device’s range and we are glad to announce to you that the UV-82HP did not disappoint.

To start up the range test of our Baofeng UV-82HP, we decided to begin by examining the claims about the device we could find online, then working our way up or down depending on our initial result.

Connecting to a repeater about 50 miles away, we were able to access the repeater clearly with the UV-82HP while our UV-5RE was unable to make the connection. Deciding to put the UV-82HP’s range through the wringer, we began driving even farther, stopping after every extra mile to connect to the repeater. Each time, we were able to access the repeater clearly up to about 58 miles till connection quality dropped.

Having carried out this test using the UV-82HP’s maximum power of 8 watts, we decided to try out the range over the much lesser 5 watts but were unable to connect even at 50 miles.

Push-to-talk (PTT) Test

Having carried out the receiver/transmitter and range tests on the UV-82HP, we decided to test one of the biggest changes made to the Baofeng UV-82HP ─ the dual PTT feature.

Located at the topmost part of the left-hand side of the ham radio, the dual push-to-talk feature allows users of the Baofeng UV-82HP to easily switch between Bands A and B without needing to manually input channel frequencies. This feature alone would be a lot of advantages to users who usually connect over a large number of channels and would love an easier way of switching between channels.

When testing the functionality of the dual PTT buttons, we decided that we rather liked how this feature worked on the UV-82HP. With the buttons located at the top part of the device’s lefthand side and properly spaced, the UV-82HP’s dual PTT buttons can be very easily accessed with the index and middle fingers of the right hand.

The only issue with the UV-82HP’s dual PTT feature that we could notice was the fact that we couldn’t receive on both bands at the same time. This is quite understandable when you consider that the UV-82HP is a semi-duplex radio. Nevertheless, we would have really loved it if that was possible.

Finally, we also loved the fact that the UV-82HP also came with the option to disable the dual PTT option making if you ever want to. This makes this device also great for individuals who would rather stick to a single PTT.

Battery Test

Finally, we tested the biggest claim of the Baofeng UV-82HP, the improved power, and once again, we were pretty impressed. Comparing the Baofeng UV-82HP with the other handheld radios in our possession, the UV-82HP was able to outlast every single one of them quite easily with even a few more hours to spare. We also found that we improve the device’s battery life even more by reducing the UV-82HP’s power outage.

Other Things We Noticed

During the series of tests we carried out on the UV-82HP, we were able to notice a few extra things about the device.

First was the flashlight on the device. We really loved this addition to the device, and our love grew even more after seeing the flashlight in action ─ this device really throws out a beam!

Another thing we loved was the FM radio and alarm option on this device which pretty much gave us an all-in-one feel to it. All in all, we have to say, we were PRETTY impressed.

 

Our Verdict

With the Baofeng UV-82HP, the decision was pretty unanimous ─ we ALL loved this device. From the improved power to the longer range to the dual PTT, there was pretty much so much to love.

Add to that the fact there this device has basically no bugs, the Baofeng UV-82HP definitely makes a great choice for the target audience ─ both beginners and experienced ham radio users looking for a simple handheld radio with nice features.

FAQs

Q-1. Why is UHF handheld radio is great Choose?

Ans. The UHF Handheld Radio That Saved My Life, How?

The UHF handheld radio, I know this is going to be an atypical story, a real and true case of how individual results may vary when trying a product. You shouldn’t make any purchases or other financial decisions based on long shots like the one I’m about to describe, but I feel like I wouldn’t be doing the right thing if I didn’t tout the product that helped me when I thought I was going to die. It wasn’t a gun or some other weapon, not a vehicle that I drove away in either. I’m still alive today because of a UHF handheld radio that made a call when I needed it.

I was out for a hike in a hilly forest one day when I took a tumble and messed up my left leg really bad. The thing broke so fiercely I could see one of the bones sticking out just below my knee. It was a gruesome, painful experience and I was unable to just get up and walk out of there after that. Thankfully I had my UHF handheld radio on my hip and I was able to make the call that brought help looking for me. Without that device, I could have literally died from exposure. My radio saved my life.

There are probably lots of other stories like this for other devices and even other radios, but that doesn’t change how I feel about the particular UHF handheld radio which got me out of that bind. It’s a really good radio; small, powerful, and efficient with long-lasting battery life you can depend on. It’s because the device still had a charge when I reached for it that I was able to call for help in the first place so it seems like I should say something about the battery. While it isn’t the best UHF handheld radio, I really like it.

The Olympia Professional Hand-Held UHF Analog Business Radio really came through for me when I needed it. I was able to use a few of the 32 channels I had actually programmed to call for help in a couple of different ways. The relief I felt when someone finally found me is just indescribable and it’s all because of this radio that I’m around to even write this. It is by no means a comprehensive review of the product but more like my way of saying thanks and spreading the word about something which I know works. You can count on this UHF handheld radio.

Photo: amazon.com