[chirp_users] Decoding BaoFeng 6+Power-On Message ?

[Peter]

Some BaoFeng radios include a "6+Power-On Message" which can be 
displayed by holding down the 6 key while powering on the radio. These 
message strings are stored in "6+Power-On Message" lines 1 & 2 as 
displayed by CHIRP in "Settings" > "Other Settings".

Line 1 of the "6+Power-On Message" is apparently included (in 
parentheses) in the filenames of some of the CHIRP recovery images 
maintained at Jim's site, here:

http://kc9hi.dyndns.org/uv5r/programming/CHIRPrecovery/

For example, "N82-33 US2S35(150602N)(factory).img" includes "(150602N)" 
in the filename.  I believe this image applies to the BaoFeng UV-82HP, 
and one of these units I own did include "150602N" in line 1 of the 
"6+Power-On Message".  I say "did" because apparently this string is 
cleared by resetting the radio to factory defaults via MENU > 40 > RESET 
 > ALL.

Anyway, these strings look suspiciously like manufacturing date codes.  
For example, 150602N would decode to 2015-06-02, which is just a few 
months before the "Last modified" file date of 12-Oct-2015 (as displayed 
in the CHIRP recovery image listing in the web browser).

As far as I can tell, for *all* of the files in the CHIRP recovery 
images directory which include such a string , that string decodes to a 
date that is a few days to a few months prior to the "Last modified" 
date.  And in no case does any such string decode to a date that is 
later than the "Last modified" date.

Can anyone confirm that these strings do indeed represent manufacturing 
date codes?

Also, does anyone have a radio that still displays this "6+Power-On 
Message" after resetting the radio to factory defaults?

Thanks...

(Peter)