Kenwood is offering a spring-summer rebate on select ProTalk® 400 Series business two way radios!

For every 6 Kenwood TK-2400V4P, TK-3400U4P, TK-2402V16P, TK-3402U16P two way radios purchased, you can get a $30 rebate per radio. This offer is valid for up to 60 radios purchased from May 1 until July 31, 2013. This is a great opportunity to buy two way radios or upgrade your current fleet with a potential savings of up to $1,800!

Below is a complete list of Kenwood business two way radios eligible for this rebate promotion.

To redeem your rebate, visit the Kenwood ProTalk Rebate Center and follow the instructions. This offer is fulfilled by the Kenwood directly, so the rebate will be mailed to you after Kenwood receives your rebate form. The Kenwood Rebate offer expires July 31, 2013.

NOTE: Rebates must be postmarked on or before August 6, 2013. The Kenwood rebate is NOT valid on radios delivered before May 1, 2013 or after July 31, 2013, regardless of invoice date.

Read the Kenwood promotional flyer for full details.

Today, April 18, 2013 is a special day in the world of ham radio. It's World Amateur Radio Day!

World Amateur Radio Day, or WARD is held each April 18 to commemorate the founding of The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). Founded in 1925, The IARU is an organization dedicated to the use and development of amateur radio around the globe. This year is the 88th anniversary of the IARU.

Each year the IARU chooses a theme for Amateur Radio Day, This year the theme is Amateur Radio: Entering Its Second Century of Disaster Communications. The theme commemorates the first recorded use of amateur radio in an emergency.

In March 1913, the Scioto River in Columbus, Ohio flooded the area, killing over 100 people. According to an article in the Columbus Dispatch published November 6, 2012, 15 year old Herbert V. Akerberg of Hilltop, Ohio began sending SOS messages for help via Morse code from his amateur radio during the flood. From March 26, 1913 and almost continuously for the next 72 hours, Akerberg transmitted requests for assistance for residents in the area affected by the flood. He was later commended by the city and received wide acclaim for his contribution to the advancement of amateur radio as an important communications tool for use in an emergency situation.

In celebration of World Amateur Radio Day, Buy Two Way Radios is offering a WARD special: Purchase a Baofeng UV-5R Dual Band UHF/VHF Amateur Radio and take an additional 10% off with Promo Code: HAMDAY! This special discount is valid until Midnight tonight (April 18, 2013) and is valid on the Baofeng UV-5R and all UV-5R accessories! Simply enter Promo Code: HAMDAY at checkout and your 10% discount will be applied to your order.

Note: This special is valid during World Amateur Radio Day only and expires at midnight, April 18, 2013.

The California Energy Commission (CEC) recently adopted a new efficiency standard for trickle chargers sold in California. The new rules prohibit battery chargers from charging continuously 24 hours a day. The standard applies on all chargers used to charge batteries for electronic devices such as laptops, cell phones and, of course, two way radios.

According to the CEC, an esitmated 170 million chargers are in use in households within the state. The CEC expects the new rules to save over 2,000 gigawatt hours annually, saving Californians over $300 million per year in energy costs and reduce carbon emissions by about 1 million metric tons.

California required chargers for consumer walkie talkies to comply with the new standard by February 1, 2013. Commercial chargers for business radios are required to be in compliance by January 1, 2017.

At least one manufacturer has already responded to the new rules. Icom announced in February that it has modified the chargers for its consumer radios to include timers designed to turn off the chargers after 24 hours. The affected chargers include those for Icom Amateur, Receiver and Marine products. The timers are designed to turn off the chargers after 24 hours.

We just received word that Motorola plans to increase the price of their CLS Series business radios. As of April 1, 2013, the prices on Motorola CLS radios will go up an additional $20 per unit. The CLS1110, which sold for $139, will be priced at $159 and the CLS1410, which was $159, will retail for $179.

If you are planning to purchase Motorola CLS radios for your operations or add to an existing fleet, it may be wise to do it by March 31, 2013, before the price increase goes into effect. It may save you some serious cash, especially on large purchases.

There is another good reason to buy now, before the price increase. Motorola is currently running a Free Radio promotion at Buy Two Way Radios: Buy six radios, get one FREE! For every six radios purchased, you will receive one free radio from Motorola, with a maximum of 10 free radios on a maximum purchase of 60 units!

Of course, you can still take advantage of the free radio promotion after the price increase; the promotion will continue until June 30, 2013. However, given the fact that the cost of each radio will be $20 more after April 1, the increase will likely negate any additional savings you may receive from the promotion at the current prices. Considering this, a purchase now may be a real bargain in the long run.

If you have any questions about the price increase or the free radio promotion, please call us at 800-584-1445, e-mail us or enter our live chat at Buy Two Way Radios weekdays from 8 AM to 6 PM ET.

A couple of weeks ago we launched the Two Way Radio T-Shirt Slogan Contest in our Two Way Radio Forum. The contest was open to the the public and there were two ways to win: either submit a creative, pithy slogan for our new t-shirts or simply vote on one of the ten slogans we came up with in a poll in the forum. Those who submitted slogans had the opportunity to win a pair of radios and a T-shirt with their slogan on it. Those who voted would be entered into a drawing for a free T-shirt with the slogan that won the most votes in the poll.

Well, the contest is now over and the official results are in. We are proud to announce that we have a winner each way!

The winner of the slogan submission is (drum roll please) Circuitrider! The winning slogan: It's not the wavelength. It's how you use it.
Circuitrider wins a pair of two way radios of his choice (up to $100) plus a t-shirt with his winning slogan printed on it.

We also drew a winner who voted on the ten slogans in the poll. The slogan with the most votes - Do it with Frequency. The winner of the drawing - MrRyker. He wins a FREE t-shirt with the winning slogan from the poll plus another t-shirt with the winning slogan submitted by Circuitrider.

Congratulations to our winners and thanks to everyone who participated in the Two Way Radio T-Shirt Slogan Contest sponsored by Buy Two Way Radios!

We're well known for our selection of walkie-talkies and two way radio accessories. But did you know that we carry apparel as well? More specifically, our Buy Two Way Radios T-shirt. It's not an item we've promoted much in the past, but our customers still manage to find it.

Lately, we've been thinking about re-designing our classic t-shirt to making it a lot more creative and personal. We came up with some new ideas for designs and snappy slogans so you can tell the world how you really feel about your radios.

Then, Danny had a really great idea. Let's make it really personal and give you the final say. Thus, the Two Way Radio T-Shirt Slogan Contest has now begun!

Since we are all about two way communications, we're going Two Way all the way. The contest is currently underway in our Two Way Radio Forum, complete with two prizes and two ways to win!

1. You can vote on one of the slogans we created. We came up with a list of ten snappy sayings for our new T-shirts. Simply vote on your favorite and you will be entered in a drawing to win a FREE T-shirt with a winning slogan printed on it. One vote is permitted per forum member.

2. You can create your own clever caption and post it in the forum. If we choose your saying for a T-Shirt, you win a pair of two way radios and a T-shirt with your winning slogan printed on it. There is no limit to the number of entries, so the more pithy phrases you post, the more chances you have to win.

The first way is quick. The second way is creative. You can also enter both ways. Either way, you can still win!

Note: The deadline for all votes and entries is Midnight Sunday, February 24, 2013. Winners will be announced in the Two Way Radio Forum, on our Facebook page in our blog and on Twitter.

For a limited time, when you purchase at least 6 Kenwood TK-2400V16P or TK-3400U16P two way radios, you can get a $30 rebate per radio purchased. This offer is good for up to 60 radios purchased from now until April 30, 2013. If you're shopping for new radios or are planning to add to your current fleet, now is the time to buy and save!

In addition, Kenwood is also offering a $25 rebate on the TK-3230. You can purchase up to 60 from Buy Two Way Radios for a total savings of up to $1500!

To redeem your rebate, visit the Kenwood ProTalk Rebate Center and follow the instructions. This offer is fulfilled by the Kenwood directly, so the rebate will be mailed to you after Kenwood receives your rebate form. The Kenwood Rebate offer expires April 30, 2013, so if you want to take advantage of it, now is the time to buy.

NOTE: Rebates must be postmarked on or before May 6, 2013. The Kenwood rebate is NOT valid on radios delivered before February 1, 2013 or after April 30, 2013, regardless of invoice date.

Read the Kenwood promotional flyer for full details.

The new year is here and the new product announcements are starting to roll in! We recently received information on some additions to the Motorola Talkabout line of FRS/GMRS walkie talkies that will be available later in the year and thought our loyal blog readers might be interested in the details.

There are only four new radios this year and two of them are basic, entry level models. They more than make up for it though with the MU350R - the first consumer grade FRS/GMRS radio with built-in Bluetooth support! Read on for more details.

What is Going Away

Usually when something new is released, something old is discontinued. Before I get into the new stuff, let's cover what's going away. First on the list is the Motorola T9680R-SAME. Even though this model has been around since 2008, I really hate to see it go. While it was never really a big seller, it is the only GMRS radio available that supports S.A.M.E. technology for proactive area-based weather alerts. Also going away is the MB140R, which is a very low cost radio with little range and just the basic features.

New Entry Level Models

Replacing the MB140R are two models, the MG160A and the MG167A. Like their predecessor, these are very basic entry level radios that will have an MSRP of $29.99 for a set of two. Unlike the MB140R, however, both of these models will ship absent rechargeable batteries and a charger. They will operate using standard AAA batteries, which are not included.

The most interesting thing about these new models is the color. The MG167A is hot pink from the bottom of the radio to the tip of the antenna! This is very unique and I wouldn't be surprised if it makes this set of radios a hot seller! The MG160A is identical to the MG167A except it is dark blue. Both of these models are expected to start shipping in May, 2013.

Expanding the MD Series

Last year Motorola introduced the MD200R. This radio is black with almost-obnoxious green buttons and a large PTT, but people seem to love the look. It's a low priced radio with a basic feature set, but with decent range/performance.

This year, Motorola is introducing the MD207R. They're keeping the same look as the MD200 except they're switching the obnoxious-green buttons with obnoxious-orange ones. More importantly, they're adding two of the most popular features: privacy codes and weather channels! I expect that the addition of these features will quickly make the Motorola MD207R one of the most popular radios in the line. The MSRP is $54.99 and they are expected to launch in June, 2013.

Bluetooth Support in a Consumer Grade Radio

I have saved the best for last! The Motorola MU350R will be the new flagship radio in the Talkabout line and adds several new features over current models. I'll be doing a special post taking an in-depth look at the Motorola MU350R, so we're just going to scratch the surface here.

This model will not ship with Bluetooth headsets, but will be able to pair with the same type of headsets that you use with your cell phone. This is a big deal and is something people have requested for a long time. You see this type of functionality on a business radio like the Motorola CLP1060 for 5 times the cost.

The MU350R also adds the ability to scan NOAA weather radio channels and claims to have achieved improved audio performance by adding a Class D amplifier and DSP filter. It also adds Dual Watch, which is the ability to monitor two channels at once. This model also comes with two high capacity rechargeable battery packs (NiMH), charges through a mini-USB port, and has "fast charge capabilities". The MU350R has an MSRP of $149.99 and is currently expected to ship in July, 2013.

The Motorola CLP1060 was one of the first two way radios to provide built-in support for a Bluetooth earpiece. As we mentioned in our Motorola CLP1060 review that aired last May during The Two Way Radio Show, this freedom from wires was something that many businesses had been looking forward to for years.

The CLP1060 uses standard Bluetooth technology and will work with most Bluetooth earpieces that are designed to work with cell phones. It even ships with the Motorola HK200, which is also sold separately for use with cell phones. As convenient as it seems to be to use a standard headset, the feedback that came from businesses was clear: they wanted a different earpiece. Motorola determined that businesses were looking for an earpiece that was more comfortable to wear for long shifts, was optimized for either ear, deterred theft, had longer battery life, and was less expensive to replace.

On January 10th, Motorola announced the CLP Bluetooth Accessory Kit. The "guts" of this product is the Bluetooth Pod (HKLN4512). This is a small (1.75" x 1.25" x .5") device that communicates with the CLP1060 radio using Bluetooth. A swivel earpiece with an in-line microphone (HKLN4513) is included and connects to the Pod. A charging cradle (HKLN4509) is also included for charging the battery powered pod.

This accessory kit will start shipping with the CLP1060 radios instead of the current HK200 headset later this year (estimated to be sometime in May). This addresses many of the concerns some businesses had with the previous headset and is expected to be a more business friendly solution. If you liked the old earpiece, don't get too upset about this change. The CLP1060 will still maintain compatibility with standard cell phone style Bluetooth headsets, so you can always purchase one separately.

Want more info? Check out this flyer on the Bluetooth Accessory Kit for CLP Radios.

If you have been waiting on a pre-ordered Midland GXT2000VP4 radio, we have great news! On Friday, January 11 we received our first shipment of this much anticipated new model at Buy Two Way Radios! Now the bad news: this first shipment was very small, and we didn't even receive enough radios to fill our pre-orders. We will be filling our pre-orders on a first-come first served basis, so the oldest orders will be given priority. If your order was filled, you will have received an email with your tracking number by 6:00PM EST Friday (1/11/2013).

The Midland GXT2000 has been a much anticipated model because it is essentially a GXT1000VP4 - our best-selling GMRS radio - with a few nice enhancements. The biggest improvements are a lithium battery with the ability to fully charge in 2 hours and a larger and better quality display.

Since it's been almost a year since we first announced the Midland GXT2000VP4, we couldn't wait to test one out! Check out the exclusive video unboxing of the GXT2000 and stay tuned for more information on the performance and features of this new radio from Midland!