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Radio Compatibility: Which Models Will Work Together

One of the questions that we are asked frequently is if a new two way radio that a customer is considering purchasing will be compatible with older radios that they already have. This compatibility question is best answered based on the type of radio (such as consumer vs. business), as the answer is very different.

Consumer Radios
Midland GXT2000 Two Way RadioConsumer radios generally operate on a standard set of frequencies assigned to preset channels. But that's only part of the equation. There are different types of consumer radios, so these frequency and channel assignments depend on what type of radio it is.

Perhaps the most popular types of consumer radio are the FRS and GMRS walkie talkies. These radios operate on the UHF band. At one time this type of radio used either the GMRS or FRS services, and for awhile most were manufactured as "dual service" radios that supported both FRS and GMRS. These radios typically had 22 channels. Older models with only 14 channels were considered FRS radios.

After the FCC Part 95 reform in 2017, these combo radios were no longer considered dual service, but reclassified as either FRS or GMRS, depending on their wattage among other things. Today, FRS and GMRS share the same channel and frequency assignments and are able to communicate with one another on the same standard 22 channels. Additionally, Some GMRS radios have 8 additional channels to communicate with GMRS repeaters.

Regardless, all of the radios that support FRS and/or GMRS use the same frequencies and are compatible with one another. Simply set all radios to the same channel number and privacy code, and you will be able to communicate. FRS and GMRS radios are not cross compatible with other types of consumer radios.

CB radios operate on the 11 meter AM band, and have their own channel and frequency assignments. CB radios have 40 channels, and some are capable of Single Side Band (SSB) operation. CB radios are not cross-compatible with any other consumer radio service.

Consumer Marine radios operate on VHF marine frequencies and are intended for use on private, non-commercial vessels over water. Some older marine radios were dual service radios combined with FRS/GMRS, but
the FCC no longer allows the manufacture or sale of these models. Marine radios are not cross-compatible with other types of consumer radios.

MURS radios operate on the VHF band and have 5 dedicated channels. These radios can be used by consumers or businesses, which technically puts them in both types for this discussion. However, it is its own radio service with specific operating requirements and restrictions. MURS radios are not cross compatible with other types of consumer radios.

Popular manufacturers of consumer radios are Cobra, DeWALT, Galaxy, Midland, Motorola (Talkabout series), President, Uniden and Wouxun. Kenwood used to make GMRS models (the TK-3101 and TK-3131, for example), but have moved away from consumer radios and no longer produce them.

For a more in-depth discussion on the different types of consumer radios, listen to episode 75 of The Two Way Radio Show Podcast.

Business Radios
Kenwood TK-3402 Two Way RadioCompatibility is not nearly as straightforward when it comes to business radios. First of all, there are several types of frequencies that business radios are made to support: VHF, UHF, and 800/900 Mhz frequencies, for example. The first step in finding a compatible radio is choosing a model that supports the same frequency type as your existing radios.

These frequency types refer to an entire range of actual frequencies, and just choosing the same frequency type does not guarantee compatibility. If you purchased your existing radios from a true two way radio dealer, there is a possibility that the dealer could have programmed special custom frequencies into the radio. If this were the case, your radios may not be compatible with a new radio even if you purchased the exact same model.

Usually most compatibility issues arise with 4 or 5 watt radios, which are much more likely to support custom programming. With one or two watt business radios, it is a little easier to ensure compatibility. The Motorola CLS series of radios and the two watt RM series models will always be compatible, and two watt Kenwood radios that are marked with a ProTalk label will always be compatible, provided you purchase the same model.

In addition to band and frequency compatibility, there are different types of digital business radios which are not inherently compatible with one another. These include DMR, NXDN, and 900 MHz digital radios.

DMR is a very popular digital technology used by Motorola, Vertex Standard and TYT. There are a plethora of DMR radios available that are compatible with one another.  NXDN is used by Kenwood and Icom. While not as prevalent as DMR, NXDN radios are popular with some businesses and organizations. These two technologies use different methods and protocols, so are not cross-compatible on their own without some type of digital converter.

The 900 MHz digital radio is another thing entirely. It uses Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum or FHSS technology. This is a clever concept that increases secure communications, but comes with the caveat that one brand of 900 MHz radio may be completely incompatible with another.

If you have any questions or concerns about business radio compatibility, the easiest option is to simply contact us and we can recommend a compatible solution. For older radios or radios that could have been custom programmed, we may ask that you send in the radio so that we can read the actual frequencies from the radio before making a recommendation.

Related Resources
Looking for a MURS Compatible Radio?
It's Official: Vertex Digital and Motorola TRBO Radios Now Compatible
The Two Way Radio Show TWRS-07 - Comparing Small Business Radios
Radio 101 - The facts about GMRS two way radio compatibility

242 thoughts on “Radio Compatibility: Which Models Will Work Together”

  • Drew Donehoo

    Is there any way to get my Retevis RT46 Walkie Talkies to talk to my Midland - LXT500VP3 walkie talkies?

    Reply
    • Rick

      As an authorized Midland dealer, we can confirm that the Midland LXT500VP3 is a Part 95 type accepted FRS radio and will communicate with other FRS radios. If the Retevis is a true, FCC Part 95 approved FRS radio, it should communicate with the Midland just fine. We do not carry Retevis, but based on a quick check, the RT46 does not appear to be Part 95 approved for use on the FRS. The fact that the company has software available to program frequencies into it is a red flag, as the radio must be locked down to FRS frequencies only and cannot be capable of operation on multiple services to be an FCC approved radio for use on the FRS in the US.

      Reply
  • Steve

    I have a beofeng U-8S walkie talkie that won’t work with an 8-SSS. Will it need to be reprogrammed? Where do you get the software.

    Reply
    • Rick

      Baofeng makes a lot radios, and we are a Baofeng dealer, but we are not familiar with either of those model numbers. Are you sure those model numbers are correct? When you say U-8S and 8-SSS, Are you referring to a UV-85 and BF-888S?

      Reply
  • Jason Cogle

    Will the Zastone Z218 connect to the BF-888s

    Reply
    • Rick

      As a general rule, if both radios support the same frequencies and the same mode, i.e. analog or digital, they should be able be able to communicate with each other.

      Reply
  • Wendell

    Can a CTCSS radio using "privacy codes" communicate with a DCS radio using privacy codes. Since the squelch methodology is different I believe the answer is no.

    Reply
  • Weyimi

    Please I need urgent assistance, I bought 2 Baofeng, one is with CMIIT ID:2017FP0564 & the other is CMIIT ID:2012FP1918. But it's not working together. What do I do. Thanks for your understanding

    Reply
  • Robert

    Having trouble using my Midland GXT1050 pro with Motorola Talk About radios. Both radios on the same channel and privacy code. I can hear the Motorola transmit and you can hear my Midland key in, but that's it, my voice does not transmit. Any ideas? I transmit just fine to the other Midland radio, so it's not a microphone issue. Thanks

    Reply
    • Rick

      Hi Robert, we need more information. What make and model are the Motorola radios? Do the Motorola radios communicate with each other?

      Reply
  • SCJ

    We have 5 sets of older Motorola MH230Rs. Three of the units have stopped working and are outside of protection. Will newer Motorola models work with these older models? Would prefer to replace 3 rather than 10 (5 sets of 2).

    Reply
  • Harold

    Why won't a Boafeng BF-888s work with a Boafeng ATR-22?

    Reply
  • Kathi

    Can someone tell me what a compatible radio would be to my Kenwood TK-3402U? it needs to be relatively inexpensive. Thanks

    Reply
  • Rodrigo

    Hi, is it possible to have a Yaesu Ft65R transmiting on the same frequencies as a Midland (LTX600PA For example) or Motorola FRS Radio?

    Reply
    • rick

      Hi Rodrigo, the Yaesu FT-65 may be capable of operating on FRS frequencies, however, it is not legal to do so in the US. While it is possible to program it to transmit and receive on those frequencies, the FT-65 is not FCC type accepted for use on the FRS for a couple of reasons. First, FRS is limited to a maximum of 2 watts, and the Yaesu is capable of 5 watt operation. Also, the antenna must be fixed on an FRS radio, but the antenna on an FT-65 is removable. In summary, it is possible, but is not recommended.

      Reply
  • Jay Kaminsky

    I have one Motorola CP 185 does anyone know which other Motorola walkie-talkies that is not too pricey, would be compatible with my Motorola CP 185? Thank you. I’ll be waiting for some type of reply

    Reply
    • rick

      Jay, the CP185 is a commercial tier business radio. The UHF version operates on 435-480Mhz UHF Frequencies and the VHF version operates on 136-174 MHz VHF Frequencies. For the most part, if programmed and configured accordingly, other Motorola business tier radios capable of operating on the same band and frequencies in analog mode should work with the Motorola CP185.

      Reply
  • David Quinn

    I was wondering if anybody had gotten a baofeng uv-5re to work with Motorola rdm2070d with the DCS codes and all that.

    Reply
  • Rick

    While it is technically possible to program a BF-888S to talk with a BPR40, it isn't legal in the US, because the Baofeng is not approved by the FCC for use on business frequencies. As such, we do not endorse or recommend it.

    Reply
  • Justin

    Can you program a Motorola mag one BPR40 to receive on a BAOFENG BF-888S .how can I . Is it possible to do that.

    Reply
  • Rick

    They are FRS/GMRS radios, so as long as you have them on the same channel with the same CTCSS/DCS codes assigned, they should work together.

    Reply
  • Rick

    Hi Frank, We are based in the US and do not carry the Albrecht model, however it is a CB radio. The XTN 446 was a PMR446 radio. Considering the differences between the services and assigned frequencies for these radios in the US and Europe, this may be a question to ask the UK members in our Two Way Radio Forum.

    Reply
  • Frank Raymond Larsen
    Frank Raymond Larsen March 10, 2018 at 12:31 am

    Hi!
    Going on a Overland tour,
    Would my Albrecht AE6890 work with Motorola XTN 446?

    Thanks
    Frank

    Reply
  • R Thomas

    Does a cobra cxt395 &cxt1095 fly very work together.

    Reply
  • Jeff

    Good day, I have a Uniden Atlantis 290 and a Motorola T60....I have been trying to get them to talk to each other but with little success. I have noted that although they are both consumer radio's the frequency they operate on is different. Is it at all possible that I can get them to link to each other? Is it at all possible that I can change the frequency on one of the radio's to match the other radio ......Please advise.......many thanks

    Reply
  • Rick

    John, we are based in the US and are not familiar with a KSC-355 radio. Are you referring to the KSC-35S charger?

    Reply

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