News

Motorola is a big name in world of business walkie talkies, and their RDX series is a staple among businesses, agencies, organizations and industries that rely on portable handhelds for communications. Now the company is about to update their product line with the new Motorola RM Series two way radios, due for launch this summer.

The RM Series is expected to debut in July or August 2013 with five new models operating on 2 Watts. All are updated versions of 2 Watt RDX Series radios currently on the market. Details from Motorola are still sketchy but here are a few general notes on these new radios:

RMU2040 - This is a UHF radio with 4 channels and without a display that will replace the RDX RDU2020. MSRP: $245.

RMU2080 - Essentially the same radio as the RMU2040, but with 8 channels and no display. It will also replace the RDU2020. MSRP: $290.

RMU2080d - This model operates on UHF business frequencies and has 8 channels. Think of an RMU2080 with a display and this is it. Replaces the RDX RDU2080d. MSRP: $310.

RMM2050 - One of the most interesting of the series, as it is a MURS radio. It supports all five VHF MURS frequencies and, unlike the 2 channel RDM2020, the RMM2050 has five channels, enough for each frequency. It does not, however, include a display. The RMM2050 replaces both the RDM2020 and RDM2080d, the latter of which is a display model. So if you specifically want a MURS radio with a display, you may want to consider the RDM2080d while they are still around. MSRP: $225.

RMV2080 - The VHF version of the RMU2020 and RMU2080 has 8 channels and no display. It replaces both the RDV2020 and RDV2080d. MSRP: $245.

Although these new radios will eventually replace 2 Watt models in the current RDX Series, the 4 and 5 watt models, such as the RDU4100, RDU4160d and RDV5100, are not scheduled for replacement, at least not yet. In addition, all RDX radios will continue to be available until early 2014. We will have more details on the new Motorola RM Series two way radios as they become available. Some model specifications and features may be subject to change. Subscribe to our blog at Buy Two Way Radios for the latest updates!

Sprint Nextel will cease operation of their push-to-talk iDEN network June 30th, 2013. According to a company press release May 1, the last full day of service is June 29. The shut down process will commence through the day on Sunday, June 30 as Sprint de-activates the system.

IDEN, or Integrated Digital Enhanced Network , is a trunked radio system operating in the 800 MHz Special Mobile Radio (SMR) band. The system uses Time Division Multipe Access (TDMA) and speech compression technologies and was used by Sprint Nextel to provide half-duplex push-to-talk trunked two-way radio services on its cell phones. Sprint first announced it would end iDen service May 29, 2012 as part of its plan to migrate the push-to-talk service from GSM to CDMA.

No doubt this will be a disruption to at least a few of the one million or so Nextel business customers who still use the old iDEN network and rely heavily on the instant walkie-talkie dispatch capabilities of phones that currently operate on iDen. It's not just the hassle of migrating from one phone system to another that can make such a move problematic, it's also the cost.

It could be quite an expensive proposition to migrate a company's entire workforce to new devices that operate on Sprint's new CDMA based Direct Connect network. Cell phones aren't cheap, especially units with a PTT radio feature. That's just the initial migration.

Then there are the monthly fees. Cell phones, even those with built-in walkie-talkie functionality all bundled into a service that typically requires a contract, also has a monthly service fee. For small companies with ten to fifty employees, the total cost of migration could add up quickly. For large companies with hundreds or even thousands of employees, it could be staggering.

If a company really needs to outfit their staff with cell phones, then it may very well be an unavoidable expense. However, if the primary purpose for the cell phone is to serve as a trunked radio, there is another option: simply use two way radios.

There are several benefits to doing this, most of them economical. First, the initial purchase cost of a walkie-talkie is comparable to the retail cost of a typical cell phone. Second, the cost of obtaining a license for business frequencies can be competitive with the setup costs of cell service, expecially for a large fleet of phones.

Also, as tough as some of Sprint's new phones are, most business two way radios are designed specifically for extremely rugged working conditions. Some radios are certified as intrinsically safe. These are radios that can be used in potentially hazardous environments, such as near flammable materials or explosives.

Of course, the obvious advantage is that there are no recurring or monthly usage fees. Once the radios are purchased and the frequencies licensed, the airwaves are essentially free. There are no limited talk and text plans, no roaming charges and no overage fees. Once your radio network is in place, you're done.

There is one more benefit that is often overlooked. The issue of planned obsolescence. It is no secret why cell phone carriers sell two year agreements. That is the life cycle of the typical cell phone. This keeps everyone upgrading and renewing their contracts or entering into new ones, thus perpetually locking a company in to a service and its constant fees.

The average life span of a typical business two way radio is five to seven years. Some may last considerably longer. Business frequency licenses are valid for ten years. Imagine, up to ten years of service without recurring monthly fees. That seems like a millenium in the cell phone industry!

It is this sort of obsolescence that is now forcing a million iDEN fans who have hung onto their old PTT Nextel phones through thick and thin to make an uncomfortable and expensive move to a whole new system. However, there is another, possibly smarter option.

Nextel iDEN business customers who are facing an expensive a migration may want to consider this before moving forward on such an upgrade.

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.

Kenwood is offering special a rebate on select two way radios in its new ProTalk® 400 Series!

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 and 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.