News

Kenwood ProTalk business radios are known for their solid performance and compact, ergonomic design. Now now they have something more, new lower prices! Kenwood has dropped the prices on some of their 16 channel radios, including their tough, intrinsically safe models!

The chart compares old prices with the new, current pricing on these Kenwood ProTalk business radios.

Kenwood Business Radios Price Chart

Model		Old Price	New Price	MSRP
TK-2402V16P		279.00	264.00	300.00
TK-3402U16P		289.00	274.00	320.00
NX-240V16P		379.00	349.00	399.00
NX-340U16P		389.00	379.00	409.00
NX-240V16P2		299.00	289.00	339.00
NX-340U16P2		299.00	299.00	349.00
TK-2360ISV16P		519.00	379.00	582.50
TK-3360ISU16P		529.00	399.00	599.20

Many of our Cyber Monday deals are still available! Check below for details, we'll be updating this list as the deals expire!

Cyber Monday 2017 is November 27, and this year the deals are bigger and better than ever at Buy Two Way Radios! We're pulling out all the stops this holiday season, with sales, bundles, rebates and value added extras on radios and radio accessories to make shopping and gift giving a lot easier on you and your wallet. Whether you are searching for business, FRS/GMRS, CB or ham related items, we're sure to have a great deal for you.

But why hunt around to find a great deal? We've already done it for you. We've compiled a list of everything on sale at Buy Two Way Radios for Cyber Monday, right here. So relax, grab your favorite beverage, and check out our list of Cyber Monday Specials for 2017 at Buy Two Way Radios!

DMR Deals

• FREE mag mount antenna with the purchase of a TYT MD-9600 dual band digital radio ($20 value)This offer is no longer available!

  The Tram 1185 Amateur Dual-Band Magnet Antenna is a dual band 144-148/440-450MHz amateur radio antenna with 2.5 dBd gain on UHF and Unity gain VHF. It includes a 3 1/4" magnet mount and a 12ft premium 95% tinned copper shield RG58 A/U cable with a UHF male (PL-259) connector.

  Tram 1185 Amateur Dual-Band Magnet Antenna is valued at $20. No promo code is necessary. Your free antenna will automatically be added to your order at time of purchase. Offer valid until December 24, 2017 or while supplies last. Not valid with any other promotions or promo codes. No rain checks.

• FREE TYT MD-2017 Speaker Microphone with the purchase of a TYT MD-2017 ($19.99 value)This offer is no longer available!

  The TYT Speaker Microphone for MD-2017 (TYT-SM-MD2017) is a genuine TYT accessory with a belt clip that swivels 360 degrees. It is designed to work with the TYT MD-2017 Dual Band DMR Two Way Radio equipped with a multi-pin Motorola (M3) connector. Your free microphone will automatically be added to your order at time of purchase. Supplies are limited. Offer valid from November 27 until December 3, 2017 or while supplies last. No rain checks.

• FREE Baofeng UV-5R radio with the purchase of a TYT MD-2017 dual band DMR radio ($29.99 value).No longer available!

  For ONE WEEK ONLY, get a FREE Baofeng UV-5R Dual Band UHF/VHF Radio when you buy a TYT MD-2017!

  You read that correctly. For every TYT MD-2017 Dual Band DMR Digital Two Way Radio you purchase during the week of December 4-10, 2017, we'll give you a Baofeng UV-5R radio, FREE! Click here for more info.

• FREE mag mount antenna and power supply with the purchase of a TYT MD-9600 dual band digital radio ($95 value)This offer is no longer available!The Tram 1185 Amateur Dual-Band Magnet Antenna is a dual band 144-148/440-450MHz amateur radio antenna with 2.5 dBd gain on UHF and Unity gain VHF. It includes a 3 1/4" magnet mount and a 12ft premium 95% tinned copper shield RG58 A/U cable with a UHF male (PL-259) connector.

  The TYT TH-1380 30A Switching Power Supply has an output voltage of 13.8V DC and is adjustable between 9V and 15V! It offers automatic current limiting within 30A for protection from short-circuits and and includes a built-in backlit single volt/current meter to keep you informed of current power levels.

  Tram 1185 Amateur Dual-Band Magnet Antenna is valued at $20 and the TYT TH-1380 30A Switching Power Supply is valued at $79.99. The Total value of this free bundle is $99.99!

  No promo code is necessary. Your free antenna with mag mount and power supply will automatically be added to your order at time of purchase. Offer valid until December 3, 2017 or while supplies last. Not valid with any other promotions or promo codes. No rain checks.
  

• Buy one TYT MD-380 Battery Pack, Get 1 FREE!This offer is no longer available!

  Purchase a Lithium Ion Battery Pack for MD-380 DMR Radio (2000 mAh) and you get one FREE! Every battery purchased earns you one additional battery - with no limit of the number of battery packs you can purchase on this offer! This BOGO (Buy One, Get One) battery offer is fulfilled by Buy Two Way Radios, so the free battery pack is sent with your order. This is a great deal and is available for a limited time only or while supplies last. No rain checks. When we're out, we're out. Offer is good to U.S. residents only and is void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law.

Go Ham for the Holidays

Big changes are coming soon to the Vertex Standard line of two way radios. It's common knowledge that Vertex Standard is owned by Motorola, but has always been operated as a stand-alone brand. Early in 2018, this will no longer be the case. Motorola is creating a new line of radios, informally known as their "Commercial Tier" products, which will include a combination of several existing Motorola radios as well as several Vertex Standard models that will be re-branded as Motorola.

What's Changing With Vertex Standard
A few small exceptions aside, it looks like Vertex Standard will cease to exist as a brand. Most popular Vertex Standard models will join the Motorola Solutions Commercial tier, and some radios will be discontinued.

The following Vertex Standard products will be rebranded as Motorola Solutions:

• Analog products: VX-260 Series, VX-450 Series portables and VX-2100 and VX-2200 mobiles
• Digital products: EVX-261 and EVX-S24 portables

The following models will be discontinued:

• Portable Radios: EVX-531/534/539, VX-820, VX-P820, VX-920 and VX-P920
• Mobiles: VX-4500/4600, EVX-5300/5400, VX-5500 UHF/VHF
• Repeaters: VXR-7000, VXR-9000, EVX-R70
• EVX-Link

What's NOT Changing With Vertex Standard
It's important to point out that customers are not being left out in the cold with this change. Of course, if you are a user of Vertex Standard radios, the warranty is still valid and will continue to be honored. Vertex Standard has been a Motorola Solutions brand for years now, so we don't expect much to change regarding warranties and support.

It's also important to point out that the physical radios that are being rebranded will not be changing either. For example, a Motorola VX-261 will be exactly the same product as the current Vertex Standard VX-261.

Motorola Commercial Tier Radios
In addition to the Vertex Standard models listed above, the following current Motorola Solutions models will also be a part of the Commerical tier:

• Portable Radios: CP200d, SL300, CP185, BPR40, DTR650, VL50
• Mobiles: CM200d, CM300d
• Repeaters: SLR5000

Dealers selling the new Commercial tier products will be known as "Commercial Radio Value-Added Resellers". It is expected that most Vertex Standard dealers will become dealers for the new Commercial products.

Stay Tuned
There are still some details that are being worked out, so stay tuned for updates. At the moment, we expect to start seeing the new Motorola Commercial Tier radios sometime in January, 2018. However, the Vertex Standard branded models won't disappear overnight. I expect most Vertex Standard radios will still be readily available for at least the first half of 2018. Check back here for updates!

Great news for DMR fans! TYT just announced a price reduction on the MD-2017 Dual Band DMR Digital Radio to only $159 effective immediately!

Originally priced at $219, the TYT MD-2017 arrived this summer and quickly became of most popular handheld amateur radios of the year. Now, this dramatic $60 price drop will likely place make the MD-2017 the best overall value, as well.

We were just notified by TYT of the price reduction and we've already adjusted our pricing. There's never been a better time to buy two way radios, and now it's a great time to go DMR!

Come see us at the 65th Annual Rock Hill Hamfest!

The 65th Annual Rock Hill Hamfest will be held Saturday, October 7, 2017 and Buy Two Way Radios will be there! This year the hamfest will located at New Kirk Baptist Church, 175 Museum Road in Rock Hill, SC from 7 AM to 1 PM ET. General admission is $5 per person and tailgating parking spaces are $5 each.

Activities include door prizes, an ARRL Forum and VE Testing for those who want to obtain an amateur radio license or upgrade an existing one. The Raffle Prize will be a TYT MD-2017 Dual Band DMR Digital Two Way Radio, courtesy of Buy Two Way Radios!
Visit our booth for a first look at some new products and demos of popular handheld and mobile amateur radios. As always, you can ragchew with our sales staff and walk away with some special discounts, deals and maybe even a freebie just for stopping by!

The Rock Hill Hamfest is sponsored by the York County (SC) Amateur Radio Society. For more information visit rockhillhamfest.ycars.org.

Well, the wait is over. It's finally about to happen. Part 95 reform will officially become effective September 2017.

Earlier this year we reported on a final consideration by the FCC to completely reform the Part 95 rules on Personal Radio Services. The decision passed unanimously during the FCC's monthly open commission meeting May 18th, and upon its passage, many of the publications incorporated in the new rules were to take effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.

The question was, when would it be published?

We discussed this in episode 113 of the Two Way Radio Show Podcast, and as promised, we continued to follow up on it since. We've been keeping tabs on it throughout the summer, checking the Federal Register daily for any indication of any notice of a publication online.

Now it's here. Personal Radio Service Reform was published in the Federal Register this morning, August 29, 2017. As many of these rules become effective 30 days after publication, this means those rules will become official on September 28.

As stated in the Federal Register, "Effective September 28, 2017. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the rule is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of September 28, 2017."

What does this mean for users of two way radios on the Personal Radio Services? A lot. For one, it's a big win for users of lower power FRS/GMRS radios, particularly the millions who do not have a GMRS license and were previously using those radios "illegally". Now, users of consumer FRS/GMRS radios or walkie talkies operating at 2 watts or less are licensed by rule, meaning that these radios can be used without applying for or purchasing a license to use them. In effect, Anyone can purchase one of these radios and use it legally.

This is a big win for consumers who rely on these radios for personal, business and recreational activities These radios are now considered FRS only, and they can essentially be used by anyone in the US who needs or wants one.

This is also a win for licensed GMRS users, who have long complained about the illegal use and interference by unlicensed users of low powered combo FRS/GMRS or "bubble pack" radios on GMRS channels and repeaters. The new rules provide them with more exclusivity on the GMRS and a more serious attempt by the FCC to prevent the GMRS from degenerating into a service many feared would become "the next CB".

There are many changes intended to benefit other Personal Radio Services as well, including CB. Read this summary of key changes to Part 95 for details.

The rollout of the first dual band DMR handheld radio from TYT is without a doubt one of the most exciting and highly anticipated events of 2017 in the world of digital two way radios. We receive numerous e-mails, messages, phone calls and comments on our blog, Facebook page and YouTube channel from DMR radio enthusiasts everywhere every day, and all of them asking that same burning question: when will the MD-2017 arrive?

Well, the wait is officially over. The TYT MD-2017 is here!

We received part of our shipment yesterday June 20 and some our initial pre-orders were fulfilled at that time. The rest of them arrived today June 21, and all pre-orders are leaving our warehouse today. If you pre-ordered an MD-2017, your radio is now on its way. If you haven't pre-ordered, we are pleased to announce the TYT MD-2017 Dual Band DMR Digital Two Way Radio is now available for purchase for immediate shipment while our supplies last.

In addition, we now have the winner in our Two Way Radio Show TYT MD-2017 Guess the Date contest! This contest, first announced in episode #111 of the The Two Way Radio Show Podcast, asked contestants to guess when the MD-2017 would arrive at our warehouse at Buy Two Way Radios. The prize was a FREE MD-2017 radio! The runner up will receive a swag bag and a Two Way Radio Show T-Shirt.

We received a very large number of entries, making this the biggest contest in the six year history of our podcast. The winners are being notified and will be announced in episode #114 of the Two Way Radio Show Podcast.

If you haven't yet heard about the new MD-2017, you can get a first look at it up close in our extremely popular TYT MD-2017 unboxing video. You can hear a discussion about this brand new first-of-a-kind dual bander in episode #111 of The Two Way Radio Show Podcast.

Of course, if you have any other questions about the new TYT MD-2017, available accessories or any of our other products at Buy Two Way Radios, feel free to contact us.

The TYT MD-2017 is one of the most eagerly awaited new radios of the year in the DMR community, and with good reason. It isn't just another digital radio. It's a dual band portable handheld DMR transceiver, the first of its kind.

Many hams using DMR who are fans of the popular single band TYT MD-380 are already planning to upgrade to the new dual band model. TYT manufactures both radios, so it's only natural to wonder if a code plug for the MD-380 will also work in the MD-2017, and if not, if there is a way to convert an existing MD-380 codeplug into one the MD-2017 can use.

We wondered about this as well. Sales Manager Anthony Roque from Buy Two Way Radios and the Two Way Radio Show Podcast, a ham who is active on DMR, has been working very hard with TYT for a long time now to design the MD-2017 programming software with the ability to allow our customers to take their codeplug from their MD-380 and use it in the MD-2017.

FINALLY, it is done. We just received the software this morning and Anthony is currently testing it with his radios. His initial assessment? According to Anthony, "So far so good ...as of right now it can be done." Of course, he will continue testing it throughout the day for bugs, but so far, it seems to be working. If all goes well, we plan to release it this afternoon at Buy Two Way Radios and update this article with a link to the download.

Update: The TYT MD-2017 software is now available!

There is one caveat. The software allows the MD-380 codeplug to work in the MD-2017. However, once the codeplug is uploaded to the MD-2017, it cannot be exported from the 2017 and loaded back into the MD-380.

TYT also released a new firmware update for the MD-2017 to accommodate the code plug conversion and fix a few bugs. The new firmware resolves the following:

• Resolved an audio issue in repeater mode, when the same frequency is on both A and B sides and one is on time slot 1 and the other is on time slot 2
• Under the Zone setting, the same channel can now be assigned for both A and B sides
• The MD-2017 can open and use the data from the MD-380
• In Digital Mode, the Monitor function can monitor the conversations in different group and single calls

TYT assured us the new firmware would be included with the radio when it arrives. We expect to receive the MD-2017 in our warehouse within the next two weeks.

Buy Two Way Radios is an authorized dealer for TYT in the USA.

Want to know more about the new TYT MD-2017? Check out our other resources!
TYT MD-2017 unboxing video
Two Way Radio Show Podcast #111 - The New TYT MD-2017 Dual Band DMR Digital Radio
New dual band DMR digital radio coming from TYT

In 2010, the FCC proposed changing Part 95 rules on Personal Radio Services, including the FRS, GMRS and CB. The commission introduced WT Docket No. 10-119 and solicited comments from the public. The commission issued a proposed Report and Order April 27, 2017 to reform Part 95. After nearly seven years, the FCC brought the proposal up for consideration and a possible ruling at their monthly Open Commission Meeting on the morning of May 18, 2017.

Consideration of the Report and Order for Part 95 reform was the third item on the meeting agenda. Nese Guendelsberger, Acting Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, introduced the proposed report and order to the commission.

FCC Mobility Division Deputy Chief Tom Derenge presented the proposal. "We did a thorough review of all Part 95 rules because many are decades old and contained outdated requirements and are inconsistent with current uses of the services", Derenge stated.

Commissioner Michael O'Rielly attempted to answer the long standing question as to why it took so long to rule on the proposal. "Seven years later and no one has a great reason for the delay", O'Rielly said, and then added "though it's clearly not the fault of the staff."

After a very short consideration, the Part 95 Reform Report and Order was unanimously approved by the commissioners. For details, read the official FCC press release.

According to the FCC, rules usually become effective 30 days after they are published in the Federal Register.

For a review of key changes to the new Part 95 rules, read FCC considers reform of Part 95 rules for personal radio services. We discuss the proposal in depth in Episode 112 of The Two Way Radio Show Podcast.