While looking around at various radio manufacturers, we’ve all noticed that some of their portables carry an IP rating, or they say that they’re submersible. What is this? What does it mean for me? Don’t worry, we’ve got the answers.

The IPXX Rating System is actually a code referred to in the International Electrotechnical Commission’s (IEC) 62509 Standard. It refers to the type of protection a particular housing offers against intrusion of objects and water. Most two-way radios on the market today, if they carry an IP rating, are rated IPX4, IPX7, and so on. The letter and number are part of a detailed code to explain the housing’s resistance to ingress.

The first number in the IP code refers to how well an enclosure, such as a radio’s outer shell, protects its contents against objects or dust. This number ranges from 0 to 6 (If an enclosure offers no object intrusion protection, the first number will be replaced with an X). The second number refers to how much protection the housing offers against water. This number ranges from 0 to 8

Here are tables explaining the Rating Code System

Object and Dust Protection

Water Protection

So, what does all this mean for you? When applied to two way radios, the higher the number in both categories, the more the radio can stand up to. Equipment that carries an IPX7 or higher is submersible. If you’re using your portable for everyday patrols, you probably won’t need an IP rated radio. If however you work in an area where you might come in contact with a body of water, you might want to consider at least an IPX7 rated radio, such as the Vertex Standard 820/920, which offers water protection as well as dust protection

Recently I was able to test out a Vertex VX929 Portable. This radio is the latest and hottest in Vertex Standards Line of portables.

Some features in this radio are:

The new VX-920 portables offer a wide range of features in several packages.

• 48 or 512 Channel Capacity
• No PF keys, 4 PF keys or 12 key DTMF pad plus 4 PF keys.
• Sub-Receiver for crossband operation
• Three-position toggle switch
• Freq Range of 134 – 174 MHz (in one radio, no sub-bands)
• Freq Range of 450 – 512 MHz (in one radio, no sub-bands)
• 700 mW audio output power

Sub-receiver option

The optional sub-receiver units make it easy to monitor an alternate band.

If your Police Department is on UHF, they can easily monitor VHF fire frequencies.

Get both departments on the new VX-920 portables and they will have complete crossband operation in a simple, inexpensive package

Superior protection from dust and water intrusion ~ VX-920 ~

All VX-920 portables, as a standard feature, are rated for IP55 and IP57.  This covers dust and water intrusion.
First, Ingress of dust shall not penetrate in a quantity to interfere with satisfactory operation of the apparatus or to impair safety.

IP55: Water projected in jets against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.
 
IP57: Ingress of water in quantities causing harmful effects shall not be possible when the radio is submersed for 30 minutes at a depth of 3 feet.

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Now for the review…

I got this radio a few months ago and have been using it alot. So far I have not had one problem.  Everything about the radio is easy to use. Programming is extremely easy to do as well. The radio is very rugged and will survive almost every drop. The battery is a 2000MAH battery which lasts a very long time. Bigger capacity battery packs are also available for this radio as well. The charger is a Smart Rapid Charger so you can throw it on the charger and never worry about it getting over charged. The charger also charges the battery rather quickly and only takes a couple of hours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtZSWINoJdQ Video Demonstration Of Submersible Feature.

You’ve probably heard about “AM radio” and “FM radio,” “VHF” and “UHF” television, “citizens band radio,” “short wave radio” and so on. Have you ever wondered what all of those different names really mean? What’s the difference between them?In this article, we will look at the radio spectrum and see what is really going on.

Radio Frequencies
A radio wave is an electromagnetic wave propagated by an antenna. Radio waves have different frequencies, and by tuning a radio receiver to a specific frequency you can pick up a specific signal.

In the United States, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) decides who is able to use which frequencies for which purposes, and it issues licenses to stations for specific frequencies. See How Radio Works for more details on radio waves.

When you listen to a radio station and the announcer says, “You are listening to 91.5 FM WRKX The Rock!,” what the announcer means is that you are listening to a radio station broadcasting an FM radio signal at a frequency of 91.5 megahertz, with FCC-assigned call letters of WRKX. Megahertz means “millions of cycles per second,” so “91.5 megahertz” means that the transmitter at the radio station is oscillating at a frequency of 91,500,000 cycles per second. Your FM (frequency modulated) radio can tune in to that specific frequency and give you clear reception of that station. All FM radio stations transmit in a band of frequencies between 88 megahertz and 108 megahertz. This band of the radio spectrum is used for no other purpose but FM radio broadcasts.

In the same way, AM radio is confined to a band from 535 kilohertz to 1,700 kilohertz (kilo meaning “thousands,” so 535,000 to 1,700,000 cycles per second). So an AM (amplitude modulated) radio station that says, “This is AM 680 WPTF” means that the radio station is broadcasting an AM radio signal at 680 kilohertz and its FCC-assigned call letters are WPTF.

Common frequency bands include the following:

• AM radio - 535 kilohertz to 1.7 megahertz
• Short wave radio - bands from 5.9 megahertz to 26.1 megahertz
• Citizens band (CB) radio - 26.96 megahertz to 27.41 megahertz
• Television stations - 54 to 88 megahertz for channels 2 through 6
• FM radio - 88 megahertz to 108 megahertz
• Television stations - 174 to 220 megahertz for channels 7 through 13

What is funny is that every wireless technology you can imagine has its own little band. There are hundreds of them! For example:

• Garage door openers, alarm systems, etc. - Around 40 megahertz
• Standard cordless phones: Bands from 40 to 50 megahertz
• Baby monitors: 49 megahertz
• Radio controlled airplanes: Around 72 megahertz, which is different from…
• Radio controlled cars: Around 75 megahertz
• Wildlife tracking collars: 215 to 220 megahertz
• MIR space station: 145 megahertz and 437 megahertz
• Cell phones: 824 to 849 megahertz
• New 900-MHz cordless phones: Obviously around 900 megahertz!
• Air traffic control radar: 960 to 1,215 megahertz
• Global Positioning System: 1,227 and 1,575 megahertz
• Deep space radio communications: 2290 megahertz to 2300 megahertz

Why is AM radio in a band at 550 kilohertz to 1,700 kilohertz, while FM radio is in a band at 88 to 108 megahertz? It is all completely arbitrary, and a lot of it has to do with history.

AM radio has been around a lot longer than FM radio. The first radio broadcasts occurred in 1906 or so, and frequency allocation for AM radio occurred during the 1920s (The predecessor to the FCC was established by Congress in 1927.). In the 1920s, radio and electronic capabilities were fairly limited, hence the relatively low frequencies for AM radio.

Television stations were pretty much non-existent until 1946 or so, which is when the FCC allocated commercial broadcast bands for TV. By 1949, a million people owned TV sets, and by 1951 there were 10 million TVs in America.

FM radio was invented by a man named Edwin Armstrong in order to make high-fidelity (and static-free) music broadcasting possible. He built the first station in 1939, but FM did not become really popular until the 1960s. Hence the higher frequencies for FM radio.

All models of the CP100 radio are being canceled effective June 28th, 2008. The recently introduced CP110 is the functional replacement for the models being canceled. For additional information on CP110 and other available models, please contact us at 877-623-2929.

Last Day to Order: June 28th, 2008
Last Day to Ship: September 27th, 2008

One example of analog radios are AM aircraft radios used to communicate with control towers and air traffic controllers. Another is a Family Radio Service walkie talkie. Equipment is less complex than digital.

• Advantage: In high-quality equipment, better ability to communicate in cases where a received signal is weak or noisy.
• Disadvantage: Only one conversation at a time can occur on each channel.

Examples of digital communication are APCO Project 25, a standard for digital public safety radios, and Nextel’s iDEN.

• Advantage: More simultaneous talking paths are possible and information such as unit ID, status buttons, or text messages can be embedded into a single digital radio channel.
• Disadvantage: Radios must be designed to the same, compatible standard, radios can become obsolete quickly, cost more to purchase, and are more complicated.

Analog systems may communicate a single condition, such as water level in a livestock tank. A transmitter at the tank site continually sends a signal with a constant tone. The tone would change in pitch to indicate the tank’s water level. A meter at the remote end would vary, corresponding to the pitch, to indicate the amount of water present in the livestock tank. Similar methods can be used to telemeter any analog condition. This type of radio system serves a purpose equivalent to a four-to-twenty milliampere loop. In the US, mid-band 72-76 MHz or UHF 450-470 MHz interstitial channels are often used for these systems. Some systems multiplex telemetry of several analog conditions by limiting each to a separate range of tone pitches, for example.

Digital systems may communicate text from computer-aided dispatch (CAD). For example, a display in a tow truck may give a textual location for a call and any related details. The tow truck driver may press an acknowledge button, sending data in the opposite direction and flagging the call as received by the driver. They can be used for analog telemetry systems, such as livestock tank levels, as described above. Analog conditions are translated into data words. Some systems send radio paging messages which can either 1) beep a paging receiver, 2) send a numeric message, or 3) send a text message.

Digital systems typically use data rates in the 1,200-19,200 kilobit-per-second rates and may employ modulation schemes such as frequency shift keying, audio frequency shift keying, or quadrature phase shift keying to encode characters. Modern equipment have the same capabilities to carry data as are found in Internet Protocol. Working within the system’s protocol constraints, virtually anything can be sent or received.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. and TOKYO, JAPAN 5 November 2007 — Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) announced today that its subsidiary, MI, Inc., will launch a tender offer to acquire a controlling interest in Vertex Standard Co., Ltd. (JASDAQ: 6821), a global provider of 2-way radio communication solutions. Upon successful completion of the tender offer and subsequent restructuring process, Motorola will own 80% of Vertex Standard and Tokogiken, a privately held Japanese company, controlled by Jun Hasegawa, current president and CEO of Vertex Standard, will retain 20%, forming a joint venture. On 5 November 2007, the Board of Directors of Vertex Standard expressed their support of the tender offer.

“As a leading provider and pioneer in 2-way radio communication solutions, Motorola is an excellent strategic partner for our business,” said Jun Hasegawa, president and CEO of Vertex Standard. “The joint venture will give Vertex Standard access to Motorola’s global distribution channels, presenting considerable opportunities for Vertex Standard to drive growth. We also expect to reduce costs, as we will benefit from Motorola’s global scale and resources. With Motorola, Vertex Standard will be stronger and better positioned to deliver new and innovative 2-way radio solutions for professionals and consumers around the world.”

“This joint venture will enable Motorola and Vertex Standard to deliver an enhanced combined product offering to new regions and customers worldwide,” said Mark Moon, senior vice president of Motorola’s Government and Commercial Markets. “We are extremely pleased to announce this transaction, which will improve our ability to address the growing needs of our 2-way radio customers worldwide. We look forward to the continued leadership of Jun Hasegawa and making this new joint venture a success.”

The tender offer price is ¥2,214 (approximately US $19.38) per share of common stock. This price represents:

• A premium of 38.4% over 1600 yen, the closing price of Vertex Standard’s shares on the JASDAQ Securities Exchange, Inc. on 2 November 2007
• A premium of 40.8% over 1573 yen, the average closing price of Vertex Standard’s shares on the JASDAQ Securities Exchange, Inc. over the last three months to 2 November 2007

The total purchase price for 80% of the outstanding shares on a fully diluted basis will be approximately ¥12.3 billion (approximately US $108 million).

Vertex Standard is a leader within the Land Mobile Radio segment, where the company continues to demonstrate particular brand strength in high value, entry level solutions. The joint venture will develop and sell Vertex Standard branded products and develop select Motorola branded products. The Motorola brand will continue to focus on higher featured, higher tier products and continue to utilize existing Motorola distribution channels.

The joint venture will expand and develop a comprehensive suite of products to address the rapidly growing demand for 2-way radio solutions. Vertex Standard’s strength in the Amateur, Marine and Airband (Avionics) segments will also provide Motorola with access to new business opportunities. In addition, Vertex Standard’s solutions are highly complementary with Motorola’s products and will add greater depth and breadth to Motorola’s Government and Public Safety business. The venture will also provide additional engineering talent for Motorola.

Additional Transaction Details
Upon successful completion of the tender offer and subsequent planned restructuring, Vertex Standard will be de-listed from the JASDAQ. The joint venture company will continue to be called “Vertex Standard Co., Ltd” and will become a subsidiary of Motorola, with headquarters in Tokyo.

The shareholders of Vertex Standard who do not tender their shares in the tender offer will receive cash consideration for the shares which they hold as a result of the restructuring following successful completion of the tender offer.

The tender offer, which is subject to regulatory and other customary conditions, is expected to close in early January 2008. In addition, Motorola must complete the tender offer within 60 working days of its commencement, as required by Japanese law.

The Motorola CP125 Portable Radio can be used for many different applications. The Motorola CP125 is the right choice for businesses and schools seeking reliable performance and exceptional value.

With adjustable power levels and programmable function controls, the Radius® CP125™ provides users with the flexibility and features they need to succeed. Fully equipped with Voice-Activated Transmission (VOX) capabilities*, the Radius® CP125™ supports hands-free communications via an optional headset—so users can stay connected while focusing on the job at hand.

Now, here is a list of specs on this radio.

Battery Life (based on 5/5/90 duty cycle) - 8 hours (High power – 4W/5W), 11 hours (Low power – 2W)

Call Tones - No

Channels - 4

Cloning - No

Coverage - Programming Software allows adjustable power output for varying coverage

Dimensions H x W x L (with standard battery) - 4.55” x 2.20” x 1.81” (115.5 mm x 56.0 mm x 46.05 mm)

Display - Yes

Emergency Button - No

Frequency - VHF (136–174MHz), UHF (435–480MHz)

Front Panel Programmable - Yes

Interference Eliminator Codes - 38 PL, 83 DPL (plus non standard codes)

Intrinsically Safe - No

Keypad - No

Mil Spec - 810 C, D, E

Model Includes - NiMH Rechargeable Battery, Three-Hour Rapid Charger, Antenna, Belt Clip, Operating Instruction Manuals, One-Year Limited Warranty

Option Board Available - No

Power - 2W/5W - VHF, 2W/4W - UHF

Programmable Buttons - 4

Signaling - Not Applicable

Technology - Analog

VibraCall - No

Voice Activation (VOX) - Yes (with optional audio accessory)

Warranty - One Year Limited Warranty

Weight (with standard battery) - 11.5 oz. (327 g)

Here is a review on the popular Motorola PR400. This is a very good business radio and is very common throughout many different outfits.

 The PR400^TM portable two-way radio is perfect for new two-way radio users, small organizations, and firms that want an affordable solution with a maximum number features. It gives a wide choice of channels, is LTR-capable and is available in three models: 16 channels (non-display/non-keypad), 32 channels (full alphanumeric display/partial keypad) and 64 channels (full alphanumeric display/full keypad).

Here are some features and specs that the Motorola PR400 has to offer:

Choice of functionalities 16-channel model

• No display
• 2 programmable buttons
• Up to 4 sites and 16 talkgroups
• Up to 4 universal IDs per system

32- and 64-channel model

• 8-character alphanumeric display
• 4 programmable buttons
• Up to 10 sites and 100 talkgroups
• Up to 16 universal IDs per system

Large, raised knobs
Enlarged for maximum tactile response, accommodating users wearing gloves.

X-Pand^TM voice compression
Keeps audio quality clean and crisp, even in noisy environments.

Priority channel mode
Scans for higher-priority channel.

Programmable side and Push-to-Talk buttons
Allows easy access to user’s customized, favorite features.

Quik Call II^TM and MDC 1200 signaling
Sends and receives through features such as Push-to-Talk, Selective Call and Call Alert.

PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

RADIO FEATURES

USER ENVIRONMENT

WARRANTY

Here are the Accessories avaible for this radio:

Accessories

Antennas

Audio Accessories

Batteries

Cables

Call Boxes

Carry Accessories

Chargers and Reconditioners

 Here is a review on one of the many popular business radios, the Motorola BPR 40 Portable Two Way Radio.

 Mag One™ by Motorola BPR™40Portable Two Way Radio is a radio portfolio at an incredible value and price that is perfect for your business. The Mag One™ by Motorola BPR™40 Portable Two Way Radio offers affordable communications with a complete assortment of accessories to customize your radio. So when you select the Mag One™ by Motorola BPR™40 Portable Two Way Radio, you will experience a reliable, easy to use two-way radio at a great value. Motorola is excited to offer an affordable, high-performance communication tool that offers enhanced value and a reliable solution for you with great quality backed by Motorola service and a 1-year limited radio warranty.

Here are the features of this radio

This radio comes with the following equipment:

Many of you probably wonder “Do I need a license to use this thing?” If you are simply an employee of an organization or a business that uses radios, you do not need to have a license; your employment provides you operation authorization on those frequencies used by your organization or business, and ONLY THOSE!! You cannot, under any circumstances, legally transmit on frequencies on which you are not licensed or authorized. If you are purchasing radios which can transmit within the limits of the Business/Industrial Pool, you must obtain a license. This is usually accomplished by contacting a local Frequency Coordinator.

There are only 3 services which require an individual license:

1. Amateur
2. General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)
3. Commercial Radio Operators

Amateur

Before any person transmits on amateur frequencies he/she must be licensed and have a call sign present in the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS) Database.

How do I obtain an Amateur Callsign?

An amateur callsign is issued following successful completion of the 35 question multiple choice Technician’s class licensing examination, the fee for which is $14. Study materials for this and other  exams are widely available, but one of the best sites to check out is w5yi.org , an organization dedicated to furthering the understanding and education of amateur and commercial radio. The term of an Amateur license is 10 years, after which time the license may be renewed.

General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)

A GMRS License is required to transmit on the GMRS radios available on the market today. When someone obtains a GMRS License (at a fee of $85, no exam required), the license holder’s entire family is authorized to transmit on GMRS frequencies.

Commercial Radio Operators

From the FCC Website,

You need a commercial radio operator license to operate the following:

• Ship radio stations if:
  • the vessel carries more than six passengers for hire; or
  • the radio operates on medium or high frequencies; or
  • the ship sails to foreign ports; or
  • the ship is larger than 300 gross tons and is required to carry a radio station for safety purposes.
• Coast stations which operate on medium or high frequencies, or operate with more than 1,500 watts of peak envelope power.
• Aircraft radio stations, except those that use only VHF frequencies on domestic flights.
• International fixed public radiotelephone and radiotelegraph stations.
• Coast and ship stations transmitting radiotelegraphy.

You do NOT need a commercial radio operator license to operate the following:

• Coast stations operating on VHF frequencies with 250 watts or less of carrier power.
• Ship stations operating only on VHF frequencies while sailing on domestic voyages (unless the vessel carries more than six passengers for hire, or the ship is larger than 300 gross tons and is required to carry a radio station for safety purposes).
• Aircraft stations which operate only on VHF frequencies and do not make foreign flights.

Radio Maintenance and Repair

You need a commercial radio operator license to repair and maintain the following:

• All ship radio and radar stations.
• All coast stations.
• All hand carried units used to communicate with ships and coast stations on marine frequencies.
• All aircraft stations and aeronautical ground stations including hand-carried portable units) used to communicate with aircraft.
• International fixed public radiotelephone and radiotelegraph stations.

You do NOT need a commercial radio operator license to operate, repair, or maintain any of the following types of stations:

• Two-way land mobile radio equipment, such as that used by police and fire departments, taxicabs and truckers, businesses and industries, ambulances and rescue squads, local, state, and federal government agencies.
• Personal radio equipment used in the Citizens Band, Radio Control, and General Mobile Radio Services (GMRS).
• Auxiliary broadcast stations, such as remote pickup stations.
• Domestic public fixed and mobile radio systems, such as mobile telephone systems, cellular systems, rural radio systems, point-to-point microwave systems, multipoint distribution systems, etc.
• Stations that operate in the Cable Television Relay Service.
• Satellite stations, both uplink and downlink of all types.

NOTE: Possession of a commercial radio operator license or permit does not authorize an individual to operate amateur or GMRS radio stations. Only a person holding an amateur or GMRS radio operator license may operate an amateur or GMRS radio station.

FCC Commercial Radio Licensing Info