2 way radio Options

Can not get over how cheap the communication device examples is now, an amazing deal for a top-end product!

Two way radios are used for communication purposes. They let a user send as well as receive signals over different channels. These radios find use in variety of applications. They use radio waves for communication and these radio waves have different frequencies. Therefore, Two Way Radios operate on different frequencies. These frequencies may differ from one place to another. Also the transmission rate depends upon the frequency that the radio uses. When low frequencies are used, data transmission can take place over a short distance. In case a high frequency is used, data transmission takes place over a larger distance.

The CB (citizens band) radio is an option with both mobile and handheld styles that provide 40-channels and have an output of 4 watts. They are generally sold as an individual two Way Radio and you would need to buy one for each person. The CB radio tends to be a little larger and bulkier than the other radio options.

It is common to find that a Two Way Radios covering the Family Radio Service (FRS) channels will cover the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) channels as well. FRS radios have a maximum power of 1/2 watt, so you don’t want to roam too far from each other and hope to communicate. If you purchase a radio with both FRS and GMRS capability, you can operate on the FRS channels without a license, however, to operate on the GMRS channels you will need to obtain an FCC license, but not everyone in the family needs one. The FCC license is issued to facilitate the activities of an adult individual AND his or her immediate family members. Family members include a spouse, children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and in-laws. One license can cover the whole family, but the licensee is responsible for everyone operating under their license and will need to insure all users follow the rules. GMRS radios operate in the UHF band so the radios are compact and light weight. The power of these radios is generally from 1 to 5 watts, and they are most often sold in pairs for about the price of one handheld CB radio.

One of the latest and little known new services is the extreme radio service (eXRS) that uses new technology referred to as “Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum” technology and operates in the 900 MHz band. The eXRS two way radio boasts of being able to provide superior communications over a greater range when compared, under the same conditions, to the FRS and GMRS radios, plus they require no license like the GMRS does. When sold in pairs they are about the same price range as the FRS/GMRS Two Way Radios.

Finally, the marine VHF band radios are another option. The FCC eliminated the individual licensing requirement for voluntary ships operating domestically which are not required by law to carry a radio. So your personal, non-commercial, watercraft is exempt from a licensing requirement. Portable, handheld versions are generally found in the power range of 1 to 5 watts. They are sold as individual radios like the CB handhelds. The Cost of these radios is higher than the others, but if you are a fisherman, there is a price you are willing to pay for your safety through communication. Not only are these radios capable of land to water communications, but land to land as well. This is often an overlooked capability of “marine” radios.

For more regarding Icom walkie talkie look into our own web page.

Walkie Talkie – The Good Times Companion

Thankyou for reading my site, here’s an article i actually loved reading. With their authorization i can repost it. I compose plenty of my own articles, but occasionally repost other articles i find interesting, thankyou for reading.

Whether you are looking for an ideal two way radio to communicate during your adventures or during a weekend shopping in the mall, a small and easy to use – good range and clear reception two way radio will be the best radio that you could buy. Unlike any other walkie talkie this one is exceptional for a number of reasons is worth every penny. The Good Times Companion is trusted to deliver the best communication solutions for you. This Walkie Talkie is made with quality and has been tested for years. The awesome range and clarity is worth your every penny. It is mainly useful during your adventurous expeditions such as camping, hunting, fishing and hiking. Organizing your entire crew during the vacation will be very easy with the Good Times Companion. The times of waiting for effective communication are long gone. Suppose you need to keep a bunch of people gathered and organized en route to another place or just for a drive during your weekend trip. The Good Times Companion is awesome for outdoor activities. Are you an outdoor enthusiast? If yes this is the best choice of a two way radio.

Product Features

This unique two way radio is branded the Super Spy Two Way Radio for its beneficial features that are specifically designed to just but fulfill your communication convenience and comfort, wherever you are, whatever you may be doing now and or in the future. To put more emphasis on this I examine a few of these exemplary features of this wonder spy two way radio here. This Super Spy Two Way Radio brings to your life the communication reliability you deserve. When you own this two way radio you begin to live in the future, not because of the sophistication but for its simplicity that is accompanied by true sense of style and purpose in your communication life. As I usher you to this good life let me share with you this success story of the wonderful features. The features include Multi-channels(depend on different country),Up to 6km Communication Range, Auto Squelch, Auto Battery Saving, Auto Channel Scan, Internal VOX, Digital volume control, 12 hours AM/PM time display, Backlight for LCD display and the Li-ion battery. Because comfort is all you need and your money demands the new Super Spy Icom radio does not fall short of this. In a few words, the new high-tech trendy Wristwatch Walkie Talkie is delivered in small Size of gift box : 21 x 14.5 x 6.6 cm 2 pcs the intact package encloses two wristwatches, AC Adaptors. Li-ion Batteries, headsets, User manual all in twos.

Performance and Style

Style is when fashion blends with perfection to bring into being the quality that gives the utmost performance of this two way radio walkie talkie. The public confidence in the manufacturer’s status guarantees you the value for your money. This Super Spy Two Way Radio achieves near perfect clarity when communicating with the other walkie talkie from within a six mile range. Being the newest invention in personal two-way communications portability is of paramount essence. This is reflected in the light weight nature of the walkie talkie. This compact two-way communication gadget guarantees your security when cell phone frequencies weaken and frustration is slowly creeping in. The Wrist watch style is smart fashion, Multi-channels six kilometer communication range assures you the freedom you crave for during your holiday. The simplicity of use and portability are the key features that boost this product rating to five star marks.

Design and Cost Effectiveness

In the market of two way radios coming up with a unique commodity is the way to beat the tough market. A new product that stands out from its competitors due to its uniqueness will be widely demanded. In the design of this two way radio the fact that it is like a wrist watch makes it unique earning it the name ‘spy two way radio’. Indeed this is the selling point of these two way radio. Though it is unique it comes at a reasonably cheap price for this comfort and style. The cost effectiveness of this two way radio is the best deal the market will offer you. While camping, hiking, skiing or biking, this wristwatch walkie talkie remains tightly held on your arm yet delivers the on the prime purpose communication.

Recommendation and Purchasing Information

I highly recommend the new Wristwatch Spy Wrist Digital Watch for its firmness on your arm The acquisition of this two way radio at $42.95 saves you from the communication quagmire and you instantly embark on an experience of choice of expression and style. The sleekness of the Super Spy Two Way Radio is an easy way to make an impression. From now then you have the right to achieve your vacation, lifestyle or adventure aspirations.

For other information check out my Ezine Articles Profile Two Way Radio Articles

BC Link — Snowsports Two way radio

Article of the Day………ok so i don’t have an article every day, but when i get a chance I’ll post articles that I find interesting. Lucky enough here’s one of those articles that I read and needed to share. If you enjoy it as much as me, please add one of the special social media likes, you know the one which tells one and all you enjoyed something, rather than you sat on your arse and watched TV!

I’ve now got about 10 days using the BC Link radio. Durability so far so good. Battery life is terrific, I did one test that involved leaving the radio switched on for the bulk of 4 days, with moderate use each day. Battery was still going strong at the end of that period. Only gripe is I’d like the radio base unit to indicate when it’s getting a charge, because when you charge from USB other than the provided wall-charger you have no way of knowing if the radio is getting juice. Thus, if you’ve got a defective USB cable or connection (not uncommon) you could merrily be charging along only to find out the next morning you’ve still got a dead battery. At any rate, charge every night and you never need worry about using the radio heavily all day long. (But for battery life insurance, still use good radio technique such as speaking clearly and concisely instead of rambling or fooling around, as well as turning the unit off when not in use.)
This thing is cool. From the plain black-on-black styling to the waterproof connectors, the new BC Link 2-way radio from Backcountry Access reeks of quality and downright functionality. I got one of the first retail units, figured this first-look was appropriate. Field testing commences immediately (see below for some results from later today).
The grand unboxing of BC link. I have a feeling a few of these will be opened Christmas morning.
Grand unboxing of BC link. The sound of heavenly radio transmissions came down from on high as we lifted the lid. I have a feeling a few of these will be opened Christmas morning.
The concept is bold. Instead of trying to match the bloviated “blister pack” FRS/GMRS 2 Way Radio market with a Battlestar Gallactica electronics toy lookalike, BCA came up with an understated black moisture sealed radio that only works with the attached speaker-mic on a dedicated coil cable. Idea is you carry the base unit in your backpack or perhaps a jacket pocket (also has a belt clip if you want to totally geek out). Controls for normal use are on the mic, while you set your background settings (channels, beeps-on-off, etc.) on the base unit.
I’m about as familiar with FRS/GMRS walkie-talkies as you can get (as well as licensed Amateur radio operator KC0FNM). Thus, only surprise here is that without a PTT (push to talk) switch on the base unit, I expected it to be smaller. But the base unit has to carry a fair sized lithium rechargeable battery, which probably drives the form factor.
Link base unit is designed to run inside your backpack, with external handmic providing enough control for normal use.
Link’s base unit is designed to run inside your backpack, with external handmic providing enough control for normal use.
Link handmic (otherwise known as a speaker mic) has necessary controls. Small dial at top right
Link handmic (otherwise known as a speaker mic/microphone) has necessary controls. Small dial at top right is on-off and volume. Lower dial with letters is the channel pre-sets. A series of LEDs at top left indicate the radio being powered up, transmitting, etc.
Speaking of the battery, per current pop electronics you can only charge the BCA Link via USB. This requires the usual USB wall-wart adapter if you want to juice from residential wiring. You can presumably plug directly into your computer, or into whatever source you’re using to feed USB current to say, your smartphone. Mixed emotions about this. In an ideal world, USB would simplify things. But shucks, with a dozen or more different types of USB connectors out there (was this designed by Microsoft?), I still carry a spaghetti mess of cables and adapters, so really, things are just as complicated as in the old days. What is more, I still feel the ideal DC current standardization is the >< 12 volts of automobiles. But that's another story.
Of more importance, you'd better have a good charging strategy for BC Link if you're on a multi-day backcountry skiing trip without electricity. I'll do the official WildSnow begging to BCA for an AA battery pack, but something tells me this won't be forthcoming any time soon. Instead, look to any of the aftermarket auxiliary USB chargers, such as those by Anker and Goal Zero.
Settings
If you’re familiar with Motorola FRS/GMRS Walkie Talkie, changing channels and such on the Link base unit will be easy. It’s done exactly the same way. Ditto for disabling all the annoying beeps and noises these types of walkie-talkies seem to think would make our lives better. The all important LOCK mode is obvious; designated by a graphic on the base unit face: push MENU and OK buttons simultaneously and you get a nice countdown to when the unit is locked. The only thing non-standard is setting the channel memories that correspond to 6 settings on the handmic, switched using a small dial marked with letters A through F. This is too easy. Just get the base unit set to the channel you want, then press the OK button. There you go, you have a pre-set for whatever letter you had the handmic dial set on. (Link comes with pre-sets that will probably become standards, but I’d recommend figuring out a few pre-sets specific to your usual group of backcountry skiers to prevent channel crowding once these radios are in common use.)
Note: There are no FRS/GMRS channels “officaily” designated for various uses, but convention designates channel 1 for general public chat, and channel 20 (with quiet code 22) for emergencies. That said, in most areas the FRS/GMRS channels are NOT monitored in any way that would help you call for help. In reality, channel 1 tends to be overused due to it being the easiest channel to get to on a new radio, as well as being easy to remember. Thus, when setting your radio we recommend not using channel 1. But perhaps keep channel 20 as a setting and don’t use it for day-to-day comm.
Likewise, bear in mind that the FCC requires these types of walkie talkies to lowest power on channels 8 through 14. Thus, when picking channels for general backcountry use it’s advisable to pick a channel from 2-7 or 15-22 (Link transmits at one watt on those channels, 1/2 watt on the other ones). Furthermore, the antenna on this type of radio can be assumed to be tuned to the midrange of frequencies (channels), with performance falling off at either end of the channels. Thus, for a bit of extra umph in your distance range I’d recommend using channels 6,7,15,16,17.
Conversely, if you want to conserve battery and know you’ll always be close to your compadres, try using the Link’s lower power (1/2 watt) channels 8-14. These will perform better than you might think. The Link radio doesn’t have a low/high power setting, so using these channels will significantly extend your battery life if you’re doing much talking. In other words, this is a way of forcing the radio to lower power.
IMPORTANT: To get best performance from any 2-way radio, all users must have their antennas oriented in the same position. Convention for this is to orient your antenna vertically. Since the Link base unit is presumably buried in your backpack, it may end up in a random position (BCA packs will have a radio mount, presumably vertical). I’d recommend all party members figure out a way to carry/mount their radios to the antenna stays somewhat vertical. By the same token, the higher the radio is above the ground the better it will perform.
Water resistance
We’re assuming the Link is robust and “waterproof.” Word from BCA is it conforms to standard IP56. In my research this indicates the unit is sealed against powerful gushing water, but is not immersion proof. From what I see when physically examining the Link, my take is it’ll hold up fine to normal humidity and moisture encountered in backcountry skiing, but might not be the radio for commercial fishing. That said, BCA told me they actually tested the radio at full immersion and it passed. All connections have obvious seals. Both the hand mic and base unit cases are assembled with small, confidence inspiring metal fasteners rather than being snapped together or glued as with toy radios. These fasteners cause us to fantasize about modifications such as a better antenna. Yet again, another story.
Ease of Use
Some of the blister pack FRS/GMRS radios are so loaded with features they become difficult to use unless you’re on them every day. BCA’s approach to this is perfect. In my opinion the Link has enough features for effective use, but by lacking dodads such as scan and VOX it’s much less confusing when you step through the menus. Such features can be useful, especially scan, but simplicity is key if we want radio use to become more common in our sport. Which leads to our next thought.
Safety
Inter-group communication is just as important to avalanche safety as is your beacon or airbag. The 2-way radio enhances such communication to a stunning degree. More, beyond avalanche safety you’ll still find that using walkie talkies can make a huge difference in situation such as navigating complex terrain. Yes, there is indeed a geek factor to these things. Get over it. Hide the Link base-unit in your backpack, discreetly mount the handmic on your pack strap, turn off all the beeps, don’t chatter, and you’ll be able to live with it.
Ergonomics
Base unit is basic. Smaller would be nicer, but whatever. A small lanyard mount on the top enables hanging from the inside of your pack in the recommended vertical position. You could also do this with the included belt-clip if you could find (or mod) a way to attach it. In either case, our testing indicates that to keep the unit vertical you need more than just a basic attachment inside your backpack. I rigged up some bungie cords that stabilize the position of the radio in one of my packs. BCA backpacks will of course have a dedicated Link mounting system.
Handmic (BCA offical name “Smart Mic”) is designed to locate on your pack strap with the coil-cord feeding up over your shoulder, operated with either hand. I find the PTT (push-to-talk) is a bit awkward to press, but I’m getting used to it. Looking down at the Smart Mic, you can see the volume/power dial as well as the pre-set channel selector dial with its A through F markings. The movement of both dials is adequately attenuated to prevent accidental changes. Nonetheless, per good radio technique glance down when transmitting to make sure you’re on the correct pre-set, and check your volume once in a while by calling for a radio check. (Some 2-way radios have a volume self check. Link doesn’t have this as an obvious option. Still, you can do a volume self-check by turning on any of your weather channels, which will result in either static noise or voice you can check. I’d recommend programming your local weather broadcast to one of the pre-sets, perhaps the last one, F.)
The base unit has no charging indicator in the LCD. Instead, the light on the wall wart goes red when charging and green when done. To me this situation is a big detriment, as I can see myself charging the Link in a variety of situations when the wall wart is not used. Indeed, if BCA is keeping a list of recommended improvements, let me recommend “charging indicator in LCD.”
One other ergonomics take: We really like the LED flashlights built into some FRS/GMRS radios. Carrying two light sources during big backcountry trips is an important safety consideration (main headlamp and some sort of tiny auxiliary light). Link LCD can be used as a light source by pressing the MENU button. It’s dim and turns off after 3 seconds, but would be adequate to illuminate swapping batteries in a headlamp, or finding a lost hat in your sleeping bag at 2:00 in the morning.
Weight
Big consideration, especially for those of you who presently don’t carry 2-way radios. The better blister pack FRS/GMRS radios we use weigh around 7.3 ounces, 207 grams with lithium AA batteries installed and a set of spares. (They’re easily waterproofed by carrying in a ziplock, though doing so is a bother. Waterproof blister pack radios are available, and weigh a bit more. ). Link total on our scale (handmic and base) weighs 11.4 ounces, 322 grams. Add a handmic to your blister pack radio and you up the total by at least 3 ounces, to at least 10 ounces, 284 grams. That’s still lighter than BC Link, but not by much. What that extra ounce or so gets you is the key: Link is waterproof, apparently durable, and has what I’m assuming is significantly longer life battery than what we get with the 3 AA cells (and a set of spares) for our blister pack unit.
Real World Test
I took a Link out skiing today, paired with Lisa carrying a regular name-brand FRS/GMRS. We tested while separated by a small hill. Transmissions were clear as ever. We then tested by talking from top of ski resort to the base area, about 2,000 vertical feet and not line-of-site. A bit of static, but totally audible. I’m not sure Link is any better than another good quality FRS/GMRS, but it’s certainly no worse. Tomorrow I’ll do a brutal comparo by having a person drive away in a car while continuing to talk, using the Link as well as another radio. I doubt we’ll find anything significant.
Conclusion
If you’re a big radio user I’d think the small weight penalty would be worth going with BC Link. If you’re the type of user who keeps the radio stashed in your backpack, turned off, a smaller/lighter rig might be more appropriate (some blister pack FRS/GMRS radios are quite small). Me, I’ll probably use both types depending on situation. Have to say I really like the Link handmic with controls, and not worrying about moisture is a big plus. Four WildSnow.com ski tips up to BCA Link!
Size of Link, from BCA:
Mic: 3.3” x 1.0” x 1.8” / 8.0 x 4.0 x 4.5 cm
Base unit: 2.5” x 2.0” x 6.0” / 6 x 5 x 15 cm

Why aren’t we smarter already Evolutionary limits on cognition

With very little information on the internet about two way radio reviews’s, it is very rare when we get a chance to re post, with permission, an article from this industry.

(Medical Xpress) — We put a lot of energy into improving our memory, intelligence, and attention. There are even drugs that make us sharper, such as Ritalin and caffeine. But maybe smarter isn’t really all that better. A new paper published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, warns that there are limits on how smart humans can get, and any increases in thinking ability are likely to come with problems.
The authors looked to evolution to understand about why humans are only as smart as we are and not any smarter. “A lot of people are interested in drugs that can enhance cognition in various ways,” says Thomas Hills of the University of Warwick, who cowrote the article with Ralph Hertwig of the University of Basel. “But it seems natural to ask, why aren’t we smarter already?”
Tradeoffs are common in evolution. It might be nice to be eight feet tall, but most hearts couldn’t handle getting blood up that high. So most humans top out under six feet. Just as there are evolutionary tradeoffs for physical traits, Hills says, there are tradeoffs for intelligence. A baby’s brain size is thought to be limited by, among other things, the size of the mother’s pelvis; bigger brains could mean more deaths in childbirth, and the pelvis can’t change substantially without changing the way we stand and walk.
Drugs like Ritalin and amphetamines help people pay better attention. But they often only help people with lower baseline abilities; people who don’t have trouble paying attention in the first place can actually perform worse when they take attention-enhancing drugs. That suggests there is some kind of upper limit to how much people can or should pay attention. “This makes sense if you think about a focused task like driving,” Hills says, “where you have to pay attention, but to the right things—which may be changing all the time. If your attention is focused on a shiny billboard or changing the channel on the two way radio, you’re going to have problems.”
It may seem like a good thing to have a better memory, but people with excessively vivid memories have a difficult life. “Memory is a double-edged sword,” Hills says. In post-traumatic stress disorder, for example, a person can’t stop remembering some awful episode. “If something bad happens, you want to be able to forget it, to move on.”
Even increasing general intelligence can cause problems. Hills and Hertwig cite a study of Ashkenazi Jews, who have an average IQ much higher than the general European population. This is apparently because of evolutionary selection for intelligence in the last 2,000 years. But, at the same time, Ashkenazi Jews have been plagued by inherited diseases like Tay-Sachs disease that affect the nervous system. It may be that the increase in brain power has caused an increase in disease.
Given all of these tradeoffs that emerge when you make people better at thinking, Hills says, it’s unlikely that there will ever be a supermind. “If you have a specific task that requires more memory or more speed or more accuracy or whatever, then you could potentially take an enhancer that increases your capacity for that task,” he says. “But it would be wrong to think that this is going to improve your abilities all across the board.”

Radio Vida

I don’t know if you came here as you read it on social media, twitter, facebook, google +, stumble upon or somewhere else. thankyou for visiting and I trust you like reading this as much as I did.

Years and years pass by and the Radio is still booming. The World’s population is climbing daily.

All of the people in this world and there is NOTHING to listen to on the Radio! Stop, turning the dial on your radio, the answer has finally arrived.

The problem is with finding a decent radio station is that all of the radio stations now are too flooded with traffic. With so many people listening at once there’s no way you’re going to hear what you want because everyone is requesting something else to be played.

This is where Radio Vida comes in. Radio Vida which is Radio Life in English, is a growing group of Spanish radio stations all over the world.

Radio Vida is a great set of stations for all listeners alike. You don’t have to be a ‘radio only’ kind of person to enjoy the music played. The number one thing that Radio Vida aims for is the happiness of the listeners. If you were to call in and request something they would be sure to get to it before they stopped playing for the night.

Of course, you don’t have to listen to a great radio station if you didn’t want to, after all it’s just that racket in the background. WRONG! Radio Vida is much more then just some music playing in the background. Radio Vida is becoming a way of life. The question is will you jump on the train when it comes your way, or will you let it pass you by?

Radio Vida has stations all over the world. Portugal, Spain, including areas in the U.S. such as California and Arizona, as well as various other places throughout the world. In some places Radio Vida has changed their programming around a bit to present the truth of gospel as its main objective.

Well, what kind of music do they play at Radio Vida? It is all Hispanic music, mixed into the Hispanic music is a portion of Pon Tu Mirada en Jesus. Also thrown into the mix at Radio Vida is El Tiempo de Dios. Now, not only is gospel music being played, but also music concerning health issues and problems.

So now that you have proof that these stations are filled with everything the Hispanic community wants, tune your radio stations and enjoy the music.

Many radio stations have watched what Radio Vida is doing and are starting to follow. Stations such as, Radio Arte has begun reaching out to teens in the Hispanic community. They are the first bilingual (Spanish/English) youth-operated community station in the U.S., being in Chicago.

The program was completed one hundred percent by the youth. From broadcasting to reporting, teens get the perfect dose of what they need. Well, what else do I have to tell you. Radio Vida is out there just waiting for you to grab a listen. So go to website now and listen to one of these amazing Spanish gospel music, you will not be disappointed, that’s a promise!

The New Bebo Releases Its First App, Blab, A Video ‘2 Way Radio’ Service

With such a lot of information on the net about motorola two way radio quad pack’s it can be hard to discover the top and generally truthful information. here’s a piece of writing from a good website that i believe as accurate, don’t quote me on it but please read and enjoy

Bebo, the troubled social network that got re-acquired by its serial entrepreneur founders Michael and Xochi Birch last year, is today launching its first app in its bid to return to glory. Blab is a video-based “Walkie Talkie” app for iOS that lets users send messages to others with the app, as well as those who don’t have it.

It’s the first of three apps that the company, working with the Birchs’ Monkey Inferno incubator, plans to release this year, in the hopes that it will draw more users back to its platform, once with 100 million users and attractive enough for (TechCrunch owner) AOL to buy it for $850 million before eventually selling it off, leading eventually to Bebo filing for bankruptcy.

Shaan Puri, CEO of Monkey Inferno, tells us that Blab has been in private beta for the last four weeks and managed to get 775,000 people to sign up for its waiting list in the meantime to try it out. It’s been a long time coming. Apparently Monkey Inferno experimented with three different apps before deciding to launch Blab.

I took the opportunity of the launch to ask, in a market absolutely full of messaging and video apps, why Blab?

The answer is fairly logical, if a little unspiring for its emphasis on making money. “Ev Williams said it best when asked what the formula is for building the next billion dollar company,” Puri told me in an email. “‘Take a human desire, preferably one that has been around for a really long time…Identify that desire and use modern technology to take out steps.’”

Away from the business aspect, Puri and his team think that the much-tried formula for video messaging apps has room for improvement. “Skype and Facetime were great innovations, that pushed communication past a basic phone call,” he says. “Millions of people around the world have used video chat communicate. The problem is, there is lots of friction. It requires long blocks of time, scheduling with another person (often in a different timezone), and it’s live, so it requires your undivided attention. [But] mobile is a different beast. Mobile is about being ‘on-demand’, about being lightweight, and on-the-go. We took those principles and built an app that 100M+ people will love to use.”

Puri believes that Blab, as a result, has a few key factors that differentiate it from competing apps. The first of these, he says, is ease of use. “We designed the app for the specific purpose of video messaging,” he explains. “For example, sending a Blab is dead simple. Hold-to-Record, Let Go to Send. That’s it. On Snapchat, an app known for being lightweight, the same task takes 5 separate steps (flip camera, press record, review the video/add a caption, choose the recipient, then hit the send button).”

He also points out that the fact that the app is designed to draw in users to create content, but not necessarily to consume it. “Blab[ing] people who don’t have the app is a key innovation,” he says. Even in this regard, users without the app can decide whether or not they would like to download the app to reply to messages.
“Most social products suffer from the chicken-and-egg problem, since you can’t use them until your friends are on the app,” Puri notes. “But you don’t want to invite them, because you don’t know if it’s any good or not!”

Indeed, this is one of the most frustrating aspects of app onboarding, in my own personal experience. I’ve even had friends (non-techie friends) suspect my email of getting infected with viruses when I invite them to start interacting with me on new products so that I can try them out on “normals.”

Puri also differentiates Blab from other social messaging products. “At first glance, it’s easy to lump Blab in with other popular services (Instagram, Snapchat, Vine, etc..) but there is a fundamental difference,” he says. “Those products were built to show something to your friends. Blab is built to communicate with your friends. This is obvious once you’ve used the app – so our challenge will be to get people to give it a try for the first time.”

Puri says the next two apps are currently being built and beta tested by a team of four. It’s still up in the air, it seems, whether what is being tested now is what we will see shipped. ” We kill products if they don’t show the right metrics in beta testing, and pass our internal gut check,” he says. “For example, we prototyped/tested three different apps before striking gold with Blab.”

For that reason, Puri would not talk about what’s coming next, except to say that they will all follow the “model” of Blab. By that he means “Apps that are fun, social, and do just one thing, really really well,” he says.

For a company that basis at least some of the logic of going for messaging apps on a “billion dollar” formula from a repeat entrepreneur, it’s interesting that for Blab there doesn’t seem to be a business model in place. Asked what Blab may do to monetise, Puri responds: “We quite literally have not had a conversation about this yet. We are lucky to be in a position where we can focus on just making things that people love to use. If we do that, we’ll be alright.”
I’ll be giving Blab a test drive shortly. Let us know what you think of the app, too.

Motorola Solutions Sharpens LTE Focus With First 4G-Capable Radio For Public Safety

This short article is posted with the faithful authorization of two way radio denver co.co.uk, that is the original website. please get agreement from that blog before reposting this piece.

With 4G LTE likely to play a big role in future public safety communications, Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI) is actively investing in R&D for next-generation communication systems. The company recently showcased the APX 7000L, its first two-way portable radio that works both on legacy LMR (Land Mobile Walkie Talkie) and next-generation 4G LTE networks. Similar to the previous-generation APX 7000 in most voice-related functionalities, the 7000L offers additional capability to connect to public safety LTE networks for high-bandwidth data applications such as video transmission and digital imaging. The new two-way radio also supports roaming between LTE and LMR networks, and offers simultaneous access to both voice and data – thereby saving valuable time for first responders in mission-critical situations. In order to smoothen the transition process, the company said that existing APX 7000 customers will not have to purchase the new device and can instead upgrade them to include LTE functionality. The APX 7000L is expected to be available early in the third quarter this year and will be marketed primarily to federal law-enforcement agencies.

The demand for data services in public safety is growing, as evidenced by the government’s push towards building a nationwide 4G LTE network (FirstNet) for first responders. With the transition from narrowband to interoperable narrowband/broadband networks underway, Motorola faces a threat to its huge legacy base of LMR-based radio systems in the U.S. However, the company has been proactive in dealing with this by launching easy-to-upgrade compatible products and signing contracts with U.S. agencies to deploy public-safety LTE networks in the country. While a large-scale transition to LTE could still cause competition from rivals such as Raytheon and Northrop Grumman to intensify, it is a good sign for the future that Motorola is looking to keep up with changing times.

LTE threat to Motorola?

Motorola Solutions, which was formed after the erstwhile Motorola split in two in 2011, is a dominant player in the U.S. public safety industry, and has been so for decades. The company also has an enterprise segment that develops rugged handheld devices such as bar code scanners, RFID readers, enterprise tablets and other mobile computing devices, but government solutions including public safety still account for almost two-thirds of its total revenues.

However, Motorola Solutions’ dominance of the public safety industry has come on the back of voice technology used in analog and digital two-way radios, and not data. According to the FCC, the company accounted for almost 80% of all the deployed emergency Walkie Talkie systems in the country in 2010. [1] But while voice still reigns supreme, especially in mission-critical situations where signal quality and reliability are of paramount importance, public safety agencies have come to increasingly rely on high-bandwidth applications that the existing narrowband networks fail to support.

In order to fulfill this need, the government has identified next-generation 4G technology LTE, which has already been deployed for commercial purposes by carriers such as Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. A job creation bill passed in February 2012 reallocated the 700MHz D Block spectrum for public safety use and provided a funding of $7 billion to build out a nationwide 4G LTE network by the end of the decade. The industry seems to be taking baby steps towards high-speed data transmission but it is in this transition, however slow, that lies the next big risk to Motorola’s continued dominance of the public safety market. The companies that are looking to disrupt the market include Northrop Grumman, Harris Corp., Lockheed Martin, SAIC and Raytheon, among others.

Mission-critical voice might preserve Motorola’s dominance

However, the risk to Motorola is not immediate. LTE, as a standard, has not evolved enough to support mission-critical LMR voice services, which is where a bulk of Motorola’s public safety business lies currently. Although some work is being done in this area, the reliability of voice communications required in mission-critical situations is unlikely to be achieved over LTE in the next 5-8 years at least. Moreover, the fact that public safety agencies have a bulk of their existing infrastructure on legacy voice networks means that they will be reluctant to shift to an all-LTE network in the near term. As a result, we expect LTE’s high-speed data capability to only supplement and interoperate with existing public safety voice services for the foreseeable future.

In the recently launched APX 7000L, we see this interoperability at play. The LMR radio in the 7000L confirms to the same mission-critical voice standards as before, offering dual-band support for VHF and 700/800 MHz bands and validated at Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 Level 3 for high-level encryption and information security. The LTE radio supports the 700MHz LTE bands that were recently allocated for public safety and allows for simultaneous voice and data as long as the LMR voice channels are established on 800MHz or VHF. [2] Interoperability on 700MHz will likely be incorporated in the next APX version.

In order to increase the adoption of its radio systems, Motorola is leveraging its dominant position in the industry and government relationships to build public safety LTE networks in certain regions. The company recently secured a $175 million multi-year contract to not only build but also operate and maintain a federally funded public safety LTE network for Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communication System Authority (LA-RICS). [3]. It is also building out a public safety LTE network in Harris County, Texas, as part of another deal worth $11 million.

However, these regions are part of only a small set of about four entities that have been granted waivers by the FCC to build their own LTE networks and are not part of the $7 billion nationwide program. Motorola’s fundamentals may therefore seem to be on a firm footing right now. But over time, as the industry-wide shift to LTE gets underway and a solution to the reliable VoLTE (voice over LTE) issue is found, Motorola could face challenges in preserving its dominance in the U.S. public safety market.

Ex-staffers now in government help Motorola land contracts

For years people have been telling me that relations, love and happiness are the most important things in life…Now I realized that I’m able to take or leave all that so long as We have this push to talk communication in the world.

As a Motorola saleswoman from 2004 to 2006, Laura Phillips coached local officials on how to secure state and federal grant money to pay for new public-safety radio equipment.

Later, Phillips used her knowledge in a much different way.

When she was put in charge of a government agency overseeing funding for emergency-communication projects in the San Francisco Bay Area, her office shepherded a federal grant that handed her former employer a $50 million deal to build the nation�s first regional high-speed broadband network for emergency responders.

The episode shines light on a reverse revolving door: Instead of leaving government for lobbying jobs, numerous Motorola workers have quit their private-sector jobs for government positions in which they�ve taken actions benefiting their former employer.

In Phillips� case, critics claimed her office pursued the grant without the knowledge of some of the six affected major cities and counties, and that Motorola competitors got little shot at the deal. Phillips denied favoring Motorola.

Investigators for the Commerce Department�s inspector general�s office ultimately concluded that Phillips� office rammed through a grant application that was rife with �significant misrepresentations,� including that a joint authority for 10 Bay Area counties existed a year before its first meeting.

Phillips wasn�t found to have engaged in misconduct, but the project is now dead.

In Anchorage, Tryg Erickson said he spent more than a quarter-century working as a Motorola salesman before leaving in 2005 to take a job as director of communications and electronics for Alaska�s biggest city.

Two years later, the city bought a $25 million two way radio system from Motorola without soliciting proposals. Instead, it adopted terms from a competitively bid contract that the state had awarded to the company in 1999, Erickson recalled.

The citywide public-safety system was a project, he said, that �everyone knew would go to Motorola.�

�My previous customer was my predecessor� in the city job, he said, �and that�s not as uncommon as it would seem. There�s pretty much Motorola and anybody else.�

2 way radio Repeaters – Improve Or Increase Radio Range

Thanks for reading my blog, here is a piece i really enjoyed reading. With their agreement i’m able to repost it. I write plenty of my own articles, but irregularly repost other content i think are remarkable, thanks for reading.

In two way radio systems, poor coverage is a fairly common problem. This can be due to either large obstructions or simply distance between radios.

A repeater is a type of base station which can be used to improve the coverage of a radio system.

PMR radios can be programmed to transmit on one frequency and receive on another. (Semi-duplex.)

A repeater works by receiving a radio signal on one frequency and simultaneously re-transmitting the signal on another frequency. (Duplex.)

For example, a portable radio transmits on 1 and receives on 2.

The repeater picks up the transmission on 1 and simultaneously re-transmits on 2.

Others radio users hear the transmission on 2 and reply on 1.

This channel splitting is done because a two way radio can’t transmit and receive on the same frequency at the same time.

Think about it like this… A signal on the receiver causes the transmitter to key up, which transmits on the same frequency as the receiver, which receives the signal and continues to key up the transmitter… It would effectively lock up.

Repeaters are useful in extending radio range. If two users are too far apart to receive each other, a repeater located between them would effectively, hop or bounce the signal.

Repeaters also work well at overcoming “line of sight” limitations.

If two users are on either side of a mountain, the two Way Radio signal cannot penetrate the mountain and they are unable to communicate.

Now install a repeater at the top of the mountain. Both radios can now see the repeater’s antenna… and communicate. The height of the repeater would also give the added bonus of increased range.

Repeaters do not necessarily have to cover a large area. If there is just a small pocket of poor coverage within a larger system, a low power repeater could be used just to “fill in” the area.

In the UK, repeaters come in types ranging from just a couple of watts up to 25 watts.

Invariably, the repeater transmit power should match that of the mobiles or portables.

If the repeater transmits at 25 watts and the portables are rated at 5 watts, the portables can get into a situation where they can hear the repeater, but are unable to reply due to the power difference… Frustrating!

If you loved this write-up and you would like to acquire a lot more facts concerning Kenwood radio kindly take a look at our web-page.

The IC-4088SR A PMR 445 Licence Free two Way Radio

Again a different piece i found remarkable around the business of 2 way Radio’s, what would you need to do if i didn’t post this ehh? you would have to look at the original content, and the chances that you found it would be slim, so think yourself fortunate that i’ve shared this glorious article with you.
PMR446 Handheld Transceiver
Designed to meet the demands of the licence free PMR 446 service, the IC-4088SR builds on its predecessor’s functionality, features and operating performance.
Featuring a high level of flexibility, the IC-4088SR allows instant communication between members of a group in and around buildings and over short distances. This makes it the perfect tool for keeping in touch with friends, family and work colleagues whilst in close proximity to them. The applications for the PMR446 service are almost limitless and the IC-4088SR would be suitable for camping, golf, catering, use in sports centres, on building sites, catering, events management, neighbourhood watch, factories, farms etc. What’s more it is water-resistant making it ideal for rambling, trekking, or for use on inland waterways etc.

An optional external charger socket or cigarette lighter lead allows you to charge and operate the IC-4088SR allowing you to use the IC-4088SR when and whenever you like. 

The IC-4088SR has all the hallmarks of a quality product. It is well designed, easy to use and very robust. Its strong body makes it ideal for outdoor activity enthusiasts, for example. In fact the IC-4088SR is ergonomically designed and there are an absolute minimum number of switches making operation quick and intuitive. The large, easy to read LCD shows operating information at a glance with clear status icons such as ‘low battery’ and ‘timer’ that are easily recognisable. 

In addition to its ease of use and aesthetic design the IC-4088SR is packed full of communication features that provides the user with a high level of usability and convenience. Among these useful functions are a simple voice scrambler that will provide secure private communication and a handy ‘Automatic Transponder’ function which automatically warns you if the other radios are out of range. 

Other useful operating functions include a call ring function, which allows you to send a ring tone when calling another party – similar to using a mobile phone. Ten different ring types can be selected from. To ensure clear communications with other radios, you can select from 8 different radio channels and 38 different group codes, giving more than 300 different combinations to choose from. A Smart Ring function is also included which lets you know whether your call has got all the way through.

The IC-4088SR transceiver is available with charger and four rechargeable batteries. Two commercial multi-packs are also available.
* Rugged construction and high performance antenna
* External DC power jack
* Built-in voice scrambler
* Simple to use for everyone
* Economical three alkaline cells
* Splash resistant construction
* Built-in CTCSS encoder and decoder
* Automatic transponder system
* Smart-ring function
* Call-ring function
* Power save function
* Low battery indicator
* Automatic power-off timer (0.5–2 hours)
* Scan function
* PTT hold function
* Variable time-out-timer (1–30 minutes)