@@foxmulder216 Nextel Direct talk mode is phone to phone. Designed for work sites outside of cellular coverage, it uses digital channels and privacy codes in the 900 MHz ISM band. I've gotten 3 miles out of it in an urban environment because there isn't much in that spectrum.
And as soon as you’re out of cell range it’s a paperweight, which is a lot of the point of radios today. It also doesn’t seem to have any kind of mic or headset input/output.
Those sorts of radios exist too, but they’re of course much more expensive. These are great for when you need medium to long ranges where walkietalkies don’t work, but have to give radios to people without radio licenses. We use them all the time filming in downtown Tokyo where there’s so much interference and physical obstructions a consumer walkietalkie is basically just LOS.
@@gastonbarouille767 you clearly don’t understand both the use and purpose of this device. First, they’re cheaper than phones and more durable. I don’t want to be handing out phones when I need to talk with people who don’t have an RT license. I don’t want to ask them to install an app and use their own data either. Secondly, phone batteries die too fast. Do this with a phone and it will last a few hours. These will last a day or more. Third, simply doing an internet voice call uses data constantly so it’s no option. Same with cellular calling, it uses minutes. This only uses data when the button is pressed. Fourth, range. I often work on video productions in central Tokyo. Regular radios simply don’t always have the range to reach through the urban sprawl. “Family band” radios certainly don’t. Lastly, kinda summarizes all the previous points,simplicity. Like I said we usually use these with people who don’t have an RT license. We just want to give them a box with a “talk” button and that’s it. Nothing is simpler than this.
That's pretty interesting. I think it would be really useful if it had a built in radio as well, to fall back to when out of 3g/4g coverage. Then they would be awesome for group riding motorcycles etc.
@@stagiestpizza i have cardos and they don’t work well for my use case at all. You have to be pretty close for them to work. Also i’d love to have some handheld systems in the mesh.
If you wanted to go really deep down the rabbit hole, you could do what Shadytel does and set up impromptu telephone infrastructure. Technology is such now that you could probably fit a telephone exchange in your rucksack. And I'm only half joking!
@@deeiks12 I would assume that you could find some short range handhelds that would do the job for a quarter of the price though, couldn't you? plus they would work without cell signal or a data plan.
That is a show that never should have ended, I am so glad the fans fought back to make Serenity! Still left a few loose ends, but really helped to give some answers, I would have watched that show for years happily.
thanks for the info. i’ve always beeen feeling this “radio” for quite some time now but don’t know specifically what it does, but now i know cause of you. thanks…
Is there any cost obligations to the network providers? Or can you just have two-way open channels permanently and not run up any kind of bill or run down prepay balances?
Just learned about the existence of these PTT cell radios. Besides the cost of the radio what else is there? What is this PTT account and sim card is there a monthly fee and if so, what happens if the company shuts down?
It looks like it may be more rugged than mobile phones. Having a loud speaker is a huge plus on a job site. Simple operation is also a plus. The disadvantage is that you’re still paying incrementally to use a mobile phone network and you might not have access to that at a geographically remote work site.
I work in industry. When we're posted to "geographically remote work sites" we use UHF repeater systems or satellite phones. In the past we'll drive a spare work truck to the top of a hill or mountain with a repeater in it and use it to bounce comms in and out of a location. If we're on the site for a long time we just put in a solar powered repeater. Since these work off cell towers, you'd naturally not try to force their use in an area with no cell signal, that just wouldn't make sense. They're not FOR that. Think more like, a security company who wants to be able to communicate with it's employees without them breaking smart phones and watching p*rn all night on it.
@@syberphish these radios are not for areas without phone coverage that is one use but primarily if you’re using them for commercial uses and want to secure system you will be paying a lot of money and licensing as any kind of encrypted communication is heavily regulated in most countries so these are a good option for having the security when there is mobile coverage and saving a bit of money with licensing
@@UKsystems You didn't read what I wrote, then you post to tell me something I already stated. I said "these work off cell phone towers". Did you somehow miss that? Ive used both cell-based and uhf based systems, as well as uhf routed through IP. So far you haven't said anything I haven't already said first. Try processing the given information BEFORE responding, Tinkerbell.
A Wi-Fi version of this radio would be be interesting because Wi-Fi could be installed at a remote work site where 4G does not exist. The Wi-Fi access point could be tied to one of the various satellite Internet providers for wide area coverage.
@@kasuraga Old wrt54g's flashed with DD-WRT firmware make excellent point-to-point extenders - they're cheap ($30-$40 used), reliable, and still widely available.
@@heinzzid3923 The network client devices offer several advantages over a mobile phone with application, namely almost instant on, a speaker loud enough to hear over construction equipment, and ruggedized construction. The idea appears to be to have a simple device which conforms to the traditional notion of job site walkie-talkie.
I’m 44 years old but you just told my story word for word except I was listening to ice T, NWA, too short, mc eight , snoop, Beastie Boys. I remember I got a pager in 7th grade because Eazy E rapped about it.
You're missing the point, it's not FOR personal use. Think of a security company that needs inexpensive comms with it's people, and doesn't want them breaking smart phones and watching p*rn all night on them. This would fit that perfectly, and they can't screw it up. (though you should never underestimate the ability of a security guard to screw something up). Think, hotel staff. Any low level position where you want comms with your people but you don't want to pay for even budget smart phones. How often do all the cell towers in an area go out? Not often. They aren't "emergency backup comms", they're just meant to be a price-point enterprise solution. It's like you picking up a bar code scanner and going "well this is stupid, what am I going to use this for at home?" You're not.
@@maindave1 Sorry if I come across brusquely, I'm "on the spectrum". I don't mean anything by it. Sometimes I read stuff later and I go...well maybe that was kinda rude, but it's more excitement than anything. I've been trying to tone it down a bit. I feel like if I just say "it's not designed or marketed for the typical consumer in mind as an end-user" people won't quite connect the same with it. It's easier to just paint the picture and make the connection easier, but I get kinda verbose and intense sometimes. My bad. You're a good egg, Dave.
I wish I could test these, we work inside of basically a Faraday cage and have a repeater antenna that allows us to get some cell phone reception in the building, back in the Nextel days, we could and have talked to a coworker from the East Coast while they were on top of the mountain in Hawaii looking at the big radio telescope, he was ABOVE the clouds and we could still hear him clear as day. Also used for our deep sea fishing trips where we could still chat over 40 miles from shore. The Nextels were perfect for staying in contact, but when they shut that PTT down, we switched to Verizon cell phones that had the feature that did not work nearly as well, and they shut that service down as well.
When you say they could be used for hiking or camping, I wouldn’t rely on these for that. If at any point the cell signal drops , they become nothing but a brick.
I'm sure there are applications where these could come in handy because of their rugged and simple design, but for most applications any budget smart phone will probably do the job just as well. As for potential cons; always keep in mind is obsolescence. For one thing, in ten years time, who knows if the software for it will still work or if your computer even has the right port to plug it into. Another is that it relies on Real PTT, so who runs those servers and could they disappear tomorrow, may be relevant questions to consider. An additional point about longevity is that the cellular networks change. 2G and 3G is starting to get phased out in many places or will soon be. Which leaves 4G. How long will that stick around? Those are points to consider. The answer may well be that they're irrelevant for your purpose. They sure look like neat, little practical units that do what they're supposed to and do it well.
It's not for the applications where a budget smart phone would work. Think...security companies. Staffed by not overly intelligent people who get bored easily and break things constantly. Something like this they can't screw up, they can communicate on it, can't watch videos or p*rn, and that's it. And you're not buying them (even a budget) smart phone which they will absolutely destroy, probably in the first week, then want a replacement.
Excellent points, however the relevance is lost looking big picture, well because there is no big picture. For any of us. Smart money says everything goes to hell before 4g is phased out lol
@@JWallace004 We're all gonna die at some poitn and suffer till that day, yes. That's kinda a given. Until then ima geek tf out with all the electronic goodies I wanna play with. Then if I end up with a bunch of time on my hands and can't go outside, I'll have something to keep me busy. Smart money says if you're worried about what you're worried about, you're going to end up wasting money trying to stave off the inevitable. You're all over the place dude, try to pull yourself together a little. Have some composure.
Very cool little sets indeed but the lack of WiFi connectivity seems a bit of an omission. Would also be a nice feature to have independent, programmable UHF freqs built in - perhaps the PMR 446 band for Europe or GMRS for the US for when out of cellular coverage but local handset to handset comms is still desirable? However, still very cool little things indeed and a great overview - thanks. :)
yeah, if this only works if you have a cellular account and only in range and IF cell service is up. would be useless in an deep woods/emergency/shtf situation
These are generally used because unlike PMR these are quite secure and can’t easily be listening to in fixed venues that has coverage by mobile networks. It’s fine and commercial data plans a holistic across Sim cards so these are very very cheap to the point that it is cost-effective enough that you pretend to want something that doesn’t rely on your Wi-Fi at work that could become unreliable, especially a commercial instant if it’s has a guest network as people could potentially attack it.
Am I being stupid or does this mean you need a cellphone signal for them to work? Most places people go hiking and camping don’t have cellphone signals, that’s the whole reason why we take radios
Just a gadget. Satellites can be shut down with the flip of a switch. So can cellphone towers during any kind of a disaster or police action. Anyone that's ever been in Los Angeles during an earthquake can tell you how cellphones don't work. I'm not sure a payphone would work even if you could find one.
But dont you have to have a subscription to the local Telecom provider to use these terminals? Meaning - do you have to have a subscription both locally and with RealPTT to use these devices?
Used cell network radios one season instead of uhf on a live tv show. These would work better than analog radios or regular cell phones in a lot of situations. Push a physical button to quickly talk to a group of people anywhere there’s LTE coverage. They weren’t great for live show cues though, as there was up to a second of delay in receiving transmissions. Also not great when multiple people have them in close proximity without headsets, they all receive and replay with slightly different delays. I would consider a headset jack an essential feature for a network radio
We’ve used these sorts of radios on video productions we need longer range but not everyone who needs a radio has have a radio license. Very useful little things as long as you’ll never be anywhere outside of cellular range.
Can you do a video on the local radio systems used in shops and restaurants? Most of the staff at Aldi seem to be wearing a wireless headset used to communicate with their colleagues. These seem very different from the bulky analogue radio systems I used in past workplaces.
At the Co-op I used to work at, we used a digital system that connected all the radios by wireless access points. The range seemed similar to WiFi in that it you walked about 20 metres away from the coverage area everything just disconnected, and would reconnect to the network when you walked back into range. The headset itself *was* the transceiver, there was no additional kit hanging off your belt that the headset would sync up with over Bluetooth or whatever. I assumed it was all just using VoIP, but someone else might know better than me.
This may be a bit left of field, but has any radio amateur looked into the technical specifics of DJI video transmitters. Apparently they advertise a low latency high-definition signal for about 6 km of range.
whats the point to use a radio over cell network? if i have cell signal i use my cell phone... and if i do not have a cell signal, this radio will not work... right?
I think its aimed at enterprise. Everyone knows (or thinks they know) how to use a walkie talkie, so you set these up, give them to employees, and they can "radio" each other without needing to worry about that pesky thing where you go out of range.
@@dafoex its still limited to cell service so what's the point in using this when everyone already has a device on them that uses the same network, seems to me this is just one more thing to have to keep up with when you can just use your phone.
Those look nice. They wouldn't work in my area because of poor cellular coverage away from the highways and in town. (lives in the Great Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina)
I think these are more aimed at enterprise use. You buy a few of these, set them up, give them to your employees with minimal training ("its a radio, press that button to talk") and now you have basic communication in any location that has at least 2G coverage. Its great that we can buy them and play with them, but the radio hobby isn't the target market.
@@VA7SL You're missing the point. Yes, you still need a sim card, but do you know how much it costs for a company to have to buy phones for low-level employees just to have reliable comms with them?? Or for them to get on an actual commercial UHF repeater? And you can make it impossible for the employee to screw it up. It's JUST for communications, they can't watch p*rn on it. Yes, there's a cost for the sim cards but that's pretty low compared to buying everyone smartphones.
Is there a channel like this TH-cam channel for the USA? I recall you mentioned something like Comms, but I do not remember the exact TH-cam channel name. Thanks
6:47 You said you would link them in the description below. However, I can't find anything in your description about where to buy these. Can you post a link please? These seem really cool.
I read that they run on Linux. So the question is whether they are locked down, or if there is a way to unlock their true potential. (Without breaking the law. They do connect directly to the phone system, so there may be some legal limitations to what would be allowed.)
So you have to have a monthly plan for each radio's sim card? Maybe that isn't a big deal for some niche uses, but I can't see most people wanting to pay that.
The only problem is if you lose your network second fiber-optic line goes down or a cell site goes down you don't have no Communications whatsoever nice-looking units but I would prefer the old analog ham radio wait you can't beat the old analog way any day have a good one thanks for the video
Of course its better than a dmr, or can be. This thing is just a cell phone in a different package. Did the 4g sim required part not give it away? lmao
This is very very cheap. It’s about less than £2 a month worth of data with a special commercial plan that lets you holistically by data when it’s needed and it’s split across multiple Sim cards. It’s also worth knowing that compared to DMR for commercial use which is what these radios are designed for usually it’s probably, worth getting this if you operate with someone with mobile coverage due to the fact that the licensing of certain frequencies used for it can be very expensive in some areas
Hi Lewis, thanks for the interesting video, can you let me know where you got your sim card from, I have a T320 and have been trying for ages to find a low data PAYG sim card for it that does not delete your data after a month. 73 MM0NJS
This looks quite good. Going on tour soon and I'm looking at radio options to keep the crew in contact with one another all the time. Our last set of walkies were barely passable. We rented motorolas (the standard for work sites) and they constantly needed recharging and were expensive. Would you recommend these perhaps?
As long as there is good cell service with enough bandwidth at the venue. If you have an audience of 10,000 in a rural area, don’t expect data transmission to be reliable.
You may be right about using this type of equipment. I believe this represents some value. But in light of recent events globally, I see no use in a communications equipment that depends on a SIM Card and a network to be able to operate. I'm not in contact with the instruction manual for this particular equipment and I can't see all the possibilities at the moment...but i suspect In case of generic blocking of means of communication, it will not be possible to establish our own communications with equipment of this type, which is far from the ideal situation. What's the advantage then? Furthermore, it is something that in the event of a global blocking it will be one of the first systems that can be disabled, in my view. Macedo Pinto Portugal
I'm of the same opinion. Reliance on 'their' networks makes these somewhat pointless. You don't need to dial, you can push to talk. That's the only benefit I see. The need for an intermediary, i.e. Real PTT also means these aren't secure either.
@@johnweymouth5685 Honestly, I'm not a Prepper. And I don't let myself be lulled by conversations about equipment that uses an infrastructure that can be rendered globally unviable in seconds. What I think we should think about in the case of SHTF is to have conventional two-way radios, with perfectly aligned electronics, properly aligned antennas (as hidden as we can) and never forget that we will also need a linear amplifier in case of emergency, because without this it may not be possible to contact someone in the different possible scenarios. In a war scenario, for example, it is not expected that communication towers will survive what an invader might do to our territory and we should not believe in any system that relies on 5G, 4G or even 3G. None of this will work in this case. We must keep our eyes open and think technically in advance, equip ourselves with simple and robust equipment, always be on the lookout, know how to remain silent in the radio space and only broadcast radio frequency signals as a last resort. Remember that your geographical position can be discovered very easily using trigonometry. Be aware. In other words, going back to the old school and using appropriate tactics when using the spectrum must be what we do best. This is just my opinion
Hiking would be an iffy use for a device that relies entirely on 3/4G wireless signal. Mountains play havoc with my signal every time I'm out there. Of course this is in the Rocky Mountains, USA, so I'm sure things are easier in the UK.
This is completely useless for "hiking" unless you know EVEYWHERE you hike has cell phone reception. Better off buying the new ip14 or a sat comm texter, like inreach zoleo or spot.
how did you create the Real PTT account?? Bought a radio based on this your video cause it looks cool. Wondering how you created an account because there website only has a login but now account creation
Its an idea for festivals and sorts. What i miss is the function to connect an head set or something. So you can leave it in your pocket keep the line open en talk with a bunch of people at ones. If the battery last longer than a cell phone en data usage is less than a cell phone
I think this is great. Personally, I dont have a use case, but that doesnt mean I can't appreciate it for thise who do. It would be neat if it had wifi for local use (warehouse, etc) and it could be extended using private networks (networks of warehouses). A headset jack would be neat, but it's small enough you could use it in place of a speaker mic, albeit a quite heavy one. The funny thing is, if your channel didn't (wonderfully) provide so much amateur radio content, you wouldn't have so many grumpy comments. As you pointed out, its not amateur radio and doesnt pretend to be. Its just a 4G walkie talkie. Great for use where walkie talkies have a use case, but you have an extended working area and don't want to deal with the infrastructure required to service it. Sure, it relies on the cellular network, but businesses already know the limitations of that network when they rely on smartphones, and if you're anywhere other than a very rural area, you likely have signal.
These are primarily designed for business use so having things like headset connectors could be helpful but they’re less helpful if you think about the primary business use where they don’t want spectrum licensing but they don’t want other people to easily be able to buy a walkie-talkie in listen to them as these are perfect for thatbecause sometimes he instantaneousness and the fact that you don’t have to answer when using walkie-talkie functions is just important if someone’s being attacked or something
What would the cost be when making a call? Are you charged each time you press the PTT button ? Would it be the same as sending messages and making a call.
What phone company would we have to use. So all you have to do is push and talk with no dialing or waiting. And if it is always on a phone call, will it cost money . For it to work as a walkie talkie , it will always have to be transmitting..
True, actually Whatsapp capabilities are amazing. Free intl calls, voice messages, text and image, etc... all free. The only drawback is that they have the data stored in company servers
These things work great in locations that have 100% cellular coverage. In the west desert, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico and so on...they are almost useless.
Sounds good,but question would be.once radios on network.will I be able to send the second one to mexico,and. Xpect no problems due to country's own communications infrastructure?also what is the price.tnx for bringing out this video.seen this radios, ut no info has ever been shared.tnx again.good day.
Will these work within the US? I believe that the US wireless carriers have device white lists that won't allow some open devices made-in-China to operate over the networks.
Brings back the functionality we had in Nextel. Keep in mind, the cellphone system is a repeater and this is a short range radio.
I've still got a couple of Nextels, and they still work in DirectTalk mode over 900 MHz.
I miss nextel, it's seemed soo cool to teenage me
@@Rich_123 interesting, are they connected to a service or just phone to phone?
The coverage is limited only by the 4G/5G network coverage.
@@foxmulder216 Nextel Direct talk mode is phone to phone. Designed for work sites outside of cellular coverage, it uses digital channels and privacy codes in the 900 MHz ISM band. I've gotten 3 miles out of it in an urban environment because there isn't much in that spectrum.
And as soon as you’re out of cell range it’s a paperweight, which is a lot of the point of radios today. It also doesn’t seem to have any kind of mic or headset input/output.
Those sorts of radios exist too, but they’re of course much more expensive.
These are great for when you need medium to long ranges where walkietalkies don’t work, but have to give radios to people without radio licenses.
We use them all the time filming in downtown Tokyo where there’s so much interference and physical obstructions a consumer walkietalkie is basically just LOS.
also as I understand this you have to have service with a provider.....too much extra cost.
@@joelmulder you already have one in your pocket...people call them SMARTPHONE
@@gastonbarouille767 you clearly don’t understand both the use and purpose of this device.
First, they’re cheaper than phones and more durable. I don’t want to be handing out phones when I need to talk with people who don’t have an RT license. I don’t want to ask them to install an app and use their own data either.
Secondly, phone batteries die too fast. Do this with a phone and it will last a few hours. These will last a day or more.
Third, simply doing an internet voice call uses data constantly so it’s no option. Same with cellular calling, it uses minutes. This only uses data when the button is pressed.
Fourth, range. I often work on video productions in central Tokyo. Regular radios simply don’t always have the range to reach through the urban sprawl. “Family band” radios certainly don’t.
Lastly, kinda summarizes all the previous points,simplicity. Like I said we usually use these with people who don’t have an RT license. We just want to give them a box with a “talk” button and that’s it. Nothing is simpler than this.
@@gastonbarouille767 it would be nice though if it had wifi so you could hotspot off your phone if needed.
That's pretty interesting. I think it would be really useful if it had a built in radio as well, to fall back to when out of 3g/4g coverage. Then they would be awesome for group riding motorcycles etc.
the only issue is it's about 200 USD for one, you can get a cardo for the same price or less, and that's actually designed for the task.
@@stagiestpizza i have cardos and they don’t work well for my use case at all. You have to be pretty close for them to work. Also i’d love to have some handheld systems in the mesh.
If you wanted to go really deep down the rabbit hole, you could do what Shadytel does and set up impromptu telephone infrastructure. Technology is such now that you could probably fit a telephone exchange in your rucksack.
And I'm only half joking!
@@stagiestpizza That is expensive.
@@deeiks12 I would assume that you could find some short range handhelds that would do the job for a quarter of the price though, couldn't you? plus they would work without cell signal or a data plan.
It looks like the radios used in the TV show "Firefly". (Best Space Western ever! 🤠)
Great movie!!
The besT
That is a show that never should have ended, I am so glad the fans fought back to make Serenity! Still left a few loose ends, but really helped to give some answers, I would have watched that show for years happily.
Another way to do the same old thing, thanks for the information. These videos have saved me lots of money........
I've been waiting for someone to do a video on these, thanks Lewis
thanks for the info. i’ve always beeen feeling this “radio” for quite some time now but don’t know specifically what it does, but now i know cause of you. thanks…
Is there any cost obligations to the network providers? Or can you just have two-way open channels permanently and not run up any kind of bill or run down prepay balances?
This is the question I had. Someone with the knowledge, please answer! Presuming you must pay for the data, how does that work?
@@JWallace004 thanks. Turns out you get a sim with unlimited data and use that.
@@DerbJd but it aint free, nor does it have unlimited range... what a crock
Small, strong and simple. Definately have a role to play in many businesses. I like it.🍻🤠
Just learned about the existence of these PTT cell radios. Besides the cost of the radio what else is there? What is this PTT account and sim card is there a monthly fee and if so, what happens if the company shuts down?
It looks like it may be more rugged than mobile phones. Having a loud speaker is a huge plus on a job site. Simple operation is also a plus. The disadvantage is that you’re still paying incrementally to use a mobile phone network and you might not have access to that at a geographically remote work site.
I work in industry. When we're posted to "geographically remote work sites" we use UHF repeater systems or satellite phones. In the past we'll drive a spare work truck to the top of a hill or mountain with a repeater in it and use it to bounce comms in and out of a location.
If we're on the site for a long time we just put in a solar powered repeater.
Since these work off cell towers, you'd naturally not try to force their use in an area with no cell signal, that just wouldn't make sense. They're not FOR that.
Think more like, a security company who wants to be able to communicate with it's employees without them breaking smart phones and watching p*rn all night on it.
@@syberphish these radios are not for areas without phone coverage that is one use but primarily if you’re using them for commercial uses and want to secure system you will be paying a lot of money and licensing as any kind of encrypted communication is heavily regulated in most countries so these are a good option for having the security when there is mobile coverage and saving a bit of money with licensing
@@UKsystems voice-to-text has failed you bud.
@@syberphish it could still be understood
@@UKsystems You didn't read what I wrote, then you post to tell me something I already stated.
I said "these work off cell phone towers". Did you somehow miss that?
Ive used both cell-based and uhf based systems, as well as uhf routed through IP. So far you haven't said anything I haven't already said first.
Try processing the given information BEFORE responding, Tinkerbell.
A Wi-Fi version of this radio would be be interesting because Wi-Fi could be installed at a remote work site where 4G does not exist. The Wi-Fi access point could be tied to one of the various satellite Internet providers for wide area coverage.
Wifi would have some other nice uses since long distance networks can be created using extenders.
@@kasuraga Old wrt54g's flashed with DD-WRT firmware make excellent point-to-point extenders - they're cheap ($30-$40 used), reliable, and still widely available.
Why not just put a voip client on your cell phone? It could use the cell network or WiFi. I do this with Zoiper, but there are others.
@@heinzzid3923 The network client devices offer several advantages over a mobile phone with application, namely almost instant on, a speaker loud enough to hear over construction equipment, and ruggedized construction. The idea appears to be to have a simple device which conforms to the traditional notion of job site walkie-talkie.
@@guruoo Good ol wrt54g. Was my first wifi router. Used to run DD-WRT too so I could control the power output and get better stability.
I’m 44 years old but you just told my story word for word except I was listening to ice T, NWA, too short, mc eight , snoop, Beastie Boys. I remember I got a pager in 7th grade because Eazy E rapped about it.
Why not use your phone? What if cell towers down?
then it still won't work???!??!
Exactly 🙄😆
You're missing the point, it's not FOR personal use.
Think of a security company that needs inexpensive comms with it's people, and doesn't want them breaking smart phones and watching p*rn all night on them. This would fit that perfectly, and they can't screw it up. (though you should never underestimate the ability of a security guard to screw something up).
Think, hotel staff. Any low level position where you want comms with your people but you don't want to pay for even budget smart phones.
How often do all the cell towers in an area go out? Not often. They aren't "emergency backup comms", they're just meant to be a price-point enterprise solution.
It's like you picking up a bar code scanner and going "well this is stupid, what am I going to use this for at home?" You're not.
@@syberphish ahh yes makes sense
@@maindave1 Sorry if I come across brusquely, I'm "on the spectrum". I don't mean anything by it. Sometimes I read stuff later and I go...well maybe that was kinda rude, but it's more excitement than anything.
I've been trying to tone it down a bit.
I feel like if I just say "it's not designed or marketed for the typical consumer in mind as an end-user" people won't quite connect the same with it. It's easier to just paint the picture and make the connection easier, but I get kinda verbose and intense sometimes.
My bad. You're a good egg, Dave.
I wish I could test these, we work inside of basically a Faraday cage and have a repeater antenna that allows us to get some cell phone reception in the building, back in the Nextel days, we could and have talked to a coworker from the East Coast while they were on top of the mountain in Hawaii looking at the big radio telescope, he was ABOVE the clouds and we could still hear him clear as day. Also used for our deep sea fishing trips where we could still chat over 40 miles from shore. The Nextels were perfect for staying in contact, but when they shut that PTT down, we switched to Verizon cell phones that had the feature that did not work nearly as well, and they shut that service down as well.
Nextel was too expensive to keep up, that’s why they shut down.
When you say they could be used for hiking or camping, I wouldn’t rely on these for that. If at any point the cell signal drops , they become nothing but a brick.
They don't have real outdoors where he is. These aren't anything but less useful cell phones.
@@chublez I'm trying to figure out why you would use this over a cell phone? It won't work in real wilderness, but an analog/digital radio will.
I'm sure there are applications where these could come in handy because of their rugged and simple design, but for most applications any budget smart phone will probably do the job just as well.
As for potential cons; always keep in mind is obsolescence. For one thing, in ten years time, who knows if the software for it will still work or if your computer even has the right port to plug it into.
Another is that it relies on Real PTT, so who runs those servers and could they disappear tomorrow, may be relevant questions to consider.
An additional point about longevity is that the cellular networks change. 2G and 3G is starting to get phased out in many places or will soon be. Which leaves 4G. How long will that stick around?
Those are points to consider. The answer may well be that they're irrelevant for your purpose.
They sure look like neat, little practical units that do what they're supposed to and do it well.
It's not for the applications where a budget smart phone would work.
Think...security companies. Staffed by not overly intelligent people who get bored easily and break things constantly. Something like this they can't screw up, they can communicate on it, can't watch videos or p*rn, and that's it.
And you're not buying them (even a budget) smart phone which they will absolutely destroy, probably in the first week, then want a replacement.
Excellent points, however the relevance is lost looking big picture, well because there is no big picture. For any of us. Smart money says everything goes to hell before 4g is phased out lol
@@JWallace004 We're all gonna die at some poitn and suffer till that day, yes.
That's kinda a given.
Until then ima geek tf out with all the electronic goodies I wanna play with. Then if I end up with a bunch of time on my hands and can't go outside, I'll have something to keep me busy.
Smart money says if you're worried about what you're worried about, you're going to end up wasting money trying to stave off the inevitable. You're all over the place dude, try to pull yourself together a little. Have some composure.
Very cool little sets indeed but the lack of WiFi connectivity seems a bit of an omission. Would also be a nice feature to have independent, programmable UHF freqs built in - perhaps the PMR 446 band for Europe or GMRS for the US for when out of cellular coverage but local handset to handset comms is still desirable? However, still very cool little things indeed and a great overview - thanks. :)
yeah, if this only works if you have a cellular account and only in range and IF cell service is up. would be useless in an deep woods/emergency/shtf situation
@@XX-121 these are not designed for that
These are generally used because unlike PMR these are quite secure and can’t easily be listening to in fixed venues that has coverage by mobile networks. It’s fine and commercial data plans a holistic across Sim cards so these are very very cheap to the point that it is cost-effective enough that you pretend to want something that doesn’t rely on your Wi-Fi at work that could become unreliable, especially a commercial instant if it’s has a guest network as people could potentially attack it.
How do you call someone specifically? Call out your call signs, like ham radio? Or does it dial direct, like a cell phone?
the casing on this is very similar to the Muzen Wild Mini bluetooth speaker. I wonder which came first?
Am I being stupid or does this mean you need a cellphone signal for them to work?
Most places people go hiking and camping don’t have cellphone signals, that’s the whole reason why we take radios
Just a gadget. Satellites can be shut down with the flip of a switch. So can cellphone towers during any kind of a disaster or police action. Anyone that's ever been in Los Angeles during an earthquake can tell you how cellphones don't work. I'm not sure a payphone would work even if you could find one.
But dont you have to have a subscription to the local Telecom provider to use these terminals? Meaning - do you have to have a subscription both locally and with RealPTT to use these devices?
They used the same shell that is used for the Musen Bluetooth speaker
Used cell network radios one season instead of uhf on a live tv show. These would work better than analog radios or regular cell phones in a lot of situations. Push a physical button to quickly talk to a group of people anywhere there’s LTE coverage. They weren’t great for live show cues though, as there was up to a second of delay in receiving transmissions. Also not great when multiple people have them in close proximity without headsets, they all receive and replay with slightly different delays. I would consider a headset jack an essential feature for a network radio
We’ve used these sorts of radios on video productions we need longer range but not everyone who needs a radio has have a radio license.
Very useful little things as long as you’ll never be anywhere outside of cellular range.
Can you do a video on the local radio systems used in shops and restaurants?
Most of the staff at Aldi seem to be wearing a wireless headset used to communicate with their colleagues.
These seem very different from the bulky analogue radio systems I used in past workplaces.
Probably just business band radios my friend. Our local Aldi uses Kenwood business 2 ways
Most stores use Motorola cls radios. However, those don't have wireless headsets that I've seen.
At the Co-op I used to work at, we used a digital system that connected all the radios by wireless access points. The range seemed similar to WiFi in that it you walked about 20 metres away from the coverage area everything just disconnected, and would reconnect to the network when you walked back into range.
The headset itself *was* the transceiver, there was no additional kit hanging off your belt that the headset would sync up with over Bluetooth or whatever.
I assumed it was all just using VoIP, but someone else might know better than me.
@@banksarenotyourfriends We had something like that when I worked for Maxisaver.
Those are neat, but if the cell network is down or you're trying to remain off grid, it's not very useful.
This may be a bit left of field, but has any radio amateur looked into the technical specifics of DJI video transmitters. Apparently they advertise a low latency high-definition signal for about 6 km of range.
If it works like a mobile phone, isn't it a mobile phone (with lower audio bit rate)? How about the roaming charges if you call abroad?
Hi, are you billed by the cellular network as communication goes on between the parties on either side or do you just talk for free?
So the Nokia G6, Anysecu G6, and the Tydera F14 are the same thing
Thank you for this review! I couldn’t find anything on this till now. THANKS!
whats the point to use a radio over cell network? if i have cell signal i use my cell phone... and if i do not have a cell signal, this radio will not work... right?
Would like to find something like this with wifi and which can run with some internal server.
I believe Zello app does that on wifi, even with no 3g/4g network, but probably uses the company's servers
If I have to pay for a sim card and it uses cell towers, why not just use my phone that is way more advanced and slim?
Because it doesn't look like these
I think its aimed at enterprise. Everyone knows (or thinks they know) how to use a walkie talkie, so you set these up, give them to employees, and they can "radio" each other without needing to worry about that pesky thing where you go out of range.
@@dafoex its still limited to cell service so what's the point in using this when everyone already has a device on them that uses the same network, seems to me this is just one more thing to have to keep up with when you can just use your phone.
@@loweboy4probably better reception. ?
Those look nice. They wouldn't work in my area because of poor cellular coverage away from the highways and in town. (lives in the Great Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina)
To me it's just a funny looking cell phone with limited capabilities
I think these are more aimed at enterprise use. You buy a few of these, set them up, give them to your employees with minimal training ("its a radio, press that button to talk") and now you have basic communication in any location that has at least 2G coverage. Its great that we can buy them and play with them, but the radio hobby isn't the target market.
@@GMELECTRONICS365the appeal is that you don’t have to use a smart phone
What is a cellphone? A very fancy radio.
@@e2e-active712 still need a SIM
@@VA7SL You're missing the point. Yes, you still need a sim card, but do you know how much it costs for a company to have to buy phones for low-level employees just to have reliable comms with them??
Or for them to get on an actual commercial UHF repeater?
And you can make it impossible for the employee to screw it up. It's JUST for communications, they can't watch p*rn on it. Yes, there's a cost for the sim cards but that's pretty low compared to buying everyone smartphones.
Is there a channel like this TH-cam channel for the USA? I recall you mentioned something like Comms, but I do not remember the exact TH-cam channel name. Thanks
Secure? Maybe to you and I but this makes it so much easier for a foreign state to listen to everything…….
No problem, we only share old custard recipes 😅
its aes encrypted before going our… nobody is listening to nothing. its digital with encryption not analog
Is there a monthly subscription or fees
Me looking for the link in the description 😞
Reminds me of Nextel phones. We use to use them a lot when I worked telecom for projects
6:47 You said you would link them in the description below. However, I can't find anything in your description about where to buy these. Can you post a link please? These seem really cool.
Hi I’ve just purchased these but am struggling to set them up? Could I get some help please?
Damn, I got all excited that I could run an encrypted DMR net with these
I read that they run on Linux.
So the question is whether they are locked down, or if there is a way to unlock their true potential.
(Without breaking the law. They do connect directly to the phone system, so there may be some legal limitations to what would be allowed.)
So you have to have a monthly plan for each radio's sim card? Maybe that isn't a big deal for some niche uses, but I can't see most people wanting to pay that.
Pay-as-you-go may be cheaper for occasional personal use
What’s “secure” about these?
The only problem is if you lose your network second fiber-optic line goes down or a cell site goes down you don't have no Communications whatsoever nice-looking units but I would prefer the old analog ham radio wait you can't beat the old analog way any day have a good one thanks for the video
Much better audio quality than DMR. Shame they need their own sim, that can be expensive, but still interesting. Thanks for doing the video on them.
Of course its better than a dmr, or can be. This thing is just a cell phone in a different package. Did the 4g sim required part not give it away? lmao
This is very very cheap. It’s about less than £2 a month worth of data with a special commercial plan that lets you holistically by data when it’s needed and it’s split across multiple Sim cards. It’s also worth knowing that compared to DMR for commercial use which is what these radios are designed for usually it’s probably, worth getting this if you operate with someone with mobile coverage due to the fact that the licensing of certain frequencies used for it can be very expensive in some areas
Hi Lewis, thanks for the interesting video, can you let me know where you got your sim card from, I have a T320 and have been trying for ages to find a low data PAYG sim card for it that does not delete your data after a month. 73 MM0NJS
same here
I have a GiffGaff SIM that works on my GPS tracker, less then £10 a year.
@@johndevires5911 nice!
Their ads says no fees, if you have to use a sim card..you have to pay for the SIM card, yes?
How easy is it to find groups to join? I don’t want a device where it’s not easy to start chatting with likeminded strangers
Are these types of radio license free?
Why can you not go get a straight talk som card and activate it? Would there be any way theyd know how many "minutes " you used ?
So , if I under stand correctly , When there is NO cell tower or G4 in operation then these are nothing more than Paper Weights ? Correct ?
Does it have a fire starter for sending smoke signals when you're out of range?
Are they really secure? I would imagine whoever owns the servers can listen to, and record, conversations.
I guess I don’t understand. Will these work in the mountains where I have no cell signal?
They should replace those Phillips screws which can be lost with a knurled, stationary, knob that's attached to the lid and doesn't come off.
That display appears to be OLED not LCD. Neat little radio, thanks for reviewing it.
You’re right! Cheers mick
This looks quite good. Going on tour soon and I'm looking at radio options to keep the crew in contact with one another all the time. Our last set of walkies were barely passable. We rented motorolas (the standard for work sites) and they constantly needed recharging and were expensive. Would you recommend these perhaps?
Battery life on PTT LTE radios is generally worse than DMR devices, which is generally worse than FM/ Analogue devices. Take spare batteries.
As long as there is good cell service with enough bandwidth at the venue. If you have an audience of 10,000 in a rural area, don’t expect data transmission to be reliable.
baofengs work well
does it work for contact between shore and offshore (sailing ships) ?
Lewis, Do you have a video explaining to numpties like me who have zero clue what Network Radio is and how it works?
You may be right about using this type of equipment. I believe this represents some value.
But in light of recent events globally, I see no use in a communications equipment that depends on a SIM Card and a network to be able to operate.
I'm not in contact with the instruction manual for this particular equipment and I can't see all the possibilities at the moment...but i suspect In case of generic blocking of means of communication, it will not be possible to establish our own communications with equipment of this type, which is far from the ideal situation.
What's the advantage then?
Furthermore, it is something that in the event of a global blocking it will be one of the first systems that can be disabled, in my view.
Macedo Pinto
Portugal
I'm of the same opinion. Reliance on 'their' networks makes these somewhat pointless. You don't need to dial, you can push to talk. That's the only benefit I see. The need for an intermediary, i.e. Real PTT also means these aren't secure either.
@guser7137 question: so this is not a two way transceiver? If grid down they would useless?
@@johnweymouth5685
Honestly, I'm not a Prepper.
And I don't let myself be lulled by conversations about equipment that uses an infrastructure that can be rendered globally unviable in seconds.
What I think we should think about in the case of SHTF is to have conventional two-way radios, with perfectly aligned electronics, properly aligned antennas (as hidden as we can) and never forget that we will also need a linear amplifier in case of emergency, because without this it may not be possible to contact someone in the different possible scenarios.
In a war scenario, for example, it is not expected that communication towers will survive what an invader might do to our territory and we should not believe in any system that relies on 5G, 4G or even 3G. None of this will work in this case.
We must keep our eyes open and think technically in advance, equip ourselves with simple and robust equipment, always be on the lookout, know how to remain silent in the radio space and only broadcast radio frequency signals as a last resort. Remember that your geographical position can be discovered very easily using trigonometry. Be aware.
In other words, going back to the old school and using appropriate tactics when using the spectrum must be what we do best.
This is just my opinion
@@johnweymouth5685if they have no 4g they are useless
I'm actually interested in seeing the next video about this, let me know when it is out. cheers!
Hiking would be an iffy use for a device that relies entirely on 3/4G wireless signal. Mountains play havoc with my signal every time I'm out there.
Of course this is in the Rocky Mountains, USA, so I'm sure things are easier in the UK.
We have gaps in suburban London.
Not great in Scotland either.
This is completely useless for "hiking" unless you know EVEYWHERE you hike has cell phone reception. Better off buying the new ip14 or a sat comm texter, like inreach zoleo or spot.
what if theres no 4g in my area or if the power goes out and there's no cell tower available?
Newb question: so you don't need to have a subscription to a cell phone network to use these?
how did you create the Real PTT account?? Bought a radio based on this your video cause it looks cool. Wondering how you created an account because there website only has a login but now account creation
Its an idea for festivals and sorts. What i miss is the function to connect an head set or something. So you can leave it in your pocket keep the line open en talk with a bunch of people at ones. If the battery last longer than a cell phone en data usage is less than a cell phone
do i have to be connected to a Tower,if i go 200 miles in the ocean i will be able to communicate with someone on shore?
I think this is great. Personally, I dont have a use case, but that doesnt mean I can't appreciate it for thise who do. It would be neat if it had wifi for local use (warehouse, etc) and it could be extended using private networks (networks of warehouses). A headset jack would be neat, but it's small enough you could use it in place of a speaker mic, albeit a quite heavy one.
The funny thing is, if your channel didn't (wonderfully) provide so much amateur radio content, you wouldn't have so many grumpy comments. As you pointed out, its not amateur radio and doesnt pretend to be. Its just a 4G walkie talkie. Great for use where walkie talkies have a use case, but you have an extended working area and don't want to deal with the infrastructure required to service it. Sure, it relies on the cellular network, but businesses already know the limitations of that network when they rely on smartphones, and if you're anywhere other than a very rural area, you likely have signal.
These are primarily designed for business use so having things like headset connectors could be helpful but they’re less helpful if you think about the primary business use where they don’t want spectrum licensing but they don’t want other people to easily be able to buy a walkie-talkie in listen to them as these are perfect for thatbecause sometimes he instantaneousness and the fact that you don’t have to answer when using walkie-talkie functions is just important if someone’s being attacked or something
How about any different to a walker talkie app on your phone ?
I'm completely new to radios, but I am to assume in a SHTF situation where the power cellphone doesn't work, these will not work either...????
It's basically the same as using Hangouts/Skype/Facetime on your phone.
So ,where do you purchase these and cost. I see no where this info.
What would the cost be when making a call? Are you charged each time you press the PTT button ? Would it be the same as sending messages and making a call.
What phone company would we have to use.
So all you have to do is push and talk with no dialing or waiting.
And if it is always on a phone call, will it cost money . For it to work as a walkie talkie , it will always have to be transmitting..
What are the monthly costs of this device?
I don't get it, use an Android handset and WhatsApp...?!
True, actually Whatsapp capabilities are amazing. Free intl calls, voice messages, text and image, etc... all free. The only drawback is that they have the data stored in company servers
you dont have to pay for service.........
@@timothyr.jerulle8702 You do, they're literally just an Android handset with a SIM card.
how much is the monthly fee???
thanks for making a video about this, all you get on youtube are some weird marketing shorts
Where to find such Walkie Talkie and how much they cost!!
So you could programb your own network protocals into it ?
Does the device have a means of transmitting/receiving digital data?
Hello.
Is it possible to call Standard Smartphones? Or can you only call the paird devices? I cant see any Keypad... Greetings from Germany.
These things work great in locations that have 100% cellular coverage. In the west desert, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico and so on...they are almost useless.
Kids going through their walkie-talkie phase will love this.
Just do ham radio
Sounds good,but question would be.once radios on network.will I be able to send the second one to mexico,and. Xpect no problems due to country's own communications infrastructure?also what is the price.tnx for bringing out this video.seen this radios, ut no info has ever been shared.tnx again.good day.
I wonder if it can be tied to my cell plan for using these and use it when someone goes to Mexico and use it there too with these.
Will these work within the US? I believe that the US wireless carriers have device white lists that won't allow some open devices made-in-China to operate over the networks.
So he said he would link to these radios, but I can't see any link?
So this only works when I'm in an area with a signal?
If this is using 4G then what advantage is this over a mobile phone?
It can still be located like any other mobile device using 4G 5G and stuff ... right?
Do we need to ask a radio license from the National Telecommunications Commission in the Philippines?
I love Technology it's very cool thank you for sharing this❤
Does it make your footsteps silent?
No, you need the tacti-cool Liquid Reptile shoes for that
Can any simcard be used?
Do you get charged for the communication use?
How much does the ussage of the simcard cost?