NXDN is ICOM same as Kenwoods?

[ScanXO]

and is there a program that decodes NXDN or how hard is it to program a NXDN radio,

 

[mmckenna]

Yes and no.

Yes:
The NXDN protocol is common between Kenwood and Icom. A Kenwood radio can talk to an Icom radio in NXDN mode and vice versa.

No:
Icom only does (or at least used to) 6.25KHz NXDN. Kenwood will do 12.5KHz or 6.25KHz NXDN. So, both radios would need to be in 6.25KHz bandwidth mode.
Also, the trunking protocols are different. An Icom trunking NXDN radio will not work on a Kenwood NXDN system and vice/versa.

Kenwood NXDN is called NexEdge
Icom NXDN is called IDAS

This protocol isn't just limited to these two companies, Ritron is making some radios that will do it also.

Programming a Kenwood NexEdge radio can be quite easy or quite complex, it depends on how many of the features you throw into the mix. As with any radio programming, it isn't easy the first few times. The Kenwood software has some good help files, but they don't answer all the questions in a way that someone unfamiliar with programming radios could handle. It does require some background.

 

[ScanXO]

Thanks - I will start to read up on the NxDN stuff as a local town near me has just license/ and is using the ICOM emision 4K00F1d - data; & F1E voice to comform with narrowband - I know they did not have to; but the SALESMAN must have been very good and they willingly paid for new radio system ,single site simplex instead of upgradeing thier old channel/license to narrowband keeping most of the newer narrowband radios - so now they replaced prefectly good radios for even newerones

 

[N1XDS]

ScanXO,

This website below will help you understand the most about NXDN I can hear alot better on NXDN than D-Star when I was a frequent user a year ago.

NXDN - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[mmckenna]

I've never used or hear D-star, but that's interesting.
I've heard P25 and NexEdge side by side, and Nexedge is as good, if not a bit better than P25, in my own opinion. To add to that, I can get a Kenwood NX-410 NexEdge 800MHz radio for about $600 with battery and charger, etc. A comparable P25 radio would quite a bit more.

One of the nice things about the Kenwood NexEdge radios is that they can be flashed to do P25. It uses the identical vocoder, just different format.

 

[N1XDS]

I've never used or hear D-star, but that's interesting.

The only thing I did not like about the D-Star is the R2/D2 robot voice when your not in the right area of the system. I understand if your limited in the area where the system is located then that will cause some problems. My local NXDN system is well covered to a wide coverage area just for instance I was in Lakeland about 35 to 40 mile trip to the east of where the repeater is located at I still hit the NXDN repeater from where I was located which I thought it was amazing to see that. One of the guys I speak to every now and then on the system one of the locals said one of the head guys who manages the system I guess the guy told me he was in Ocala about 80 miles north of where the repeater is and still hit the system I think that is truely amazing.

 

[mmckenna]

That's good to hear. It's a good protocol and behaves quite well on the fringes. I'm using it on a trunked system on 800MHz. We went from an analog 25KHz SmartNet system to this and are having some issues addressing a few coverage deficiencies. The seem to be related to the narrowband vs wideband. We are using it in 12.5KHz NexEdge mode, instead of the 6.25. I'm really happy with the durability of the NX-410's. I've got about 320 of them on the system and about 40 mobiles. We were able to buy the trunked system for half the cost of a similar Big M P25 system. Our individual departments purchase their own radios, and were quite happy with the $600 price tag compared with the $1200 and up Motorola SmartNet radios.

 

[N1XDS]

That's good to hear. It's a good protocol and behaves quite well on the fringes. I'm using it on a trunked system on 800MHz. We went from an analog 25KHz SmartNet system to this and are having some issues addressing a few coverage deficiencies. The seem to be related to the narrowband vs wideband. We are using it in 12.5KHz NexEdge mode, instead of the 6.25. I'm really happy with the durability of the NX-410's. I've got about 320 of them on the system and about 40 mobiles. We were able to buy the trunked system for half the cost of a similar Big M P25 system. Our individual departments purchase their own radios, and were quite happy with the $600 price tag compared with the $1200 and up Motorola SmartNet radios.

That's really cool. I have a Motorola XPR 6550 403-470mhz handheld radio that I use for ham radio analog until a new Mototrbo digital system is coming to my local area here soon hopefully. I think NXDN & Mototrbo are great for ham radio.

 

[WayneH]

and is there a program that decodes NXDN

Yes: Digital Voice Decoding Software - The RadioReference.com Forums

 

[ScanXO]

Well thanks for the great response, Mototrubo Ham repeaters poping up near me faster than old FM repeaters
and with a Town nearby going to an ICOM platform I guess its time to invest in another "interoperability" radio ....so thats makes 1 harris, 1 harris p25, M p25, edac, ltr, aint interoperability great
thanks again

 

[mmckenna]

Unless you really have to have it right now, I'd wait. Rumor I've heard is that Kenwood may be coming out with a more appropriate radio in the next year or two. I can't get our Kenwood factory rep to tell me anything more, but from what he was hinting at, I think it may be a multi band multi format radio. Knowing Kenwood, it will be just as good and less expensive than the other brands. Should be interesting to see if this holds true. So far the guy has been right on.

 

[N1XDS]

Well thanks for the great response, Mototurbo Ham repeaters poping up near me faster than old FM repeaters
and with a Town nearby going to an ICOM platform I guess its time to invest in another "interoperability" radio ....so thats makes 1 harris, 1 harris p25, M p25, edac, ltr, aint interoperability great
thanks again

For what we use locally for NXDN digital is Icom Idas that is linked to different counties around here and other states as well such as Atlanta, Massachusetts, Vermont and etc. From what I have seen in the past and here locally for ham radio use it's mostly Motorola P25, NXDN, D-Star, Mototrbo not sure about the rest. I say go for what's heavenly use in your area.