Apps for using phone as a portable radio.

[garyg199]

Is there an app or any way to use my cell phone as an EMS portable?

I downloaded Zello, as I thought it acted as just that, but I am having trouble setting it up. I haven't tried to transmit with it it yet because I hear nothing coming over my local EMS frequency. I tried reading through some material abkut the app, but cant find the details I need nor do I understand the app itself.

Any advice appreciated

 

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

Zello uses Wi-FI and the cellular data infrastructure to communicate with other devices using Zello, It does not make the phone magically transmit on the VHF/UHF/800 bands.

73 Eric

 

[garyg199]

K thats all I wanted to know. Sorry I dont know everything about how a radio works guy

 

[jonwienke]

Is there an app or any way to use my cell phone as an EMS portable?

No. The phone does not have transmit or receive capabilities in the frequency bands used by EMS.

 

[SteveC0625]

Is there an app or any way to use my cell phone as an EMS portable?

I downloaded Zello, as I thought it acted as just that, but I am having trouble setting it up. I haven't tried to transmit with it it yet because I hear nothing coming over my local EMS frequency. I tried reading through some material abkut the app, but cant find the details I need nor do I understand the app itself.

Any advice appreciated

Zello is basically a walkie-talkie app. It can only be used between Zello users. Two or more users create a channel and then talk back and forth. It requires wifi or cellular service. Zello can not directly access radio channels. A few people are experimenting with interconnecting Zello with a radio system via the net at the hobby level, but it's highly unlikely that you could just install Zello and access a public safety system. It just ain't gonna happen.

There are a number of scanner apps available for both IOS and Android platforms. They will allow you to listen to various radio systems, but there's no guarantee that your local EMS will be among them.

Here's a simple version of how it works: Volunteers around the country use their scanners, computers, and internet connections to provide feeds. In many cases, these feeds are more than one radio channel. The feeds are transmitted to a host like Broadcastify where they are made available to scanner app users and direct listeners over the net. The app users select a feed they wish to listen in on.

There's no transmit capability in any of this for any user. It's one way listen only. And, like I said, if there's no feed for the channel you want to listen to, you're just plain out of luck. And you are dependent on the feed remaining up and running. They do go down from time to time for a variety of reasons.

If you want reliable listening 24/7 and you are within range of the system you want to hear, you're better off getting a scanner.

If you want to transmit on the EMS channel, you'll first need written permission from a responsible person at the agency and then you'll have to either be issued or purchase a compatible radio depending on how they do things there.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Zello is basically a walkie-talkie app. It can only be used between Zello users. Two or more users create a channel and then talk back and forth. It requires wifi or cellular service. Zello can not directly access radio channels. A few people are experimenting with interconnecting Zello with a radio system via the net at the hobby level, but it's highly unlikely that you could just install Zello and access a public safety system. It just ain't gonna happen.

There are a number of scanner apps available for both IOS and Android platforms. They will allow you to listen to various radio systems, but there's no guarantee that your local EMS will be among them.

Here's a simple version of how it works: Volunteers around the country use their scanners, computers, and internet connections to provide feeds. In many cases, these feeds are more than one radio channel. The feeds are transmitted to a host like Broadcastify where they are made available to scanner app users and direct listeners over the net. The app users select a feed they wish to listen in on.

There's no transmit capability in any of this for any user. It's one way listen only. And, like I said, if there's no feed for the channel you want to listen to, you're just plain out of luck. And you are dependent on the feed remaining up and running. They do go down from time to time for a variety of reasons.

If you want reliable listening 24/7 and you are within range of the system you want to hear, you're better off getting a scanner.

If you want to transmit on the EMS channel, you'll first need written permission from a responsible person at the agency and then you'll have to either be issued or purchase a compatible radio depending on how they do things there.

There is a commercially available gateway (from Zello) to tie in a radio network. Of course, in Zello's mind it is a migration tool to migrate users off of LMR solutions.

Now, there are gateways for other Push To Talk services such as AT&T's ePTT and an application called ESChat. Another item is a vendor provided gateway such as Wave3000 (for MotoTRBO) and Wave2 for P25 systems (since it operates via ISSI is should technically work with all compliant systems and not just Astro25). None of these however, are free.

 

[SteveC0625]

There is a commercially available gateway (from Zello) to tie in a radio network. Of course, in Zello's mind it is a migration tool to migrate users off of LMR solutions.

Now, there are gateways for other Push To Talk services such as AT&T's ePTT and an application called ESChat. Another item is a vendor provided gateway such as Wave3000 (for MotoTRBO) and Wave2 for P25 systems (since it operates via ISSI is should technically work with all compliant systems and not just Astro25). None of these however, are free.

I am always eager to learn new technologies, so puzzle me this. Is the Zello gateway pointed at a specific LMR system? Or can it only link to an LMR system that has the proper interconnect capability? I may be asking the wrong question here, but I'd like to know more detail.

I suspect that even with the Zello gateway, connecting to the OP's EMS system is not going to be possible without permission for access and use. assuming that the gateway can even reach the system in question.

 

[jonwienke]

Or can it only link to an LMR system that has the proper interconnect capability?

In order to use a LMR system, the system must have a zello gateway attached to the system and properly configured. The app takes digital audio data from the phone, sends it through the internet to the gateway, then the gateway passes the audio to the LMR system. It's not something that you can just do without some serious engineering to get everything connected and configured properly. Unless you have the blessing and cooperation of the LMR system engineer(s), forget about it.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

In order to use a LMR system, the system must have a zello gateway attached to the system and properly configured. The app takes digital audio data from the phone, sends it through the internet to the gateway, then the gateway passes the audio to the LMR system. It's not something that you can just do without some serious engineering to get everything connected and configured properly. Unless you have the blessing and cooperation of the LMR system engineer(s), forget about it.

Depends on the setup. It can be as easy as a subscriber slaved to the talkgroup/channel much the way dispatch consoles are traditionally built, or can be via wireline access (not as common these days in the IP scheme…excuse the pun…of things) or interfaces directly to a control station/Repeater.


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[jonwienke]

All of that requires the cooperation and blessing of the system techs to set up, as well as dedicated hardware for the lmr/internet gateway.

 

[sjd7aa]

Depends on the setup. It can be as easy as a subscriber slaved to the talkgroup/channel much the way dispatch consoles are traditionally built, or can be via wireline access (not as common these days in the IP scheme…excuse the pun…of things) or interfaces directly to a control station/Repeater.


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This could be done on a quick/dirty basis using ESChat, one of their JPS Interop gateways and a donor radio (1 per talk group needed) from the EMS service. They might want control over the ESChat administration, however, to restrict access to their P25 system to certain users, to give non-transmit access only, etc.

It would also be useful for ems managers or staff not needing to carry around bulky mission-critical P25 radios to monitor or engage in conversations.

Note that this type of setup does not permit custom group or 1:1 calls from an Android or iPhone ESChat user to individual P25 (or DMR) radio users; an ISSI or other DMR interface and setup with ESChat is needed for that.


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