Still crickets on getting it legal on 700... I predict they are going to bury their heads in the sand and sell this crap to unsuspecting buyers who do not have the technical knowledge to know the radio is illegal to operate on 700.
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So, is the BKR9000 really vapourware?
- Thread starter sefrischling
- Start date
That or some knowing it and like one this way plans to sell to vhf public safety while promising programming a new trs to monitor not telling the ps that it's monitor only anyway as they won't be authorized by the state. Dangerous if you ask me leaving the details out.
I still want one, bad. Might have to offload a bunch of stuff someday and jump in.
BK had a booth at FDIC this year and had the BKR9000 on display. They did have it listed as 700 capable so I guess they're going to sell it regardless of certification.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Yeah, it was at IWCE also. A lot of people looking at it. I did specifically ask the sales guy about 700MHz, but got a run around on it that seemed a bit rehersed. So, BK is well aware, and trying hard to make potential buyers not worry about it.
Which should make potential buyers worry about it.
I was in the market for a bunch of multiband radios, and did briefly look at the BK. Settled on the Harris. Glad I didn't put any money in to the Burger King radios, that seems like a losing proposition at this point. There is either something wrong with the radio design, or there is something -very- wrong with the company. BK wanted me to think it wasn't a big deal, but the fact this happened at all, and has been unresolved for this long is a major red flag.
wyomingmedic
Member
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2008
- Messages
- 534
It's because BK knows this is their hail Mary play about staying in business.
Unfortunately, this is probably going to get them a flag on the play and they will be hosed. They're just hoping the refs don't see.
Sad really. I predict this is the closing act in a once glorious play.
Unfortunately, this is probably going to get them a flag on the play and they will be hosed. They're just hoping the refs don't see.
Sad really. I predict this is the closing act in a once glorious play.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
I remember holding a version of the BKR9000 about 5 years ago. Back then, it was a cutting edge idea, pretty much a less expensive version of the APX-8000, Harris and Thales products. Was kind of happy to see someone challenge the big players in this arena.
1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, 5 years, still no product release.
Meanwhile, Harris upped their game. Motorola has multiple products. Kenwood rolled out their product. Tait rolled out their products.
Still, nothing from BK.
They missed the boat. They had a chance and they missed it. There is now a lot of competition, and that competition got their product out to the market and has proven itself. There will always be the brand loyalists, but I can't see that being enough to pull them through this.
What -would- give them a chance is to own up to this and make some sort of statement with a delivery timeline. The lack of communications is troubling.
Sounds about right. The last I heard when I asked about 700mhz FCC approval was the radio is 700mhz capable. Capable is not the same as approved. I was very clear in how I was asking the question, they were very vague in how they respoended.
Three of our four town departments are going with the Kenwood VP8000 now. The fourth is looking at Harris, although they may go Kenwood also. We all removed BK from consideration, despite taking a hard look, because they are a known and established company and pricing was attractive. But we cannot use it without 700mz.
BK Technologies Receives FCC Approval for BKR 9000 Multiband Radio - BK Technologies
We finally have FCC approval for all bands!
We finally have FCC approval for all bands!
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
I would LOVE to know why the radio had certification long ago for all bands -but- 700. I'm sure there's an interesting story there that we will never hear.
Glad to see more competition in the multiband marketplace. Hopefully this will spur more and more competition.
And, hopefully we'll have some real interoperability between agencies.
Glad to see more competition in the multiband marketplace. Hopefully this will spur more and more competition.
And, hopefully we'll have some real interoperability between agencies.
kayn1n32008
ØÆSØ Say it, say 'ENCRYPTION'
Technology has never been the barrier to interoperability...
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Exactly. We don't need multi-million dollar P25 trunked systems that cover entire states/provinces when everyone can just talk on whichever conventional system they need to. Great option for rural areas.
Project25_MASTR
Millennial Graying OBT Guy
It would be an interesting story as well. My only in at BK left...strangely after I told him the VP8000 would be supporting DMR within the year (this was at IACP here in Dallas back in October). He looked absolutely shocked upon that like it wasn't known to them that EFJ had had it in the works...he even more worried when I told him Tait was working on a multiband P25/DMR solution as well.
At this point, I fear the BKR9000 is too late and is coming into a saturated market with little to no "value-added" compared to it's competitors.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Yeah, the delay was really bad timing.
Getting competitive with the pricing would be a good way to save the product. Bring the basic multiband analog/P25 radio to market for $3000 (or less) and they'd probably have a winner. That would meet the needs of a lot of public safety users. As long as they don't screw up the firmware/software, they could probably hold on to some piece of the market.
But, wow, is there some good competition. Hopefully this will all push the prices down.
Project25_MASTR
Millennial Graying OBT Guy
True. Knowing what the internal cost on the Viking line makes me think...all vendors should be able to get to that sub-$3000 mark for at least two bands with conventional operation (I understand the licensing premium for trunking and TDMA is where a lot of the profit and status-quo currently is).
Personally, I'm holding out in hopes that DMR in the Viking line is expanded beyond the next gen "SDR's" (honestly wishful thinking but obligatory see my signature) as that would make some things with my job a bit easier (such as not having to deal with D1N and D3N #armadathemall) but I'm not going to get my hopes up there.
Knowing what I know of competitors products either through contacts or things I've heard internally...it will be interesting to see what BK brings to the table and find out what is liked about it when compared others and what the BKR9000 does well and what...can't be fixed in software, will be interesting as always.
DeoVindice
P25 Underground
Regarding DMR in 2nd-gen Viking, it struck me as interesting that the VP6000 has the same FCC ID as the NX/VP5000 and is therefore already certified for DMR operation (and NXDN...). Just a matter of firmware...and having a business case for it.
It would be a nice value add for me for hobby use, but we won't be rushing out to buy radios.
Project25_MASTR
Millennial Graying OBT Guy
A VP5000 is literally a NX-5000 portable with Viking firmware (there is a way to convert NX to Viking but only Lincoln has access to that tool). A VP6000 is a NX-5000 with a top display added (I've heard there is a kernel panic involved when NX firmware is loaded into those) in a different form factor.
I've got business uses due to EFJ solutions that only currently work with JVCK hardware due to there not being a large use case for public safety application.
kayn1n32008
ØÆSØ Say it, say 'ENCRYPTION'
I think there absolutely is a business case for a dual mode(P25/DMR Tier 2 & 3) multiband radio. There is an incredible amount of DMR deployed in the fire service through out North America.
Having a series of radios that will allow a department to maintain their own infrastructure, and interoperate with jursidictions on regional/state/province wide P25 networks just makes sense to some agencies. I know of one that operates a Con+ VHF DMR system AND uses the province wide VHF/700MHz P25 network. With the VP8000 they may have to update to Tier 3, but might be worth it to them
trooper890
Member
The sad part is the vast majority of US DMR trunking is M Con+ Cap Max, etc, isn’t ETSI compliant, and makes any of the new multimode radios useless for interop except in conventional.
As of today, the BKR9000 is no longer vapor ware.
BK Technologies Corporation (NYSE American:BKTI) today announced that it has delivered its first shipment of the BKR 9000 multiband radio to a U.S. Army Base located in the continental United States, as part of the base's portable communications technology lifecycle replacement program.
BK Technologies Corporation (NYSE American:BKTI) today announced that it has delivered its first shipment of the BKR 9000 multiband radio to a U.S. Army Base located in the continental United States, as part of the base's portable communications technology lifecycle replacement program.
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