Ive seen several Two-way transceiver / Android phones out here and was wondering what was the best for picking up VHF and/or DMR transmissions with the best specs and largest display... Any Suggestions? Im looking for something i can use as my everyday phone... So large screen a must and VHF/DMR also a must...
What is the best ANDROID VHF/UHF Smartphone?
- Thread starter eszumlas1985
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I think you are asking for a cell phone that you can use as a walkie talkie and as a scanner as well as a phone? I don't know if the cell phones companies still use something like the old nextel direct connect, someone else might be able to answer that better than I can. I do use an app called Zello that uses an internet connection that works like walkie talkies. It's not radio frequency based.
No cell phone can receive DMR, P25, or analog radio like a scanner. You need to use an app to use something like broadcastify to listen to scanner radio traffic.
I have also used an app called teamviewer to listen to my scanner at the house when I'm out and about.
If you know of something else out there I would like to hear about it.
No cell phone can receive DMR, P25, or analog radio like a scanner. You need to use an app to use something like broadcastify to listen to scanner radio traffic.
I have also used an app called teamviewer to listen to my scanner at the house when I'm out and about.
If you know of something else out there I would like to hear about it.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
I know there are some amateur radio oriented products, but never tried one.
For years there have been Chinese companies at trade shows displaying LTE phones with a UHF transceiver in them. Seemed like the worst of both worlds. A 'not very good' phone and a 'not very good' UHF radio. They were all analog UHF at the time, no DMR.
Sonim was playing around with a P25 "sled" that mounted on some of their XP series phones. Have not seen any in the wild, only at trade shows, and even then, that was a few years ago.
Many of the newer, high tier LMR radios are including LTE radios in them. You can go as far as a tri band radio (VHF/UHF/7-800MHz) + LTE + WiFi all in one radio. Usually outside the budget of most ham operators. Harris XL-200 line of radios will do this, but not DMR, only analog + P25. Motorola has some expensive (even for Motorola -expensive-) options in the APX-Next radio.
Rumors of Kenwood coming out with a tri band portable. Knowing them, it'll likely have P25, DMR and NXDN capability plus LTE to keep up with the others. But again, not a phone.
Most of the amateur oriented stuff I've seen has been vapor ware, or so limited/expensive/poorly designed and thought out, that they don't go far. The rest is Chinese junk that I wouldn't waste my time on. Considering the average life span of a phone, I'd not want to invest in something like that.
Here is one linked below and don't what is the best one, since don't own one. Going forward you would most likely be best to have a cell phone and radio, as not to have them both in the same device.
www.gigaparts.com
RFinder B1 HT Radio, Android DMR and FM
RFinder B1 HT Radio, Android DMR and FM RFinder B1 HT Radio, Android DMR and FM This is the device that you have been waiting for! The RFinder B1 is now available for pre-order. Imagine a dual band DMR/FM handheld that NEVER needs a code plug! No
www.gigaparts.com
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
^^^ thats the one I was thinking of. Thanks Hill.
No problem mmckenna and that was the first hit on a google search.
TailGator911
Silent Key/KF4ANC
I got a pair of these for an RV trip to Alaska a while back and love them. Android 7:0 at the time. Only AT&T tho. Rugged and reliable. I had signal on the ferry to Sitka island when no one else did. We also have iPhones on Verizon, but the Sonim XP8 is the better phone, IMHO.
www.sonimtech.com
XP8 > Sonim Technologies
www.sonimtech.com
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
I got a pair of these for an RV trip to Alaska a while back and love them. Android 7:0 at the time. Only AT&T tho. Rugged and reliable. I had signal on the ferry to Sitka island when no one else did. We also have iPhones on Verizon, but the Sonim XP8 is the better phone, IMHO.
XP8 > Sonim Technologies
Nice. I'm migrating my work phone over from AT&T to FirstNet and have an XP8 on the way. A lot of nice accessories for those. I just wish it had an external antenna port.
This is inaccurate.
This is ONE example. It has a 2W UHF radio built into it! There are others too. I'm trying to find it now. Hang tight
Tim-B
Member
So what frequencies are they using for the DMR radio in the ones that are not for Ham like the Atom-XL linked above? I looked at the specs and it says 400-480 MHz. But you can't just transmit on any of those frequencies at your whim. Does it use the FRS frequencies? Can you even do DMR on FRS? Or does it have to be programmed to the frequencies you business is licensed for like any other business radio? I can't imagine it using just random UHF frequencies out of the box and still getting FCC approval.
The RF Finder B1 was reviewed in the November 2020 issue of QST. Received a good report especially for its ease of use on DMR. At just under $1000 I won't be ordering one any time soon. Actually I'd rather have a good dual or try band HT. My iPhone XS Max is fully paid for and it will be a while before I look for another phone. Strangely, not very much local DMR activity here. Very attractive product except for price.
baybum
Member
I've used 2-way...works great.
play.google.com
Two Way : Walkie Talkie - Apps on Google Play
Walkie talkie app to talk to people nearby or around the world.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
The ones I've seen are programmable, so you'd program it to use whichever frequencies you are licensed for.
It is not currently legal to run DMR on FRS or GMRS. There is one experimental license with a group testing DMR on some specific GMRS frequencies in a very specific area of Central California. That is a test/experiment and does not apply to anyone else except for the group on the experimental license.
Tim-B
Member
Ahh, Ok, I was wondering. They made it sound like you just pull it out of the box and start talking DMR.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Unfortunately, just like many Baofeng users, some do.
-Real- radios come completely blank from the factory with no way to transmit until programmed. It's the damn Chinese junk radios that come preloaded with random frequencies.
Bastards…..
n1das
Member
MOTOTRBO Ion Rugged Commercial smart radio - Motorola Solutions
The MOTOTRBO Ion smart radio is the first business-ready rugged mobile communication device with all-on voice and broadband data capabilities.
I have an earlier model of the RFinder. It had a couple of early firmware fixes and works okay, but for the cost is not my first choice for a goto radio. The database was not great (being gentle here) but has improved. I can set up a new frequency on my BTech 6x2 using the one of the cell phone repeater programs almost as quickly as with the RFinder. The Android version is stuck at 6.0, and the last security update was August 5, 2017.
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