@@glitchedoom It uses 4g cell coverage so another bill and is basically a less functional cell phone. There are many free apps that can do the same thing with the phone you already have.
I spend a lot of time backpacking in the pasayten wilderness, sat phones are the best for off grid long range communication if you're willing to pay for it. I don't personally have one but I have used them, for my needs a little satellite gps beacon for emergencies is all I need.
Thats the advantage of pre paid dependimg on usage 500 (lewis's cards) might last you years, or months at least. corporations and fleets would likely have corporate agreements with service providers. tje advantage over a corporste phone is this can only be used for its intended purpose, and you can only tslk to who its programed to tslk with.....users and groups. its really not a tool for a person but perhaps an active family and certainly clubs could use this much more effectivly than a cell phone.
@@hanktorrance6855 that's the core problem at least here in the US. cell service is expensive. cheapest I have found is red pocket $30 a year or $2.25 a month effectively 200mb which is actually not too bad since that is 5.8 days of talking at 24kbps if I did the math right. but its a minimum of $60 a year since you need 2 and you gain no data advantage having 2 but still have to pay for 2. while you do get 200mb each device that won't help you since you still need to DOWNLOAD the incoming call so its not 400mb. still only 5.8 days of talking. We don't really have "cheap" sims here in the US ie 500mb for "however long it takes" would be nice. but I don't think that exists here in the US.
I wish I had these back in my car meet days.. We used CB radios and then eventually Zello as our group grew bigger and not everybody had a CB. I didnt like using Zello on my phone so a purpose built device like these would have been a game changer! Thank you for your videos!
Thanks for the video, requires 4G, that’s the biggest con for me, a 2 way radio for me would be used in rural areas where there is no network, which is common in Australia, and yes you are likely yi have access to a repeater instead or at least other CB users (477MHz is what’s used here)
I just got the koyotom ones. Man they are amazing. I’m 700 miles from home on business and they were pre programmed no activation whatsoever so ever. Game changers for myself and my family.
Nothing made in China is tip-top quality. Strike 1: needs a sim card, strike 2: made in China, strike 3: tracks location and conversations in real time (CCP), THINK.
I wonder if there is a hidden feature that allows direct radio to radio coms in the absence of a cell signal. ( Range limited to power of the radio ) This would make for an interesting legality question. If you paid for a sim card to transmit on the cell network frequency ( RE: rent time on that frequency ) but the network was miles away so you are not using their tower, would it be legal? What about if no sim card and no network?
"If you paid for a sim card to transmit on the cell network frequency ( RE: rent time on that frequency )" No, that is not the deal. If you mess around on cellular network frequencies, someone from the carrier will come and find you and stove your face in.
What they need to make are open TCP/IP radios that simply work over 2.4 and 5 ghz wifi. That way you pay nothing and if you want an HT in the field over the cell network, you hotspot your phone and connect via that.
I'm really glad you're reviewing these it's extremely useful and fun to play with, without all the lengthy process of getting a license. to me this is a good transition from modern phones to actual amateur radio. A good practice device before getting a license
well.... to my mind the caterpillar with two simcards is the better choice and it iis tested on a euro overland trip..... there are from inmarsat smal l sattellite modems connected via wifi to the computer but i don´t think you get them as private ( but not sure about that ) ,,.... but the caterpillar 2sim is for me the best travel option
pretty much every phone today is dual SIM. i have 2 sims in mine, one for voice, other for data, as it's way cheaper than having voice+data from a single provider. btw ulephone armors are a better option that a cat phone.
I think I would liken these to VoIP Radios. Whether it's data over a cellular network or WiFi over a local broadband network, radios such as these will only work, when connected to the appropriate network server, on the other end of that stream. That's the 'great unknown',, in-terms of security. Zello; another VoIP / PTT Radio network provider keeps their records of traffic across their network for two years! Secure Comm's is a relative concept, when it comes to these radios. In the U.S., I would liken these to a cheap replacement for the former NEXTEL PTT radios, which worked over the Cellular/PCS Network. If you could encrypt your comm's prior to the Data stream leaving the radio, and decrypt them at the other radios, so that the data wasn't in the clear across the network connection, then there might be a degree of security.
They're kinda cool, but maybe I'm missing how these are much better than regular cellphones? They're not broadcast devices - you have enter in the users you want to talk to, just like dialing a person's number in a mobile phone. Unless I'm missing something, they just seem like PTT mobile phones...
Surely a guy with Adam Jensen as his PFP could understand the uses of an end to end (encrypted?) ptt device with an easily removable/swappable sim card as far as getting the advantages of a cell phone ptt app without involving your daily use, "government approved" cell phone?
@@Oreomeister Or... just buy a burner flip phone and sim card with cash. Same effect, only cheaper and easier. If you've read things lately, there's no meaningful encryption anymore. Not for us, at least. "If you want to make enemies, try to change something." ;)
Technically its the same thing, but gives you the convenience of ruggedness, easily swappable batteries, etc, and is a purpose built device. e.g. You may not want to take your expensive smartphone out somewhere where one of these will be much easier to use.
EXCELLENT VIDEO !!! Interesting piece of tech for a use case when sat phone, HAM, and mobile phones are already available and an addition proves handy - as by use case. Very clear and informative video. Keep up the good work !
Shoot, longer than that. Nextel rode the iDen network from the early 90s on, and it was about 20 years ago that Boost Mobile started prepaid service on the same network. I sure miss those dispatch speeds! But the data speeds were horrible lol.
@@digitalchaos1980 The Nextel "walkie talkie" mode was great on jobs when driving. Way less distracting than a cell phone for some reason. Maybe it was the half duplex. They did cause a lot of audio and radio interference so they weren't so good in an office environment. In a plant or on a construction site they were great!
@@davidg4288 Yeah man, they were awesome! But like you said they caused some issues and the network had to be reprovisioned to operate away from public safety bands. But man you couldn't beat the speed from the first click off the PTT until the other person's phone chirped! I used to beep a guy in Brazil on occasion, and it was so fast!
I'm not quite sure I get why I would want to use 2 way radios over 4G.... when I already have a 4G capable device that lets me reach a lot more people.. the point of a 2 way radio, in my oinion, is to not be reliant upon a cellular system, and the limitations they can have...
Then it won't help you. But if you have good coverage, like in metropolitan or suburban areas, then it's an alternative to cell phone, except without the features in cell phones.
Interesting new product. 500mB will get you from 3 to 12 hours talk time. I wonder what the difference is in data consumption is between TX and RX, if any, or if there is latent consumption while logged in (powered up). Cheers.
did I mis here him? I though he said 24kbps? thast means 200mb should be 5.78days of talking. 200mb is 200,000kb divide by 60 twice to get hours then divide by 24 to get days. did I do the math wrong? Yep did the math wrong 200mb is 2.13 hours. Ouch. Expensive.
Sounds a lot like the old Nextel phones two uses as a phone individual phone calls or chirp as radio point to point my company used them and I remember making chirp call cross country 3000 mile eastern states to California
I’m looking for a secure 2 way communication system myself without breaking the bank. I’ve been selected for a potential backup person for a series in uk called the hunted. I would potentially be on the run for 21 days without being found. I’m wondering if anyone has any tips on avoiding capture, but still able to communicate without the police knowing. Thanks everyone
Hi thanks for the fast response. My concern with this unit is that you need a SIM card. They can be triangled to a specific location, and followed via cell towers. Or can they ? 🤷🏼♂️
It’s not as simple as that, it requires a court judgement etc. it’s not a quick process that would be done live under the circumstances you’d be using them under
@@RingwayManchester I honestly don’t know enough, that’s why I’m grateful for your opinions. They make it look like everything is in real time. My only other thought would be to buy a small tablet, and put a voip application on it. Jump on a public Wi-Fi. I thought the battery would probably last longer on these
So ... I don't want to sound dim, but whats the real cost of using these? and benefits ? most folks around the world facetime over WiFi when they want to.
Interesting bit of kit, especially as they'll get around a substantial number of issues which made UHF radios difficult to deploy for one reason or another.
@@cplcabs Try using your noggin a bit, eh? I see a number of use cases, mostly small business, but you declaring they're "pretty pointless" only shows your understanding is "pretty limited".
@Peter_S_ maybe you should use your noggin a bit. So you say businesses use them, but for what? Intervehicle coms? OK, why not use actual radios then? Maybe you want intervehicle coms but also back to base/despatch at the same time, great, that works. However, what happens if a vehicle is involved in an accident, how is the driver going to call emergency services? The driver will have to call despatch for them to call emergency services, wasting time. In addition emergency services like to keep the person they are talking to on the phone until their units arrive...that's not going to work well if despatch is making the call. Plus then you have to have sim cards with data subscriptions. No hands free kit, OK maybe it's not required, bur there is no option and the list goes on..
@@Peter_S_ well, I have given you examples of why they are not a good idea. As yet, you have not shown why they are a good idea, instead resorting to petty pathetic insults. So is it really me who has others thinking for me, or yourself. Maybe try to have an intelligent conversation for once rather than making childish pointless comments.
The lack of wifi is kinda lame. Esp if it's data only. I suppose NAT would introduce complexity that would have taken quite a bit of programing to make work how one expects. That said I'm making some assumptions to draw that conclusion.
I don't see where this would be beneficial at all. It works on the cellular network, so it won't work at all when I'm camping hiking 4x4 hunting boating fishing or anything at all outside of where all the people are. If I want to get away from it all but keep in touch with my buddy in a campsite miles and miles away this will not work. It's not really unlimited range if you have to be within 5 miles of a cell tower.
So really they are stripped down mobile phones with much simplified interface looking like point-to-point radios ? Relying on the normal mobile phone network, without which they won't work ? Nobody ever makes this clear. Am I wrong ?
Did you really pay almost £300 for the hardware for this review? 2 radios and two SIMs almost equal that! I've actually rather enjoyed most of your RU-vids but this one has me worried. ANY organisation with a web site with discount timer countdown that resets itself means they cannot be called honest dealers. I assume you either got these free or were paid for the review. Please say the facts. As you will be aware there are many adverts masquerading as reviews on RU-vid and I really hope you have not gone that way too. Making money is good but a good reputation is even better. Rob.
A video about a gifted product is marketing content according to the ASA, and needs to be disclosed by law. It would be good if Lewis could address this and be clear about the nature of this video.
The reason why I don't buy stuff like this, is because there is always a catch such as getting a license or something. How does these really work? Do they require licensing to use or not? If it's using 4G LTE networks, then you need to get a new plan for the 2 way radios to use the cell phone towers which means extra money to be spent each month. I totally understand CB, 49 MHz, FRS, and IP / WiFi based radios, but these cell phone 2 way radios? There is a secret catch towards them.
You don't need a license you need a SIM card and a data plan, this are essentially cellphones in the form of two-way radio that connect to a PTT VOIP servers.
These are basically a stripped down mobile phone limited to an app. So no licensing, just a subscription to a mobile phone provider for the sim and maybe a subscription to the app. Really not worth it.
If there was several reflector satellites in orbit that can reflect laser light between all of them that provided coverage of the entire planet then perhaps a handheld device could shoot a laser beam at the sky that can be received from anyone on the surface with another handheld device. The beam is pulsed and coded so each user can communicate directly with another user without interference or evesdropping.
Kinda cool because its radio....im the one that would use one of these over my phone just because its more like Ham radio :) People dis radios like these . They will say my phone can do all this...But the difference is most phones especially flagships cannot be simply picked up and smash a PTT to make a contact so these are much more convenient...Yes im an admiitted radio junkie but i dont care and im not going to Radio Junkie Anonymous anytime soon 😂😂😂😂
I really do not see the point. It is just a mobile phone limited to an app. Whereas there may be a few applications it is useful for, in the main it’s not useful at all. It relies on the mobile phone network, so for hiking in remote areas it’s useless. Just get a mobile phone and get the app. Not sure why you go on about a gps signal, gps signal is basically available everywhere unless you are inside or under a rock etc and you are not using a gps signal to communicate.
People wondering why you'd want one of these aren't thinking outside of the goody two shoes get your ham license and stick to the allocated frequencies box. The advantage of this is convenient long range ptt talking without having to use your phone. Which is to say, being able to swap/get rid of the sim card at a moments notice without having to involve a phone. I wonder how much space they could save if they got rid of the external speaker and made it a 3.5mm port for an earpiece/headphones instead.
said " The advantage of this is convenient long range ptt talking without having to use your phone. " Because dialing a phone is so yesterday not to mention so difficult. . .
@@RodrigoBoosBR that is entirely different from 4g cellular . Anyway whatsapp is not a trusted either. I get what you're saying but I am talking about voice comms over the air. Things that stingray can intercept.
So, its really PTT device that operates of a cell tower more than a 2way radio. You can already download free PTT software for your cell and have one less gadget to keep, carry and charge... Goofy... JMHO...
The problem with these is you need a "server" to make this work. It isn't really point to point comms over cellular. Look at talkonnect or similar udp based internet comms for more of an idea of where this tech is "stolen" from. China need your data.
it uses network.. So how is this any good for hiking? Mabe hiking to a local park near your local starbucks, but try taking this in to mountain areas where there is no network.. Your radio actually is an expenssive phone without any phone features. Thats how I understand this device. How is this any better than Whatsapp or any other call service over wifi?
