900 Mhz Spread Spectrum "FRS Like" Radio

[KB1OCC]

Does anyone have any experience/information concerning these new "Family Style" radios that use the 900 Mhz band (spread spectrum)?

http://www.trisquare.us/exrs.htm

I am just curious what they're all about, performance, etc.

73's
Brian
KB1OCC

[W3LK]

Lots of marketing hype on the web site, it seems to me.

<< eXRS radios are free from any Federal Communications Commission (FCC) user licenses, can be used at any age and for any purpose (personal or business), unlike GMRS radios.>>

Sounds like a Part 15 device, to me.

73,

Lon - W3LK
Naugatuck, Connecticut

[AA4PB]

I believe the radios are 1W output - not part 15 but authorized license free on the 900 MHz ISM band. Here's a link to Motorola's version: http://www.motorola.com/DTR/

Everybody uses the same frequencies. The channels are really digital codes.

My first info on similar devices in this band was about 2 years ago - a professional grade wireless microphone.

I question the FAQ that says as many as 10,000 radios can operate simultaneously within range of each other. Perhaps if the communicators are close enough to have strong signals.

[KB1OCC]

I was really curious about the "claimed" range.  I noticed that the vendor skirts the issue by saying the range is better than the UHF FRS/GMRS radios.  Of course, we all know that those radios could only achieve those ranges mountaintop to mountain top.

[AA4PB]

Well, 1W is 1W and digital usually doesn't have as much range as analog (down into the noise). At ground level in a suburban environment I'd estimate you are looking at a bit less than a mile.

I've seen GMRS radios advertised as 17 mile range. I'm sure that is out in the Arizona desert or on the ocean.

[KE3WD]

Wonder if one of these could be used for the engine to make yourself a spread spectrum amateur exciter/receiver on the cheap...


Bet it could.  


KE3WD

[N9HN]

Greetings,

Another ham friend and I each purchased four of these radios.  After several weeks of in depth tests, I returned mine because they did NOT perform nearly as well as our FRS/GMRS radios.  Often, they would loose sinc and not communicate at all until both were turned off and then back on.  We would have to call each other on our HH and request a resinc.  Our best "DX" was about half a mile in relatively open country with some trees.

Audio quality was fairly good but with digital artifacts.

When they worked, they worked fairly well and the communication was indeed secure.

73, Herb

[KE3WD]

 I have found that to be the problem with all digital voice modes.  

It is either "there" or it is not.  


No weak signal down in the noise copy ability at all.  

[KD8DVR]

I have a set I reviewed.  My performance actually was comparable to an FRS/GMRS "bubblepack".  I got just over a mile.

The radios did lose synch when they got far apart.  If you gave them about 20 seconds or less when going back in range, they'd resynch.

I can see their uses where everyone else overcrowds the frs band.  The family and I could talk interference free.