For the non amateur think of it as well behaved CB with worldwide coverage or Private 1 to 1 calls! The PTT button makes a discernible difference in use. Moreover, the presence of a powerful loudspeaker differentiates the genre. In addition to this, the weight and feel in the hand lend themselves much more to PTT communications. That’s true. The people who are saying this, along with the rest of us were not Amateurs once upon a time. What we did have was a willingness to learn. In fact Network Radios are very helpful indeed when training people to become Amateurs. For a prospective M6, using a device they are already familiar with, is a great way to get over ‘Mic Shyness’. It also allows them to learn procedures at a very early stage. This should be seen as a benefit rather than a downside. The use of Network Radios is heavily moderated. Keyers, troublemakers and other undesirables are weeded out rapidly. This allows for a comfortable environment to hear quality QSO’s and for good operator practices to flourish. That said, if you are absolutely anti talking to non-licensed operators, you are fully at liberty to set up your own channels. Again it’s free and simple to do. A slew of ‘Network Radios’ channels have popped up that are not run by the Network Radios team. We are simply numbering ours. Geographic channels have been created but seem to be as quiet as geographic channels on DMR. The moderator team have no control over those channels. ‘It uses the internet, that’s cheating’ Errrr, no it doesn’t. Nor should it… A network radio is a device… Not a service. I should point out that a Motorola GP300 doesn’t have a band plan either… Does that mean it’s not a radio ?

i just dont’t understand why people think NETWORK RADIO is ham radio, however its very good and does attract licensed amateurs. This I am using to try and understand why some clubs seem quite reluctant and ‘set in their ways’, while the average age of members keeps rising.

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Why do people so often ‘look up’ to those who hold a transmitting license? Perhaps more pertinently, why do those who hold a transmitting license frequently seem to ‘talk down’ to people who do not?

Your editor has had the foresight to take this growing format on board, and I will look more closely at developments in this new arena. The next step is to create an account. If you do have a callsign, it is a very good idea to use that and maybe your first name too; ‘G7DDN Chris’ for example.In the UK, the emergency services have a privileged, ‘top-tier’, access to the cell network and it is gradually being used more and more for emergency services’ and SAR communications. I feel that, for this reason, we can expect the network to become even more resilient. The T298s comes in two different versions: VHF and UHF. It offers an output power of 2 Watt and it’s a great gadget to carry when travelling. You will always be connected. If a nearby repeater is not available, you just have to switch into the IRN or Echolink via WiFi or 3G connection. It is a very robust device, that offers IP54 protective design with a military quality. What I suspect many mean, is that network radios are not ‘traditional’ radios and do not use an ‘acceptable’ band, whatever is meant by that. The screen on these devices is a tad small at 2.4 inches. But its a trade off against battery life and you will find you don’t really need too much screen real estate. Network radios have a much longer battery life than a smartphone. Our tests show that network radios running Zello can operate for up to three days before needing a charge, an important feature when the power is out or when there isn’t convenient outlet access. Using Network Radios with Zello to Improve Workplace Communication