Nice video mate, thanks for having me. Certainly a subject with many different viewpoints. What we have to remember is that WE (HAM community) have made it a success so I think it’s here to stay. As I said in the video I would love to see these devices being used over long distance HAM WLAN networks, might even give it a go myself at some point!

A strong reason I think these have gained popularity is the fact propagation doesn’t effect making contacts. I think zello is popular with those who like radio for a conversation rather than the science side. It’s a way to stay in touch when radio isn’t working too. That said I can’t bring myself to spend £250 on a device just yet.

Great video!

I'm a new operator (M6) with an old mindset about amateur radio in terms of different modes. I have been licenced for 3 years and do not use any other mode other than HF/VHF/UHF, but everyone should have the freedom to use whatever is available to them. Propagation being what it is has been the driver for other modes and they are now in massive use by many operators,, but my one real concern is the taking over of the amateur bands by the commercial world because they are no longer used by radio amateurs. Great video as always and really informative, many thanks.

These devices provide a trouble free wide area talk back channel...think of it in those terms... something to facilitate the hobby not take over it...I've been on CB radio themed zello channels talking to non licensed users..many of which are wanting to become radio amateurs which is encouraging. I live in the North Nottinghamshire area and I can tell you that the hobby in terms of activity and weight of numbers was in steady decline here long before the arrival of digital voice technologies and network devices...I've just come back from a week's holiday in Somerset ( Bath area) optimistically I took a 2 and 70's radio with me...I put many calls into the Bath repeater at different times of day and never heard a sausage... Network Radios, Echo link and the IRN provided the ham radio based activity I craved...as the numbers of licensed hams thin out we become more isolated in the areas we live..these networks world wide create one large radio community which can only be a good thing..has anyone been to a radio rally recently? I went to the Junction 28 Rally in June..I overheard an old timer talking about the state of the hobby, he said at one point " take a look around this hall..most of us are a few steps away from the grave, we need young people in the hobby!" I myself am 52 years old and heading in that same direction. There is nothing wrong with getting old..but the future of the hobby depends on young people coming into it. With the youth of today all walking around with a smart phone on them, those that are curious about the amateur radio hobby have the technology in their back pocket to join us and dip their toe in the waters...it falls to us to give them a warm welcome. As for these PTT devices themselves.. better speaker volume, better microphone response..the PTT button gives a more natural feel during prolonged QSO...the huge batteries they have and the current drain appears to be optimised for two way communication and long periods of operation. I have the T-320, for all its bugs and malware issues it does a far better job of network coms than my android phone ever did ( it heated up quite alarmingly!) In short it's good to have a stand alone device away from your daily driver mobile phone. It's fast becoming evident that in ham radio as with other technology based interests/hobbies, it is a case of move with the times or get left behind. 😉

Given the ethos behind the hobby of Amateur Radio: things like learning, discovery and experimenting, the hope would be that maybe new, prospective recruits to the hobby might start out by using such devices, and hopefully transition to other aspects of the hobby. It's hard to describe the buzz of making a CW contact, using just a watt or 2 (QRP) over some distance... it's all communications and these new devices, using the latest mobile phone technology, is another way of communicating and would hopefully keep an interest going in the hobby? Thanks for the video, 73 :-)

Great demo using the radio Lewis. Where these scores is for people who cannot put up a antenna but they can join in radio groups. They are very social. The 4.5 " screen is a bonus.

I love the replies about them not being radio. Like when channelisation first happened, like the move to FM. The introduction of UHF using ex-police radios, like RTTY, then packet. Anyone who says it's not radio, is a bit incorrectly correct - it's different, and the best thing - I can chat about rubbish to not just hams, but ANYONE with an interest in radio technology - which it clearly is! After watching your videos I've actually spoken to more people than usual, and lots are NOT hams, just other enthusiasts. Good on you for promoting it - After a quick go on my phone, a radio is on the way.

My thanks to Ringway Manchester find your input very helpful

For those that can’t put up antennas these radios fill the gap and allow people to communicate which is what amateur radio is all about! Embrace all new technology and use any mode of communication at our disposal. Gm4zji Chris

Nice one

In this video you both said this is easy & works out the box and learning and perfecting your amateur radio skills is old hat and hassle that you can't be bothered with so the future of amateur radio looks grim if this is the way of thinking of future radio amateurs

Some good points made here, I would really like to see some using an open, but non-internet connected internet node and some directional antennas.

It looks great but it was a lot easier to talk to someone back in the CB days then it is with this device..

Good video mate, cheers. So..it is just a very high powered (not so) mobile phone. More power, will allways + better reception/signal. Though i still prefer direct Peer to Peer... no cell towers in the middle. Cheers for sharing.

loads of good points about network radios well covered there lads. For all those that say what if the network ever goes down it wont work what then? Well so what what did we do before all this tech was available? We didnt worry about what if thats for sure. Use it for what it is.

Thanks for posting what does it have Bluetooth for remote put many thanks john

I am well pleased with this other than german display. I am a ham and still see this as communication hobby

Hi Lewis already on it with test beds built running Zello gateways on CB band and PMR446,works great on new Zello PC application update.CB needs use of CTCSS ,that was conclusion came too (QRM,noise floor,urban areas and prevent jamming up system if meshing gateways together) and awaiting new kit \samples to test.Interfacing ,got that sorted now.Noise of PC sound cards also found out the resolves to this.VOX avoid like plague when interfacing gateways on ROIP,it introduces a lot of lag time into system,so best avoided I found.Busy TTL flag work best and very little lag system detects a Busy ,Zello have recently updated the PC application now and it works well in gateway mode.Sometime to get access to BUSY flag,u do have to get inside radio of choice if there is not an acc socket on radio.Zello gateway mode does support Active hi or low so thats makes it easier RTS=PTT and CTS=Busy Flag,on comm port connections to pc.When funds permit ,will be adding aN60 on Zello so can cross link into CB or whatever radio hooked up as a gateway,this is def future of personal radio ,but what i do like with Zello is ability to add own radio gateways into your radio kit ,plus phone access apps too .Going from phone to CB in FM and Am modes was a fun test via Zello and it worked really well in audio quality! Great vid Lewis was nice to see N60 operating ,was that a Data sim only used in test or a std phone sim? id like to see video of set being used in phone mode ,dialing out a call to hear audio. Keep up the good work Lewis ,glad having fun with new toys all the best rob

I appreciate and understand why the amateur radio community is blasting this technology for "not being real radio". At the end of the day, yes it is basically Skype with PTT and one-at-a-time communication to emulate a radio-like experience. That said, I use radios every single day for inter-team communication as part of my profession. I do not care what band the radio broadcasts on, or what technology is has. All I care about is that a secure radio "network" can be setup on everyone's device and deployed in minutes without any hiccups, and that I can communicate effectively with my team without blackspots or range issues, especially when we are mobile. We've decided to trial network radios to address many of the issues we faced with conventional radios. Network radios will never replace our conventional radios, they'll just be an additional tool in the kit for long-range communication.

Surely the issue here is about retaining flexibility. This hobby involves both analogue as well as digital aspects. One can be a die hard analogue & valves man as well as being into digital modes.But what we are forgetting is how to make the sport accessible for new entrants so that they can develop their own field of interest & motivation. The availability of websdr provides access to radio listening posts around the world but as a new user currently without an HF rig my local sdr station allows me to listen in via the web to my local club net. At the same time I am experimenting with an old valve SW receiver and trying to set an aerial up to maximise reception. So the routes into this hobby are changing and alternative pathways are now available which offer lo-cost entrants different ways of getting involved. For example: HackGreen does not currently have a 6m band but my local club in Sale runs a weekly 6m net. Setting up an internet back channel would enable more participation & involvement until equipment has been purchased. Surely it is our way of thinking that needs to change to maintain relevance & interest. This is not a religion it is an experimental hobby & there is lots to learn; whether it is analogue or digital.

this is a mobile phone with capacity to link in with a uhf or vhf radio service any said features such as DMR and so forth is a bonus feature or features depending on who you talk to now I do not know where these radios come in at a legal sense to where you are in the world and where you live.. Just make sure whichever license you own permits this to be used in either in uhf/vhf/gsm/lte-a format you live within ..

Questions: What is the difference other than the names between Anysecu & Senhaix N60? What is a better purchase and why?

Hey forget Network radio. You have a piece of history behind you. A Rabbit phone set and the original rabbit toy. I had these many years ago (Circa 1993) and felt like Del-boy parked in the rabbit zone of my nearest retail park making phone calls from inside the car. The best bit was that the boss could not call me back. lol

Hi Lewis! I don't understand what Zello has to do with HAM radio. For me Zello is PTT using a mobile phone and an IP network and HAM radio is using the air waves. But that's just my opinion. Having said that, i love your videos. Good topics, real down-to-earth comments. For this i want to ask you if you can have a look at HamSphere. This is also PTT over IP, but at least you get a little bit the feeling you are working with a radio. Have a look at it. And if you can make a video review, even better. Keep up the good work!!

Skype or EchoLink with a microphone & something that looks like a transceiver with an annoying Roger Beep every time you key the microphone. Can a bunch of people link & chat or just two?

Hello Ringway, am way too old to climb a roof or mess with antennas ... seldom leave the house. This network radio could be what will work best for me. I listened carefully to your presentations and also to others, but the one capability I need was not clearly said by any of you. Is cell service required or will this radio work only with wi-fi? Thanks, from Chill

Whats the best dmr radio as im looking into it just for a bit of fun.

Question, has the 4G LTE version of this model been released? I heard the release was around March.

Sorry all, it's not radio. Just use Skype. Free download to your phone. If it ain't RF it's not radio.

How can you change display language from german to english as mine was purchased for me as a gift ?

Hola...hay slgun video en lengua Española?

Where can I safely purchase one of these? And what's the msrp on them?

Well you could install Mumble Server on a Raspberry. Then connect it to a strong WiFi Access Point and connect to this Cell with the Network Radios wich run mumble client for Android. Voila - Local WiFi Radio Cell without internet.

Ever thought of using that shiny mic that's always on show ?

just getting a Trasher Mike 7, i like the nx60 but it cost an arm and a leg, and remember its not weal waidio as they say HI HI HI ..jeff..m0prf..

I think it has a place in ham radio, But! When u need data etc, to use it that becomes a Problem (we take data/Internet, for granted these days) so without it, the radio would useless!, If it had an option to use Dmr & Analogue like a standard radio, it would be a Big benifit

An android phone that turns the microphone of and on... I just hope the younger generation don't think this is how radio is..... because it isn't, tuners beam & wire antennas sitting in a field making contacts all around the world using propagation Thats what I call radio.... if anyone considers this radio, then everyone who owns a mobile phone has just become a radio ham...... because thats all it is, A mobile phone with a ptt.... I didn't take my ham test to use this technology, I took it to learn about how it works, understanding and learning antenna theory and propagation. My opinion, I am entitled too it, Enjoy it if you use it, but its not for me I'm afraid. Peace !!

Awsome how much are those radios . And can you by in u.s. tks

Who sells them in uk

I have no complaints about these radios and no reason do be against people using them or people who use them, but I was thinking about these the other day and made the following observation. These radios use the internet, which is easily capable of full duplex, so why is there a PTT switch? It's as if they were designed to emulate, or 'pretend' to be a radio. I really don't get what the attraction of these radios is. DMR, okay, lots of people use hot spots, so there is limited RF, but a DMR radio is capable of accessing a repeater as well, so RF is used. Yes, I know a network radio uses RF, but it only does so in order to be able to use the internet. Maybe I'm missing something? No doubt I'm about to be shot down by people who use these radios, but my comment isn't meant to put the radios down, it's more of a question, why is there a PTT when the internet supports full duplex? And when you consider that, then aren't users simply pretending to use the radio when they use them?

No difference between hotspots and network radio, both use the cell towers and internet. For me is modern times technology. No more expensive repeaters with a 20 mile range.

Skype by any other name?

I think I hear Andy?