The Radiotone RT4 Handheld

The Radiotone RT4 is the most recent internet radio available from Martin Lynch & Sons. It is basically an Android Phone with a PTT button on the left hand side and a Motorola style speaker microphone socket on the right hand side. It comes with a 4,200 mAH battery which gives it a good operating period with each charge. 

Accessories include a Speaker Mic, and a charging cradle which can be stuck to the windscreen using a suction mount. The suction mount is large and well able to support the radio.
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Some say that this radio resembles a Motorola handheld radio, however, this comparison is like a silk purse and a sow’s ear and total poppycock. Whilst the case is relatively tough, it would not stand up to the abuse of being dropped or knocked about and it is an unnecessarily big old Hector of a radio. The volume control feels cheap in comparison to many of the Chinese DMR handhelds as does the casing. Tytera radios have a much better feel by comparison both on the controls and their casings. If the word Motorola had never been used it would not have arisen in this review.

As a mobile phone and for data usage, the RT4 is open and can connect to any network. It sounds good and has a loud ring. As a mobile phone it ticks all the boxes. There is even a front and rear pointing camera.

The battery has a reasonable charge when taken out of the box. A small stubby antenna is included but this for GPS reception and has no part in cellular reception. A SIM card with data facilities is required to set up the communications via Internet.

On switch on the RT4 goes through a start up of the Android system. A few Apps are installed already such as Zello, WattsApp, YouTube, which can be uninstalled. Apps such as Echolink for Android, Teamspeak 3, and APRSdroid are useful and there is ample space for them and a few more if necessary.

As with the Inrico TM-7, it is necessary to register with the International Radio Network. Once the network key has been issued,  it is a simple procedure to set up and activate the network. Echolink requires a copy of the licence to be submitted before access to the Echolink network. APRS does occasionally require a copy of the licence before it can be activated. The APRSdroid program requires a minor payment to download but this will not break the bank.

The recent versions of Zello seem to launch if the PTT is depressed in EchoLink or Teamspeak 3 operation. Zello is more of a general purpose program for communication so it is best to dispense with it if not really required. It is possible to use the RT4 as a portable hotspot which may be of use whilst out in the field.

The audio on transmit and receive is clear and crisp and operation of the radio is no different to the use of any other handheld once established in a chat room.

As one can use a mobile phone SIM with data, it is possible to use the RT4 as a mobile WiFi hotspot which makes  it a useful tool when out in the field. Perhaps for use with a tablet or better still to provide internet for a mobile Digital Hotspot.

So what are the advantages?

Internet radio is not dependent on line of sight or a repeater, or enhanced propagation for reliable communications. The communications are not impaired by QRM, Contest Operators or those who like to tune up on top of others. Basically it is a gentlemen’s operating system as there are no hassles. Abusers are transferred to the "naughty room" for their transgressions. They can exit  this room but if they should find themselves in there on a frequent basis they will be removed and barred altogether.

It is possible to link into hubs with Repeaters, EchoLink, and Digital modes of operation which are connected to a common group area on Teamspeak. These areas include the UK Hub, the Scotland Ireland Hub and there is also a London Area Hub to mention but a few as there are many more. This ensures plenty of activity most hours of the day. There are other Networks to join, each of which have many group contacts. The International Radio Network hosts many groups and always quite lively. A More recent network is the World Hub which is currently under development. There will be a Scottish Irish Group and a London South East Group amongst others. Early tests have given good results with clear audio. This network will be in full operation by August 2018 and will be linked into many Amateur Networks.

This is a shot of the screen of the RT4 using Teamspeak. Generally one is directed to the welcome channel once linked onto the International Radio Network. Once membership is approved, it is possible to join any of the other channels available. To join a group one just has to touch the screen over the group name or, better still, use a stylus as used on an Android Tablet. Your call sign will appear in the group as a result. Indeed the screen is a tad small to manipulate with the end of a finger unless under 2 years  old. Use a stylus if you have difficulty.

The only disadvantage is that if the cellular network should go down or cellular reception is poor then communication is no longer possible. 

Some say that this is not amateur radio, well perhaps not in the strictest sense but try it first and see what you think. Certainly it is not utilizing amateur frequencies although a license is required to use the amateur facilities in Teamspeak 3. One does communicate in the same way as an Amateur so therefore can be likened to Amateur Radio. Who really cares; it has a place in communications. Would one poo poo a marine radio just because it is not operating on an Amateur Frequency? If you are a Radio Operator you would operate this system as a Radio Operator.

Of course, there are many Amateurs who would forget their pathway into the hobby. It is generally these guys who are the first to jump up with the cry of “it is not real radio”. Get a life lads! Many Radio Amateurs work DX following cluster entries. They are not really working it as somebody is telling them where to look. Surely the fun is in the hunt. A proportion of Radio Amateurs are black box operators and haven’t a clue what’s in the box, or how it works, so this system is ideal for them. Amateur Radio has deteriorated over the years so please do not sneer at new ideas. Incorporating new technology is what we do as Radio Amateurs. This surely can’t be as bad as FT8 operation where it is possible to work DXCC whilst reading a Dan Brown book as the computer does all the operating and communicating. How interesting can it get?

Aside from the amateur radio aspect of this radio, if fitted with Zello, there are a lot of possibilities to keep in touch with family members all over the world who can all link into one talk area. Teamspeak 3 has many areas where one can set up a temporary private room for chats. These are private as there is a requirement for a password to get into them. Bear in mind that probably the younger generation have been communicating over this type of system with group chats whilst playing World of Warcraft and many other team games.

In conclusion, there is a wealth of communications opportunities that can be exploited via this system with Amateur Radio being only one of them. If one was operating a Taxi Radio, Marine Radio, or any other RF Radio, they would not give a second thought to operating using correct radio procedure. Why would this be any different? It is a practical system to use and will keep one in touch with other operators. The RT4 would complement the Inrico TM-7 system described earlier on this site.

Click HERE for more information on the International Radio Network

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The Anytone AT-D868-UV

The Anytone AT-D868-UV is a VHF and UHF hand held radio with both Digital DMR Tier I and Tier II and Analog capabilities. It offers a total of 4,000 channels (Analog and Digital), 10,000 Digital Talk Groups and up to 150,000 contacts, as well as multiple DMR ID numbers for a single radio. Retailing at £139.95 from Martin Lynch, the AT-D868-UV is extremely good value for money.

The radio comes with a short stubby dual band antenna and a charging cradle. The short antenna is adequate for normal use but the use of a longer 40cm Diamond SRH-771VHF/UHF Handheld Antenna is much more practical.

The AT-D868-UV is easy to program and a Word document is available on-line which is easy to follow. The Anytone codeplug is slightly different to other units to program but it does not take long to get used to it. The code plug program is easy enough to use  but it does differ from the Tytera and Motorola approach. The first few entries did take time as the program was a little unfamiliar but, after the first ten had been programed it was easy to get into the order and rhythm of the program.

Starting from scratch, the Talk Groups are programmed in first.

It is necessary to type in the number of the TalkGroup, Give it a name and also define the type of call which in most cases will be a Group Call.

Setting up the Channels and defining mode and frequency is the next task using the screen below:

As with most CPS programming the Channel Name, the Channel Mode and the frequency is required. If Analog modes are used it is possible to define the squelch type and tones required. 

With DMR channels it is necessary match the channel name with the Digital contact or TalkGroup, set the colour code and TX permit. This rig also requires the Radio ID to be defined for each contact. It does default to the first on the list so it is not a problem. It is however possible to define the ID of the radio for specific channels. If you are on holiday this may be a useful facility.

Lastly the zone has to be defined and appropriate channels assigned to it.

The creation of a Zone and the addition of channels is a simple task and much like any other radio.

Whilst not really required, a Scan List and/or a Receive Group List may be created if the listening to or monitoring of multiple channels is required. 

The radio has been put through it paces and the first thing to note is the good quality of audio from it. Secondly, the receive side is sensitive on both DMR an Analog Channels. The first test was with the 70 cm GB7NS Repeater located in Caterham and some 8 miles from the G4GFC QTH. The path was not line of sight and there were many obstructions in the path as the G4GFC QTH is surrounded by woodland. It was possible to access the Repeater using low power and a good report was received. Using the Diamond SRH-771 antenna resulted in an increase in received signal. GB7EP and GB7AK located at Epsom and Barking, north London were not workable, however, walking to a higher location would have made this possible. The G4GFC QTH is located behind hills in the direction of GB7EP and GB7AK. GB7AK would undoubtedly be the repeater of choice whilst pedestrian mobile in London by virtue of its location.

 

The stubby antenna does not really do the radio any favours, but, the addition of a longer antenna such as the Diamond SRH-771VHF/UHF Handheld Antenna is a vast improvement. This a matter of taste really as the longer antenna gets in the way but it is far more efficient. It is really down to the type of work you wish to use the radio for at the end of the day. There is no doubt that the existing antenna will work from point to point over a clear path and from high ground the longer antenna will undoubtedly prove its worth.

The radio has a high quality plastic case and it does not feel as though it will fall apart if accidentally dropped. 

The battery capacity is excellent at 3100 mAH for normal use. Obviously constant use at 5 - 7 Watts will reduce the battery life before needing a charge. 

As a dual bander, this radio would definitely be my first choice as it ticks more than most of the boxes and well worth the money. The code plug software is easy enough to use although it is slightly different to its competitors

A Code plug for this radio can be found on the Galway VHF Group Facebook Page.

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Galway Regatta 2018

The 135th Galway Regatta, organised by the Galway Rowing Club, was held on Sunday 17th June on the Menlo Straight on the River Corrib. Over 180 crews representing clubs participated including Athlone, Colaiste Iognaid, CCRC, Galway, Grainne Mhaol, Shannon, St. Joseph’s College, Tribesmen,  Lady Elizabeth BC and Lagan Scullers Club will race in Masters and Junior events, many of whom were gearing up for one of the biggest domestic events of the year, Cork Regatta at the National Rowing Centre, the following weekend. The Galway Regatta took place on a 700-metre, 3-lane “sprint” course, with races run from 9am Sunday morning until after 5pm that evening.

Tom EI2GP was at the start line with Enda EI3IS on the slips and Steve EI5DD at the finish line in the Secretary's station / Control Centre. 

DMR radio was used for the entire operation and proved its worth with very clear and crisp audio even at low power levels. Another advantage of DMR is the longer battery life which was apparent as the day wore on.

The races were started in the order as listed on the race timetable. Tom EI2GP would confirm the crews in the race and would call when the race was started passing information about crews,lane changes and the umpire with the race to ensure that crew were correctly identified at the finish line.

As the crews came over the finish line, Steve EI5DD would confirm the winning crew and pass information about the crew's place in the semi final or final.  Constant updates were made during the race. 

Enda, EI3IS, was located at the slips and was able to ascertain whether crew were on the water and heading to the start line. This was particularly helpful if there were any delays so that the race could be held until the crews arrived at the start line.

If there were any crews missing for a race it was possible to get them on the water quickly after consultation with Enda, EI3IS, on the slips. Some crews may decide not to participate at the last minute so this information was also transmitted to avoid any delays.

This year there was only a light breeze which made life easier. If there were any incidents on the river it was possible to summon help over the radio system. Civil Defence were present if there were any injuries.

As a result of the good weather, the races managed to run on time although this did put pressure on crews to make it to the start line on time to avoid disqualification.

As often happens during the races, it is necessary to change the times of the races to facilitate those crews which need to participate in several races. This is quickly rectified by communication with the start line where a new order can be imposed. 

A constant flow of information has to be transmitted that messages have to be passed with minimal chit chat or delays. Tom, Steve, and Enda have been running this event for the majority of years since the 1980s so it it is well practiced. 

Detailed logs are kept and in the unlikely event of the computer crashing, it is possible to recover the information transmitted and times of races. Thankfully this has only ever happened once in our time. We were able to piece the finals together during the lunch break and transmit them to the start line.

Nowadays, the participants for the finals are written in on the race program by the radio operator as well as entered on the computer by the Secretary each time the races finish which saves a lot of time later in the day. Immediately after the the race is finished this information is transmitted to the start line. This gives us a little more time to relax in the lunch break.

Whilst this is a very busy day with non stop operation, it is one of our favourite events as the operation is flawless and the team works well together as the activity is well practiced. Each transmission is short and to the point. No radioese or irrelevant chat creeps in on this event as messages have to be short and snappy to keep the timetable on track.

DMR or Fusion work well on this event so either may be used on future operations. DMR is preferable as the battery capacity is greater due to the half duty cycle nature of DMR transmission with consequent increase of battery life - no need to carry spares!

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Castlebar 4 days Walking Festival 2018

Steve EI5DD and Tom EI2GP assisted with the communications for the 30 Km rambles from the 28th June to the 1st of July. The marshals of the ramble were supplied with PMR radios and they communicate amongst themselves and with those at ground level providing support. Tom, EI2GP,  assisted with the marshalling of the ramble whilst Steve EI5DD was in a support vehicle at ground level.

For the last 25 years members of the Galway VHF Group have assisted with this event. The Marshals on the ramble have operated PMR systems over this period of time and have become seasoned radio users. The amateur radio presence is to provide a back up should an emergency arise. The logistics of support to bring any casualty down from the hill are dealt with via the amateur radio links thus leaving the marshals to continue with the walk.

There were a number of crossings on a busy road in the Mulranny area and co-ordinating with the marshals, it was possible to advise when the road was going to be clear for a crossing to be made. It is impressive to see how well the radios are operated under the circumstances.

The map above shows the areas covered according to APRS.FI  over 5 days including the transit from Galway. The cell signal was good most of the time so the TM-7 was able to resister the points along the distance of travel. There were two trips out along the Newport road, with one close to Crossmolina, and on the last day there was a loop around the immediate Castlebar area.

Rambles were located close to Newport, in Mulranney, on Achill Island and the last day in Castlebar. The scenery on these walks is only magnificent and of course always looks a hundred percent better in excellent weather conditions.

Twenty five Taiwanese walkers participated in the 4 Days walks. They were always in great humour. They never complained about the heat. Their hats were just the job to keep the sun of the back of the neck.

There were participants from 28 different countries with many returning on an annual basis. Four busses were required to ferry the walkers to their rambles. One thing that is very noticeable is the camaraderie between the participants from all nations. New walkers are very quickly given plenty of encouragement and many new friendships are made on the hillsides. 

Both DMR and Yaesu fusion were tested on the amateur radio side of the operation. Naturally these worked well between the operator on the hill and ground level. The support team were never too far away. It is possible that we may acquire DMR licence free sets for operation on the walks by the marshals in future events.

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John Cresham - one of the support team at ground level taking a well earned tea break

The weather was extremely hot, with the tar melting off the road surface. On the first day of walking there was only one walker experiencing dehydration as a result of the hot weather. It was essential that adequate water was carried into the hills. The following 3 days experienced no major problems apart from one who slipped and suffered a few minor scratches.

Pictured above is a good friend Bert Oderkerken ex Dutch Army who turns up every year and has become an honorary marshal - he operates a Radio as a sweeper. A really good radio operator. Bert is dedicated walker who has walked at almost all of the International walks.

 Some excellent scenery experienced during the 4 days walks

At the end of the fourth day, medals were presented to those qualifying for International Marching League Awards and those qualifying for Castlebar Awards.  Following the presentations, a dinner was held followed by a "blisters ball". This is well attended and a group "Brown Sugar", consisting of two walkers, play some excellent music for the evening to conclude the Four Day walks. A great night for the fair wells and plans for next year.

Special thanks to the Castlebar International Four Days walks for the pictures used in this article.

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