Top Choice Radios Saves Your Money!

We offer........

many brands and models of professional 2-way radios ranging from under two hundred dollars to well over two thousand dollars each. The brand and model type recommended depends on the users needs. This web page is specifically for public safety users who want the lowest total cost of operation, freedom from obsolesence, and most importantly - the ability to communicate when needed!

On the left side of this web page, we have provided link buttons to select information on our most popular products. A brief color-coded statement follows each radio description below to indicate the best application for each radio. Blue indicates that the radio is best suited for law enforcement use. Red indicates that the radio is best suited for fire and rescue or construction use, and Green signifies that the radio is capable of operating in either analog or digital modes (with the exception of the Motorola DTR650 which operates only in a digital mode on special 900 MHz unlicensed ISM frequencies). A brief overview of selected models follows:

The Motorola DTR550 and DTR650 are digital radios well suited for use in churches, courthouses, hospitals manufacturing facilities & schools. No special license is required although the digital capabilities of this radio keep your communications private and in compliance with HIPAA requirements. This radio functions much like a Nextel or SouthernLINC walkie talkie. The main difference is that range is confined to the operating site and no telephone capability is available. B-Stock models are as low as $278! Click on the DTR650 link button above for more information. This radio is not compatible with existing VHF or UHF radio systems. Especially well suited for Courthouse use.

The HYT Model TC-700 is our personal selection for users on a budget requiring top quality communications. This MIL-SPEC 810F rated has all the features required by even the most sophisticated user including MDC-1200 ID, built in 2-tone paging (both encode and encode, twice the audio of most other radios,and simple top mounted knobs for both volume and channel select. The selector knobs are extra rigid to prevent accidental movement. The TC-700 has audible channel change announcements. One of our law enforcement users has a preference for a competitive model with a top mounted LCD. This made it easier for officers to change channels. Now they can change channels without looking! Purchase six units and get the 7th free! Models available for either VHF or UHF. This is a great value in an affordable

analog radio! Great choice for smaller users or for those on a tight budget.

The ICOM F50V is a combination pager and radio, sometimes referred to as a Talk-Back Pager. Many radios have built in 2-tone paging capability which is the most common selective signaling system used in the USA. The thing that makes the F50V different is that it actually has ALL the features of a product specifically designed for alerting voice purposes such as the Motorola Minitor V. This means minimum size, multiple tone code reception on a single channel and the ability to operate in either audible alert or VIBRATE alert mode. A top quality pager can operate in either selective alert or monitor mode and RECORD incoming messages for later playback. The ICOM F50V performs all these functions at a price actually LOWER than a comparable Minitor V! This is a product that is in a class

by itself! A great pager/radio for volunteer fire and rescue departments.

The ICOM F3061 is our most affordable radio with premium features including a large LCD display and the ability to operate on 25, 12.5, or 6.25 kHz channels. It operates in analog mode on up to 512 channels with priority scan, built in paging, even trunking capability! Like all of our selected radios, the F3061 is supplied with a high capacity memory free rechargeable battery and rapid desk charger but the thing that makes the F3061 totally unique is the ability to operate in either an analog or digital mode! Nobody else even comes close! This is our most affordable radio with digital capabilities.

Motorola's smallest radio also happens to be one of Motorola's best! The EX560.XLS is a newer product very similar to the earlier EX500 and EX600 series. The EX560 is a microsized powerhouse - MIL-SPEC 810F rated plus submersion capable (up to 3 feet for 30 minutes) with an IX-57 rating. The EX560 can be programmed on up to 160 channels and it has built-in MDC-1200 ID and 2-tone paging. The 5-watt EX560 is one of the few Motorola radios with a standard 3-year warranty. Firefighters and other users in incendiary environments will be pleased to know that the EX560 is rated for Intrinsically Safe operation. Best of all, the price is comparable the HT1250 and PR860 models! Great choice for a water submersible

intrinsically safe pager/radio that is ideal for fire department or construction use.

The ICOM F70D meets Department of Homeland Security and APCO standards for a narrow band (12.5 kHz) with digital technology. The nationwide standard, alternately known as APCO-25 or P25 provides superior performance on the new 12.5 kHz channels. Conventional analog radios generally suffer in performance when bandwidth is reduced from 25 to 12.5 kHz. Digital radios are not as severely impacted by bandwidth reduction. P25 radios are capable of operating on current wide band (25 kHz) or narrow band (12.5 kHz) channels in either analog or digital mode. This allows a simple and affordable migration plan to digital. Typical prices for digital radios are considerably higher than analog (our most popular ICOM model is $1,720). However, our trade in plan allows you to purchase the F70D for as little as $860! This is the

preferred handheld radio for larger departments or county sheriffs.

The Motorola XPR6550 is the absolute top of the line in a VHF or UHF radio! For about the same price as a HT1550.XLS or PR860, you can have the benefits of advanced digital technology including built in text messaging (even the ability to receive email with the proper software) and GPS position reporting. It's all built in! If you've never heard a side by side comparison of a digital radio with an analog, you are in for a big surprise. The reason is that digital is not affected by ambient noise, a major range killer for analog radios. Digital operation does not allow utilization of older 2-tone signaling. Instead, and enhanced MDC-1200 system is used that allows both selective calling as well as text message notification. THE water submersible approved XPR6550 uses a digital technology known as MOTOTRBO,

a proprietary system that is both affordable and efficient. The XPR6550 is our top choice

handheld for transportation and law enforcement users.

Mobile radios are available for under $200. For many users, these models will meet their basic needs. However, in terms of features, performance, and reliability; the average cost will range between four and five hundred dollars. In this price category, the best of the best; at least in our opinion, is the HYT TM-800. With 50 watts of power, more channels than most will ever use, MDC-1200 compatibility, 2-way paging, MIL-SPEC reliability, and a high power external speaker output, we

like the TM-800! The TM-800 is a great choice for fire departments.

For a few dollars more, the ICOM F5061 has features normally found in mobile

radios costing hundreds, if not thousands of dollars more. The F5061 is available in a rear mount configuration where spaces are tight and you'll have to hear the audio to believe. The reason for the superior audio is a special audio processor used in digital radios. The F5061 is our lowest priced analog/digital selectable radio. It is compatible with all analog radios as well as the ICOM F3061 analog/digital handheld. The F5061 VHF and F6061 UHF radio is ideally

suited for use by both fire and police departments.

The ICOM F1721 VHF and F2721 UHF radios have both analog and digital

capability. These radios utilize the Homeland Security approved P25 digital platform (the same technology incorporated in the ICOM F70D VHF and F80D handheld radios. The F1721 and F2721 are compatible with all competitive analog radios by EF Johnson, Kenwood, Midland, Motorola, Relm/BK, Tait, TEKK, and Vertex. An extremely liberal trade-in program is current available. The F1721/2721 radios are ideally suited for all public safety applications.

The Motorola XPR4550 mobile is the companion radio for the XPR6550 handheld. Both of these radios are a part of the MOTOTRBO series, a completely unique and distinct communications technology that incorporates the ability to communicate in the analog mode on 25 or 12.5 kHz channels as well as in the digital mode with the ability to handle both voice and data communications AT THE SAME TIME! Currently, the XPR4550 is available in

UHF only. The XPR4550 is comparably priced with the Motorola CDM1550 and

PM1500. The XPR5550 is our top choice for VHF or UHF mobiles.

We haven't said much about base stations, but there is one that we would like to say a LOT about! It's the Midland P25 Base Tech III, available in a 110 watt version capable of operating in either a conventional analog mode or in the P25 digital mode at prices comparable to an ordinary base station. No cooling fans are required and it's rated for continuous duty operation. If you are thinking about a new base station or repeater, this would be our recommendation. The Base Tech III is a great choice for public safety.

Obviously, we have other handheld and mobile models for virtually any need or application, but the ones presented here are our top choices. Information on other handhelds, mobiles and repeaters is available at www.info4u.us/BestPriceRepeaters.pdf.

Lastly, if you would like a comparative price guide on our top choice radios and pagers, just drop us an email to sales@bestpriceradio.com. Request your free copy of the TOP CHOICE COMPARATIVE PRICE GUIDE. You'll be glad you did!

Thanks for visiting with us!

This page was last modified on Thursday, December 11, 2008

Top Choice Radios

Great radios at guaranteed low prices!