Motorola begins shipping multiband mobile radios
Motorola last week announced it has begun shipping its Project 25–capable APX 7500 multiband mobile radios and expanded the portfolio of its APX multiband portable radios by making available the UHF Range 1 frequency band for those devices.
“With the mobile joining the portable as shipping, Motorola now provides the only complete family of multiband radios, both mobile and portable,” Motorola spokesman Steve Gorecki said.
Available in two models — a high-power (25 to 110 watts) and a mid-power (10 to 35 watts) version — the APX 7500 mobile works in the VHF and 700/800 MHz bands in P25, as well as Motorola’s SmartNet and SmartZone systems. Motorola’s plan is to make similar capabilities available on both the mobile and portable sides of the APX portfolio, according to Brenda Herold, Motorola’s vice president of enterprise mobility systems.
“Our intent is that there’s a full family offering, so folks can utilize the key features this across their entire fleet of operations,” Herold said.
The APX 7500 mobile radio also is capable of working with Motorola’s new O9 integrated control head, a product announced this fall that will be available during the second half of 2010.
Motorola also announced enhancements to its APX 7000 portable radio offering with the inclusion of potential operation in the UHF Range 1 frequency band, which will be available in the APX 7500 mobile radios in the future, Herold said. While the UHF capability has been added to the APX portfolio, Herold noted that the multiband family is designed to provide operation to two bands simultaneously, not all three bands covered by the portable radio.
In addition, Motorola announced the first display remote speaker microphone, an IMPRES-enabled accessory designed to show zone and channel information at a glance to users wearing the APX 7000 under coats. The new microphone meets Ruggedized PLUS specifications for submersibility (MIL-STD-810E Method 412.3 Immersion) and includes Motorola’s first rugged, submersible audio jack. Other new accessories introduced include an IMPRES vehicular charger and flip down carry case that allows access to the radio display and keypad without having to remove the radio from its case.