TriSquare TSX-300 eXRS 900MHz FHSS 2-Way Radio (Pair), Charcoal Metallic/Black

Like most digital products the audio is not very good but is
understandable. Not quite as good as a regular phone line.. sorta like
the poor audio you get from a GSM cell phone. Propagation is almost exactly the same as FRS/GMRS radios except slightly better in buildings due to the higher frequency.
The rechargeable battery pack with the drop in charger set up is brilliant in its design so you can use AA cells when the rechargeable goes dead.

Gripes-- Text messaging does not handshake to confirm delivery of the message so if coverage is spotty you may lose a message and not know it.
belt clip is really mickey mouse and flimsy. I suggest throwing it away and getting an old cell phone case or something if you want to put it on your belt.

Wants-- a full duplex model. A repeater you can put on a building to extend the range also full duplex capable.

These radios have better range than my Motorola GMRS radios and have great clarity at range. I've noticed that there is a short delay, or echo which sounds pretty cool actually; if the radios are too close (aka within 30 feet or so) the sound quality is not so great, not sure why. Caller ID and text messaging work great as long as you're able to get decent reception from the other radio, and I really like the option to have your radio set to vibrate on call, so you can be called silently. Tried to tune in on these with a handheld scanner sporting SignalStalker (automatic frequency acquisition) and it was unable to; by the time it got a fix the radios had already hopped to another frequency (manual says they hop 10x per second).

The included headsets are very uncomfortable and have poor sound pickup (unless you cup your hand in front of your mouth and bounce your voice back to it). Have been thinking about getting some better headsets and seeing if they work with this radio. Really well designed removable belt clips, reduces fumbling around for the radio.

just took a trip to disneyland during the busy holiday season. the radio was good having very clear communications. range is about 1/2 mile with no outside radio interference. if it had a range of 1 full mile it would be and awesome radio. batteries lasted day and night but needed to be charged after the day. fairly easy to program it but i havent read the entire manual so i dont know its full program potential. it did come in handy when my party got separated. i recommend this product for short distance communications.

I own both the TriSquare and Motorola Talkabout radios Those of you who like to take your kids outdoors or skiing, may find this of interest.

Motorola T9500XLR 25-Mile 2-Way Radio
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This is a typical walkie talkie. It 22 channels in the 462 MHz range and has 2 watts of power using GMRS/FRS protocols. The "25-mile" range is the theoretical max (i.e. on the lunar surface).


The main problem with this technology is, well, other people. Imagine 1,000 people sharing 22 channels at Disney World. Motorola goes through great lengths to filter out other people. This is achieved by


(1) A special filter that blocks non-Motorola radios. A nice idea, but unfortunately 90% of walkie talkies are made by Motorola.

(2) A special privacy code which is assigned to each channel. Thus, all your Motorola radios have to be configured to the same privacy code in order to work with each other. Codes range from 1 to 121.

Nonetheless, even with filters and privacy encryption, if someone else is transmitting on your channel, there will be significant interference.

TriSquare TSX-300 eXRS 900MHz FHSS 2-Way Radio
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These use a completely different technology. They transmit on 900 MHz in a 100% digital protocol. They sort of work like cell phones, without the service provider. Each radio is assigned a unique 10-digit number. No matter how crowded the ski resort, you'll always have a private channel for your family. These radios use 1 watt of power. The manufacturer does not provide distance performace, but claim that the radios have a range equal to or better than the Motorola Talkabouts.


Comparison
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I took both brands with me and drove around town - a typical suburban setting with residential and commercial areas. I rated voice quality on a scale of 0 to 3 as follows:

0 no reception
1 unintelligible
2 intelligible but noisy or garbled
3 intelligible and clear

I then plotted the average rating as a function of distance. The digital eXRS technology was superior to the GMRS/FRS model. The eXRS average rating was 25% better than the Motorola Talkabout. The max distance I could get in my area (having lots of trees and buildings) was .45 miles with either radio. The Motorola box claims "2 miles in an urban setting", which is just not true in my case.


The Motorol wins in overall voice quality. When the signal is strong, the voice quality of the Motorola was quite clear, whereas the eXRS unit always had a some background white noise.

Conclusion
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The TriSquare eXRS radios lack a bit in overall voice quality. However, having great voice quality in a Motorola radio is worthless if you can't get through on a crowded channel. The benefits of the eXRS radios out way the one or two shortcomings, in my opinion. I tried the TriSquare units at a ski resort. They work just as advertised. No interference from other people whatsoever.

The TriSquare comes with two vox headsets, which work fairly well. The Motorola talkabout did not come with headsets, which cost $20 a piece at Radio Shack.

Niether the Motorola Talkabout nor the TriSquare eXRS seem particularly rugged or weather resistant, so I'd rate them the same in that regard.

The NOAA weather reception on the TriSquare was pretty bad. I have two other NOAA radios, which work just fine in my area. The Talkabout had very good NOAA reception.

I was looking for a superior 2-way radio set to use while exhibiting at a trade show. The more I researched, the more discouraged I became. When I found these radios, I was VERY relieved. Let me explain...

First, and this is not openly disclosed by manufacturers of other two-way radios, ANY RADIO THAT USES THE GMRS OR FRS FREQUENCIES REQUIRES A FCC RADIO LICENSE!!! Got that? Those cheap radios you can buy at Office Max, even WalMart... they ALL REQUIRE A FCC LICENSE! Its true. Check it out for yourself if you doubt me. But these TriSquare radios operate in the 900mhz band, the same band as most wireless home phone systems. They don't require a FCC license. That alone was reason enough for me to choose these Trisquare radios.

Next, the "16 mile range" and '22 mile range" you read about with most other radios is ridiculously over-stated. based on several days of reviewing customer statements, I came to realize you'd be lucky to get even poor reception only a mile away. Those radios advertising miles of range... don't believe it. on the other hand, I took my TriSquare for a walk in my neighborhood, with the other unit manned by my wife at home, and it was crystal clear after walking a considerable distance. So, I am perfectly happy with the range.

Next, sound quality... Most radios transmit on an analog frequency. As a result, the further away you are, the worse the audio quality. These Trisquares are digital. The audio quality is excellent.

Finally, privacy. Most radios advertise 22 freqencies, with maybe a hundred 'privacy channels' to try and keep your conversation private. unfortunately, a simple frequency scanner can tune in on your conversation. Also, in a trade show or warehouse environment, where there are a lot of people on different frequencies, conversation becomes almost impossible. These trisquare phones have something like 10 billion channels. Got that, 10 billion... not 22. In addition, they do some fancy frequency hopping so that, even if a scanner is trying to tune you in, the moment they tune you in, the frequency hops and they lose the conversation. Great, huh?!

And don't forget price. You get two units for under a hundred dollars. Compare that with several hundred dollars for a single business radio with less range, audio quality, or features.

If I have any complaint, it would be that I would like them to offer a 'ruggedized' version. Something that is a little heavier and wouldn't be damaged by dropping or things like that. But overall, I am a fan of these radios and would highly recommend their use for any business environment where you won't be kicking them around too much.

Fantastic radio. Fantastic price... and NO FCC LICENSE REQUIRED!