No one walks into a Telstra shop to ask whether they buy an iPhone or GME radio. They are both communication devices, but the applications are very different. In fact, UHF radio is often used like an AM/FM radio with the continued chatter of information. This has made UHF a fantastic tool for teams of people or vehicles. It could be grey nomads caravanning around Australia or a team of security guards & bar staff at a night club. The cool thing about UHF radio is that you’re not dependant on phone towers. These phone towers might cover 99% of Australia’s population, but they only cover 1 million km2 of Australia or the equivalent of only South Australia. So if you live in the bush or go bushwalking, then you need a UHF radio.
So mobile phones and UHF radios were never competing technologies, but now they have become COMPLEMENTARY technologies. GME’s first iteration of the XRS App was about setting up your radio & doing firmware upgrades. The new XRS Connect App gives you offline maps. You can track your position & mark an unlimited number of places pressing the PTT button. The map on the App is so familiar. It’s basically identical to Google Maps, but actually based up Open Street Map. This is fantastic since it’s free!
Admittedly, we placed little emphasis on the App. The XRS radio an awesome diecast build, OLED display and clear & powerful 2w speaker, but the App was lacking. Now, with a price drop & a cracker App, it should be very popular!
By Michael Swann
This write-up first appeared in our March 2018 newsletter.