Motorola XT185 - Review & 10km Range Test
Radio Solutions are the UK's largest online supplier of 2-way radio equipment and accessories. Thanks to the team for sponsoring this video and supplying me with the XT185 radios for review.
The Motorola XT185
The XT185 is a compact business PMR446 walkie-talkie from Motorola. It has a reversed white-on-black LCD on the front and three soft buttons to control volume and most settings on the radio.
On the left side, you'll find a rubber push-to-talk (PTT) button and a quick pair button to pass channel and privacy code settings onto other radios in your fleet simply. On the right are the charging port and accessory port, both of which are covered with rubber seals.
Although the XT185 has some design similarities with the Motorola T42 consumer radio, it has a complete set of features required for anyone looking to use a walkie-talkie in a school, pub, leisure centre, or building site, warehouse or similar size location.
Let's look at some of the main features of the radio and why I feel they're worth having.
LOOKING FOR A RANGE TEST?
Check out the video here and go to the ‘Range Test’ chapter.
MAIN FEATURES
USB Rechargeable - The radios can be charged via any 5V micro-USB using the supplied charging cradle or directly into the radio. That means that any charger, power bank or most portable solar panels can charge these radios wherever you might be.
Charging Cradles - Although you can charge directly into the radio, the cradles are a massive benefit for businesses as they allow simple removal of multiple radios from charge at the start of a shift and replacement for recharge at the end of a shift without constant access to the ports.
Full Privacy Code Support - Otherwise known as sub-channels and CTCSS/DCS, this allows you to use your radio on a channel without any interference from more distant stations who may be using the same channel. You'll only hear the transmissions from your team.
16 Channels - The PMR446 standard moved from 8 to 16 channels in 2018, but channels 9-16 are still very underused. Having a 16-channel radio ensures maximum range and minimum interference from others.
License Free - Unlike 1W and 4W PMR radios, PMR446 is completely license free meaning no annual costs regardless of how many radios you are using on your site.
24-Hour Battery Life - These radios are tiny, yet they still offer 24-hour battery life. This is based on transmitting 5% of the time and receiving 5% of the time. Considering that a shift is not likely longer than 12 hours, you can probably safely double this usage and still have power to spare.
VOX Function for Handsfree Operation - It's not always possible to have a hand free to press the push-to-talk (PTT) button on a radio. The VOX function allows transmission when the radio detects your voice. This is best used with the supplied headset.
IP54 Rated - You won’t want to drop these in a lake but the IP54 rating means you can use these out in all weather without any concern about water ingress.
Small and Lightweight - Sure, there are smaller radios out there, but for this performance, audio and battery life, these are extremely small and easy to carry around. They make other business radios like the XT420 seem quite bulky.
Accessory Port - The 2.5mm TRRS socket on the right-hand side of the radio allows connection of the supplied earpiece. Using the radio with an earpiece while it remains clipped to your bag, jacket or belt makes things much simpler when moving around or handling goods.
Good Range - Most PMR446 radios perform pretty much the same. Expect 100-300m in a very built-up area, 300-500m in a warehouse and, as you can see from the video above, 10km or more with a good line of sight.
Great Audio Quality - When it comes to transmission audio quality, Motorola always shines above cheaper brands. Their radios just sound great. Clarity is excellent and although you will need to shield yourself from the wind (I found turning my body away from the wind was sufficient), you can expect to be heard clearly.
Conclusion
Although this is a sponsored video, those of you who have seen my channel before will know that I like my Motorola radios. Yes, there are cheaper radios out there, but if you want a reliable and good quality radio with a solid battery life and accessories that won't fall apart after a few uses, it's worth paying the extra.
If you work somewhere where you'll need to change channels frequently, these might not be the radios for you, but if you need a radio to be incredibly portable and light enough to never get in your way, the XT185s are perfect. Clear speakers, excellent mic and transmission quality, good range and excellent battery life. For the price, it’s a good performer.
These are worth a look.
Check the current price of the XT185 at the Radio Solutions website.