Railfan Technology > VHF NXDN handheld radio

If thing go right, I might be able to get a new/reconditioned VHF NXDN handheld radio.
How many channels is recommended?  I know that there were 99 wideband channels so I am assuming that I need at least 200+ channels for the new narrowband configuration.
Does Kennwood or Icom offer a configuration of analog or digital so I don't have to have 400+ channels, that is 200+ analog and 200+ digital.
Does anyone have any comments/suggestions based on their using the NXDN radios.
We are going to have them programmed so they don't transmit.
If I have extra spare channels, I might put in some for amateur radio use to try out in the receive and transmit modes.
TIA
Pat
South Austin, TX
 

With the new narrowband channelization, there are approximately 200 channels...double the original. NFM has just allowed new channels to be placed between the traditional 100 channels. The use of each channel can be NFM analog or digital....technically, it doesn't matter although AAR or or other agreements may recommend different uses for different channels.

Not sure how much digital you will encounter but, good luck with your radio.

I would go with a 500 channel NXDN model.  The Kenwood NX-210 and the Icom IC-F3161D and F-3261D (the 3261D is slowly replacing the 3161D--essentially the same radio, except louder audio and better waterproofing with the 3261) are all very good NXDN portable radios.  The Kenwood NX-700 and Icom IC-5061D are both very good mobile NXDN radios.  500 channels gives more than enough flexibility to program in most anything that the railroads may do.  The lower echelon models generally have 128 channels, not enough to cover all the potential RR channels available once NXDN comes into full use.

The basic difference between the Icom and Kenwood models has to do mostly with marketing.  Kenwood is very tight with its dealer network, strongly discouraging its dealers to compete with each other in a specific geographical area.   Icom dealers can pretty much sell wherever they want to.  As a result , Icom radios can usually be purchased at a small price advantage. Also, Kenwood gets pretty picky (and expensive) about who can purchase programming software and cables; Icom is much less "territorial" about that.   I've used every model of the radios that I listed here except the NX-210, and the  comparable Kenwood and Icom models perform pretty close to identically  in real world use  In absolutely brutal physical use, the Kenwood portables may be a little tougher, but, for railfan use, that difference between and Icom or Kenwood would be negligible.  All of the models that I listed here are in common use by the Class I railroads.  Yes, none of them are cheap.

I have to agree with the comment on cost.  The F-3261D cost about $800.  The programming software from Icom is $60, fairly reasonable compared to some other commercial programming software.  

I try to keep an eye out for new products that are aimed at consumers, not industry.  A few companies are teasing us with vaporware that hasn't materialized yet.  Alinco has a UHF handheld for $350.  It only covers part of the band.  Their next offering will cover the rest of the UHF band.  Nothing mentioned about a VHF model.  Maybe next year.  At least something seems possible for a radio that is close to affordable.  

John



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/15 20:28 by wa4umr.