Batboard

Anyone have one of the APX Bluetooth units? How much are they? Worth it?
Are these the only earpieces that can pair with an APX portable? (i.e. proprietary Bluetooth pairing?)

I've got one, but don't use it too often. It's great when I'm talking and driving or just want to not look like I'm monkeying with a radio in public. I'm planning on getting the iPhone-like earbuds to keep it super low-key. In my experiences, I can get 30-50' away before my body starts really attenuating the signal. If I spin around and face the radio, the link will come back. Pretty handy for walking around the home or office and leaving the radio on a table.

The pod is about the size of a matchbox car and has four buttons; PTT, Vol-up, Vol-down and power. The pod will not function as a remote PTT or volume control without an earpiece plugged in. (you can buy a $280 keyfob if you want remote PTT or channel control) Do yourself a favor and get the longer cord for the earpiece as the short one is really only useful for those who want that bluetooth pod sticking out. I try to hide it as best I can.

If you've ever used the Motorola CommPort, you'll notice the earpiece and microphone are the same.


Short cord pictured.

Very glad it's encrypted. You never know what kind of hacker is going to follow a cop around and break into his 1 milliwatt bluetooth transmitter so he can listen to secure comms.

Also did you guys know that Motorola has a little remote keyless fob looking thing that can control the volume, ptt, channels etc of an APX? Very handy for undercover cops that like to carry their radio in their backpacks.

Thanks, Mike. Great info!

escomm wrote:Also did you guys know that Motorola has a little remote keyless fob looking thing that can control the volume, ptt, channels etc of an APX? Very handy for undercover cops that like to carry their radio in their backpacks.

Ya, Mike mentioned that in his reply...I've also seen it in the CPS (the pic they have in the CPS look like a standard auto keyless entry remote)

escomm wrote:Very glad it's encrypted. You never know what kind of hacker is going to follow a cop around and break into his 1 milliwatt bluetooth transmitter so he can listen to secure comms.

Also did you guys know that Motorola has a little remote keyless fob looking thing that can control the volume, ptt, channels etc of an APX? Very handy for undercover cops that like to carry their radio in their backpacks.

I can only imagine some 'newb' hacker intercepting the BT transmissions of an AES-256-equipped radio. Go to all that trouble to encrypt voice and leave the back door wide open.

Jeff, any idea when the fob will be available for order? Seems they're still working the bugs out.

It is available now and I will have some next week. p/n NNTN8442A. $270/ea for Batlabs members

Jeff:

To use the APX fob, does the radio have to be bluetooth equipped?

Regards,

Yes, you need Bluetooth

mikegilbert wrote:Yes, you need Bluetooth

No, kinda.

An APX radio must have the bluetooth board but does not need the flash option to use the Audio items or the kyefob.

The restriction with the keyfob is that only the volume and channel buttons will work. The other 2 buttons are programmed by CPS and there for do not work with out the Bluetooth option turned on.

With the audio ones, they work just fine with out the Bluetooth feature enabled. They will pair and work, you will just not be able to set up and buttons or controls for it in the radio