We were just reminiscing at work about the old nextels. Needed 8 x 2way radios for a new project and that’s a couple grand at least for decent stuff - but back in the day we didn’t even have to worry about it since all our work phones had the chirp. Every generation complains that things are getting worse…because they are ✊🇺🇸🏴☠️
I asked them on their ad on FB ‘what about when cell towers go down?’ since they RUN on cell towers… I’ll let you know when they finally get around to answering…
Nothing happens, nothing works. It's not a GMRS or like technology. Think of it as an unlocked cell phone as that's all it is but in a convenient shell.
I got a set of 3, and they’re horrible quality. The customer support was horrible as well… We used them on a road trip to talk between two vehicles, and they dropped out more than they worked
They're dependent on cell phone networks. Here in East Tennessee, some areas don't get cellphone service. When the network goes down, you're up shit creek without a paddle. Having a basic handheld FM Transceiver is worth its weight in gold when cellphone networks goes down. When I go out hunting in the fall and winter during the season, I take a radio with me.
@user-ix1sw3yw8x It's a radio that can transmit and receiver, and it fits in you hand. To legally transmit inside the amateur radio bands, you'll need to pass an exam and the FCC will issue a callsign. There's also Family Radio Service (FRS) radios that are channelized on certain frequencies license free. One can buy those radios at Walmart, Amazon, Ebay etc. There's also MURS, which is license free frequencies to talk on, but I'm not sure if there's a market for those radios. Also, GMRS requires a license, which there's no exam to pass. Just pay the FCC $35 and the license is good for 10 years, same amateur radio.
Got this from my mother-in-law who’s been scared into thinking everything’s going to crumble in the next 12mnths… was confused when she told me it was a “radio” so I started looking into it.. I believe in being prepared, but not because I’m being scared into by some idiots online… thanks for the video brother, appreciate the information
They require cell networks, so not off the grid, will not work in any real SHTF realities, and they do charge a fee, so boldly lie on their web site. So what benefits vs cell phones? There really is none but for specific reasons. A sat phone is closest to true stand alone coms that are off the grid, and those are getting smaller and less $ quickly.
My Mom is 80, she doesn't understand her very simple cell phone. Perhaps this is a better option for her / us for emergency contact. I lived without any cell phone for the past year and a half and really enjoyed that. Recently had to get a cell just because I have to take care of my Mom and didn't want to be left in a lurch if there was an emergency. I HATE cell phones. I understand them, nice for pictures & videos, but I still don't want one because I don't like being tracked/traced and I love being unavailable.
For the encryption, who has the key? As they program for you, then they have the key. It might be encrypted between your radios and them. Get rid of it.
I think they are good for what they are. One advantage of these is there is no delay with a phone call going out, the other persons phone ringing and the time it takes for someone to answer their phone. Could take up to a minute for all if that to happen. Push to talk would be pretty much instant getting your message out to the other person if they are listening to the "radio". You could pretty much achieve the same thing with your phone using the zello app using your existing phone and provider. Rapid radio marketing is shady as hell. I was even blocked from their Facebook page for asking questions that were hard for them to answer with their prewritten out answers.
Why spend $200 plus on a radio that only works on cell towers when you can download the Zello app, have encryption end to end and create as many channels as you need for your group or family. Oh and the best part is, it's FREE. You get text, pictures and voice comms. If the cell towers go down, I believe, I haven't confirmed this yet, but if you have Wi-Fi you should still be able to communicate to other groups on the channel. Just a suggestion. Sorry this sounded like a damn advertisement, but I can say I use it and it does work well.
According to the app description it says it's $79.99 PER MONTH for "Zello Work".? I don't see where it says it's "Free", except for the 14-day free trial? What am I missing?!? Is "Zello" different than "Zello WORK"???? What is the difference??? This sounds like a great app for our family but NOT for $80/mo.!!!
I bought 3 Worked for 3 weeks, I guess I ran out of data of these people don’t pay their bill and don’t answer the phone. Do not waste your time with this company. It’s terrible.
I did some homework on some of the stuff you couldn't exactly answer because I was curious myself about these a few weeks ago. Disclaimer, I am by no means an "expert". Most cell towers have back up power sources that run on diesel for about 72 hours ish. As long as more fuel is delivered to these back up power sources , the cell towers will continue to work and provide service to these radios and cell phones (in theory). Less than 1 percent of the cell towers in the US are solar powered ... which in theory could keep a cell tower powered up indefinitely in an emergency (provided a emp didn't fry the tower). More solar powered cell towers could make these more reliable in a non emp event ( again , in theory). These radios definitely aren't useless ... they are better than nothing ... but they have limitations.
They blocked me on their fb page when i posted about the continued annual fee and when shtf who the hell is going to have a working cc or bank? Towers will be wiped out They were so mad they blocked me
For your purposes, you are correct, these aren't great. That said, if you have a specific application where you want to have an actual device to communicate in walkie-talkie form, these are a solid option. I did old police Motorolas and I have the Baofengs. They have decent coverage, but I have never found one that will get me all of a property where I am, including inside buildings and up and over buildings. The only other option was Zello, but then you are just killing your cell battery and the earpiece and mic with those was hit and miss for the app. I totally get that if you are primarily rural in use, you will hit spots without cell and these might be useless. For people who have a walkie alkie need and are usually covered as far as cell, these are a good option. Sometimes, the whole pulling out a cell and navigating a Signal or Zello app is a pain.
Seems like a cool alternative to some use-cases. The advertisement is a bit sketch, not just with the "no subscription" but also their claim "you can NOT be tracked with this device". Anything that pushes out RF can be tracked.
The monthly cost amounts to $50 after the initial year, and the service operates on LTE, essentially functioning as a cellular device utilizing existing network towers. It is advisable for individuals to conduct their own thorough research. This is not to discredit the service, but rather to address the prevalence of misinformation.
Yep, all you needed to tell me was the annual fee.. The only reason why I’m here is to see if it was a plain old walkie-talkie from the 80s with a subscription. And my assumptions were correct.
thank you, had a friend ask about them, had seem a little about them but was cautious, about and figured it was workable "IF" you have cell signal. Which recent past year here in East Texas there was a short period "ALL" cell towers systems were down ! (but not my wall phone ATT hardwire !)
as long as G3, G4 and LTE is available they are good. But there are DUAL INRICO LTE and UHF VHF units around. So if you have no phone network, you can direct communicate between units like normal VHF or UHF radios.
I get 20G data with 5G network Canada wall-to-wall for 30$ a month and they even gave me a brand new phone (phone was part of fidelity plan)... and we were listed for the most expensive cell phone plans in the world just last year! It will take a year for me to spend as much as for 2 of these for 1 year coverage and I don't need to remember to renew anything....
Watch this video it may shed a little light on the subject. Advanced Comms For The CIVILIAN channel name is American Outlaw. These aren't affordable for the average guy but MPU5 and the less expensive Beartooth radios have special features and a High level of encryption. Dirty Civilian has a great video here you might like it's not comms but, Signature Reduction 101 | How Modern Equipment Can Compromise You Great video hope this stuff helps! I'm sure you get a lot of this stuff (with real world experience) but the "shine" and "signal" section are pretty good.
Hey Randall thanks for the heads up on this product. I like you, am not a radio techie. But I do believe if everything ever does go south. Having a basic two way radio is a desirable item to have in your Scheisse Hits The Fan bag 😬 Ebjoy your videos Randall I like yourself an retired Army veteran. Was infantry also track and wheeled vehicle mechanic repair. Retired at the pay grade of CWO 2 after returning from Iraq in 2004. Originally was one of the last draftees in 1972. Did 3 year enlistment rather then being drafted. I did rest of 22 years in National Guard and Army Reserve. Gulf war vet and 2003 - 2004: Iraqi Freedom... Randall keep doing what your doing educated both vets and the general population at large. Your videos are good advise for those who've forgotten and those who don't know. Who-ah! Randall and kudo's Sergeant...
If you want to talk across country reliably then HF radio is something to look into. HF radio has been used for military operations for a century. HF radio works by bouncing long radio waves off the ionosphere and earths surface like a ping pong ball across the world. Whereas other signal types like VHF/UHF penetrate the Ionosphere and go out into space. This has clear advantages such as; difficult to direction find, relies on no infrastructure, extremely long range. Disadvantages requires larger equipment, not as stable or reliable as say a cell phone, complicated/hard to understand for most people.
You made great points for use case! I bought 4 to stay in touch with elderly relative & minor kids that we didn't want to have cell phones. I found that the cell reception was better on the RAPID than it was on standard smart phone in my area with my carrier. Rapid has the ability to add users to unconnected groups, so I have my primary talk group and another talk group 250 miles away. It's a bit of a pain, but it works. Is it a HAM replacement? Nope, but pre-full grid down it has an appealing ability to easily contact family or neighbors.
Thank you for talking about these gimmicks. They are now so blatant as to advertise using these when the cellular system goes out. That add has the comments turned off. Literally, it's like having a phone with only one number. You can't even call 911. I used to have Nextel push to talk phones in my business. With Nextel, you could talk to anyone with a Nextel. All you needed was their number. Thanks again!
About the pricing, yea the radio never has a service fee ever. It will always work every time. But, included in the package is a 1yr free license SIM card. As long as you have a working SIM card that has a subscription attached. But the radio itself doesn’t have any subscriptions…
i have a friend who has a radio group but they use a group of radios called PEAK PTT. I believe they're both 4g LTE. Wondering if you can mix and match on your network ???
I would never buy these simply based on the gimmicky/scammy subscription BS. If you require a subscription just say it. If you are hiding it and lying about it I’m going to assume you are trying to scam people.
Cell phones are "radios" just like a wifi access point, or a bluetooth mouse, or a baofeng. I understand what you meant by "these aren't radios" in the the common understanding, but in the technical meaning of "radio" includes cell phones. These will have the same RF signature of a cell phone, when it comes to EW. Seems like a gadget that isn't useful enough.
NEXTEL WAS THE BEST THEY TOOK THAT AWAY FROM US AND GAVE IT TO OUR ARMY THE GOVERMENT DONT WANT US TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNCIATE WITH EACH OTHER RAPIDLY AND THEY COULDNT KEEP TRACK ON US WITH NEXTEL REAL TALK
if subscription the "folks" could get your files through the Company., With a call. Then it's not really encrypted. Did i miss something? G. Stores were not supposed to give info either right?
This company is misleading from the get go. There is not a monthly fee but there is a yearly fee per radio. Also without a cell signal they are useless. If the cell grid goes down, well you are out of luck. Also if it has a cell signal you can be found even if you dont want to. Also on their own UA-cam videos they do not allow you to post on any of them. Why not??? It is because they are not being truthful about their product or their advertising.
This is a toy. It's a stripped down cell phone. Preppers, when the internet and cell service goes down, these devices stop working. Get a GMRS license and a real radio.
This is for me some BS stuff. Everyone, who wants to have nowadays some emergency encrypted connection is going now into mesh and meshtastic, which is awesome stuff.
The radios are totally not for emegencies, adn like you said they ONLY allow you to talk to other devices that were purchased together at the same time. The web site is a total lie. States no fees ever.. 50 bucks per device per year.
I guess the thing with that 2 way they are encrypted unfortunately the Baofeng UV 5R is not as you probably know. I was also told that numerous brands of Midland radios are encrypted got to check it out though.............? Thanks again for the update , I guess it would work for some folks às you mentioned.
With zello you can invite your friends from messenger or people in your contacts. Leave the bull trap alone. Enjoy. Nobody will ever ask for your private information total freedom
You say that you need a cell signal for the radio to work. If your phone has service so does the radio. This isn’t true. We work on the lake and we never have service, these radios work very well where no phones work.
I purchased 12 of these two way radios thinking they would be like Nextel which also ran off of cell towers and it was a mistake to spend the money they work part of the time even when they show they have signal on both radios
Thanks for the honest review of Rapid Radio. The "No monthly fees EVER" advertising is enough for me to not do business with this company. $50 per year, per phone isn't really a deal breaker, but the false advertising is. They are going to be class actioned into oblivion.
If the cell network is down, this doesn't work. Besides, there is a charge for this service after the trial period is over. Just another gimmick bro. Stick with GMRS or HAMM.
Seems these are gimmicky for people who miss Nextel. Not good to have when SHTF and cell towers go down. I have an Apple Watch with PTT (Walkie Talkie) and I can add anybody I want on the fly that also has an Apple Watch with Walkie Talkie. I have my GMRS registration and plan to get some GMRS radios.
The Apple Watch will either use the cellular connection from the cell phone it’s paired with or if equipped with cellular on the watch, it will reach as far as there is cell signal. Coast to coast just like a cell phone. GMRS doesn’t use cell towers. They are true walkie talkies that transmits using UHF and VHF bands. No cellular towers needed. Distance depends on the antenna, repeaters, and wattage.
I purchased the set to talk to my wife without the interruption of cell phones and text messages etc. We tried them for thirty days. My wife would not adapt to having to push a button. I tried to use the handhelds doing some work around the house and again if your hands are occupied they are useless. Without a Voice activated feature the radios can be used like Team radios and require going backwards in usefulness.
works great in my area, base to base 712EFC antenna at say 30 ft, 50 watts( most I have seen out antenna around 47 watts), we get 30-35miles, base to mobile our record is 32miles, 28 much more doable. S Texas .
I use them too, but I'm becoming suspicious of them. One of the most woke CEOs in the country, for NPR, is a board member of theirs. It's the same person that made Wikipedia woke
Buddy, this IS a radio. It's a private LTE radio that can be used to talk to 1 or more groups or even anyone on the Rapid Radio network. Technically, it's a radio in every sense of the word.
You can talk to anyone who has a Rapid Radio, however, the other radio(s) would need to be setup in a group that you are in (existing or new group). That is the only way that Rapid Radios can talk to each other. The Rapid Radios need to be in the same group to communicate.
@@MPD-ih6sm I own them myself. They can be programmed to talk to anyone who has a rapid radio who elects to want to talk to anyone else. The group is not a hard requirement but rather a default selection and the way the radios are intended to be sold. Essentially they can place the radios into a public group to talk to people. The private group is a default.
Same thing as Nextel, they were awesome back in the day.
We were just reminiscing at work about the old nextels. Needed 8 x 2way radios for a new project and that’s a couple grand at least for decent stuff - but back in the day we didn’t even have to worry about it since all our work phones had the chirp.
Every generation complains that things are getting worse…because they are ✊🇺🇸🏴☠️
@@theabhorrentchef7226 yeah, I use to work for Nextel back in the late 90s, I don’t know why the PTT function dropped in popularity?
@@theabhorrentchef7226Check out the Cat S22 flip phones, and Zello. Zello basic is free, and you can create password protected channels.
@@theabhorrentchef7226I still use my Nextels with Direct Talk. They have a couple mile range. Several miles line of sight.
False advertising is an up front and clear message to stay far away from a company.
CORRECT, these devices have VERY LIMITED USE.
I asked them on their ad on FB ‘what about when cell towers go down?’ since they RUN on cell towers…
I’ll let you know when they finally get around to answering…
Nothing happens, nothing works. It's not a GMRS or like technology. Think of it as an unlocked cell phone as that's all it is but in a convenient shell.
I asked on FB about any service fees after the first year... crickets.
Just in case anyone was concerned for my well-being; I stopped holding my breath a few days ago.
Thanks for your concern. 👍
I got a set of 3, and they’re horrible quality. The customer support was horrible as well…
We used them on a road trip to talk between two vehicles, and they dropped out more than they worked
cb radio would work way better
I agree i purchased 12 of them thinking they would be great big disappointment. And as there customer service big disappointment too
@@mikelivesay5639Just wait till a year is up, and you pay for access again.
They're dependent on cell phone networks. Here in East Tennessee, some areas don't get cellphone service. When the network goes down, you're up shit creek without a paddle.
Having a basic handheld FM Transceiver is worth its weight in gold when cellphone networks goes down. When I go out hunting in the fall and winter during the season, I take a radio with me.
What is a hand held FM Receiver? Can you also transmit on it ? Does it also require cell phone towers ? Do you pay a subscription for it ?
@user-ix1sw3yw8x It's a radio that can transmit and receiver, and it fits in you hand. To legally transmit inside the amateur radio bands, you'll need to pass an exam and the FCC will issue a callsign.
There's also Family Radio Service (FRS) radios that are channelized on certain frequencies license free. One can buy those radios at Walmart, Amazon, Ebay etc.
There's also MURS, which is license free frequencies to talk on, but I'm not sure if there's a market for those radios.
Also, GMRS requires a license, which there's no exam to pass. Just pay the FCC $35 and the license is good for 10 years, same amateur radio.
It's not a "monthly subscription"...it's a "yearly fee". LOL
Got this from my mother-in-law who’s been scared into thinking everything’s going to crumble in the next 12mnths… was confused when she told me it was a “radio” so I started looking into it.. I believe in being prepared, but not because I’m being scared into by some idiots online… thanks for the video brother, appreciate the information
They require cell networks, so not off the grid, will not work in any real SHTF realities, and they do charge a fee, so boldly lie on their web site. So what benefits vs cell phones? There really is none but for specific reasons. A sat phone is closest to true stand alone coms that are off the grid, and those are getting smaller and less $ quickly.
My Mom is 80, she doesn't understand her very simple cell phone. Perhaps this is a better option for her / us for emergency contact. I lived without any cell phone for the past year and a half and really enjoyed that. Recently had to get a cell just because I have to take care of my Mom and didn't want to be left in a lurch if there was an emergency. I HATE cell phones. I understand them, nice for pictures & videos, but I still don't want one because I don't like being tracked/traced and I love being unavailable.
They track you and listen to you 100 different ways and most don't even pay attention to it
If you don't actually need a cellphone other than for one person with limited comprehension of cellphones, this is probably for you and your family.
@@corporaterobotslave400 check out a Zello Push To Talk cellphones. This has hidden yearly fees, whereas Zello is free.
@@corporaterobotslave400 no one really cares
I'm sure she knows how to use a house phone. But her something similar. They have cell phones that are as big. .
For the encryption, who has the key? As they program for you, then they have the key. It might be encrypted between your radios and them. Get rid of it.
Zello does essentially the same thing with your cell phone. But, if you have an elderly parent, etc. Maybe this would be a great way to talk to them.
The company has your AES 256 encryption key.
Nice. Good to know.. I figured you could make your own key. Lol.
I think they are good for what they are. One advantage of these is there is no delay with a phone call going out, the other persons phone ringing and the time it takes for someone to answer their phone. Could take up to a minute for all if that to happen. Push to talk would be pretty much instant getting your message out to the other person if they are listening to the "radio". You could pretty much achieve the same thing with your phone using the zello app using your existing phone and provider. Rapid radio marketing is shady as hell. I was even blocked from their Facebook page for asking questions that were hard for them to answer with their prewritten out answers.
Why spend $200 plus on a radio that only works on cell towers when you can download the Zello app, have encryption end to end and create as many channels as you need for your group or family. Oh and the best part is, it's FREE. You get text, pictures and voice comms. If the cell towers go down, I believe, I haven't confirmed this yet, but if you have Wi-Fi you should still be able to communicate to other groups on the channel. Just a suggestion. Sorry this sounded like a damn advertisement, but I can say I use it and it does work well.
According to the app description it says it's $79.99 PER MONTH for "Zello Work".? I don't see where it says it's "Free", except for the 14-day free trial? What am I missing?!? Is "Zello" different than "Zello WORK"???? What is the difference??? This sounds like a great app for our family but NOT for $80/mo.!!!
I bought 3
Worked for 3 weeks, I guess I ran out of data of these people don’t pay their bill and don’t answer the phone. Do not waste your time with this company. It’s terrible.
I did some homework on some of the stuff you couldn't exactly answer because I was curious myself about these a few weeks ago. Disclaimer, I am by no means an "expert".
Most cell towers have back up power sources that run on diesel for about 72 hours ish. As long as more fuel is delivered to these back up power sources , the cell towers will continue to work and provide service to these radios and cell phones (in theory).
Less than 1 percent of the cell towers in the US are solar powered ... which in theory could keep a cell tower powered up indefinitely in an emergency (provided a emp didn't fry the tower). More solar powered cell towers could make these more reliable in a non emp event ( again , in theory).
These radios definitely aren't useless ... they are better than nothing ... but they have limitations.
They blocked me on their fb page when i posted about the continued annual fee and when shtf who the hell is going to have a working cc or bank?
Towers will be wiped out
They were so mad they blocked me
But it would be good to give to kids within the family?
Thanks for covering this. Instagram is a thirst trap for "cutting edge" products.
HF radio all the way. Looks like junk especially when the networks go down.
For your purposes, you are correct, these aren't great. That said, if you have a specific application where you want to have an actual device to communicate in walkie-talkie form, these are a solid option. I did old police Motorolas and I have the Baofengs. They have decent coverage, but I have never found one that will get me all of a property where I am, including inside buildings and up and over buildings. The only other option was Zello, but then you are just killing your cell battery and the earpiece and mic with those was hit and miss for the app.
I totally get that if you are primarily rural in use, you will hit spots without cell and these might be useless. For people who have a walkie alkie need and are usually covered as far as cell, these are a good option. Sometimes, the whole pulling out a cell and navigating a Signal or Zello app is a pain.
I don't think they are marketing to "older" people. More likely to the younger crowd who never grew up with walkie-talkies.
Seems like a cool alternative to some use-cases. The advertisement is a bit sketch, not just with the "no subscription" but also their claim "you can NOT be tracked with this device". Anything that pushes out RF can be tracked.
The monthly cost amounts to $50 after the initial year, and the service operates on LTE, essentially functioning as a cellular device utilizing existing network towers. It is advisable for individuals to conduct their own thorough research. This is not to discredit the service, but rather to address the prevalence of misinformation.
@@jorviceclaunch3539 it's 50 a year
Great video! I agree the marketing is very dishonest.
Yep, all you needed to tell me was the annual fee.. The only reason why I’m here is to see if it was a plain old walkie-talkie from the 80s with a subscription. And my assumptions were correct.
thank you, had a friend ask about them, had seem a little about them but was cautious, about and figured it was workable "IF" you have cell signal. Which recent past year here in East Texas there was a short period "ALL" cell towers systems were down ! (but not my wall phone ATT hardwire !)
No-go for me too
It appears to be the FBIs old Nextel network. Of course there is Zello as an alternative.
as long as G3, G4 and LTE is available they are good. But there are DUAL INRICO LTE and UHF VHF units around.
So if you have no phone network, you can direct communicate between units like normal VHF or UHF radios.
Love the dog that popped in
I get 20G data with 5G network Canada wall-to-wall for 30$ a month and they even gave me a brand new phone (phone was part of fidelity plan)... and we were listed for the most expensive cell phone plans in the world just last year! It will take a year for me to spend as much as for 2 of these for 1 year coverage and I don't need to remember to renew anything....
So it’s a newer Nextel phone
No. Nextel was a national trunked radio system, with it's own dedicated frequencies just for PTT. This is just like Sprint's PoC.
Nextel was Hell
*Hopefully Starlink comes out with a Radio like this.*
if it works off a cell tower u can be tracked get yourself a ssb cb radio or a GMRS RADIO
Technically still trackable.
Watch this video it may shed a little light on the subject. Advanced Comms For The CIVILIAN channel name is American Outlaw. These aren't affordable for the average guy but MPU5 and the less expensive Beartooth radios have special features and a High level of encryption. Dirty Civilian has a great video here you might like it's not comms but, Signature Reduction 101 | How Modern Equipment Can Compromise You Great video hope this stuff helps! I'm sure you get a lot of this stuff (with real world experience) but the "shine" and "signal" section are pretty good.
Hey Randall thanks for the heads up on this product. I like you,
am not a radio techie. But I do believe if everything ever does go south. Having a basic two way radio is a desirable item to have in your Scheisse Hits The Fan bag 😬
Ebjoy your videos Randall I like yourself an retired Army veteran. Was infantry also track and wheeled vehicle mechanic repair. Retired at the pay grade of CWO 2 after returning from Iraq in 2004. Originally was one of the last draftees in 1972.
Did 3 year enlistment rather then being drafted. I did rest of 22 years in National Guard and Army Reserve. Gulf war vet and 2003 - 2004: Iraqi Freedom...
Randall keep doing what your doing educated both vets and the general population at large.
Your videos are good advise for those who've forgotten and those who don't know.
Who-ah! Randall and kudo's Sergeant...
Thanks for the heads up on the gimmicky phone 👍
If you want to talk across country reliably then HF radio is something to look into. HF radio has been used for military operations for a century. HF radio works by bouncing long radio waves off the ionosphere and earths surface like a ping pong ball across the world. Whereas other signal types like VHF/UHF penetrate the Ionosphere and go out into space. This has clear advantages such as; difficult to direction find, relies on no infrastructure, extremely long range. Disadvantages requires larger equipment, not as stable or reliable as say a cell phone, complicated/hard to understand for most people.
Zello works well for a PoC solution.
You made great points for use case! I bought 4 to stay in touch with elderly relative & minor kids that we didn't want to have cell phones. I found that the cell reception was better on the RAPID than it was on standard smart phone in my area with my carrier. Rapid has the ability to add users to unconnected groups, so I have my primary talk group and another talk group 250 miles away. It's a bit of a pain, but it works. Is it a HAM replacement? Nope, but pre-full grid down it has an appealing ability to easily contact family or neighbors.
But if all the cell phone towers go down, would you no longer be able to use your 4 Rapid Radios ?
8:00 sorry, I call this a Rip off.🤣
Thank you for talking about these gimmicks.
They are now so blatant as to advertise using these when the cellular system goes out. That add has the comments turned off.
Literally, it's like having a phone with only one number. You can't even call 911.
I used to have Nextel push to talk phones in my business. With Nextel, you could talk to anyone with a Nextel. All you needed was their number.
Thanks again!
About the pricing, yea the radio never has a service fee ever. It will always work every time. But, included in the package is a 1yr free license SIM card. As long as you have a working SIM card that has a subscription attached. But the radio itself doesn’t have any subscriptions…
i have a friend who has a radio group but they use a group of radios called PEAK PTT. I believe they're both 4g LTE. Wondering if you can mix and match on your network ???
When Rapid Radio company goes bankrupt (i.e. doesn't pay their LTE service bill) .. NONE of these "radios" will work any longer.
I would never buy these simply based on the gimmicky/scammy subscription BS. If you require a subscription just say it. If you are hiding it and lying about it I’m going to assume you are trying to scam people.
Great idea, poor and niche execution. Encrypted PTT over cellular and/or satellite with a multi-band RF backup, let’s go!
Cell phones are "radios" just like a wifi access point, or a bluetooth mouse, or a baofeng. I understand what you meant by "these aren't radios" in the the common understanding, but in the technical meaning of "radio" includes cell phones. These will have the same RF signature of a cell phone, when it comes to EW.
Seems like a gadget that isn't useful enough.
Where did you buy them for $250? I'm seeing $400 for a pair. Thanks for the review!
Didn't there used to be something called Nextel that did the whole push to talk thing? Southern link? Remember any others?
NEXTEL WAS THE BEST THEY TOOK THAT AWAY FROM US AND GAVE IT TO OUR ARMY THE GOVERMENT DONT WANT US TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNCIATE WITH EACH OTHER RAPIDLY AND THEY COULDNT KEEP TRACK ON US WITH NEXTEL REAL TALK
If they were a LTE/Radio hybrid system, they would be really Cool.
As is, they should be cheaper per radio since they have an annual fee.
So...kinda like an old Sprint/Nextel PTT phone? But you can't change who you can talk to?
if subscription the "folks" could get your files through the Company., With a call. Then it's not really encrypted. Did i miss something? G. Stores were not supposed to give info either right?
This company is misleading from the get go. There is not a monthly fee but there is a yearly fee per radio. Also without a cell signal they are useless. If the cell grid goes down, well you are out of luck. Also if it has a cell signal you can be found even if you dont want to. Also on their own UA-cam videos they do not allow you to post on any of them. Why not??? It is because they are not being truthful about their product or their advertising.
This is a toy. It's a stripped down cell phone. Preppers, when the internet and cell service goes down, these devices stop working. Get a GMRS license and a real radio.
This is for me some BS stuff. Everyone, who wants to have nowadays some emergency encrypted connection is going now into mesh and meshtastic, which is awesome stuff.
It's a fucking cell phone with a walkie talkie interface, that is rebrand of shit coming off of aliexpress
End video
The radios are totally not for emegencies, adn like you said they ONLY allow you to talk to other devices that were purchased together at the same time. The web site is a total lie. States no fees ever.. 50 bucks per device per year.
I guess the thing with that 2 way they are encrypted unfortunately the Baofeng UV 5R is not as you probably know. I was also told that numerous brands of Midland radios are encrypted got to check it out though.............? Thanks again for the update , I guess it would work for some folks às you mentioned.
They're not encrypted and can't be. They're using offsets and tones to help with....privacy....so to speak. Check it out for yourself.
Privacy Tones are not encryption. It's like a phone number on air.
With zello you can invite your friends from messenger or people in your contacts. Leave the bull trap alone. Enjoy. Nobody will ever ask for your private information total freedom
You say that you need a cell signal for the radio to work. If your phone has service so does the radio. This isn’t true. We work on the lake and we never have service, these radios work very well where no phones work.
Actually, it is a “radio”. Anything that transmits or receives a modulated “radio wave” is a radio.
Signal is only secure to the common people. Government entities have access. Including access to yours and anyone you talk to.
Also, it was apparently a joint project between Gov and the lefties runnin Wikipedia n NPR.
I purchased 12 of these two way radios thinking they would be like Nextel which also ran off of cell towers and it was a mistake to spend the money they work part of the time even when they show they have signal on both radios
Those radios are $300 and require a monthly or yearly subscription
Just rebranded Nextel service, had that back in the mid 90s.
Will this work in the bush of Alaska. I believe GCI phones work
Teddy K was correct.
Why not use Zello! Encryption? Session, Signal and the list goes on...
Wow. Great information and review, they are definitely false advertising ..i was excited when i seen them at first
Gimic when shtf towers will go and you cant pay the 100$ per year per pair
*sigh* back to saving up $30k for an MPU5….
I called them out on Facebook and 10 minutes later they blocked me. So I will continue to call them out.
If the cell network is overloaded (Think natural disasters where everyone jumps on there cell phone), will these still work?
Cell phones work off "priority" on signals. The simple answer is, it depends
I wish they didn’t call the radios… they’re two way cell voice pagers.
Mine work fine. They never said they would work in no man's land
$100 a yr fee for 2 radios works out to $9 a months.. so the no added fees is misleading
Great review. The service sucks point blank.
They won't be any good in a grid down situation. Get a ham license and by an HF radio.
finally an honest review with clear reasons why and why not to choose this device. Thank you!
Ngl a cellphone without distractions I’ll take it
Thanks for the honest review of Rapid Radio. The "No monthly fees EVER" advertising is enough for me to not do business with this company. $50 per year, per phone isn't really a deal breaker, but the false advertising is. They are going to be class actioned into oblivion.
If the cell network is down, this doesn't work. Besides, there is a charge for this service after the trial period is over. Just another gimmick bro. Stick with GMRS or HAMM.
How far does a Ham Radio reach?
50$ per year per radio. Works where there is cell coverage.
save your money or spend it on training rounds , first aid , food , shall I go on ?
Garcia Mary Thomas Richard Moore Helen
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONESTY❤️🔥❤️🔥🇺🇸
I prefer MySudo over signal
Just another way for the government to listen.
Thank you. I was wondering???
Seems these are gimmicky for people who miss Nextel. Not good to have when SHTF and cell towers go down. I have an Apple Watch with PTT (Walkie Talkie) and I can add anybody I want on the fly that also has an Apple Watch with Walkie Talkie. I have my GMRS registration and plan to get some GMRS radios.
Yeah, but how far will your Apple Watch “walkie Talkies “ reach? How far does GMRS reach ?
The Apple Watch will either use the cellular connection from the cell phone it’s paired with or if equipped with cellular on the watch, it will reach as far as there is cell signal. Coast to coast just like a cell phone. GMRS doesn’t use cell towers. They are true walkie talkies that transmits using UHF and VHF bands. No cellular towers needed. Distance depends on the antenna, repeaters, and wattage.
Waste of money. Use your cell phone.
I don't think they'll beat the stingray
Once cell towers are down this will be dead! I was near ground zero during 911 and cell towers went down and there was zero comms!
That was 20 years ago. There’s new technology that gets deployed in an event of network service outages. FirstNet was created for such events.
what secondary device in terms of radios would you recommend that can be used carried for true emergency
and/or off grid use .?
I've only done 100 loadouts with PACE
I purchased the set to talk to my wife without the interruption of cell phones and text messages etc. We tried them for thirty days. My wife would not adapt to having to push a button. I tried to use the handhelds doing some work around the house and again if your hands are occupied they are useless. Without a Voice activated feature the radios can be used like Team radios and require going backwards in usefulness.
I’ll stick with 50 watt GMRS
works great in my area, base to base 712EFC antenna at say 30 ft, 50 watts( most I have seen out antenna around 47 watts), we get 30-35miles, base to mobile our record is 32miles, 28 much more doable.
S Texas .
We absolutely love using the signal app. That is the way.
I use them too, but I'm becoming suspicious of them. One of the most woke CEOs in the country, for NPR, is a board member of theirs. It's the same person that made Wikipedia woke
Great update Randall! Thank you 🇺🇸
Buddy, this IS a radio. It's a private LTE radio that can be used to talk to 1 or more groups or even anyone on the Rapid Radio network.
Technically, it's a radio in every sense of the word.
You can talk to anyone who has a Rapid Radio, however, the other radio(s) would need to be setup in a group that you are in (existing or new group). That is the only way that Rapid Radios can talk to each other. The Rapid Radios need to be in the same group to communicate.
@@MPD-ih6sm I own them myself. They can be programmed to talk to anyone who has a rapid radio who elects to want to talk to anyone else. The group is not a hard requirement but rather a default selection and the way the radios are intended to be sold. Essentially they can place the radios into a public group to talk to people. The private group is a default.