TriSquare TSX300 Review

Product Reviews
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Motorola DTR410


DTR410 - 280KHz RBW - Peak Hold - 15 sec.


DTR410 - 15KHz RBW - Peak Hold - 15 sec.

Note that the DTR410 hops just slightly faster than the TSX300, which makes it a little harder for the spectrum analyzer to “catch,” especially at a 15KHz RBW.

PLEASE KEEP THE RELATIVE PRICE OF THESE RADIOS IN MIND AS YOU READ THIS REVIEW. THE TSX300s ARE AROUND $90 PER PAIR WHILE THE DTR410s ARE ABOUT $250 A PIECE!!

You’ll immediately see that there is no sync signal or control channel involved with the TSX300 (as was once thought). A sync signal/control channel would be a bad thing… because interfere with the sync/control channel and you interfere with all communication between the radios. This is not the case with the TSX300s.

Both are excellent radios for the price. The TSX300s being around $90 per pair, and the DTR410s being around $250 a piece. I’ve tested both up to a range of 1 mile LOS (Line of Sight) and both come through good. Even with considerable obstructions such as trees and buildings in the way, both were capable of doing about .6 - .7 miles before losing signal. Although I have not gone this far, I suspect that both radios will make 2 miles LOS under optimum conditions.

The DTR410s sound a little clearer but not by a whole lot. This is probably due to the VSELP voice vocoder (the same used in NEXTELs). They are also a little more rugged, but only because they are built to a Mil-Spec standard (Mil Spec - 810 C, D, E, F). However the DTR410s come programmed with only 5 channels (talkgroups) whereas the TSX300s have 10 billion channels to choose from. This should be factored in if conversation security is important. Bear in mind that regarding FHSS radios like these, a “channel” does not refer to a specific frequency, as in conventional narrow band radio, but rather a sequence of hopped frequencies. In other words, there are 10 billion possible hopping sequences (over 50 different frequencies) with the TSX300. Both radios hop over 50 different frequencies. There are other options/feature that are inherent in one radio but not in the other, but that is beyond the scope of this review. There are plenty of websites selling both radios where you can educate yourself on this.

Now the main question: Which would I buy If I could only own one set?

This depends on the circumstances. If I had to be lost in the woods “roughing it” with a partner, or climbing a mountain, I would go with the DTR410s, only because they are more “ruggedized.” But once again, bearing in mind price as a consideration, for everyday use around the house, park, office or job site, I would be perfectly happy with the TSX300s. And if voice security was the overriding factor, I would definitely go with the TSX300s.

For their respective prices, both are excellent radios.

VOICE PRIVACY AS AN ISSUE

For the security/privacy minded among you, I would like to add that aside from the Motorola DES/AES ‘Securenet’ feature available in some of their higher priced, narrow-band radios (not the DTR410s), the TriSquare TSX300s are arguably the most secure/private consumer radio you can get. And unless an advanced eavesdropper or some form of TLA (Three Letter Agency) has a reason to monitor you, you can rest assured your communications are private and unaccessible to about 99.99% of all “normal” people out there. However, there is one way a frequency hopping radio like this could be intercepted. Both the TSX300 and DTR410 transmit on some sequence of 50 unique frequencies. These frequencies are always the same, only the sequence on which the frequencies are hopped is what can be changed (via the channel keypad). Imagine that an adversary has 50 individual receivers set up, each of the 50 receivers tuned to each of the 50 different frequencies that the FHSS radios use. Given that this is the case, an eavesdropper would be able to hear your entire conversation, albeit on 50 different receivers. However, although complex and costly, there are some single unit receivers out there that are designed to do exactly that. They are capable of listening to multiple frequencies at a time, or are simply designed for a very wide band reception range. These type of surveillance “microceptors” are usually beyond the range of the average person, both in price and knowledge necessary to operate such a device. So realize that if you’re trying to keep your favorite fishing hole a secret from that guy next door who’s always trying to find it, you’re probably secure for the long haul. But if TLA takes an interest, it will be only a short time before you arrive to find your fish caught, gutted, fried and eaten.

Hawke

22

Excellent review, thanks for posting!

23

Hi,
I hope this finds you well.
Im PINAY from the philippines and I’d apprieciate any info that you can provide, regrading this TriSquare radios. I think your the best person that i can ask right now since you actually used it and not just TEST it. Im into wedding coordination and it seems that your experiences will be something similar of my own thing here in the philippines.
Actually, im choosing between TriSquare radios or the MIDland GTX800VP.
Basing on all the postings, it seems that MIDLAND GTX800VP has often been recommended BUT the TRISQUARE seems to have the so Called NEW GENERATION of two radio appeal.
I shall look forward to your thoughts.
Thanks so much in advance and more power to you.

PINAY

24

Pinay, you need to take into consideration the fact these radios may not be legal in your nation.

Bear in mind, this site and the equipment sold here is geared to the US market.

It is always the responsibility of the user to look at regulations and laws governing communications in their nation.

25

Hi jwilkers,

thanks for the tip, but so far i have’nt heard any regulations with regards to its restriction. GMRS/FRS radios are also common hear in manila. however, id like to know if the TRISQUARE radios are applicable here or ill be better off with the MIDLAND GXT800VP…which is often recommended. another concern is after sales service…here in manila the popular brand are motorolas and Cobras…do you think if this units encounters a problem… repair shops here can handle this equipments too…im not considering if they are authorized repair shop since i doubt that these brands ( trisquare and midland ) have authorised repair shops here.

thanks again.

pinay

26

I did find out FRS is legal in your country. GMRS might not be, but there probably isn’t much allocated to the extra frequencies, being so close to the FRS channels.

27

Tested TriSquare TSX300 at Opryland Hotel in Nashville. Talk was clear from Delta area to Cascades area (150 yards inside). Lost sync and had to walk back to 50 yards to resume talk. Distance not a good as our ancient Motorola Talkabout 250’s.

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I recently misplaced (lost?) my old Radio Shack purchased Uniden (GMR1038) radio. I have been researching different units for potential replacement/purchase when I came across this unit.

While I found John’s reviews very helpful, I have read from other sources a question that was not addressed here.

The other reviewer (not professional) discusses that he/she was able to communicate “slightly” further using the SMS (IM) feature of this device, once he/she lost voice communication. Does this make sense and does it sound accurate?

Just across another question from reading reviews. Can MaH rechargeable AA batteries or other rechargeable AA batteries be used?

Steve

29

My apologies from lack of inclusion of the SMS capability.

My results were very inconclusive, so I omitted them. This will be fixed in later updates.

NiMh AA cells can be used with no problem.

30

No apologies necessary as I appreciate your reply.:slight_smile:

31

I bought these radios a while ago when I found a really good sale on them. To be honest, I’ve only used them once just to test them and they’ve been sitting ever since.

Why? Well, because I’m quite certain they’re going to get dropped on the floor many times in their life, and I’m not going to use them until I can find a protective cover for them. I’d like them to last and they certainly won’t without a protective cover.

All my previous radios (which I’m still using) have leather or nylon covers so they can survive a fall. I’m still very disappointed that TriSquare has yet to offer a protective carrying case for these radios. What an easy money-maker! Get them made in china for $0.50 each and sell them for $19.95! C’mon! What’s the hold-up???

Has anyone out there happen to have discovered a 3rd-party case that fits these radios?

-Andy.

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Given the information from this post, I plan on purchasing a pair of these radios to see how well they do at my site. I am a security supervisor and we are in the process of looking into getting new radios, as of right now we have tested and like the Motorola DTR410 radio as it out performs our UHF radios in clarity and capability. However given the cost of these units compared to the Motorola ones, we are going to see how well these hold up over a few days of normal operations. I definitely plan on adding my own review once that test is carried out.

33

The DTR410s operate under the same FCC regulatios as the TriSquares. As such, the power output, and some technical standards should be similar. Naturally, each brand has its own proprietary scheme. Some have said the TriSquare method is better.

The TriSquares allow Alpha numeric channel assignments for groups as well as a private channel for direct radio-to-radio comms. Naturally, the channel combinations virtually eliminate eavesdropping.

I’m anxiously awaiting your review… It would be great to see an actual “field-tested” review.

All my results so far have been great.

34

I’d be curious to know if the Motorola DTR (being more expensive) has a more robust link/resync than the TriSquare ? Does it resync more quickly than the less expensive rigs ?

I’m expecting a pair of Trisquare 300 radios shortly. They seem for the most part unavailable in Canada though are legal here.

35

Unsure. This is a characteristic of FHSS systems, not a design flaw.

36

Well I did notice that the Gen 2 Motorola DTR 650s have detachable whip
antennas which they claim increases the range over the originals. It would be interesting to see if they perform better and if the antenna connector might allow a ham to use the radio with an external antenna.

37

Hi,
I found this site by searching for info about the TSX300’s.
Regarding the ability to attach an external antenna, because the rigs are made in accordance with the FCC regs, they must have a non-detachable/integrated antenna (much the same as FRS rigs) to comply, so not sure how ‘legal’ the Moto’s are.
And because the frequency hopping is a feature that is standard, then these rigs can’t be used on the (US?) amateur 900MHz allocation.
That said, I now live in Cambodia (Ex-pat), and the use of two-way handhelds here is astronomical!
Almost everyone has an ‘Icom’ (the name for ALL transceivers), and the VHF/UHF spectrum is always busy.
The legislation here is almost non-existent, with 7.000 MHz used for shops to talk to their friends in nearby Vietnam or the provinces, and 147MHz being the calling channel for ‘Icoms’ (read CB!)
The rule is, if you can find an empty channel, you can use it!
The majority of radios here are the ‘Motorola HTX series’ and an abundance of WierWei/Puxing Chinese 137-174 MHz & 400-470 MHz transceivers.
I personally stick to my Yaesu VX-7r (modified for ‘Freeband’), as it allows access to all the frequencies, plus 220 Mhz if ‘privacy’ is needed.
The reason for my post, is that I’ve been following the reviews of the Trisquare 300’s for a long time, in order to gauge the usability in an everyday setting.
I’m well aware of the pros and cons of using a 900 MHz range, having been a licenced ham for 15 years.
I’ve used the FRS/GMRS radios on many occasions when taking the kids to DisneyWorld etc, and find them to be less reliable than the 446 MHz (8 channels) radios equivalent in the UK.
The option of taking the 446’s to the USA was out of the question, due to it being your 70cm allocation over there, so we bought 4 ‘Cobra Microtalks’ in Walmart Orlando.
Anyway - the FRS/GMRS radios are, for the most part, the ones which are used here in Cambodia, with the twin pack Motorolas being freely available (and usable) in most radio shops here.
The limitations that I hear about, are the lack of channels (14 or 22) and the inability to have a ‘private’ conversation.
Many locals here, believe that the CTCSS and DCS features prevent them from being monitored (mostly due to the ‘hype’ from the salesman).
A lot of people are buying the FRS/GMRS radios for the ‘privacy’ factor, and are astouded when I show them that I can hear everything they say.
I point out that it’s much like my son covering his eyes, so that he thinks I can’t see him.
Some of the more ‘savvy’ users have done slightly more research, and are buying the WierWei Chinese radios for their ability to scramble transmissions.
This is a definite move forward, in as much as the users now have a certain degree of privacy, but are not using anything more secure than a voice inversion circuit, that anyone using the same or equivalent radio can easily decipher.
The people who use the ‘secure’ scrambled transceivers are crying out for something that offers almost ‘total’ security, and the TriSquares seem to be the answer to that prayer.
Many many people here are businessmen, and need to be in constant touch with business associates.
The market for this type of radio here is enormous, especially when the security abilities are the ‘real deal’ as opposed to sales hype.
Range of more than 1 mile is not really a big issue, as the majority of businesses operate in close proximity to each other.
The overriding factor is privacy, and that factor alone would give a massive market for trisquare in Cambodia.
I contacted TriSquare to check on availabilty in South East Asia, but, as expected was informed that, because the units are purposely designed for the US market, the availability was limited to just the States.
As I previously mentioned, spectrum use is not well regulated here, with even 245 MHz 5w Thai CB’s openly on sale, tho’ there is no official CB allocation in Cambodia.
I just thought that this would give a bit of background as to the situation in Asia, and also give me an opportunity to ask if anyone is coming to Cambodia in the near future, to bring a pair of these TriSquares with them, which I will readily purchase (I work in ATC at both International airports here, so a meeting is no problem).
I will buy them at my own risk, to evaluate, with the intention of generating sufficient interest from the gap in the market, which is crying out for something like this.
I have had more than one let-down from Ebay purchases, when trying to get goods delivered here.
This is due to many factors, the main one being the huge corruption problem here, that extends up to customs/parcel delivery agents etc, so the chances of you receiving any package via conventional means is slim!
Even my ‘video diaries’ to my friends in Europe, are sent back with friends who are willing to take the DVD back home with them, and post it/deliver it on for me.
Again, apologies for a long-winded, non-specific post, but I will continue to read up on others thoughts about this product, and hopefully try them myself one day.
:slight_smile:

38

I have found the range to be somewhat limited on my TSX300s. Others have commented elsewhere that up to around 1000 feet is their optimal range in an urban setting. After this, it typically becomes unreliable quickly. (Even within it you can get problems).

TriSquare doesn’t play the ‘mileage figures game’ in its range claims, but says “Under the same environmental conditions and regardless of power, the TriSquare eXRS radios usable talk range will be equal to or greater than that of other portable UHF two-way radios in most cases”. (Note they don’t say ‘…other portable UHF license-free two way radios’, which might have been more like the truth, as I can confirm my Yaesu VX-177 on UHF easily beats the TriSquare’s range, even at < 5W max output.) Perhaps the statement could be considered just as disingenuous as those ‘30 mile’ range claims…

In the post above, PPH mentions PMR446, effectively the European version of FRS. (500 mW ERP, from an inefficient fixed antenna). PPH, you say you have found these to be more reliable than FRS, and I am not doubting your findings but cannot explain why it should be so, as the propagation characteristics at 446 and 467 MHz might account for some improvement but not much.

I know my Motorola TA-200s have a better range than the TriSquares. I consider these 10 year old radios to be ‘better than average’, compared to other, newer (cheaper) license-free sets I’ve compared, and have found half a watt at 400 MHz certainly seems to get further than the TriSquares 1W at 900 MHz. I guess all these cheap sets are hampered by their small, inefficient antennas, and it’s a shame the TriSquare doesn’t have a better antenna. Maybe a 5" pull out one like those on 1990s cellphones would have made for better range? (Collapsed for local work it would have been no longer than the ‘stubby’.)

It is certainly nice to have the considerable benefits of privacy and a free channel with no idiots jumping in, and this is the advantage of these radios, but it involves a compromise. TriSquares are not DX radios. They are ideal for light use (don’t drop 'em!) in a shop or small factory, say at up to 200-300 feet range, where the 900 MHz propogation may well benefit in these dense concrete and steel structures. But for range? It has to be a pair of quality ham HTs. License free, then if you use PMR446 in your country I’d suggest something like a Yaesu VX-246 might be the best legal radio.

39

Hi. New guy Ken here.

Based on this review and many others, I have “pushed the button” and ordered the TSX-3002VP from Amazon. I expect them on 4-30. Total price, $79.88.

I’m looking forward to testing them out and possibly adding my own review.

As a lifelong radio geek, I am excited to try these out. I may be the only one in town with a set of these, but I’m sure once I show them off to my family members, that will change.

I have a few of the bubble pack radios, with nominal results. My attitude is “they are what they are.”

Great site.

40

Andy, TriSquare will soon have a protective case, model TSX-RC. This new case will be available by mid-June. MSRP of $14.99, with the following description:
Ballistic Nylon Material

Fits both TSX100 and TSX300 eXRS Radios
Metal Belt-Clip
Hook & Loop Closure Flap
Embroidered eXRS Logo
Padded for Protection
Speaker Grill for improved Audio while the radio is in the case
Retail Hanging Card packaging

Hope this information helps.