Motorola EVX-S24

The EVX-S24 is Motorola's compact digital radio, and its two headline numbers pull in opposite directions: it weighs about 215 g with battery, antenna and belt clip, and it is rated IP67 - sealed against dust and protected against immersion, not merely splashing.

It runs both digital and analog channels, which is what makes it a migration radio rather than a replacement one. A site can put digital radios in alongside an existing analog fleet and move across at its own pace instead of changing everything in a weekend.

Capacity is 256 channels across 16 groups on UHF 403 to 480 MHz, with four programmable buttons, three on the front and one on the side. Motorola's published battery life at a 5-5-90 duty cycle with battery saver on is 12 hours on digital at 3 W and 11 hours on analog at 2 W. Busy channel lock out stops a user transmitting over someone else, and the radio carries a low battery alert, a battery saver and auto power off.

It takes a range of Motorola antennas including stubby and super stubby options as short as 50.8 mm, which matters on a radio chosen for being discreet in the first place.