Motorola RMV2080 Two Way 8 CH VHF NOAA Business Radio

The RMV2080 is the RM Series radio for VHF sites. Motorola specifies it at 150.8 to 160 MHz across eight channels, against the 450 to 470 MHz of the UHF models, and everything else about the radio is the same platform.

Band choice is the decision to get right before anything else, because it cannot be changed later and a VHF radio will not talk to a UHF one. As a rule of thumb VHF suits open ground, yards, farms and outdoor sites, while UHF penetrates steel, concrete and multi-storey interiors better. Anyone adding to an existing fleet should simply match what is already in service.

Eight channels means a selector knob, and the knob brings NOAA Weather Radio on channel position 8 from the factory per Motorola's user guide, tuned across the seven national frequencies from 162.400 to 162.550 MHz with weather alert monitoring available.

Output is 2 watts high and 1 watt low. Motorola quotes up to 250,000 square feet or 20 floors of coverage with the usual qualification about terrain and conditions, and up to 15 hours of run time per charge with battery save on. The VHF model weighs 8.9 oz (252 g) with the standard Li-Ion battery, marginally more than its UHF counterpart, in the same 4.5 by 2.2 by 1.6 in case. Sealing is IP55, testing is to Military Standard 810 C through G, and the operating range is -30 C to +60 C. Motorola's antimicrobial housing coating comes with the company's own note that it does not protect users against bacteria, viruses or other disease organisms.

Package contents are the RM Series standard: radio, Li-Ion battery, holster with swivel belt clip, drop-in charging tray with power supply and the user guide.

Who it is for

The RMV2080 is the RM series radio for VHF sites: yards, farms, outdoor venues and open ground where VHF carries further, with eight channels, a selector knob and NOAA weather alerts. Anyone adding to a VHF fleet should match it; read UHF vs VHF two-way radios if the band choice is still open.

Size, weight and battery

• Size: 4.5 x 2.2 x 1.6 in (115.6 x 57.6 x 40.5 mm) with either battery.
• Weight: 8.9 oz (252 g) with the standard Li-Ion battery; 9.0 oz (255 g) with the high-capacity battery.
• Battery life: up to 15 hours with battery save on, or up to 12 hours without, on the standard 2150 mAh Li-Ion battery at a 5/5/90 duty cycle; a 3200 mAh high-capacity battery is available.
• Power and band: 2 W high and 1 W low on VHF 150.8 to 160 MHz, 8 channels, 12.5 kHz channel spacing.
• Audio: 1500 mW.
• Coverage: Motorola quotes up to 250,000 square feet or 20 floors, varying with terrain, conditions and the radio model.
• Protection: IP55, tested to Military Standard 810 C through G and to Motorola's accelerated life test simulating up to 5 years of field use; operating temperature -22 F to 140 F (-30 C to +60 C).

Licence

This radio operates on licensed business frequencies. An FCC business radio licence (Part 90) is required to transmit; CMI can point you at the process when you order.

Accessories that fit

CMI connector code: MA. Motorola's RM series user guide lists these as authorised accessories: the HKLN4599 earpiece with PTT and microphone, the HKLN4601 surveillance earpiece, the HKLN4604 swivel earpiece, the HKLN4606 remote speaker microphone, the PMNN4434 standard battery and PMNN4453 3200 mAh high-capacity battery, the HKLN4510 swivel holster, the PMLN6394 single-unit charger kit, the PMLN6384 six-unit multi-unit charger, the HKKN4028 cloning cable and the HKKN4027 programming cable. Motorola also states that RDX series audio accessories can be reused on the RM series.

Part number

CMI part number: RMV2080. The rest of the RM series: RMU2040 (four-channel UHF), RMU2080 (eight-channel UHF), RMU2080d (eight-channel UHF with a display), RMM2050 (five-channel MURS, licence-free). See CMI's RM series collection, Motorola collection and business radio collection.