DLR1020

We talk about radios that operate on 900 MHz frequencies. We’ll learn how they work, the pros and cons of using these radios, and who can legally use them. We’ll also take some of your comments and questions from our blog and our forum.
Intro :00
Billboard 1:07

900 MHz Digital Radios 1:22
Not long ago we received a comment from someone who said that a certain series of Motorola business radios were intended for business use only and they were not allowed or legal for use by consumers. Since radios in question operate on 900 MHz frequencies, is he correct? What exactly is a 900MHz radio?

Questions and Answers 22:43
Comments and questions from our blog and members of the Two Way Radio Forum. Check out and join the forum! It's free!

Wrap up and Close 26:09
Send in your comments and questions for Danny, Anthony and Rick to show[at]buytwowayradios.com. Feedback on this and other topics will be read by the hosts and included in future episodes of the show. If we read your comment about this episode on a future episode, we may send you a free t-shirt or some swag! Visit us at www.twowayradioshow.com!

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One of the questions we get asked most often is "How hard is it to program the settings I need into the Motorola DLR radios?" While we realize this can seem confusing to novice radio users, Motorola does offer a free CPS (customer programming software) that will make this process much easier. In this article, we will be giving you some tips on how to use this software to meet your needs. These same steps apply for both the DLR1020 and DLR1060 models.

First, you will need to download the programming software from the DLR page at MotorolaSolutions.com. As already mentioned, this is a free download. Second, you will need to purchase the Motorola DLR series programming cable. Once you have these two things, you are ready to begin programming your Motorola DLR radios!

The programming cable will communicate with your radio via the drop-in charger tray. Plug one end of the cable into your USB port on your computer, and the other end into the power connector on the back your charger. Make sure the radio is secure in the charger tray and turned ON. Also, be sure that the switch on the programming cable is set to the position marked Digital.

At this point you should be able to access your programming software. Run the application, choose RADIO in the top column and select "DLR" as your radio type. If you would like to view the current settings of  your radio, click the option Read Radio. This will upload the current settings of the radio to the application. If you would like to begin customizing your radio based on the default settings, you can click New Profile.

The screen that comes up will now give you the options to change your basic settings. These settings include options for setting the microphone gain, turning voice prompts on or off, setting volume levels, audible beeps, and selecting your "home" channel, just to name a few. This screen also has several options that you can choose to become part of your Advanced Settings, discussed in the next two paragraphs.

In the top center of your screen, you will see a button labeled Switch to ADVANCED. These advanced settings offer several options, but the most commonly used is the Direct Call feature. This will give you the option to select and call an individual radio in your fleet, instead of transmitting to an entire group.

This feature comes in handy when you want to have private conversations. For instance, if two supervisors need to discuss something privately, without employees hearing them, they would use Direct Call. In order to enable the Direct Call feature in your Basic Menu options, you need to first upload the unique “private” identification (12 digit) number of each radio. Click on the Switch to ADVANCED button. Under Privates (Advanced) tab, click Add for CPS to upload the radio ID. You can customize the radio ID name under the Name column. Once a radio ID is uploaded, the CPS will give the option to enable Direct Call. Customize your PROFILE ID Number for any 4 digit number different from “0000” to differentiate your radios in a radio fleet.

Once you have changed all the settings, click Write to radio in order to program your radio with the new settings. The CPS will display a window confirming the writing (programming of your radio) is successful. You can also save your profile at any time in order to use the same settings when programming other radios by clicking on Save to profile. This will save the profile to the current default path in your computer. To specify a different path to save the profile, click on the Save As button.

Your DLR radios are now programmed to your preferred settings, and you are ready to use them as needed! If you have any questions concerning the programming, please feel free to give us a call at 1-800-584-1445, and one of our experts will be happy to assist. We thank you for choosing Buy Two Way Radios!

As we've mentioned in previous articles, podcasts and videos, the Motorola DLR1020 and DLR1060 radios can be great assets for many different types of businesses. In this article, we will note some of the many pros, as well as the few cons, that these radios have.

One of the biggest pros of the Motorola DLR series radios is that they operate on 900 MHz digital frequencies. This feature is beneficial in several ways. First, consider the level of privacy that these frequencies offer. The 900 MHz frequencies are much less common than standard UHF or VHF frequencies, and the FHSS "frequency hopping" method used by these radios allows you to completely eliminate any chance of unwanted interference from neighboring two-way radio users.

Second, these 900 MHz radios do not require any type of FCC licensing. This saves you hundreds of dollars in licensing fees and allows you to use the radios as-is, "out of the box", with minimal, if any, programming required.

Third, because the DLR series radios are digital, the sound quality is impeccable. You will find that there is no background static or "white noise" like you may experience with normal analog radios.

Another major plus is the ultra-compact size of the Motorola DLR radios. They are very small and incredibly lightweight, making them practical for use in almost any situation. Even with their small size and light weight, these units offer military-grade specs for durability and resistance against dust, water, vibration, shock, and extreme temperature variations. Like many of the other Motorola onsite business radios, the DLR radios have antimicrobial housings to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria.

With all the  pros, there are also a few cons. One disadvantage of the Motorola DLR radios is their low power. The transmit power of radios that operate on this 900 MHz band is limited to 1 watt by the FCC. This means they are not practical for very large industrial job sites. Also, the FHSS frequency hopping technology will not work with typical repeaters, limiting the possibility of extending their range.

Perhaps the biggest con would be the lack of cross-compatibility with an existing fleet of two-way radios operating on standard business frequencies. Based on their rather unique frequency hopping capabilites and the fact that they operate on 900 MHz frequencies instead of the UHF or VHF business bands, they are not universally compatible with other digital radios. Also, most companies still tend to use analog radios, which these digital units will not communicate with at all. The Motorola DLR technology is cross-compatible with only one other line of radios, the Motorola DTR series.

On the plus side, if you happen to already have Motorola DTR series radios such as the DTR600 or DTR700, the DLR line will work with them and will be a much sleeker, smaller, more affordable option.

With all this being said, the pros of the Motorola DLR1020 and DLR1060 radios far outweigh the cons, and tend to be an excellent option for almost any on-site business use!

The Motorola DLR series radios are an excellent choice for businesses that want a high-quality digital radio with excellent privacy features. These radios also operate on 900 MHz digital frequencies, which means they can be used legally without applying for an FCC license!

The DLR series radios are ultra-compact, lightweight, and offer crystal-clear communication. They also use FHSS "frequency hopping" technology, which gives you a much higher degree of privacy from outside interference generated by neighboring businesses that may also be using these radios. Built to military-grade specifications for shock, dust, and water resistance, the Motorola DLR series radios are very versatile, and a great addition for almost any type of business.

If you've decided the DLR series is right for you, your next task is to decide on a model. This series offers two options: the DLR1020 and the DLR1060. What are the differences between these two radios? Well, there are really only two, and for the most part, the model you choose depends on how many channels you need.

The DLR1020 is the base model in the DLR series, and offers 2 channels. For most small, single location retailers and mom-and-pop type stores with simple operations and just a few employees, this is likely all you really need. The DLR1020 is priced at $209.00.

For larger restaurants, retail operations, and businesses that need more channel groups, the DLR1060 model supports up to 6 channels. This allows you to assign a dedicated channel to different departments, such as front clerks, stock clerks, managers and maintenance personnel. The DLR1060 is priced $10 more than the DLR1020, at $219.00.

Other than the number of channels and the price, there is no difference between these models.

Need more than 6 channels? Move up to the Motorola DTR series!