Cell (mobile) phone/Dual Band HAM Radio in one

[Big and Daft]

I did search and didn't spot anything so,
While randomly searching eBay for useless stuff I could buy, I came across this mobile (cell) phone/UHF-VHF handheld radio - thought it was a pretty interesting and unique idea:

The Puxing (yeah, I know) PX-D03.



It's fairly new on the market - original release was spring time and I've not been able to find any online reviews, just a couple of 'un-boxing' videos on YouTube.

The front section is the mobile phone and the screen is the radio interface and the radio transmitter (?) clips onto the back of the screen - you can remove the radio section and clip on a plastic cover and just have a mobile phone. The phone and radio have independent batteries. Here are some specs. on the phadio? mobeld? radiobile? cellueld?...

Mobile phone:
Network Frequency: 850/900/1800/1900MHz
SIM: Dual SIM
Screen: 2.2 inch QCIF screen: 176*220
Camera: Built-in 0.3 Mega pixel camera at front
Platform: MT6223C
Flashlight: Yes
Handsfree: Yes
Mobile Internet: WAP
Messaging: SMS / MMS
Memory: NOR FLASH 128Mb+PSRAM 32Mb , support 2GB TF card to expand memory
Multimedia: FM Radio, Camera, Image viewer, Video player, Audio player, Sound recorder
Pre-loaded Apps: Calendar, To do list, Alarm, Calculator, Unit converter, Currency converter, World clock, E-book reader
Languages: English, Chinese
Dimension: walkie talkie phone: 11.3x5.2x0.8CM.
Phone weigh: 58.5g, phone+walkie talkie weigh: 177g.

Walkie Talkie
Frequency Range:
UHF: 400 ~ 470MHz
VHF: 136 ~ 174MHZ
Frequency Step value: 5/6.25/12.5/25KHz
Frequency Stability: 2.5PPM (-20 °C -60 °C)
Modulation: FM
Speaker impedance: 8 Ω
Antenna Impedance: 50 Ω


Seem like it might be a nice compromise, small light and it's also your phone you usually always carry. It seems like it's output is 2 watts, most handhelds are 4/5 watts.

So, cool toy? Useful tool? Something to play with while bored in a waiting room?

[TacAir]

Man, add a can opener to that bad boy...

TDMA/CDMA or GSM?

[NT2C]

I wonder what the TX power is? Probably 1 watt or less... (added: Looked it up and they claim 2W)

And was that a typo on the camera resolution? 0.3 MP? I hope so LOL...

It's on the UK eBay though, so we're not likely to see them for sale in the USA (at least not legally) for some time yet.

[Big and Daft]

It's quad band GSM.

I read somewhere TX is around 2 watts and 0.3 is probably correct, it's quite an old tech phone, to make room for the radio I auume.

It's only eBay.co.uk as I'm in the UK, they are available on eBay.com shipped from China.

[NT2C]

Found 'em on the USA eBay too (just search for PX-D03) selling for about $167

There's more info in the US listing, and it shows there as GSM

Here's a link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Puxing-PX-D03-P ... 3cbe1dda76

(more info added: The battery for the cellphone is replaceable (and I see some 1100mAh Li-Ion's for it) but the battery for the radio is "built-in")

[AwPhuch]

I have a PX-777+ 2 meter handheld...its not a bad product, I just wish it wasn't Chinese

This is rather interesting though...very cool

[TXwaterdog]

If this thing was Waterproof, freeze proof I'd buy a handful of them. cool find. I'm currently in the market for a replacement phone.

[zommoz10]

Back in the day (early 00's), Nextel had a handset that would do simplex with around one watt.

So the concept is not new.

Mobile phone providers aren't too keen on the idea of letting their subscribers talk off network. If you let your subscribers talk off network, they might just realize they don't need to pay for your PTT service or rack up minutes or SMS charges. They worked hard to pull people away from radio so don't count on this feature becoming the norm in handsets any time soon.

[MaconCJ7]

Back in the day (early 00's), Nextel had a handset that would do simplex with around one watt.

So the concept is not new.

Mobile phone providers aren't too keen on the idea of letting their subscribers talk off network. If you let your subscribers talk off network, they might just realize they don't need to pay for your PTT service or rack up minutes or SMS charges. They worked hard to pull people away from radio so don't count on this feature becoming the norm in handsets any time soon.

As far as I know, that's still available. The goal was to allow a team to still have comms with each other even if outside of a coverage area. But, it's LOS limited. Which means you still need service to call the wife and let her know you're picking up dinner on the way home. Radios won't be in competition with cell phones anytime soon. Even if there was a heavy investment in a RIPerNet setup, the cell phone is too ingrained into society. The smart phone destroyed any chance of radio come back.

[NT2C]

Radios won't be in competition with cell phones anytime soon.

I find this amusing. Cell phones are radios.

And, I had the opportunity to examine one of these cell/HT units at a hamfest last Sunday. It's an interesting little gadget, but not very confidence inspiring. It seems pretty flimsy, and the sound quality was about on par with a cheap FRS HT. To me it was more of a toy than a serious communications device.

[crypto]

Its also going to run into the Part 90 vs Part 97 regulatory problems, yeah?

[NT2C]

Its also going to run into the Part 90 vs Part 97 regulatory problems, yeah?

90 vs 97? No, why should it?

[MaconCJ7]

I find this amusing. Cell phones are radios.

True, but they're not radios in terms of talk around capability. They Tx/Rx RF, but rely 100% on a repeater network to function. RADAR systems are radio too, but not in the sense I'm referring too.

[jimm1909]

I find this amusing. Cell phones are radios.

True, but they're not radios in terms of talk around capability. They Tx/Rx RF, but rely 100% on a repeater network to function. RADAR systems are radio too, but not in the sense I'm referring too.

Agreed. The use cases for a cell radio signal and a radio with talk around capability are significantly different. Just as you wouldn't use [Voip Phones for certain Wireless Voip purposes.

-Jim

[evanjones246]

+1... you do make a great point here Jim, but I think that cell phones could be considered radios if you think about it, and there are even some apps that allow you to use your phone as a walkie talkie!

[zommoz10]

First the comment is taken out of context then it is taken out of context again by the person who originally wrote the comment.

[NT2C]

First the comment is taken out of context then it is taken out of context again by the person who originally wrote the comment.

And all I said was that I found it amusing.