Note: this is not a deep dive into these devices. I have them, I’m using them, but I need more time with them. What follows below is really first impressions and reflections about these devices rather than a detailed review.
I listened with great interest as Bucky W0SUN and Chris (Dr. Parrot) KB2IDX recently talked about Push-to-talk over Cellular (PoC) radios. I was listening to the Colorado Digital net when this topic was mentioned.
PoC radios use cellular networks to communicate with other PoC devices, but more than that, they may also be able to interface with some amateur radio digital modes.
I have a couple of older PoC devices that I have not been impressed with. Put bluntly, they are a bit awkward to use. However, they are a few years old, so maybe the tech has improved. Indeed, while I was expecting the present crop of PoC devices to be similar, I was wrong. The Talkpod devices discussed here are more up to date and function more smoothly than do my old devices.
For this examination, I chose two Talkpod (this is an affiliate link to their Amazon store) models: the N39Plus and the N58Plus. These are less costly than some other PoC radios and work reasonably well. The two models, however, have some significant differences. One thing is the same, though: the design language for this brand. The image at the top of this article shows a dual-band VHF/UHF radio on the left, a PoC radio in the middle, and a PoC radio with touch screen on the right. You can certainly tell they are part of the same family of radios.
Here is a high-level comparison of these two PoC radios:
| Item | N39Plus | N58Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Custom | Android 9.0 |
| Display | LCD | 2.4-inch HD touchscreen |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE, cellular network | 4G LTE, cellular network, wifi |
| SIM card | Included | Not included |
| GPS | No | Yes |
| Memory | Unknown | 1 GB RAM, 8 GB storage |
| Battery | 3000 mAh | 3200 mAh |
| Water resistance | IP54 with jack cover | IP54 |
| Programmable buttons | 2 side keys | Dedicated programmable keys |
| Apps | Pre-installed VHAM | Linkpoon/VHAM, Zello, Google Play, other |
| Price (Amazon) | 69.99 | 175.99 |
| Amazon link | https://amzn.to/4aSedKt | https://amzn.to/3LEgtuz |
Most recently modified on 2026-01-15 13:22:08
N39Plus
To configure the N39Plus, I reviewed Talkpod documents and watched a YouTube by Andreas M0FXB.
The N39Plus does not have WiFi so all network connections are over cellular. You see in the YouTube image above that the radio (and the phone app) are set to values that look like radio frequencies. They are not radio frequencies. They are simply numbered spaces. I think you can make those numbers anything you want, and if someone else has the same number, you can communicate.
Interestingly, you don’t need the N39Plus to use the VHAM app on a smartphone. Below is a screenshot from my Android phone. I can send and receive voice through the app without having the N39Plus radio on or nearby. To me, that makes the N39Plus a bit superfluous. An added benefit of the VHAM app is it runs in the vehicle while I drive, making this a usable communications tool when cellular connectivity is good.
N58Plus
The N58Plus radio is more than twice as expensive as the N39Plus and it feels much heavier. It is a chunky thing. I acquired this because unlike the N39Plus, it has cellular connectivity and WiFi capability. It runs on Android 9.0, barely. It took a while to configure WiFi. It’s slow. I know that because it took awhile for Google Play to configure to my account, and longer still to install the DVSwitch Mobile app.
DVSwitch was a bit of a bear to configure. It was just…fiddly. The screen is very small and my fingers kept activating the wrong letters and numbers. Eventually I found a touch screen pen in my desk drawer and that helped. I already had AllStar node 578491 set up to use only for DVSwitch. Once I got my login details entered and saved, and restarted the device, I could make AllStar calls over DVSwitch. (The Lake Washington Ham Club has a good PDF guide to setting up DVSwitch Mobile on Android.)
I then tested on our local C4FM repeater that has an AllStar bridge and the audio report I got back was “good audio.” Here’s the great thing, though: this is a push-to-talk device. Normally when using DVSwitch on an Android device, you press the big talk button on the screen to transmit. With the N58Plus, you use the PTT button. That makes it feel much more like a radio.
Since it runs DVSwitch Mobile, this opens up a number of other modes with the N58Plus. Again, this is a big plus.
Waiting on one more device
I’m going to try a third PoC device that has a more up-to-date implementation of Android, a bigger screen, and IP65 water and dust resistance:
Uniwa F400 Network Radio 4G LTE Rugged Phone Android 15 PTT Walkie Talkie Unlocked PoC Radio 4.0 inch Touch Screen Support Zello and Real PTT (affiliate link)
I think this will be a great platform for DVSwitch Mobile, connected through my home WiFi or through my phone acting as a hotspot. I also want to try running Droidstar on this device. The N58Plus screen was not very sensitive, the resolution is poor, and the icons and buttons are small. I am hoping the Uniwa device, with a bigger screen, will function better.
The Uniwa supports many of the 4G bands that T-Mobile uses, so I could add a data plan from a T-Mobile MVNO and see how that works. Having the larger screen, more RAM, and more storage should mean a smoother operating system, and smoother makes the user experience better.
A cheaper alternative is the TD-G750A Global PTT Unlimited Range Walkie Talkies 4G PoC Radio for Android but that doesn’t feel like quite the right configuration.
What about the M1KE?
As I reflect on these PoC devices, it occurs to me that much of the time, the SharkRF M1KE has some similar attributes: portable, push to talk, and multiple digital modes. A key difference is that the M1KE operates over WiFi while the PoC devices use 4G cellular +/- WiFi. You get more connection options with some of the PoC devices, but they seem more complex. The M1KE operates brilliantly but only over WiFi. I think both options — PoC and the M1KE — can be very useful devices when traveling or when you are in an environment that restricts RF-based amateur radio.
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