Pick a radio before you pick a band, and you may end up with a handheld that can’t talk to half your agency. Frequency band decides which towers, repeaters and neighboring departments your crew can actually reach.
The BKR 9000 multiband radio from BK Technologies is built for that problem. This guide explains what each band does well, where each one struggles, and how to decide how many bands your team really needs.
What is a multiband radio?
A multiband radio can operate on more than one frequency band from the same handheld. Instead of carrying a VHF portable for the field and a 700/800 MHz portable for the county system, one radio covers both, and the user switches between channels.
Most multi-band radios are also P25 digital, which is the standard public safety agencies use for interoperability. The BKR 9000 is a P25 multiband radio that supports conventional and trunked operation in Phase 1 and Phase 2, according to BK Technologies.
The catch is that bands get unlocked as options. A radio might ship with one baseband, and you add others later. That affects both price and antenna choice, so it’s worth knowing before you order.
VHF vs UHF vs 700/800 MHz at a glance
Here’s the short version. Frequency ranges below come from the BK Technologies catalog and spec sheet for the BKR 9000, and your exact sub-ranges depend on your license and system.
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Band
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Frequency range
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Where it fits
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Trade-off
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VHF
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136 to 174 MHz
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Open terrain, wildland, rural fire, long reach
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Weaker through concrete and steel
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UHF
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380 to 520 MHz
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Buildings, campuses, urban and industrial sites
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Shorter reach in open country
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700/800 MHz
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About 763 to 870 MHz, in sub-ranges
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County and statewide trunked systems
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Needs system coverage; lower radio output
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On the BKR 9000, BK Technologies lists base output of 6 W on VHF, 5 W on UHF, and 3 W on 700/800 MHz. Lower power on 700/800 is normal, and the system infrastructure usually makes up for it.
Which band works best indoors and outdoors
People ask us what the best radio for buildings is, and the honest answer is that it depends on the building. Short wavelengths slip through doorways, stairwells and hallways more easily than long ones. That’s why UHF is the usual pick for hospitals, schools, warehouses and high-rises. 700/800 MHz does well in urban areas too, but only if your agency’s system has coverage inside the structure.
Outdoors, the picture flips. If you’re asking about the best radio for outdoors, VHF is the traditional answer. It travels farther over open ground and handles trees and hills better than higher bands. Wildland crews, rural departments, and farm or ranch operations lean on it for that reason.
Mixed-use teams are the tricky ones. A fire department might fight a grass fire in the morning and clear a commercial building that afternoon. One band won’t be ideal for both.
Which frequency bands the BKR 9000 covers
The BKR 9000 covers VHF, UHF, and 700/800 MHz. You can order it as a single-band, dual-band, or all-band portable radio. BK’s catalog lists a base-frequency option at no extra charge, with additional bands added as options, and an all-bands option that activates everything.
Two practical points. First, adding a band may mean a different antenna. BK’s catalog notes that some band options require an all-band or dual-band antenna. Second, you can add bands in the field later on some options, so a department that starts on VHF isn’t locked out of 700/800 MHz down the road.
If you’re browsing the full lineup, the BK Technologies radios collection shows what else is available alongside it.
When a single-band radio is enough
Not every team needs an all-band portable radio. If your whole fleet runs on one band, your repeaters are on that band, and you don’t coordinate with outside agencies, a single-band radio costs less and does the job.
A volunteer fire department on a VHF channel plan is a good example. So is a school district using UHF on campus. Paying for bands you’ll never program just adds cost and options to track.
The reverse is also true. If you already know a merger, a mutual-aid agreement or a system migration is coming, a radio that can grow with you saves a second purchase.
Multiband radios for wildland fire and public safety
Wildland crews work mostly on VHF, but federal incidents bring their own rules. Radios usually have to meet agency requirements before they go on an incident, so check the current approved list with the agency before you buy. We don’t assume any model is cleared for a specific incident.
Public safety is where multiband earns its price. Police, fire, and EMS often work across jurisdictions that don’t share a band. One county might be on 800 MHz trunking while the neighboring volunteer departments are on VHF or UHF. A single UHF or 700/800 MHz radio can’t bridge that. A multiband handheld can.
Remember that you can only transmit on frequencies your agency is licensed or authorized to use. Having a band unlocked on the radio doesn’t change that.
How to choose the right band for your team
Start with your system, not the radio. A few questions get you most of the way there:
- What band does your agency’s repeater or trunked system use today?
- Who do you need to talk to during mutual aid, and what are they on?
- Where does your crew spend most of its time: open ground, inside buildings, or both?
- Is a system migration planned in the next few years?
If the answers all point to one band, buy that band. If they point to two or three, a multiband radio is cheaper than carrying two portables. Either way, plan the antenna and the programming together, since the antenna has to match the bands you turn on.
Talk to New London Technology
We’re an authorized BK Technologies dealer and can help you work out which bands to order and how to set up the antenna.
Send a quote request or call (434) 525-0068, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM ET. Tell us your current bands, and we’ll match the radios to them.
Frequently asked questions
1. What frequency bands does the BKR 9000 cover?
It covers VHF, UHF, and 700/800 MHz, and it can be ordered as a single-band, dual-band, or all-band radio. Exact sub-ranges depend on the band option and your license.
2. What is the difference between VHF and UHF radios?
VHF has longer wavelengths, so it reaches farther in open areas. UHF has shorter wavelengths, so it handles buildings and dense structures better.
3. Do I need a 700/800 MHz radio?
Only if your agency or a partner agency runs on a 700/800 MHz system, which is common for county and statewide trunking. If you don’t use one, you can skip that band.
4. Is a multiband radio better than a single-band radio?
It’s more flexible, not automatically better. A single-band radio costs less and is enough when your whole team uses one band.
5. Can New London Technology program the radio for my bands?
Yes, we handle programming on radios we quote. Send us your channel plan and licensed frequencies, and we’ll set it up.
