Tech Crew MOTOTRBO Business Radio
Tech Crew owns a fleet of 11 MOTORTRBO DP4800e/DP4801 radios for communication during larger events and shows. These radios are digital, operate on UHF frequencies and are licensed for use across the UK.
Inventory
As of October 2025, Tech Crew owns the following radios and accessories:
- 10x DP4800e MOTORTRBO radios
- 1x DP4801 MOTORTRBO radio
- 13x radio batteries
- 13x belt clips (attached to each battery)
- 2x single-unit chargers
- 11x d-shape earpieces ('d-clips')
- 3x remote speaker mics/headphone adapters
- 1x programming cable
The original fleet of 10x DP4800 radios were purchased on an eBay auction in 2025 on a France Skiing holiday. Whilst most of the TechXec were on the trip, an emergency meeting was held online to meet quorum and approve the purchase.
Licensing
Tech Crew owns an Ofcom Business Radio (BR) Suppliers Light License. This license is valid for 5 years and permits Tech Crew to hire out these radios to third parties for usage across the UK.
Frequency and Channels
Tech Crew radios operate on UHF frequencies using digital transmission. Please contact Tech Crew for further information on the specific frequencies and channels used if required, as this can change.
University Network
As our radios cannot communicate with University-network radios, if you need to liaise with University staff during an event (e.g. the Christmas Lights Switch-on) you will need to request to borrow one of theirs.
Whilst Tech Crew's radios are technically compatible with the University of Warwick's radio network, after discussion with Estates we decided that it would be best to operate completely separately.
The main reason for this is so that we can retain full control over how we program our radios (such as their configurations and channels), and so that we can easily use them off-site without needing to reprogram. This also gives us more flexibility in how we use them and who we can hire them out to, and also allows us to hire in more radios (e.g. from DCRS) without needing to liaise with Estates. The main downside to this, however, is we aren't able to communicate directly with University staff (e.g. Community Safety or Estates), and we are subject to distance and signal limitations due to not being on the repeater network.
Hiring Additional Radios
There are certain occasions where additional radio equipment is needed beyond Tech Crew's own fleet, such as the Warwick Student Arts Festival. In this case, additional equipment (including repeaters) can be hired from DCRS, and Tech Crew's radios programmed to work alongside these.
Repeaters
Repeaters can be used to extend the range of radios by receiving and retransmitting signals. These are basically two handheld radios connected together in a fancy box along with a big antenna.
During the WSAF 2025, we placed a repeater on the FAB terrace to try and get better coverage. Whilst we were able to cover most of campus (including the FAB, Milburn House and Avon) and even reached Costco, the signal was patchy inside the WSAF HQ in the SU/Rootes Retail Space. More experimentation should be done in future events to try and find the best placement.
