A professional-grade, hackable walkie-talkie for amateur-radio exploration, voice communication, and data transmission using straightforward AT commands is SOCORAD32, also known as the ESP32 Software Controlled Radio. You only need to attach a battery and a speaker to have a walkie-talkie radio that works. Without writing a single word of code, SOCORAD32 may be utilized right out of the box thanks to its dedicated push-to-talk (PTT) button!
Contrary to complex SDRs, SOCORAD32 is simplified and designed for amateur radio applications. Using fundamental AT commands, you may set audio volume, tone squelching, CTCSS, CDSS codes, etc.. The frequency range of SOCORAD32 includes the majority of nations' license-free bands.
Additionally, SOCORAD32 has all the functions of a typical walkie-talkie. The RDA1846 IC is used in a custom RF design used by the device. Commercial walkie-talkies by Baofeng, Motorola, and Hytera utilize the same IC. As a result, when set to do so, SOCORAD32 can connect with commercial walkie-talkies. How, therefore, does SOCORAD32 differ from a walkie-talkie of this kind? It is ideal for exploration since it has built-in capabilities, features, and high-level reconfigurability.
You may use SOCORAD32 to exchange messages or to learn more about the amateur-radio frequencies designated for Internet of Things (IoT) applications since it can send and receive data. The onboard OLED display or a mobile device with Bluetooth connectivity can be used to read received text. The best part is that it is entirely open-source and hackable. This gadget not only enables you to investigate the complexities of amateur radio, create a portable transceiver, or experiment with long-distance audio and data-communication protocols akin to LoRa but also makes doing so simple and enjoyable! We've included a 18650 battery holder and a charger in the design, and we'll be sharing design files for an enclosure soon. Its frequency range includes the license-free bands in most nations.
Features & Specifications:
- Frequency
Range: 400 - 470 mHz (covers most countries allocated license-free
Walkie Talkie bands internationally)
- Frequency
Step: 5 K / 6.25 K / 12.5 K / 25 K
- RF
Output Power: 2 W / 0.5 W (+5 KM @ 2 W) set to what the local law
permits, see the video below
- RF
Input Sensitivity: -122 dBm (see video below)
- Voice
Scrambling: Support for eight different methods
- Voice
Compression & Expansion
- SMS
Exchange: Send and receive SMS (or, for IoT, send and receive data)
- CTCSS
(38 group) + CDCSS (83 group)
- Automatic
Tail Elimination: Eliminates the squelch burst often heard at the end
of transmission as the PTT is released
- Volume:
Adjustable speaker output (1-8)
- Sample
AT Commands to Configure Settings:
- To
turn on voice-operated exchange (VOX), use AT+DMOVOX=X, where X is
the sensitivity level (1-8).
- To
control speaker volume, use AT+DMOVOL=X, where X is the
loudness level (1-8).
- To
change communication parameters, use AT+DMOGRP=RFV, TFV, RXCT, TXCT,
Flag, Flag1, where RFV = receive frequency, TFV =
transmit frequency, RXCT = CTCSS/CDCSS coding, TXCT =
CTCSS/CDCSS transmit coding, Flag = busy locking/band setting
(narrow or wide), and Flag1 = transmit power settings high (2
W) or low (0.5 W).
- Example: AT+DMOGRP=450.02500,
450.02500, 7006, 7006, 0, 0
