EF Johnson Technologies has announced that the Viking VP600 portable radio is now available in three distinct models across the 700/800 MHz, UHF, and VHF bands. With the availability of the VP600 in all bands and in multiple models, EF Johnson is now able to offer the Viking VP600 across all segments of first responders, including the military, Department of Defense, and all state, local, and federal entities.

With its excellent performance and Phase 2 TDMA software upgrade capability, the Viking VP600 has become a top choice for new and replacement radios across statewide and city/county systems, including those systems that have plans to seamlessly migrate to P25 Phase 2. Over the last few months, VP600 radios have been deployed widely across much of North America including the states of Georgia, Wisconsin, Mississippi, and California, as well as Latin America.

The Viking VP600’s outstanding audio and ease of use is a strong complement to EF Johnson’s Atlas P25 Systems Solution because it enhances the first responder’s ability to communicate on the system. Recently, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation placed an order for the Viking VP600 to augment the Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM), a statewide, P25-compliant communications system EF Johnson recently constructed for the state.

“The Viking VP600’s versatility and interoperability make it an ideal radio,” said Carl Guse, WISCOM project manager. “Not only does it work well with our new WISCOM system, but it can also be used on existing analog systems, as well as other P25 systems that are being constructed throughout the state. The combination of WISCOM with Viking radios will help us fully realize our vision for statewide interoperability.”

“We also chose Viking because it offers a full set of features designed for practical use,” Guse added. “For instance, the top display allows patrol officers to see what they need without having to remove it from their belts, which is convenient and greatly enhances incident response.”

Designed for mission-critical performance, ruggedness and reliability, the Viking VP600 represents the next generation of EF Johnson’s portable radios serving the needs of police, fire, EMS and other mission critical users. Its advanced audio and visual features such as the top display with backlighting, 2.5 Watts of audio for loud and clear sound, and the AMBE+2 vocoder to eliminate background noise, make communication effortless even in the most hazardous environments.

EF Johnson radios are designed and manufactured in America. They have remarkable versatility because of their interoperability with P25 trunked and conventional modes, APCO 16 Motorola SMARTNET/SmartZone and upgrade capability for P25 Phase 2 TDMA. The Viking VP600 radio is certified to operate across multiple statewide P25 systems and is available for purchase through multiple state and local contract vehicles.