Welcome to our Blog site. Going forward, the following will be our only post for 2017. We've been on the web for a long, long time, but we figured it was time to do something different. You can read all about our 2017 Plan in the post below. In closing, let me share the words of my favorite poet - And they copied, and they copied, but they couldn't copy my mind, so I left them sweating and stealing, a year and a half behind. Rudyard Kipling
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Happy 2009!
Friday, December 26, 2008
New Wireless Headsets for radio control and intercom use
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
New REACT Emergency Radio Program
Some of our readers are familiar with REACT, a kind of a citizens emergency communications network. Along with amateur radio operators, Red Cross Communications, and FEMA, these folks are mostly volunteers who are available to help in times of distress. They do some good work and it may be of interest to you.
Monday, December 22, 2008
FCC Enforcement Information
Exceeding power
limit authorized by license
Exceeding authorized
antenna height
Using unauthorized frequency
Operation at
unauthorized location
Unauthorized emissions
Use of unauthorized equipment
|
$5,000
$6,000
$5,000
$4,000
$5,000
$4,000
|
|
New Falcon Direct Website
As most everyone knows, the content on our web site is totally unique. However, finding what is needed has sometimes been difficult, especially for first time visitors. We decided it was time to do something about this - not by copying everyone else, using flashy graphics, or hiring a web page designer who knows nothing about what we do. So, as usual, we did it ourselves!
Those who remember us as Falcon Wireless, the name we used prior to 2000, can use the web address of www.falconwireless.net. Or, you can use our regular www.falcondirect.com web address. Either way, you'll land on our new web page which we hope you'll like. This web page is made for easy searches on topics of interest.
You can do a quick search at the top using the Google page search. Even though we don't have fixed monitor receivers listed (very popular for fire stations), you can quickly find our offerings by just typing in the words "fixed monitor". You can also use the Site Map directory at the top of the page, call us, or email us by using the Contact Information provided. If you've ever wondered what makes us different from everyone else, just click on the About Us tab at the top of the page.
The most frequently searched topics have been arranged to make it easy for you to search by manufacturer, user groups, special user information, or our most popular product groups. We hope you like the new format. We'll be tweaking things up before the first of the year to add topics such as narrow banding, FCC information, technical standards, and funding alternatives, plus any other topic that may be of interest to YOU! Just drop us an email to sales@falcondirect.com, and let us know what additional information you would like to have included on our web page.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
New Batteries guaranteed for 3 years!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
New antennas have 10 year warranty!
Falcon Direct of Birmingham, AL today announced the introduction of a complete line of communications antennas known as the SuperTenna. These antennas and the associated mount/cable kits have been demonstrated to provide up to 25% more efficiency than conventional antennas and mount kits.
Not only do the SuperTennas offer enhanced performance, they are also covered by an unprecedented 10 year warranty! If any SuperTenna ever fails from any cause other than abuse within the warranty period, it will be instantly replaced at no charge to the user. This warranty applies to base station, mobile, and portable antennas for the VHF, UHF, 700/900 MHz bands as well as GPS. Additional information is available at www.info4u.us/super.pdf or by calling 800.489.2611.
FCC License Emission Designators
If you wish to check your own license, you can do so by going to www.fcc.gov, then scrolling down and selecting Wireless Telecommunications on the right side of the FCC Home page. Then click on License Search and enter your FCC Call Sign (If you don’t have one, that’s a whole other issue….).
Friday, December 5, 2008
Christmas Message
Lord, give me the heart of a fireman…….
The place could be anywhere across the USA in thousands of small rural communities. The names of the people are not well known. They are just ordinary folks who get up and go to work every day, some to more than one job and all who volunteer for one or more community activities. They are called volunteer firemen, or in many cases, fire and rescue personnel. I think our Creator calls them special. I know that I do!
It was 24 degrees when I recently visited one such group. It was the night of their weekly meeting. All were there except one younger member who was in training, on his own time, with no pay, to learn how to be a better volunteer fire and rescue worker. There were a lot of the “over fifty” crowd and perhaps some beyond that. 24 degrees is pretty cold for Alabama, but every member was ready to serve their community night or day as duty called.
I had not been to this department for over eight years, yet several members recalled my last visit, and the Chief still had my business card. These guys place their values in people, not things! Many are employed in the manufactured housing industry, an industry that is suffering greatly from the deeds of financial manipulators and greedy politicians whose acts have resulted in loss of jobs, extended layoffs, and an average loss in their retirement funds of over 40%. Yet, even though there was a brief discussion on the subject, not a single member blamed their woes on someone else, applied for welfare, or even complained. All they wanted was the opportunity to continue working to support their family and community. I think our American car makers and government leaders could use a little guidance from these folks.
Like all meetings of this type, there is an agenda that includes a review of old business. One of the topics of the evening involved a medical response to a member of the community. It seems the response time was a little longer than usual. There were no excuses. Some explanations were reviewed to determine what was wrong that could be corrected without focusing on the blame or excuse game. A two point plan evolved. The first was to extend a sincere apology to the person with the medical problem and second, to initiate a plan and a purpose to never let such a thing happen again. They didn’t even require a board meeting. They simply identified the problem and took the necessary action.
For what it’s worth, many of the members were at a local high school basketball game the night that the previous incident occurred. Support of school programs and participation in church activities is just a small part in the life of volunteer fire and rescue personnel. These are not the captains of industry and you’ll probably never see their names in the media, but I think I know one place where you’ll see their names. It’s called the Book of Life and it is maintained by the big Scorekeeper in the sky. That makes at least two of us that appreciate what you do!
Lastly, for all you whimpering atheistic left wing rabble rousers, I have only one thing to say to you and all your kind……
Burch H. Falkner
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
New Uprogrammable Radios!
Relm Wireless has a long tradition of innovation, starting with the introduction of the first transistor radio in 1948 by Regency Electronics, now known as Relm Wireless. They have been instrumental in the popularity of scanners, pioneer developer of low cost business radios, and a leader in the production of user programmable radios.
Many of our readers will remember the RH256 programmable mobile radio and the WHS150 programmable portable radio as well as the more recent RP99 series. The RP99 portable is now being phased out for the introduction of two new programmable radios. The new RP6500 series portable and the RM800 series mobile are both user programmable with no PC or special tools required!
We are offering special Alabama Contract pricing to our public safety users with prices beginning UNDER $200 for a MIL-SPEC rated 5 watt 128 channel radio with LCD display and all the features you would expect in radios costing hundreds of dollars more. You can get all the details at www.info4u.us/UProgrammables.pdf. Check them out - you'll be glad you did!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
New Safe School products introduced
Monday, November 24, 2008
Top Ten Fire Products by Falcon Direct
Many fire department users are receiving Assistance to Firefighter grants. As a result, we have been asked to make our recommendations for our best choices in mobile, pager, portable, and repeater station equipment as well as vehicle intercoms. We added a few items of our own that we feel are especially well suited for fire department use.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Vehicle camera competitive comparisons
We are very much aware.......
of our competition including the low cost suppliers such as Martel and Super-Circuits, either of whom can provide a vehicle camera system for under three thousand dollars, or even two thousand dollars. So can we, if we reduce the recording time capacity, cut our warranty in half, take away the features you need, trash customer service, and leave you on your own for installation and maintenance.
We understand the Digital Ally concept of the all-in-one DVR, monitor and rear camera. So what if you have a monitor that you can barely see and a rear view camera that views only the upper body and not what’s going on in the back seat?
We are familiar with the various recording technologies including DVD’s which were never designed for mobile recording use and can lose critical data, mobile hard drives that won’t work below 32 degrees and low capacity 1 or 4 GB compact flash memory cards that require constant removal and archiving. We are aware of the applications of wireless data downloading as well as the problems many users have experienced.
We know the benefits of GPS for marking evidence scenes and establishing point of presence. What we also know, that others apparently do not, is the significant benefits available through the proper use of GPS for full time vehicle tracking and administration and how you can have this capability without paying any more (actually often less) than other systems by Interceptor and WatchGuard.
We are aware of the benefits associated with systems by Integrian and Mobile Vision (as well as some of the shortcomings) and we have the capability to match the features of these high end systems (such as wireless downloading), but we think our own System III offers a significant cost advantage coupled with some major administrative advantages.
We interviewed police departments all over Alabama, large and small to determine what users like you really wanted. The response was good video quality, simple operating requirements, reduced cabin clutter in the driver compartment, secure and simple data transfer, minimal operations workload, reliability, fast and affordable service when required, useable GPS capability, a good rear camera that records the full back seat area, low light level capability for both the front and rear cameras and simplified pricing. The result is known as System III. For more information, please visit www.info4u.us/AtLast.pdf.
System III is a simple, affordable, and efficient vehicle camera system that has been designed for YOUR needs, not some razzle dazzle techno golly box that is a maintenance and/or operational nightmare.
We have gone to significant effort to make sure that you have ALL the facts before purchasing a vehicle camera system. A low initial purchase price is long forgotten after you learn that you could have enjoyed the best for less. The simple fact is that we can reduce administrative requirements, simplify operation, keep maintenance costs to a minimum, and give you the evidence you need at reasonable cost even though we haven’t been in business since 1957 (Actually, only since 1989).
One of the lower priced suppliers invites you to ask a single question before purchasing a vehicle video system – How long have you been in business? The fact of the matter is that vehicle cameras didn’t exist in 1957 and if length of time in business was an acceptable method for evaluating the capability, we would all be driving GM vehicles instead of watching their bail out request hearings on TV. We say, Look at the rest, then choose the best – System III from Falcon Direct! A product brochure is available at www.info4u.us/System3.pdf.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
New E-Vision System for Prisoner Transport Vehicles
Friday, November 7, 2008
On-Site Communications Update
Some people don't know that there is an American communications manufacturer that actually makes their products in the USA (Carmel, Indiana to be exact) employing American workers (not a single "undocumented worker" in the whole plant). The company, Ritron Inc., is named after the founder, Bill Rice. It is still a family owned company specializing in developing and producing unique products to serve specialized communications needs.
New EMS products announced at AARS Conference!
Candice Niedermeir (0n the right) and Joy King (On the left) are enroute today to attend the Alabama Association of Rescue Squads conference in Mobile, AL representing Falcon Direct. They will be introducing and re-introducing special products and services especially suited to the needs of emergency medical operations. An overview of our offerings is available on line at www.info4u.us/AARS_Specials.pdf. Some of the items and services, you may have seen before, some are brand new, and that is our subject for today!
One of our new products is the E-Vision Vehicle surveillance and tracking system. This incredible product monitors and records all activity in the patient transport area as well as tracking and recording every move by emergency vehicles for playback as required. Not only is E-Vision a great administrative tool, it is extremely valuable in litigation issues. The complete system is well under two thousand dollars which is about a fifth the cost of going to court as a result of a case charging negligence or accidents involving emergency vehicles. You can learn more about E-Vision at www.info4u.us/E-visionEMS.pdf.
We are also making a special offer to introduce our EMS users to the benefits of digital communications. We have purchased a quantity of ICOM radios capable of operating on standard, narrow band, or very narrow band channel spacing in either an analog or digital mode (or both) at a very good price. We are ready to pass the savings on to our customers by offering TWO radios for the price of one! Additional information is available at www.info4u.us/2for1.pdf. This offer ends November 30, 2008 or upon depletion of stock. Call us at 800.489.2611 or email sales@falcondirect.comTODAY!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Radio Rental Program for the holidays!
Retail merchants and others involved with pre-Christmas activities often have temporary needs for portable 2-way radios. We've got them at the lowest prices in the USA! Complete information is available at www.Radios2Rent.com with monthly rates as low as $39 monthly or $19 weekly.
B-STock Program Announcement
Our November Newsletter is now posted at www.falcondirect.com/hotnews.htm. One of the main news items is the introduction of our new B-Stock Program (www.falcondirect.com/hotdeals.htm). For the first time ever, you will find 5 watt VHF portable radios for as little as $89, UHF Motorola mobiles for under $200, and even the popular Motorola MotoTRBO mobiles and portables for under $600, even MotoTRBO repeaters for $1,600 or LESS!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Good News for our Public Safety Friends!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
New radios from Maxon!
Maxon is the company that gave us our first affordable public safety radios back in the 70's with a four channel crystal model that offered compact size, light weight (at least for it's time), durable construction, and inexpensive accessories.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
A word about service!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
13% Fuel and overtime savings for less than the price of a gallon of gas!
With the latest economic trends in mind, fleet managers worldwide are working hard to improve fleet efficiencies, reduce costs, increase asset productivity and improve customer service. A recent study also found that employees of businesses deploying GPS-enabled technologies saved approximately 54 minutes per day, with yearly labor savings of $5,484 per employee. Survey respondents also credited location-based services with improving the organization of employee routes. Other findings of the GPS fleet tracking survey.
GPS fleet tracking technology enables mobile workers to spend less time in traffic or finding routes
GPS fleet tracking increases the amount of time spent with customers
Customer service cited as the #1 reason why businesses invest in new GPS technology.
GPS fleet tracking helps drivers locate new stops
GPS fleet tracking streamlines the delivery process
This follows closely on the Aberdeen Group Report which showed similar findings, including a 13% fuel cost while also reducing overtime costs by 13%. Want to know more about GPS and how if can help YOU? Go to www.navmansystems.com.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
New Product for Law Enforcement!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
A word about customer service
Several days ago, I was in the store of a friend of mine, who is in the computer business. A customer came in to purchase a wireless router and my friend turned him away, stating that he didn’t sell or support wireless routers. He then explained to me why he didn’t sell these products. His comments are worth repeating.
My friend recognized that any product sold should be backed with good customer service which includes personal, email, live chat, and phone support. With a typical profit margin of ten dollars or less, he simply could not provide the necessary support so he chose not to sell the product and concentrate his effort in areas where his knowledge and talent would be of value to the customer and profitable to his company. Smart man!
The fact is that customer service has a cost. One of the companies most often criticized for overcharging for software is Motorola. Motorola charges ten times (or more) for software than most other companies. They also require that all purchasers register before they will see the software at any price. Why does Motorola make it so hard to purchase software?
First, there is an FCC requirement that field programming of 2-way radios is only to be performed by SELF SERVICING END USERS or as we call them, SEU’s. This means that the user must possess the technical capability and knowledge of the FCC rules before being given the opportunity to change the operating parameters of licensed communications devices. Motorola makes every attempt to assure that they have met this requirement before selling software.
Second, Motorola recognizes the benefit of knowing who has their software to allow them to notify users of upgrades, renewals, etc.
Third, and maybe most important of all – Motorola generates sufficient revenue to provide the support necessary to assist their customers when help is needed. That is business the way it should be!
So what is our point? The point is that you don’t get something for nothing! While it is true that many manufacturers offer low cost programming software. It is basically sold as a product or accessory on the assumption that the purchaser will know how to follow the instructions provided with the software (generally in the Help screen section). This has proven to be not necessarily so….
Does that manufacturer owe their customers phone support to walk them through programming issues? Whether they owe it or not, the fact is that they cannot justifiably support such customer service on a low cost 2-way radio sold on extremely tight margins.
So what is the solution? We can take a lesson from Microsoft. You pay for specialized support. We charge $75 per hour with a $25 minimum. If you need help in programming any of the products we sell, with the exception of Motorola, call us at 205.854.2611. Have your American Express, Discover, MasterCard or VISA ready, and we’ll give you an assist. This way, we can provide the highest level of customer service at reasonable cost. That’s a winning situation for all concerned! You get service as required, and we don’t go broke in the process!