The most common question we get before someone buys Radio Relay is what actually crosses the radio link. VHF/UHF is a narrow pipe compared with an IP network, so some of TAK moves over it and some of it cannot. This article draws the line.
Radio Relay is redundant by default
When an EUD has both a TAK Server connection and a paired radio, Radio Relay uses both paths at once. It does not fail over from one to the other — it sends over IP and RF simultaneously, so a message survives losing either path.
That has a second effect worth understanding: every EUD running the plugin becomes a gateway. An operator who has IP connectivity pulls the RF net's traffic up to the TAK Server, making the radio-only operators visible to everyone on the server. You do not need a dedicated gateway device; any connected EUD fills the role.
What crosses the RF link
| Traffic | Over RF? |
|---|---|
| PLI (position location information) | Yes |
| CoT events | Yes |
| Markers | Yes |
| Routes | Yes |
| Shapes | Yes |
| Voice (PTT) | Yes |
| Video feeds | No |
| Data packages | No |
Video and data packages are the two exceptions, and the reason is bandwidth rather than configuration — UHF cannot carry them. If your CONOPS depends on pushing video or a data package to a team, that traffic needs an IP path. Everything else in the table above will reach a radio-only operator.
Position reporting: use the plugin, not BSS
The radio has its own BSS location-share feature, and the plugin has native ATAK PLI. Running both is a mistake.
- Radio paired to an EUD running the plugin → leave BSS location share OFF. Radio Relay 2.0 handles PLI natively.
- Radio with no EUD attached → turn BSS location share ON. This is the only way that radio appears on the map.
The full procedure is in Radio Relay ATAK Plugin 2.0 Radio Settings.
Sizing expectations before you buy
Two things worth setting straight up front:
- Range comes from the radio, not the plugin. A 5-watt UV-PRO handheld covers what a 5-watt handheld covers. If you need the net to reach further, the answer is the 50-watt UVPRO-MANPACK cross-band repeater or a better antenna — see Choosing the right antenna.
- RF is a shared medium. Position-report intervals that are fine for three operators will congest a channel with twenty. Lengthen the interval as the net grows.
Still need help?
- Civilian and commercial users — the GoTAK Discord is the fastest route to an answer.
- Order, key, or billing questions — sales@getgotak.com or (757) 910-0259, Monday–Friday, 9–5 ET.
- Agency, defence, and procurement — book a call.
