New Tait TM9000 Series Mobile Control Heads

Choosing a control head for your Tait TM9000 fleet is a smaller decision than picking the radio, but it's one that genuinely affects usability day to day. Here's how the TCH3, TCH4 and TCH6 actually differ.

Tait TM9000 Control Heads Explained: Which One Fits Your Fleet?

Fitting out a vehicle fleet with Tait TM9000 series mobile radios and not sure which control head actually suits your setup? It's a smaller decision than choosing the radio itself, but it's one that genuinely affects how usable the system is day to day, especially in a cramped cab or a vehicle with an awkward dash layout.

Tait's TM9000 series, which spans the TM9400, TM9700, TM9800 and TM9900 mobile radios, is built around exactly this kind of flexibility: one radio body, a choice of control heads, microphones and speaker options to suit the vehicle and the crew using it. Mobile Systems Limited has been installing Tait mobile radio systems across New Zealand fleets for over 25 years, and getting the control head choice right the first time saves a reinstall down the track. Here's what the three TCH options actually offer, and how to pick between them.

// Key Takeaways

Tait's TM9000 series mobile radios support three TCH control head options, all with a bright, high-resolution colour display.
The TCH3 is a compact local-mount head that attaches directly to the radio body, ideal where dash space near the radio itself is limited.
The TCH4 and TCH6 are DIN-sized remote-mount heads, letting you install the control head somewhere more convenient for the driver while the radio body sits elsewhere in the vehicle.
All three control heads can be retrofitted to an existing TM9000 fleet, not just ordered with new radio packages.
The TCH4 and TCH6 include a built-in covert microphone for emergency mode, a genuinely useful safety feature worth knowing about when specifying a fleet.

// Contents

What a Control Head Actually Does
The Three TCH Options Compared
Matching a Control Head to Your Vehicle and Crew
Upgrading an Existing Fleet vs a New Install
Getting the Right Setup for Your Fleet
Frequently Asked Questions

01 · The Basics

What a Control Head Actually Does

The control head is the part of a mobile radio the driver or operator actually sees and touches, the display, buttons and volume control, as distinct from the radio body itself, which does the heavy lifting of transmitting and receiving and is often mounted somewhere less visible, like under a seat or behind a dash panel.

Separating the two matters because vehicles vary enormously. A ute with a simple dash has different constraints to a fire truck, a forestry vehicle, or a van with a lot of other equipment competing for space. Tait's TM9000 series is built around this reality, offering control head options that can sit right on the radio body or be mounted remotely, wherever actually makes sense for the vehicle.

02 · Comparison

The Three TCH Options Compared

All three control heads share a bright, easy-to-read colour display and work with either standard Tait microphones or Tait keypad microphones. Where they differ is mounting style, built-in audio, and a couple of safety-specific features.

Model	Mounting	Built-in Speaker	Notable Features
TCH3	Local mount, attaches directly to the radio body	Yes, 4W	Compact, same width as the radio body; four programmable function keys including two softkeys
TCH4	DIN-sized, remote mount	Yes, 4W	Five programmable function keys; built-in covert microphone for emergency mode
TCH6	DIN-sized, remote mount	No, requires external speaker	Built-in keypad; built-in covert microphone for emergency mode

On every model, one function key is coloured orange and set aside as a dedicated emergency key, a small but deliberate design choice that keeps the emergency function consistent and easy to find under pressure, regardless of which control head is fitted.

If louder or clearer audio is needed for a noisy cab, all three control heads work with Tait's external speakers, available in standard 10W or rugged 15W options, so audio quality isn't limited by whichever control head you've chosen.

03 · Choosing

Matching a Control Head to Your Vehicle and Crew

Tight dash space, simple setup: the TCH3's local-mount design keeps everything in one compact unit attached directly to the radio body, avoiding extra cabling and a second mounting point.
Awkward dash layout or radio body mounted elsewhere: the TCH4 or TCH6 let you position the control head wherever it's actually convenient for the driver, independent of where the radio body itself sits in the vehicle.
Emergency services, security or lone-worker roles: the TCH4 and TCH6's built-in covert microphone is a genuinely useful safety feature, letting the radio pick up ambient audio discreetly if an emergency alert is triggered.
Vehicles needing a physical keypad: the TCH6 is the only option with a built-in keypad, useful for entering status codes or numeric data directly rather than scrolling through menus.

04 · Upgrading

Upgrading an Existing Fleet vs a New Install

All three TCH control heads can be fitted to an existing TM9000 fleet, not just ordered as part of a new radio package. If you've got older or less capable control heads currently installed, this is a genuinely practical way to improve the day-to-day user experience across a fleet without replacing the radios themselves.

It's also worth knowing that Tait's broader mobile radio range has continued to evolve alongside the TM9000 series, with the more recent TM9800 and TM9900 multiband radios, and the TAIT AXIOM and Unified Vehicle platforms extending capability further with broadband, cellular and app-based features. If you're planning a larger fleet refresh rather than a straightforward control head upgrade, it's worth having a conversation about where your fleet sits in that wider range before committing to hardware.

05 · Next Steps

Getting the Right Setup for Your Fleet

Mobile Systems Limited has been supplying, installing and servicing Tait radio systems from our Mount Maunganui base for over 25 years, including TM9000 series mobiles and the full range of TCH control head options. We can help you choose the right configuration for your vehicles, whether that's a straightforward control head upgrade or a full fleet installation.

Get in touch with our team to talk through what would work best for your vehicles and crew.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Tait TM9000 control heads

A local-mount control head, like the TCH3, attaches directly to the radio body, so the display and controls sit in the same location as the radio itself. A remote-mount head, like the TCH4 or TCH6, connects via cabling and can be installed wherever is most convenient for the driver, independent of where the radio body is fitted in the vehicle.

Yes. All three TCH control heads can be fitted to an existing TM9000 fleet, not just ordered with new radio packages. This is a practical way to improve the user experience across a fleet without replacing the underlying radios.

The TCH6 is the only one of the three with a built-in keypad. It requires an external speaker to be connected, since it doesn't have one built in like the TCH3 and TCH4.

Available on the TCH4 and TCH6, the built-in covert microphone allows the radio to pick up ambient audio discreetly once emergency mode is triggered, without the user needing to speak directly into a handheld microphone. It's a genuinely useful feature for lone worker safety and emergency response roles.

Yes, though Tait's range has continued to expand alongside it, with newer multiband radios like the TM9800 and TM9900, and broader platforms such as TAIT AXIOM and Unified Vehicle. The TM9000 series and its TCH control heads remain a current, supported part of Tait's mobile radio lineup.

Yes. Mobile Systems supplies and installs Tait mobile radio systems, including the TM9000 series and its full range of TCH control heads, microphones and speaker options, for fleets across New Zealand.