Astro Saber model 1 thoughts ?

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MT2000 man
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Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2001 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: XTS5000R, Astro Saber III, I

Astro Saber model 1 thoughts ?

Post by MT2000 man »

Good day all,

I've been seeing UHF model 1 P25 Astro Sabers on e-Bay for $150 BIN for quite awhile ( I actually know the seller of these, he sells EXCELLENT radios, clean, etc. ) so I figured what the ____ and bought one. It's a model one, and I bought it for my parents to listen to the local PD which just went digital. I figure buying an AS would be much cheaper than buying a digital scanner. My question to you guys is with the Astro Sabers being so old, how will they hold up ? Granted, it will just be hanging around thier house most of the time anyway, but I was just curious as to how long I should expect the radio to last ? I probably should've bought them something with a display, but they only want to monitor the surrounding town PD's ( only 4-5 of them are P25 now ), plus a model II or III would be approaching the cost of a digital scanner anyway.

Any first hand experience with the model 1 Astro Sabers ? My last Astro Saber I owned was a UHF model III 7+ years ago now. Although I DO really miss my UHF model IIR . . . . .
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d119
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Re: Astro Saber model 1 thoughts ?

Post by d119 »

As far as how well will it hold up, the answer to that is extremely well.

It really was one of the last radios Motorola built that was well thought out, properly engineered, and built to last. I have several of the "first generation" units, and they all work fine. They've got to be close to 20 years old, if not already.

I would realistically expect an ASTRO Saber to last at least as long as the MT 500's have lasted thus far. It's all in how you take care of it.

I think the bigger issue down the road that will come up is battery availability more so than equipment failure, but battery availability is still several years or maybe a decade or two down the road, and even then you can still "roll your own".

If you think about it, you can still buy MT 500 batteries new from various suppliers. Who's buying those things!?!?!
MT2000 man
Posts: 1307
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What radios do you own?: XTS5000R, Astro Saber III, I

Re: Astro Saber model 1 thoughts ?

Post by MT2000 man »

Haha, very true on the MT500's. Same thing with the Genesis radios ( P200, HT600, etc. ) they were BRICK of a radio, but they handeld everything thrown at it, and then some !

As far as the Saber batteries, true they are getting older but I see a TON of them on "that auction site" as well ( most of them aftermarket probably ) so I'm not TOO worried about the battiers.

I did however REALLY LOVE my Astro Saber R that I had, but they battieres for the R Sabers are next to IMPOSSIBLE to get. At least Ecomm can't even score any.
N4KVE
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Re: Astro Saber model 1 thoughts ?

Post by N4KVE »

MT2000 man wrote: My last Astro Saber I owned was a UHF model III 7+ years ago now.
That radio is still working perfectly, & looks as good as the day I got it from you. Great radio, & if not abused will last forever. GARY
MT2000 man
Posts: 1307
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2001 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: XTS5000R, Astro Saber III, I

Re: Astro Saber model 1 thoughts ?

Post by MT2000 man »

N4KVE wrote:
MT2000 man wrote: My last Astro Saber I owned was a UHF model III 7+ years ago now.
That radio is still working perfectly, & looks as good as the day I got it from you. Great radio, & if not abused will last forever. GARY

Ah, I was hoping you'd pop in here !
Glad to hear that radio is still going good for you ! How do you score the "R" batteries ?

I'm looking to get back into an Astro Saber R model myself. Seeing the standard model 1 come in is having me lust for an "R" in my collection again :)
N4KVE
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Re: Astro Saber model 1 thoughts ?

Post by N4KVE »

I don't score R batteries. I put R radios in normal cases. GARY
MT2000 man
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Re: Astro Saber model 1 thoughts ?

Post by MT2000 man »

I think that's what most members do when encountered with an R radio.
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MTS2000des
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Re: Astro Saber model 1 thoughts ?

Post by MTS2000des »

If properly cared for, I think your Astro Saber will be here in another 10-15 years, especially if used in a light duty application. What D119 said is dead on, this was the last of the "over engineered" radios- provided it has been properly serviced, one thing many inexperienced people do is overtorque the spanner nuts and this leads to stipped out threads and flex problems, sometimes inexperienced people don't attach all the little shield clips properly when installing/removing encryption boards- otherwise these are bulletproof radios.

they will probably outlast the systems they are designed to operate on, just like those HT600/MT1000 and MT500's!
The views here are my own and do not represent those of anyone else or the company, the boss, his wife, his dog or distant relatives.
MT2000 man
Posts: 1307
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2001 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: XTS5000R, Astro Saber III, I

Re: Astro Saber model 1 thoughts ?

Post by MT2000 man »

MTS2000des wrote:If properly cared for, I think your Astro Saber will be here in another 10-15 years, especially if used in a light duty application. What D119 said is dead on, this was the last of the "over engineered" radios- provided it has been properly serviced, one thing many inexperienced people do is overtorque the spanner nuts and this leads to stipped out threads and flex problems, sometimes inexperienced people don't attach all the little shield clips properly when installing/removing encryption boards- otherwise these are bulletproof radios.

they will probably outlast the systems they are designed to operate on, just like those HT600/MT1000 and MT500's!

Well, the Astro Saber I will come in the mail tomorrow.

Now if I can only locate an Astro Saber UHF R with a good battery . . . . . . . . . .
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Tom in D.C.
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Re: Astro Saber model 1 thoughts ?

Post by Tom in D.C. »

Astro Saber model 1 portables are fine radios. I still have two of them working,
one V and one U. The only real problem with them is that they're only capable
of 32 channels, which these days probably wouldn't meet most of our needs unless
the owner was a non-ham who lived in the boonies where there's not much PS
activity.
Tom in D.C.
In 1920, the U.S. Post Office Department ruled
that children may not be sent by parcel post.
MT2000 man
Posts: 1307
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2001 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: XTS5000R, Astro Saber III, I

Re: Astro Saber model 1 thoughts ?

Post by MT2000 man »

Tom in D.C. wrote:Astro Saber model 1 portables are fine radios. I still have two of them working,
one V and one U. The only real problem with them is that they're only capable
of 32 channels, which these days probably wouldn't meet most of our needs unless
the owner was a non-ham who lived in the boonies where there's not much PS
activity.

Thanks for the info Tom !

This radio will mainly be used by my ( aging ) parents who always had a cheapo Radio Shack scanner to listen to, and now thier local town PD just went P25. So I scored a generally cheap AS model 1 on E-Bay with a battery, charger and everything. Figure it would be better than them getting a Digital Scanner for $400+ dollars.

So yes, this radio will not see any "field use" at all. Unless you count the radio sitting on a desk sitting next to someone playing Angry Birds well into the night "field use". lol
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