Kenwood P25 Radio

[KB9WZD]

I know there are some kenwood fans on the board and you know that they are coming out with APCO P25 radios. I was just browsing through the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology web site and found some interesting information. It looks like they are well on there way to putting products on the market.

here is link to the radio
VHF Portable

Just thought some of you would like to know

[nmfire10]

Hmm. I was under the impression it was going to be based on the 90 series chassis. That looks like a whole new design. I know they are starting with VHF since they have some incentive for that. UHF and 800 will probably be next. Wanna bet it will be 1/2 the cost of a /\/\ and do the same thing if not better?

[KB9WZD]

I don't know any more than what is in that link. I just stumbled on it in my usual searching. Looks great though. myself, I am more in to the BK radio equipment. But your right probably 1/2 the price and easy to get software.

like I said I figure there are people here who might be interested

[n9upc]

The P25 digital portables are based off of the 90 series as I have some sitting right next to me here.

Same platofrm same everything just different in little ways.

I am not sure about the pics of the one I saw there on the FCC website. It looks a lot similar to a redesinged XTS which I notice a lot of people are doing. EF johnson, Kenwood, Datron all seem to be going with an XTS battery design and interface?

I will do some digging to see what band and features this new beast will have.

[Cam]

The P25 digital portables are based off of the 90 series as I have some sitting right next to me here.

Same platofrm same everything just different in little ways.

I am not sure about the pics of the one I saw there on the FCC website. It looks a lot similar to a redesinged XTS which I notice a lot of people are doing. EF johnson, Kenwood, Datron all seem to be going with an XTS battery design and interface?

I will do some digging to see what band and features this new beast will have.

What is the model number on the radio you have?

[RESCUEMAN433]

The scoop i got from seacom was that there will be a uhf and a vhf model and was going to be around 1400 bucks retail. Also should be available late october early november but we'll see--i agree looks alot like the xts series but half the cost ++. The tk-5400 is based on the 90 series of portables and is 800 meg.

[/\/\y 2 cents]

Got em!!!

Here's the link--> http://www.wherethemoneyis.iwce-mrt.com/

you'll see them on the right...they are OK but P25 is garbage anyways and many places just ain' t buying it. P25 isn't realy interoperable and will be eclipsed by newer techniques.

[thebigphish]

yeah, i played with one of those about 2 months ago with our local PD. Kenwood made some advances, atleast functionality wise, but they still need to make it feel like a radio. for some reason, it just seemed like it was a kids toy. When i pick it up, i want to be DAMN sure the thing is gonna key up, every time. I know we had some kenwood 2xx crap pieces of junk that would NEVER find towers...i want to know the thing will pick up anything i need it to (HT1000 like reliability).

i do have to say, they finally addressed their HORRIBLE battery securing problem. the bottom of that radio has some kind of metal latch that secures OVER the bottom of the radio...it's not the best fix in the world, but no longer will placing a kenwood portable on a desk on its end yield you two pieces.

[nmfire10]

I never had a problem with the batteries on the 90 series portables. I and others have given them some pretty good drops and clunks. Never had a single battery come off. Actually, I find it quite difficult to get the damn battery off when I want to take it off. These are all new withing the last year if it makes a difference.

In fact, I found the battery clips on the jedis fail before anything else. I have a box of Jedi batteries at work that work and test fine but are unusable due to the the clips. (I give them to people who I don't want to hear talk on the radios )

[ASTROMODAT]

Looks nice, but with Kenwood you don't get the end-to-end, complete system solution P25 product line that Motorola has had for some time now, such as:

P25 Repeater, DIU 3000, Encryption, KVLs, and 3 day guaranteed Service Center turn around, with flat rate pricing.

Kenwood radios go into a black hole at their repair center, it takes about 4 weeks to get it back, it may/may not be fixed, you can't talk to anybody, there is no flat rate schedule, etc.

BTW, the XTS 1500 P25 portable on UHF and VHF is available for order starting on Oct 1, and they are $1,300, so I don't see a price advantage here.

Larry

[alex]

Looks nice, but with Kenwood you don't get the end-to-end, complete system solution P25 product line that Motorola has had for some time now, such as:

P25 Repeater, DIU 3000, Encryption, KVLs, and 3 day guaranteed Service Center turn around, with flat rate pricing.

Kenwood radios go into a black hole at their repair center, it takes about 4 weeks to get it back, it may/may not be fixed, you can't talk to anybody, there is no flat rate schedule, etc.

BTW, the XTS 1500 P25 portable on UHF and VHF is available for order starting on Oct 1, and they are $1,300, so I don't see a price advantage here.

Larry

Larry has some very good points, but at the same time, the XTS1500's don't have display's, and the kenwoods might have the XTS's beat in that respect.

I think a lot of the reson why people are staying with the battery platform/accessory platform that Motorola has is because it's easier to get someone to buy a new radio - if they can keep all their accessories.

-Alex