Opinions needed on CDM series

emcom · Post by **emcom** » Wed May 25, 2005 4:57 pm

We were quoted CDM 1250 VHF & UHF mobiles for our vehicles. I have read several posts on this board where you guys have had problems with them. Do they have a lot of problems - more than normally found with radios in widespread use? I don't want to buy more headaches.

Thanks!

RKG · Post by **RKG** » Wed May 25, 2005 5:37 pm

The CDM radios are intended as commercial, as opposed to public safety, radios. They lack some public safety features, and in my judgment the controls and menus are not as intuitive as the controls and menus on the radios that are based on the MTSX metaphor. That said, I watch out for a department that bought a dozen or so CDMs about 5 years ago and they have worked pretty well. No major failures.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Wed May 25, 2005 6:50 pm

It kinda depends on what you do with them. My department nor any of the departments around here have any use whatsoever for the menus on the radio. The only thing they need to do is talk and listen.

They are quite simple to install, configure, and use. They do a whole lot of stuff out-of-the-box such as ID decode w/alias, QCII encode/decode, call alert and sel-call, etc etc. The display is big so you can have clear channel names.

I can't think of any reason why they can't be used in a vehicle assuming it meets all your needs. I wouldn't go putting one on a fire truck pump panel. There is no second control head option if you have a tiller.

jim · Post by **jim** » Wed May 25, 2005 6:53 pm

No problems here. I've been using them since they came out.
QuickMount makes a dual-head kit for them too.

Hightower · Post by **Hightower** » Wed May 25, 2005 9:02 pm

2 years using my CDM 1250, and no problems. I use it for ham mainly and absolutly love it. What a wonderful radio! I highly recommend HT1250's and CDM1250's

firetech792 · Post by **firetech792** » Thu May 26, 2005 3:40 am

I've been using a CDM1250 in my truck for about 3 years now. The only slight problem I know is the volume control. Its not a real volume control. More of an electronic type. And it doesn't adjust very well. I could turn it up almost 1/4 turn and there is no change in volume. Then all of a sudden, its blasting. But once its set at the level you want, its alright. Other then that, its a great radio.

The HT1250 on the other hand, well thats a different story. I tried a friends for a weekend and just didn't like it. It didn't compare with my HT1000 or ASII with scan and RX sensitivity.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Thu May 26, 2005 3:57 am

That is one of the common complaints I've heard on here, although mine seems to work fine in that respect.

libuff · Post by **libuff** » Thu May 26, 2005 4:05 am

i've had one for about 6 mos now... i wish i had my maxtrac back... the volume control is horrible, the "sweet spot" is very illusive and the speaker quality is poor at best... the controls take some patience, and the buttons do not immediately respond to commands which takes alot of concentration, not a good thing when driving. its safer to talk on a cell phone and eat while driving then operating a CDM...

i agree with the ease of programming and onboard options. but other usefull options like the RSSI has malfunctioned on my radio. my RSSI shows 5x5 for every transmission from distant static to me talking on my portable.

overall, if you can spend some extra $ and go for a MCS2000 or Spectra, much better overall. and they're public-safety class radios. now if you want to discuss my Spectra, we'll talk...

hope this was helpful in your decision...

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Thu May 26, 2005 4:38 am

I agree with the majority here. The audio quality isn't the greatest - but i've been spoiled with sabers and spectras.

For the love of God, spend the extra $60 and get the enhanced keypad mic. The three extra programmable function buttons that the keypad offers can make all of the difference in the world.

jim · Post by **jim** » Thu May 26, 2005 6:36 am

I can't tell the difference between audio quality between a CDM and a Maxtrac.

I've never seen any delay in button response either.

Do a firmware upgrade and the volume control problem will be repaired.

Splat · Post by **Splat** » Thu May 26, 2005 7:06 am

I've had both GM300, Maxtracs, and CDM mobiles. The GM300 had a better receiver, but otherwise all three performed the same. The only problem I had was with losing ignition-sense ability on one CDM. It turned out to be a transistor in the ig/sense circuit, IIRC. I'd rather have a Spectra or MCS2000 for p/safety but a CDM mobile can definitely take the useage.

libuff · Post by **libuff** » Thu May 26, 2005 7:28 am

jim wrote:I can't tell the difference between audio quality between a CDM and a Maxtrac.

I've never seen any delay in button response either.

Do a firmware upgrade and the volume control problem will be repaired.

jim im new to the firmware upgrading... how do i obtain one, and secondly install it?

Splat · Post by **Splat** » Thu May 26, 2005 7:35 am

Yes you should get the firmware updated if you have old firmware, however I thought the volume control problem is fixed with getting a newer control head circuit board. That's what I was told when I enquired about the volume control problem on my CDMs.

emcom · Post by **emcom** » Thu May 26, 2005 9:45 am

Thanks for all the input! You guys are great

bellersley · Post by **bellersley** » Thu May 26, 2005 11:48 am

libuff wrote:my RSSI shows 5x5 for every transmission from distant static to me talking on my portable.

That's not an error. It's the Amateur Radio option.

SonicSounds · Post by **SonicSounds** » Thu May 26, 2005 12:04 pm

I've never had any problem with CDM Series radios and use them in dual head configurations on a number of fire apparatus...

Jon

jackhackett · Post by **jackhackett** » Fri May 27, 2005 10:58 am

The main problem I've had with CDMs is they have compatibility problems with civil service employees. Apparently some combination of not wanting to be notified you have work to do and the inability to be fired causes the volume controls to be snapped off.

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Fri May 27, 2005 2:18 pm

i have had mine for about 5 years now a cdm 1550 never a problem it is VHF and it works like a champ

libuff · Post by **libuff** » Fri May 27, 2005 6:51 pm

bellersley wrote:
libuff wrote:my RSSI shows 5x5 for every transmission from distant static to me talking on my portable.
That's not an error. It's the Amateur Radio option.

huh? im utilizing a VHF 136-174 45W on Public Safety Freqs... how did i end up with that? how do i get rid of it?

craig · Post by **craig** » Fri May 27, 2005 11:36 pm

My agency has 24 CDM1250 radios in VHF and 1 in UHF. They have been great radios for us. No real issues to speak of and they are being used for public safety. Tons of features, lots of channels, and durability, what else could you want? The early firmware versions were a bit quirky, but we have firmware upgraded our first two (year 2000 vintage) and all is well now.

Craig

muggsy09 · Post by **muggsy09** » Sat May 28, 2005 12:23 am

My department has a combo of CDM750s and CDM1550s they work ok...we too have problems with the volume control but all in all they work ok....now we also have HT750s they are horrible scan works like crap, audio sounds like the person is talking inside a tin can, transmit power is also just as bad they we bought like 5 years ago so we are do for new radios soon, unfortunatly it will be too late for HT1000 I think glad I bought my own before they went.

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Sat May 28, 2005 1:27 am

libuff wrote:
bellersley wrote:
libuff wrote:my RSSI shows 5x5 for every transmission from distant static to me talking on my portable.
That's not an error. It's the Amateur Radio option.
huh? im utilizing a VHF 136-174 45W on Public Safety Freqs... how did i end up with that? how do i get rid of it?

*WHOOSH*.

The sound of a joke just barely clearing the top of your head.

jim · Post by **jim** » Sat May 28, 2005 6:20 am

One big problem is that most Motorola shops just dump 16 frequencies into these things and have NO idea how to set anyhting else like....

AUTO POWER that makes you TX at 1/2 watt most of the time
SCAN SETTINGS that make the radio sound like crap
COMPANDER / EXPANDER that makes the radio sound like more crap

emcom · Post by **emcom** » Sat May 28, 2005 3:48 pm

jim wrote:One big problem is that most Motorola shops just dump 16 frequencies into these things and have NO idea how to set anyhting else like....

AUTO POWER that makes you TX at 1/2 watt most of the time
SCAN SETTINGS that make the radio sound like crap
COMPANDER / EXPANDER that makes the radio sound like more crap

Thanks....I'll be sure to look out for that. DEFINITELY do not want the auto power.

The old shop messed up my scan in my syntor X. We had revived an old police VHF micor repeater and put it back on the air. I needed to get the freq programmed in. When they tried to re-program it, the EEPROM fried. They had to go in the storage room and find another old unit to get a used EEPROM to program it. I was afraid to take it back to get the scan corrected...might come out with even more issues or ruin the only EEPROM that they could find.

They forgot to set scan priority in the program...also tone decode was not turned on. I can't complain much. It has been a good radio. Our agency bought it new in 1986. We still have the receipt somewhere

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