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can anyone ID this radio?
Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2002 1:37 pm
by KG4WCG
Model AZP93VNB20H2AA TANAPA PMUD1189C
Don't know if this a a real model # or not? What band does this operate on, and what is the price range for something like this?
Thanks
Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2002 1:57 pm
by 601
VHF GP68. 136-174 MHz If you're not sure that's the real model number, the only other way you can find out easily is by reding the radio with RSS.
You can check out ebay for the going prices, that's usually a good start.
Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2002 2:49 pm
by wa2zdy
I want one
Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2002 3:42 pm
by 601
Don't we all?
Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2002 8:18 pm
by elkbow
I have a like new UHF with factory box, etc if anyone needs one. Good radio's, they are 20 channel, field programmable. The bandsplit on the VHF is I believe 136-174, the UHF is 430-470. The VHF is a 5 watt radio, the UHF a 4 watt. Does all the goodies, TPL/DPL/scan/etc.
Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2002 10:52 pm
by motor59
w5atx wrote:I want one
601 wrote:Don't we all?
http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.php?t=11502
Go for it!
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2002 1:26 am
by Will
Most GP68 radios are not type accepted and do not have a FCC ID on them, they were intended for other than the USA sales. They are NOT type accepted for use on commercial, Public Safety or GMRS service.
Software is required for alignment and service only.
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2002 5:14 am
by wa2zdy
Will wrote:Most GP68 radios are not type accepted and do not have a FCC ID on them, they were intended for other than the USA sales. They are NOT type accepted for use on commercial, Public Safety or GMRS service.
Software is required for alignment and service only.
It would be great though to have a radio I could program on the fly. Right now, when I travel, I look up the ham repeaters local to where I'm going and HOPE the info (PL info is notoriously incorrect) in the repeater guide is correct, program my MT1000 and wing it.
Yes I know about the AP73, but unlike the GP68, I've NEVER seen an AP73 offered for sale.
Ah well, I still want one! (The week before Christmas is not the time to suggest a $250 radio toy! Three kids and a wife . . . you know the drill!)
Thanks for the heads up though Will, it is a good reminder. I can see folks getting in trouble.
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:44 pm
by elkbow
Chris, You're right, perfect for HAM on the fly. You can bring your ARRL Repeater Directory and if you are travelling long distance it works great. I can put 128 channels in one of my HT1250's if needed or 256 if I use both HT1250's, one for half the country, the other for the other half
Nice radio's though. I run mine with the factory battery, its short and compact and lasts fairly long. If extended battery time is needed, then you can go with the larger battery, but get the car cord and plug into your base instead of the transformer and drop the radio in the charger and hit quick charge and in a few hours your ready to go or leave it on the slow charge if you don't need it for awhile.
or
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2002 9:39 pm
by sglass
you could get a synth ham rig
vx-50r?
some thing smalll dual band
Re: or
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2002 9:47 pm
by wa2zdy
sglass wrote:you could get a synth ham rig
vx-50r?
some thing smalll dual band
Yes, I could do that, but I choose to use exclusively Motorola for everything not HF. So that's that. That's why I have an HT200 on 10m, a gaggle of radios (Syntor X, GM300, MT1000, P200, few MT500s) on 2m and on 440 (HT600, MT1000, GM300), and soon a Syntor X on 10m and 6m. Matter of choice and mine is made.
Thanks for the thought though, I accept it in the true amateur spirit.
Dagnabbit, I want one of those GP68s! Someday.
Later,
i understrand
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2002 9:55 pm
by sglass
Chris
I understand the adiction completely
behind me sits:
vhf gm300
uhf m216
system saber 3 uhf
3 ht1000 uhf
1 ht1000 vhf
1 mt1000 vhf
2 uhf p1225's
1 uhf visar
a gr300 on 145.17
oh and a kenwood ts-680s for hf and six
usually a icom 271h for 2m ssb, but it is being fixed now
so YES I understand the motorola fetish
I still want a gp300 on 220 band, once I dreamt I had a rack of them-it sucked waking up!
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2002 8:05 pm
by elkbow
I'll save you my GP68 when you're ready, it is sitting in the box. I'll just keep tempting you with it. I really think you need it.....Just kiddin'. I've went through a bunch of GP68's. They work great, not built as sturdy as some of the Motorola line, but build much better than many competitors radio's.
I agree on the Moto stuff, its just personal choice. We could get a actual HAM radio, Kenwood, Alinco, Icom, etc., but I like Moto's. So we have a bunch of them piled in the vehicle, and a separate handheld for both 2m and 70cm...oh well.
Got rid of my Kenwood TM-733A, now I have a Moto CDM 1250 UHF in the truck, getting ready to install my VHF Spectra.
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2002 12:15 am
by Justin
Besides the fact that the radio is Motorola, I can see no reason to want that radio. It is not terribly rugged, It has a really screwy way of telling you that the battery is low (it beeps incessantly after just a little bit of transmitting), and it has issues with the keypad board coming loose and breaking among other irritating issues.
This goes without saying that it is NOT type accepted in the US at all since it is an export radio, not to mention the fact that is a dashboard programmable radio. I know of many a REACT member sporting those things on their waists at various events because of the field programmability. As I understand, that function is not something that is enabled from the factory. I may be wrong. The one primary beef most had with it was the short time that the battery would last before that radio started beeping low voltage.
Will and I both have had a heck of a time with those infernal devices.
IMHO, I can think of many a worthier radio to spend my money on. That just happens to be my $0.02 on that radio.
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2002 12:40 am
by KG6EAQ
For just a little bit more you could get a much more rugged radio, like an HT1000 or go down a bit to a MT1000... GP68's just don't seem worth it.. Justin, see ya tomm morning!
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2002 3:55 am
by Josh
Justin wrote:Besides the fact that the radio is Motorola, I can see no reason to want that radio. It is not terribly rugged, It has a really screwy way of telling you that the battery is low (it beeps incessantly after just a little bit of transmitting), and it has issues with the keypad board coming loose and breaking among other irritating issues.
This goes without saying that it is NOT type accepted in the US at all since it is an export radio, not to mention the fact that is a dashboard programmable radio. I know of many a REACT member sporting those things on their waists at various events because of the field programmability. As I understand, that function is not something that is enabled from the factory. I may be wrong. The one primary beef most had with it was the short time that the battery would last before that radio started beeping low voltage.
Will and I both have had a heck of a time with those infernal devices.
IMHO, I can think of many a worthier radio to spend my money on. That just happens to be my $0.02 on that radio.
I have and use a GP68 and I'm happy enough with it to keep it.
I've never heard of any boards breaking and I don't have 'low voltage' problems as I use 1100ma (short) and 1800ma (long) NiMh batteries. The 1800Ma battery lasted me nearly a whole week 12 hours a day, one 1 channel with power save enabled. Now, that's a long time. I understand that if you're using the Motorola ni-cad short battery at 600ma that the battery life isn't going to be long however, NiMH makes the difference.
The only issue I have with it is its fairly cheap construction, lack of FCC id (meaning tx is confines to the Ham bands) and the mere 250ma of audio power which for me, isn't enough to work in a noisy environment as effectively as a GP300 with 500Ma.
That's about it.
The receiver is pretty good, and if it's something you want, $250 is not too much to pay. If you don't like it or want it, odds are that someone else is waiting in line to pay that same price to take it off of your hands.
-Josh
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2002 4:25 am
by wa2zdy
As I said, I've never even seen one except on the net. So what? Lots of things I've bought sight unseen Sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you.
Justin, scroll up - I did say it would be used on the ham bands only. I value my licenses, not interested in sending any of them back to FCC. I have cheap spirits for my wife's business frequency. And they do the job just fine. No need for me to risk my licenses for that.
Like I said before, I want one!
Oh and to whoever commented on the Jedi and Genesis, yes, I have MT1000s here. GREAT radio. And I'd like an HT1000, but they won't do what the GP68 will do. So back to the line above. I want one. Maybe wth the tax check in the spring. But by then I'll have something else I want. Like a car. The Mazda is over 259,000 miles now, it's time to consider a replacement.
Good holidays to all!
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2002 8:35 am
by elkbow
Justin, there is a low battery indicator like all radio's, and it is identified on the display by a 'batt' flashing lcd message. The radio is not just fully progammable for frequency, PL/DPL, SCAN, etc., it is also fully programmable for all the things you would normally setup in a RSS or CPS.
You're right, not the radio for everyone. People have their personal preferences. But the audio is fairly clear and the functionality is great.
The radio doesn't come from the factory programmable, but this is normal. They want the dealers to switch them to programming mode and then change back when they are done programming so that the customer doesn't mess up any of the settings. There are two different types of radio's, one that is really easy to switch to the programming mode and the other that requires the removal of a chip resistor, but still fairly simple. There are also two programming modes, one to change all the normal parameters, the other is called SPM (Special Programming Mode).
In SPM you can change the following:
Set Accesssory Option
Set Battery Type
Set Battery Saver Status
Alert Tone Volume
Set Sidetone Status
Set SelCall Tone Status
Edit Time Out Timer
Edit All Call ID
Edit Channel Scan List
Erase Single Channel
Edit Phone Access Code
Edit Phone Deaccess Code
Edit PTT ID
Edit Acknowledge ID
Edit Individual Call ID
Edit Group Call ID
When in the normal programming mode, all of the other functions are simple. Channel a channels frequency and PL/DPL and storing into memory is simple.
But like I said, everyone likes whatever they have or want. I drive a Ford truck, I like it the best. It may not be the best, but its what I like.
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2002 6:12 pm
by Heterodyne
What does the GP68 use for PTT-ID? I wasn't aware that it did MDC-1200.