Batboard

Hello,
Ok, I figured I'd ask this question for all to answer: If you were to go and buy a BRAND NEW (ie. one that is now currently in production) Motorola portable radio (UHF more specifically) which model would you get and why ?? As of now I'm torn between a EX600 and HT1550, but I would like to hear what others have to say. Durability, is a must, as well as MDC ID encode, etc. etc. My MTS and MT's are great, however I'd like to buy a brand new portable (or something that is currently being produced).

Ok, lets hear what you would get . . . ..

If it were my money, I would not buy a new /\/\

XTS5000, of course.

But seriously:
EX600 - not designed for public safety, not nearly rugged enough.
HT1550 - audio isn't the greatest.

For my money, the answer would be a Kenwood TK-3180. MDC can be added from the factory. I've got some 60-70 2180s (VHF) in service with nothing but glowing reviews. They can be set for keypad programmability, Tactical Zone, and other such features. Oh, and you can get the complete package with two LiIon batteries, radio, rapid charger, speaker mic, and MDC for sub-$700.

tvsjr wrote:
For my money, the answer would be a Kenwood TK-3180. MDC can be added from the factory. I've got some 60-70 2180s (VHF) in service with nothing but glowing reviews. They can be set for keypad programmability, Tactical Zone, and other such features. Oh, and you can get the complete package with two LiIon batteries, radio, rapid charger, speaker mic, and MDC for sub-$700.

I didn't know they have MDC avaiable from the factory, sounds like a really great radio for public safety. A ton of the LE/FF/EMS users around here use the HT1250s, probably pay as much for those as what those 2180/3180s cost

Well, it really depends on what you are going to use the radio for. It if is Public Safety, I would say an XTS5K or 2500.

Between the two radios you listed, I would go with the HT1550. I have two of them and really like them, but those darned displays scratch extremely easy so make sure you protect them with film or something. I just think the EX series is too small.

Now, you mentioned durability - your Jedi's are definitely more rugged than the Waris line and have been favorites of many people around here, me included. I still find myself using my MTS2000 more often than my 5K or 2500 when I don't need digital. Go figure.

Why do you want to buy a new radio? Is it that you need more channels, more capabilities, a new toy or just the flashiness? These are all questions you should ask yourself. Moving from Jedis to a Waris radio will mean new accessories, programming cables and...software.

Anyway, what radio would I buy? An 8 meg (Rev B) XTS2500. Nice size, solid, upgradable and it won't become a dinosaur in the near future.

-Wicho.

Kenwood 5310. Its like a 3180 on crack and it does P25

Grog wrote:I didn't know they have MDC avaiable from the factory, sounds like a really great radio for public safety. A ton of the LE/FF/EMS users around here use the HT1250s, probably pay as much for those as what those 2180/3180s cost

Yep. There's a 26-pin connector (sorta like a UCM connector) on the back panel under a metal cover. Cimarron builds a couple of boards that are designed to plug right in. You can order the boards pre-installed and configured from Kenwood using the appropriate labor op codes. As for the price, the 1250 is higher than the 2180/3180, and isn't anywhere close to being as nice of a radio. x180 has 512 channels, better audio, better backlight, bigger display, and less weird-ass problems than the Waris line. Oh, and Kenwood will be more than happy to sell you the software, for reasonable money, regardless of who you are. The Tactical Zone feature is pimpin as well - you can "copy" channels that exist in the radio into a special "tactical" zone, which then has its own scan list. Say you go to a large wildfire... you can drop your FD channel, the fireground, state fire mutual aid, maybe forestry service channels, etc. all in one zone for easy access and quickly configure a custom temporary scan list. This is only useful for "power users" but can be extremely helpful.

The 5310 is an excellent radio, but it has P25 - thus a significantly higher price tag.

Sorry, I should have been more specific,
The radio is for personal use. I've owned MT and MTS2000 radios for many years, and now that they are long gone from M (but some still commonly in use by public safety agencys) I figured I would go out and buy something that is currently in production. I bought a CDM1550 for my truck, and that radio has everything but the kitchen sink. I know many people are not found of the Waris series radios, however in all honesty I have never owned one. I just want opinions on what I should get for a Portable radio.

Thank you to all, your input will judge what my next radio will be

tvsjr wrote:

Grog wrote:I didn't know they have MDC avaiable from the factory, sounds like a really great radio for public safety. A ton of the LE/FF/EMS users around here use the HT1250s, probably pay as much for those as what those 2180/3180s cost

Yep. There's a 26-pin connector (sorta like a UCM connector) on the back panel under a metal cover. Cimarron builds a couple of boards that are designed to plug right in. You can order the boards pre-installed and configured from Kenwood using the appropriate labor op codes. As for the price, the 1250 is higher than the 2180/3180, and isn't anywhere close to being as nice of a radio. x180 has 512 channels, better audio, better backlight, bigger display, and less weird-ass problems than the Waris line. Oh, and Kenwood will be more than happy to sell you the software, for reasonable money, regardless of who you are. The Tactical Zone feature is pimpin as well - you can "copy" channels that exist in the radio into a special "tactical" zone, which then has its own scan list. Say you go to a large wildfire... you can drop your FD channel, the fireground, state fire mutual aid, maybe forestry service channels, etc. all in one zone for easy access and quickly configure a custom temporary scan list. This is only useful for "power users" but can be extremely helpful.

The 5310 is an excellent radio, but it has P25 - thus a significantly higher price tag.

i'm vexed about adding cimaron boards to Vertex and Kenwood stuff.. the issues i have with my /\/\ portable is that i need multiple MDC id's in each radio. i work for 3 different companies, which allow me to use my own portable, so theres 3 diff MDC id's, then other systems on the side with their ID's... i have 5 total. i could never achieve that with a Cimmaron board. otherwise i'd go for the Vertex 929, or the p929 (digital). currently using a XTS2500 Mod2, so i can have multiple MDC & Multiple ASTRO id's as well.

XTS5000 with FPP.
If you haven't messed with/used FPP by all means
do so and find out how great it is.

For example, I had a RR channel programmed whose
frequency (AAR ch. 22) I got from some RR scanner book. When I
heard it tonight it sounded off frequency, which it was
by 5 kHz. It took twenty seconds to put the radio
dead on the frequency. FPP rules!

XTS radios take a while to learn, and I'm still far from being
any kind of true expert on them, but the time it takes to
find out just some of the things they'll do is really worth it.

Tom in D.C. wrote:XTS5000 with FPP.
If you haven't messed with/used FPP by all means
do so and find out how great it is.

For example, I had a RR channel programmed whose
frequency (AAR ch. 22) I got from some RR scanner book. When I
heard it tonight it sounded off frequency, which it was
by 5 kHz. It took twenty seconds to put the radio
dead on the frequency. FPP rules!

XTS radios take a while to learn, and I'm still far from being
any kind of true expert on them, but the time it takes to
find out just some of the things they'll do is really worth it.

XTS2500 with FPP... i programmed in on Astro25 CPS v.10, turned into a nightmere!

the XTS5000 with FPP--but I still will always like those JT/HT can only use so many channels. the question "New M Portable" for what application
________________
my 2 cents

I was assuming by the mention of the Jedis, EX, and Waris, that the OP probably didn't have the budget for an FPP XTS5000. That's absolutely the best way to go... but you can buy a half-dozen Kenwoods for less money than one 5K.

EF Johnson has the 5100 series portables. They are built around the Motorola XTS style
package. You can even swap accessories between the different brands. This includes
batteries, speaker mics and chargers.

The national guard and the US Army is buying a bunch of these.

Cost is less than the Motorola portables.

If your looking at using one for trunking, they seem to work just fine. Haven't played with
any of the 5100 EF Johnson portables on a P25 system yet, but they do have that ability if
optioned for that feature.

Jim

libuff wrote: XTS2500 with FPP...

I second that. Putting the slightly lower channel capacity aside, it's smaller than the XTS5000 and can be ordered with all the same features.

nmfire10 wrote:Kenwood 5310. Its like a 3180 on crack and it does P25

The TK-5310 w/LCD and full keypad is on my list. I won't dwell any further on non-M radios since they are OT.

For M radios, I'd go with an XTS2500 w/full display and keypad. FPP is nice to have but not a necessity.

All future radio purchases of mine shall have P25 capability. Goodbye Waris series!

Is this tactical zone on the 3180 a new firmware feature. I don't have that one any of ours?

nmfire10 wrote:Is this tactical zone on the 3180 a new firmware feature. I don't have that one any of ours?

Yep. I can't recall exactly, but it requires some hardware changes. Dunno if you can do it in the field. It's not an expensive option with new radios, however. Most of mine do not have this functionality (which doesn't bother me... cause the operators usually aren't smart enough to know what to do with it anyway )

Reguarding the Waris radios, in my opinion they do not belong in Pub. Safety. Almost every HT1250/1550 I've even seen that's seen it's use has a cracked LCD amongst other problems.

XTS5k, for sure

Yea, I'm the only one that would ever use that function. The one time I wanted to do that for a special event, I just did it with the software and it still only took a few minutes.