Please Recommend A Radio

[TheZach]

Hey,

I'm looking for a new HT. I'm thinking about getting a motorola, but I dont feel like spending $700+ on an XTS 5000 plus I have no need for the digital crap around here.

As I would be new to motorolla and this would be my first purchase of a motorolla radio I would like a recomendation for a radio.

1. I want it to be VHF (UHF Not needed but a plus)
2. I would like it to be programmable on the radio - I hear Big Moto doesent like end users having programming tools.
3. I would like it to be able to scan or recieve outside the band (and the possibility to inhibit transmit on these channels incase of accidental PTT pushing or an idiot gets my radio)
4. It needs to be rugged - I tend to beat up my radios on accident.

Does anyone have any recomendations?

[Tom in D.C.]

Not enough info in your post to really help you, so...

1. Are you licensed? If not, what bands do you
need to operate on?
2. Motorola doesn't make a dual band HT.
3. For most people, getting a front-panel-programmable
(FPP) radio means getting a ham HT. Motorola HTs with
the feature are very expensive
4. Scanning/receiving "outside the band" doesn't mean
anything until you say what band you'll be using, which
sounds like 144-148 mHz but is not clear.
5. Good HTs are also made by Vertex, Icom, Alinco,
etc. etc. The first two make ham and commercial
radios.

In general, there is a relatively large number of Motorola
HTs you could use, so maybe the best thing at this point
to do would be to go to one of the Motorola factory pages
and look over their line. You'll find the learning curve to be
fast but there is a lot to learn just the same.

[Grog]

I would say a really good deal on a used Bendix King DPH

[libuff]

is this for personal use or public safety use? will it be used at work for for hobby?

i personally use a Vertex VX-7R for hobby use, and the XTS-2500i for PS work use.

the vx-7r has all the programming you need from the keypad, and its quad-band, primarily ham stuff, but u can find instructions on modifying the radio, however i believe this is illegial in the FCC's eyes.

[Grog]

Legal to mod, but not to use outside the ham band.

[libuff]

also, it does AM from what i remember... or i may be wrong.. i KNOW for a fact they do a VX-7R variant for the aviation community

[Terry_Glover]

Yeah, most, if not all of the later Vertex/Yaesu amateur handhelds WILL RECEIVE AM in the VHF air band (108-137 Mhz). No way to mod them to transmit there though.

[TheZach]

Not enough info in your post to really help you, so...

1. Are you licensed? If not, what bands do you
need to operate on?
2. Motorola doesn't make a dual band HT.
3. For most people, getting a front-panel-programmable
(FPP) radio means getting a ham HT. Motorola HTs with
the feature are very expensive
4. Scanning/receiving "outside the band" doesn't mean
anything until you say what band you'll be using, which
sounds like 144-148 mHz but is not clear.
5. Good HTs are also made by Vertex, Icom, Alinco,
etc. etc. The first two make ham and commercial
radios.

FCC Technician Class Amateur Radio (USA)

I dont need AM ability at all

Theres a lot of cheap motorola stuff on ebay and I hear the qulity of the radios are quite good - so I'm thinking about trying one out.

[d119]

I'd just spend the money and get yourself an HT1550XLS VHF with the field programming battery. Keypad programmable, every feature under the sun, and none of that "digital crap" you don't need.

Could probably find a used one for $400-$550 if you use due diligence.

[Rayjk110]

Does anyone have any recomendations?

If you don't need too many channels, the JT1000 sounds about right. It's FPP (Front Panel Programmable), and in VHF, it operates in the entire 136-174MHz split. Holds 16 Channels, and newer revision controllers support QC functions. If you only need to transmitt on Ham, you can set via RSS which bandsplit can be programmed to TX on (i.e. you can only FPP it to TX between 144-148).

Cost wise, it'll run you anywhere between $250-400, depending on who's got what. They pop up here every now and then, but they're more common on eBay.

You'll want to look for the model number of: H01KDH9PA3AN