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Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 9:02 am
by Mfire39
Just for fun and conversation, I put together a couple photos of some oddball portables that have been produced over the years. I don't think these particular models have ever been together in one place at one time for a group shot that I know of, so I figured why not.. If anyone else has an oddball, feel free to include it..
In order,
-Jedi model 3 clear (pre-production)
-Saber SI
-XTS3500R
-XTS4000
-Marc
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 9:32 am
by FireCpt809
I have an HT210 that I should post. I also have a VHF XTS3500 MIII but it is dressed up as a 3000.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 2:02 pm
by PETNRDX
OK, now those are weird radios...
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 3:27 pm
by wavetar
Ooooh, I likey the clear MTS!
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:37 pm
by escomm
I have a clear SP50+ and SP10, they were handed out as demos for the early Radius dealers
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:55 pm
by dxon2m
Feelin' British mate
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 8:23 pm
by NSPD
Mfire39-
I notice that your Saber SI has the teal-colored buttons like the Astro Sabers...
Mine has dark hunter green-colored buttons... was this an early or late production change?
I just noticed the difference and I have been wondering about it for some time...
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 8:38 pm
by Mfire39
NSPD wrote:Mfire39-
I notice that your Saber SI has the teal-colored buttons like the Astro Sabers...
Mine has dark hunter green-colored buttons... was this an early or late production change?
I just noticed the difference and I have been wondering about it for some time...
Thats a good question... If I had to guess, I would say that the teal buttons like the Astro Sabers were towards the end of the short SI production life, as the Astro Sabers started to come about.. The dark hunter green buttons were probably very early production runs. Is there any way you can post a photo of your SI in this thread when you have time? I'm curious to see how much different of a shade they are..
-Marc
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 8:55 pm
by kotaguchi
Now,if someone posts some pics of their Professional Series(HT750,HT1250) radio with the camo housings..That would be nice addition to this thread.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 9:06 pm
by NSPD
I will post some pictures as soon as I can, my main computer is down right now so I am using my netbook. I can also post pictures of my 220mhz HT1250 in a camouflage housing.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:50 am
by KX5MOT
I guess ill take a photo of the clear SP50 i have.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:24 am
by WB6NVH
Here's an older one, MP500 railroad pack set:
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 2:33 pm
by 601
Not as impressive, but it's an orange P50
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 3:02 pm
by KitN1MCC
i like the lunch box radios i have one. i want to try and put a cp 200 in one
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 7:10 pm
by motorola_otaku
German-manufactured VHF-midband (68-84 MHz) MX1000. 2 feet of radio, baby.
It lights up florescent bulbs, too.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:00 pm
by Will
I want one of those!!!
I do remember one radio site that I could not turn off the lights....
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:41 pm
by motorola_otaku
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:06 pm
by dsheli
What kind of programing cable is used on the XTS4000?
David
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:18 pm
by akardam
dsheli wrote:What kind of programing cable is used on the XTS4000?
David
NKN1029A - XTS 4000 Service Cable USB - List $237
NKN1027A - XTS 4000 Service Cable Serial - List $251
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 10:59 am
by wavetar
Guys, I split all the Astro Saber AVA discussion out of the thread, as it didn't really have anything to do with the original topic. More excellent Astro Saber AVA information by motorola_otaku can be found here:
http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=88557
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 11:58 am
by wavetar
I had to throw this one in here...the intrinsically safe 'CSA Approved' MTX4550. Love the smurf blue case...I know all you Americans are jealous!
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:35 pm
by escomm
Yeah, what's up with that?? Canuckistanians gettin purdy blue radios and we get....
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:52 pm
by KitN1MCC
i want a blue radio
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 6:41 pm
by 4n6inv
A Motorola Smurf? What next? Kinda cool, though... Red would be great for FD radios Blue for PD. and Green for Whackers.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 12:44 pm
by wavetar
Wow, some people actually like the gay blue...maybe Motorola Marketing wasn't smoking anything after all.
I've had a few PM's on getting the cases & whatnot. Unfortunately, since they are CSA approved, only Motorola will be working on them...we cannot get parts, or even part numbers, for that matter. Sorry!
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:07 pm
by impalass427
I have micor era mic that is red with cream front screen
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:13 pm
by 4n6inv
Someone educate me on how to post a photo... I have an oddball. You'll crack up when I tell you the story.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:25 pm
by FireCpt809
impalass427 wrote:I have micor era mic that is red with cream front screen
Illinois state police used those for years with the ISPERN radios almost every car in the state in the 70's and 80's had a state issued ISPERN radio. The EMS had a Yellow mic with a black screen for the MERCI radios.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 9:12 pm
by Batwings21
FireCpt809 wrote:impalass427 wrote:I have micor era mic that is red with cream front screen
Illinois state police used those for years with the ISPERN radios almost every car in the state in the 70's and 80's had a state issued ISPERN radio. The EMS had a Yellow mic with a black screen for the MERCI radios.
Yeah I used to have a couple of those, still have a GE I.S.P.E.R.N. control head, built off of the master 2 progress line.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:57 am
by motorola_otaku
4n6inv wrote:Someone educate me on how to post a photo... I have an oddball. You'll crack up when I tell you the story.
1.) Go to
http://www.imageshack.us
2.) Click the "Browse" button and browse over to where the image is stored on your computer. Left-click on it to highlight it and click "Open." The image file name and filesize should now appear under the image/videos/url/webcam options.
3.) Click "Start Upload." If clicking it doesn't do anything, you may need to temporarily disable your browser adblocking software/plugin, refresh, and repeat Steps 1-3.
4.) Once the image has uploaded, copy the code under "Direct link to image" and paste it into your post in IMG tags, like this:
Code: Select all
[IMG]*image link code goes here*[/IMG]
If the image is large, copy the "Thumbnail for Forums (1)" code and paste it into your post as-is.
5.) Complete your post and reply normally.
6.) Profit.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:43 pm
by Mfire39
I'm surprised a photo of the long rumored Red Swiss XTS3000 hasn't surfaced yet...
-Marc
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:56 pm
by 4n6inv
OK, here goes...
Shortly after the XTS4000 came out; I was tantailizing my local sheriff about it and promised to show him a "demo". This was what I walked into his office with. Hilarity ensued. This is an OLD 36 MHz handie.
Enjoy... if it works.
Jim
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:58 pm
by 4n6inv
OK; no go...
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:13 am
by Bill_G
4n6inv wrote:OK; no go...
a little help ....
I fixed more than my share of those things.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:07 am
by Tom in D.C.
Connecticut State Police used to carry these things, which I was told worked sometimes very well and sometimes not at all. At that time they were first on 45.02 and later on 45.82 in the Southbury area. My resident trooper complained to me once about how "other" government agencies had radio systems that "really worked." He was referring to a USSS repeater that the Feds set up once when Sargent Shriver visited our town when he was running for VP. He was talking about a system on 165.XXXX, set up on the unused fire tower, that blanketed the town. I tried explaining how/why it worked so well but his eyes sort of glazed over after about ten seconds of my spiel. At least I tried. That was the only MH-using system I ever saw, but this was in the days when if you had an HT220 you were the coolest guy in town, around 1975. All things considered, except for my advancing age, I'll take today over those days any time, at least radio-wise.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 9:11 pm
by 4n6inv
Thanks, Bill. I don't know what I did incorrectly, but I tried... It was a blast to bring this into the SO office and watch their faces when I whipped it out! They'd NEVER seen anything so old!
I'd bet that with a new battery; it would probably work perfectly!
Merry Christmas!
Jim
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 6:15 am
by Bill_G
My pleasure Jim. Merry Christmas to you too.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:47 am
by PETNRDX
Yes, the HT220 was a very cool radio.
And they were pretty durable if you got a good one.
I had several in that '75 to '80 period.
Started with a 4 ch Omni, but built a nice 6 ch Universal with a "bubble" DTMF pad on it for Ham VHF.
We had a couple dozen UHF at the SO where I worked most of my life.
When the HT220'S got replaced with the MX360 (channel element version) we didn't think the new radio would be
that much better, but they were.
I had a MX360-S assigned to me from about 1984 thru retirement in 2003.(even when we went 800 trunking, they didn't make me turn it in)
That MX never let me down.
I still think the Genesis was the toughest I have owned tho.
Tho I have never owned one, I suppose any of the "ruggedized" Motorolas would have to be TOUGH.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:27 pm
by 4n6inv
Actually; it a Motorola Handi-Com MH10 if you've ever heard of that. It weighs a ton and is larger than the photo depicts. I don't know the difference betweeen a 220 and this "horse". It's a single channel with a PL on and off switch. Probably a close kin to the 220...
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 2:02 pm
by wazzzzzzzzup
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 5:34 pm
by motorola_otaku
Fixed. You used the wrong code/URL. Any time you see a / at the end or ".php?" in the URL it's not a direct link to the image itself.
Here's a cap of the Imageshack upload screen with the code you want to use:
You can actually use the thumbnail code any time you want, but it's good netiquette to always use it whenever the image is larger than, say, 800 x 600 pixels.
Don't feel bad.. I was an idiot with image hotlinking and BB code when I was new to forums too.
I'll go ahead and type up a complete image posting howto post separately since it seems to come up fairly often.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 10:23 am
by 4n6inv
Ah! The Secure EXPO! My four year old son's radio of choice! Plain DES; but disabled XL in my XTS5000 and we have a blast. You KNOW how important it is to have secure communications with a four year old... To him; it's the greatest thing in the world! Especially; when I say "Go to Secure 1 Red Power Ranger!"
I know this is the wrong forum for this question; but does anyone have the rubber cover for the volume know for the Expo to enable / disable PL monitor mode? His dried up and blew away a long time ago. I think it just slides over the metal knob and has a contact of some sort in the top to press down on to enable / disable the PL circuit.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:44 pm
by wazzzzzzzzup
ill try it again, heres some more pics i have collected over the years
HT200 with odd antenna
HT220 red radio
HT600 with DTMF
original DVP keyloader
how bout a maxar80 with a mitrek controlhead.....
MCX1000 with external secure box.....on 146.520? not mine, it was on ebay years ago.
MICOR scan head, part of the foretold ISPERN system
motorola megaphone (probably used in crowd control in the 60s)
the motorola police call box with an HT90 inside.... I want one of these!
MT500 battery tester
R1800 suitcase programmer
SABER metal convertacom
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 1:58 pm
by resqguy911
wazzzzzzzzup wrote:
SABER metal convertacom
AKA: "RVA" or Ruggedized Vehicle Adapter for the Saber-R
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 2:58 pm
by PETNRDX
That weird antenna on the HT200 is called a "rigid antenna", and I think they were mostly used by railroad crews.
Part number NAD6100A and the price in the book was $8.00 back in the late 60's and early 70 parts book.
Made a nice carry handle when on foot.
Also offered on the HT220.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:33 pm
by KitN1MCC
the call box looks like an non motorola item
the maxar 80 is crazzy
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 4:27 am
by GMC
KitN1MCC wrote:the call box looks like an non motorola item
I would tend to agree with you since they are still being made by an outside company, but offered by motorola.
http://www.connectivityinc.com/products ... isting.asp
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 5:48 am
by resqroz
I had a low band MH10 with a touch tone pad that I used for many years on my 6 meter repeater. It didn't have the rubber duck antenna, just a pull out whip.
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 7:36 am
by wazzzzzzzzup
i found that site very interesting, alot more offerings today...any idea what is the portable of choice inside these models today? anyone have any inside pics?
Re: Motorola Oddballs through the years
Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 10:02 am
by GMC
wazzzzzzzzup wrote:i found that site very interesting, alot more offerings today...any idea what is the portable of choice inside these models today? anyone have any inside pics?
Can't remember what the portable is....... But I will get you some pictures next week when I get back to work.
