Tactical Comms Gear - Lets see what you're using

I'm open to spending $400 on a setup. Guess I should look at the 1250 since I like the display to help my ineptness with regard to radios currently. Are there different versions of 1250s? If so which model should I shop for?

I picked up this Moto HT1250 a few years ago on eBay for under $200, with the remote mic. They come in VHF (136-174mhz), UHF (403-470mhz, 450-512mhz), and 200mhz versions. I ended up getting a 403-470mhz UHF and hacking it to cover 440Mhz - 507Mhz, since many of the Fire and EMS frequencies I wanted to monitor were above 470mhz. Although unnecessary for my purposes, there is an LS version of the HT1250 which gives you the ability to operate on analog trunked systems. If there weren't HAM HTs that had greater capabilities at a much lower cost, I'd probably spring for an HT1550 with a keypad which does allow for field programming, so long as you have the "programming battery".

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"programming battery".

what's so special about it? if there's a circuit board inside, that's one thing, but if it's something which could be rigged in a garage... why not make one?

while on a completely different level, the sony PSP device uses a special battery to enter a programming mode. you just have to sacrifice a working battery to send the right signal to the device, crack it open and wreck a single solder point and you have a programming battery.

i'm sure there's a hack out there for this.
 
Well, as usual, things have escalated. Not a big deal.

Ed's going for 750's because he likes them - a good choice too.

I have both 750 & 1250 radios in UHF. Doesn't mean the VHF is bad but I'll go with UHF for versatility in urban and dense environments like in building and around dense buildings.

Before anyone here goes and buys a rack off eBay I'm willing to host a tech session where we can handle and review the different equipment. Unless you need this "right now!" I can post up a simple set up that will get the job done in a reasonable fashion. I'll include a couple options and break down the advantages.

Please stand by for more info. I gotta do work stuff for while
 
The interwebs says that there's a chip in there.

and what's the deal with the software? i'm snagging a copy which supposedly "Professional Radio - Customer Programming Software R06.04.00" but looks like you're going to need to run it in a VM as it doesn't support anything higher than WinXP?

Motorola RSS CPS06.04AA for HT750/1250/1550 and CDM750/CDM1250/1550 is the file.
 
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Well, as usual, things have escalated. Not a big deal.

Ed's going for 750's because he likes them - a good choice too.

I have both 750 & 1250 radios in UHF. Doesn't mean the VHF is bad but I'll go with UHF for versatility in urban and dense environments like in building and around dense buildings.

Before anyone here goes and buys a rack off eBay I'm willing to host a tech session where we can handle and review the different equipment. Unless you need this "right now!" I can post up a simple set up that will get the job done in a reasonable fashion. I'll include a couple options and break down the advantages.

Please stand by for more info. I gotta do work stuff for while

I'd most likely buy them after Harrington, could you bring some demos to that perhaps? I think I've got my frequency plug I'll send you a pm and call you today at some point.
 
Start with one of these:

Add this:

which accepts this:

That’s a basic idea if you want a versatile set up – you can wear muffs over the earbud but the mic does not deaden sound . I tried a set up like that at a NASCAR race – it wasn’t the best set up.
For NASCAR I’d want something like this:

There are other versions that requite an adapter for the specific radio but the headset can be used on more than one radio provided you have the correct adapter
For security/surveillance work:

I’ve used this set up on a gig and it helps a lot with the weight of the big microphone. It also keeps the traffic as private as possible, when you speak though, folks around you will hear you…

With headsets/ear pieces there’s a lot of variation on theme – the throat mic MI set up, etc. Some of it becomes very specific and I’m just trying to give you an idea to the basics.

Snacks has a nice set up that is set up for high noise environments with external PTT button and noise cancelling muffs/mic, perfect for artillery, range, aircraft carrier decks and Chuck E Cheese mascots.

I see a lot of radios that are obvious re-case jobs and they want top dollar for them. Most radios with yellow/red/blue/camo cases have been re-cased. I’ve seen very few orange and yellow cases from the factory but they are out there. I’d rather buy the radio and cases myself but I already have the tools to get the job done. Also, if 10 guys bought 10 individual radios there’s a high chance that they will not talk to each other at all – this is why access to programming is key if you all buy something on your own.

I once had access to HT1000’s and I’d need a solution to engraving if I were to find more. In the meantime I’ll get a programming cable and maybe I can pull the code plug off your radio Snacks, next time we meet up.

The B-fangs can be programmed to FRS/GMRS and to listen only to other HAM bands so license isn’t an issue – I’d rather use a M’rola TalkAbout and as soon as you get a HAM license, options open up greatly for radios. There are plenty of accessories similar to those listed above too.

Skippy - feel free to do your own thing with programming. The software is less than intuitive, get ready for a big learning curve.
 
Skippy - feel free to do your own thing with programming. The software is less than intuitive, get ready for a big learning curve.

if it's the right shit, i can imagine it'll be helpful to have? i only have one of the UV5Rs right now but i'm keeping an eye on all this good stuff.
 
and what's the deal with the software? i'm snagging a copy which supposedly "Professional Radio - Customer Programming Software R06.04.00" but looks like you're going to need to run it in a VM as it doesn't support anything higher than WinXP?

Motorola RSS CPS06.04AA for HT750/1250/1550 and CDM750/CDM1250/1550 is the file.

I'm running it in a VM for sure, but it works fine on Win7. I may have a newer version of CPS.
 
Just a thought......

One thing you guys need to think about is the more wattage your running the easier it is for me to DF you and pinpoint your position. Just a thought. Personally I like to keep the wattage dialed back and work with groups not so spread out as to need to communicate over a two mile distance.
 
Easily the most informative thread we've had for awhile. It's all still like read hieroglyphics to me, but I can tell I'm gonna learn something useful here. Thanks to the SME's posting and offering help.
 
Easily the most informative thread we've had for awhile. It's all still like read hieroglyphics to me, but I can tell I'm gonna learn something useful here. Thanks to the SME's posting and offering help.


Agreed. I don't have time to figure out what a 750, 1000, 1200 is right now but I have some homework.
 
My posts are brand specific because that's what I'm versed in - I know an Icom guy and that hyroglypheric (is that even a word?) if there ever was a thing. Sure it's cool but the numbers don't mean a thing to me...

So yeah - don't get hung up on what brand/radio - think bigger picture and look at the system:
radio + accessories = what works for me?

Really, what's the goal? "A Team", "Party of Five", "Seal Team Seis", "Magnificent Seven", "Brady Bunch" - or does it come down to Stewie and Brian?
 
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I think the version I have only runs on XP - we tried the Win 7 with no luck IIRC. I'll have to check my versions.
So it turns out that I am running CPS in an XP VM. The version of CPS I'm using is R06.12.02.

Where are you working VI?
I used to work for Fisher College as a tech guy for their PD, amongst other things. Since it's so close to the hatch shell, every year a ton of agencies used the college as the unified command center for the July 4th celebration in Boston. It was pretty cool to see how different shops operated together, specifically comms.
 
If anyone needs help picking expensive headsets and push to talks let me know.

So far I've owned
Comtac III's
Comtac IV's
And nacre quietpro/silynx

Comtac II's and III's can be found used online for $250-400. Brand new your talking $700-1000. They're very very nice and the unit I prefer.

Comtac IV's are expensive, nearly unobtainium, and not worth the money imo, they are a hybrid, meaning they go over your head like the regular headset, but have in-ear buds. I hated the buds, uncomfortable and hot, and gross because once you put them all up in your ears they get wax on them, then if you pull them out for a little while to take your helmet off or something they inevitably get covered in dust, nasty.

The nacre i didn't like for two reasons, one its an in ear bud like the Comtac IV, but also because the unit itself is a little bulky and hard to mount in a good place. The upsides are there is an open vox option, which means you are constantly transmitting, so you don't have to hit the ptt button. Also the audio quality I thought was a little better, as well as the voice over loud noises. Also the fact that the earbud itself is the microphone, the earbud senses the sound in your inner ear when you speak and transmits it, its actually really neat, and sounds like you are talking face to face on the other end. The best advantage is the relative concealability.

Hope this is helpful.
 
Madball - I tried to keep it specific for non-ham radios on purpose - the ham stuff opens up some serious doors and not everyone wants to geek out like that. And for the price of the Kenwood I can get (2) FT-60's that will also do the gmrs/frs with a mod.
 
Madball - I tried to keep it specific for non-ham radios on purpose - the ham stuff opens up some serious doors and not everyone wants to geek out like that. And for the price of the Kenwood I can get (2) FT-60's that will also do the gmrs/frs with a mod.

but they are not as rugged and don't have SSB receive.

with ham radios you get the regional comms and so much more not not that much money.

I think it's important for people to realize that these radios are severely limited and only have one purpose. IMHO I wouldn't waste money on a single purpose radio and would rather turn my radio power down and transmit w/o a license cause in reality no one is going to know
 
Madball - Agreed! - but ham ain't for all of us - what are the options for non-hams?
This is that discussion. That's why it's not up in HAM land

VI - You are also correct and informative - I understand what you're saying and I'm guessing many others here may not - the "goal" - for lack of a better term - is to provide squad level comms without a ham license. What do I get when I buy 4 fleabay radios? What am I looking for in a radio? etc.

The real questions are not hardware based but purpose based - what do I want to do with this thing called "radio" - once the user understands the purpose, we can provide the correct guidance.

And I'll just say this now - get your hammy ticket and be done - then the options get real simple, really fast BUT once you go down that hole, it's a tricky ride. You can enjoy it or not - that's on you.

If you're looking for a "Buy this and you're done" it's not that simple but it's close.
 
VI - You are also correct and informative - I understand what you're saying and I'm guessing many others here may not - the "goal" - for lack of a better term - is to provide squad level comms without a ham license. What do I get when I buy 4 fleabay radios? What am I looking for in a radio? etc.

So there are a few things to consider:
If all you're looking for is license-free, squad level comms, then MURS (151.820-154.600Mhz) is pretty much the only service that you can use with non-blister pack radios.

If you go Motorola, you'll be limited to VHF only. For what you gain in durability, and possibly reliability, you will lose versatility (proprietary batteries, no field programming, single band) . Because I'm licensed, the UHF Motorola works well for me because I can use it on 70cm band as well as monitor local public safety frequencies. For MURS you would need to get a Moto HT in the VHF band, which would exclude the possibility of monitoring any public safety frequencies (most are UHF.)

Without a HAM license you can still pick up a traditional dual band (2m/70cm) HAM HT (Yaesu, Kenwood, Baofeng, etc) and use it for MURS, and monitor other useful frequencies if desired. Also if you ever did decide to get licensed, you would already have a radio that you're familiar with.

I find a lot of value in being able to monitor/scan frequencies of interest using my UHF Moto HT. If monitoring public safety frequencies isn't important to you then the VHF Motorola HT750/1000/1250 should be an easy decision.

Channels
There are five MURS channels and the channels are either 11.25 kHz or 20.00 kHz each. The channel frequencies and (bandwidth) are:

151.820 MHz (11.25 kHz)

151.880 MHz (11.25 kHz)

151.940 MHz (11.25 kHz)

154.570 MHz (20.00 kHz)

154.600 MHz (20.00 kHz)

https://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/multi-use-radio-service-murs-0
 
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