Identify this radio?

dustin486 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-14-2005, 10:22 PM

Hi there. My friend and I have been trying to find the frequencies that metro narcotics use. For over a month we have been searching every band, with no good progress. Tonight on the news, metro narcotics did a segment with a reporter and they left one of their radios sitting on the desk. I don't have the proper cables at the time to grab an image from the tv on my computer, so for now the best I can do is a digtial camera. I have it recorded if these aren't good enough and I need to try to take some others.

The images can be viewed here: http://www.esportsea.com/dustin/narcradio

The only text visible on it is the motorola logo, and some peice of paper that appears to be taped to the radio (cant make out any text on the paper). It also has the orange emergency button on top.

Thanks in advance if anyone is able to identify this radio :)

I looked through the motorola site and nothing really jumped out at me.

Thanks,
dustin

akardam · #2 (**permalink**) 06-14-2005, 10:39 PM

Based on the body style and the length of the antenna, I'd say a MTS2000 800MHz. Probably a 16 channel radio if it is as appears a channel list taped to the front. If it's NARC then they may be running crypto, hence the MTS2k makes sense since it will accept a crypto board.

That's my guess, anyway.

dustin486 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-14-2005, 10:48 PM

Thanks for the reply. Now that i look closely at the mts2000, that does appear to be it. The one on the motorola website has a keypad, but using google images I managed to find this one: http://www.usedradio.com/images/photos/large/189.JPG

It looks identical to the one in the picture. So I should be concentrating on 800mhz?

Again, thanks :)

JnglMassiv · #4 (**permalink**) 06-14-2005, 11:29 PM

Could be anything from the Jedi line. Other than the MTS2000:
HT1000
MTX 8000/9000/838
JT1000
MT2000

The MTS is the only one that's secure capable out of the box. Hard to say for sure its an 800MHz antenna as UHF ones are similar in length and appearance.

Voyager · #5 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JnglMassiv

Could be anything from the Jedi line. Other than the MTS2000:
HT1000
MTX 8000/9000/838
JT1000
MT2000

The MTS is the only one that's secure capable out of the box. Hard to say for sure its an 800MHz antenna as UHF ones are similar in length and appearance.

My first thought was UHF, but it could be 800. Any chance you can get better pics or an actual PC version video file? Too bad you can't read the 'white paper' - it's no doubt a channel list. Not that it would tell you the frequencies, but it would tell you which channels (or TGs) are which. Of course, it could also be a radio identifier list - 100 series = dept X / 200 series - Dept Y, etc.

It almost looke like the case is more ergononic than the Jedi series - sort of like a XTS2500. But, with the low TV res bombined with the camera resolution, it's really hard to tell.

Joe M.

JnglMassiv · #6 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 12:39 AM

Quote:

t almost looke like the case is more ergononic than the Jedi series

I thought so too. In particular that sort of lump on the right side. The XTS's have a more sloped top near the knobs but I'm not conviced it's a Jedi either.

akardam · #7 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 01:35 AM

Well, since it's got no keypad, that kind of eliminates a JT1000.

I'd say it's probably not a XTS2500, which doesn't have the model number in white text under the speaker grille, and a fatter channel knob. Here's a shot of the XTS2500 for comparison:

The lump on the right side is probably just the accessory port dust cover.

The red line shows the probable minimum length of the antenna. For comparison is a UHF and a 800 Jedi scaled approximately. It would appear to be too long to be a UHF wideband whip.

Given that it's kind of hard to tell if the radio has a top display or not, I'd guess wither a MTX or a MTS2000, 16 or 48 channel.

dustin486 · #8 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 02:20 AM

Really good information akardam :)

No the radio doesn't have a display. I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a keypad (hard to tell with the paper, but no display probably means no keypad).

Voyager · #9 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akardam

Well, since it's got no keypad, that kind of eliminates a JT1000.

I'd say it's probably not a XTS2500, which doesn't have the model number in white text under the speaker grille, and a fatter channel knob. Here's a shot of the XTS2500 for comparison:

Yep. The channel knob gives it away. It's the shape that led me to believe it was something more new than a Jedi series, but now that you mention it, it almost does look like there may be a display on the top. You can sort of see the white reflecting off of it. The fuzziness makes it look more ergonomic, I guess.

Joe M.

akardam · #10 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dustin486

No the radio doesn't have a display. I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a keypad (hard to tell with the paper, but no display probably means no keypad).

The only front keypad with no front display Jedi series I'm aware of is a DTMF HT1000, which was never produced (except possibly as a SP model) in 800MHz.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voyager

... now that you mention it, it almost does look like there may be a display on the top. You can sort of see the white reflecting off of it.

Looking at it again, I'd say you're probably right, which would probably make it a 48 channel top display MTS. As you said the white label on the front could be a list of units or something else, too.

Fun stuff, this sleuthing :)

W4KRR · #11 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 10:28 AM

Even if you positively identify the radio, you still won't know what frequency or frequencies it operates on. Maybe the band, but that's it.

akardam · #12 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 02:20 PM

Well, if you can ID the radio, then you can narrow your scanner's service search to the public safety frequencies within the band that the radio will cover. That gives you a much more concise frequency window to scan.

JnglMassiv · #13 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Well, if you can ID the radio, then you can narrow your scanner's service search to the public safety frequencies within the band that the radio will cover.

Besides, can't you feel it? The thrill of the chase? Solving the mystery? Cracking the puzzle?

W4KRR · #14 (**permalink**) 06-15-2005, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akardam

Well, if you can ID the radio, then you can narrow your scanner's service search to the public safety frequencies within the band that the radio will cover. That gives you a much more concise frequency window to scan.

That's still a tiny needle hidden in a big haystack.