Purchasing a used HT750 VHF...questions...

bp805 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-29-2009, 06:52 PM

Hi,

I am new to this forum and have some questions about purchasing a used HT750 VHF for use in the emergency services field. I have looked through ebay and found numerous "Refurbished" radios and some "Used" radios. Just wondering if anyone could help guide me as to what qualities/characteristics I should be looking for in a used radio?

Is a refurbished radio that is tested to meet Motorola specs a dependable radio? How old could the radio be and still be considered a good one to buy? What type of software updates does an older radio need to have...or does it even matter? What is a decent price to pay?

I am not too familiar with all the technical terms so something simple would be of great help.

I hope this is posted in the right spot. Thanks in advance for any help!

n2hbx · #2 (**permalink**) 10-30-2009, 10:11 PM

The HT750 is a good, reliable radio. Still in current production.

Ideally, "refurbished" would mean that the radio has been gone over, aligned and checked, and cosmetics renewed (new housing plastic, knobs, etc.). "Used" is, well, used. Depending on who owned the radio, that could range anywhere from looks like it just came out of the box to having been used as a multi-tool.

If you can see before you buy, I would be wary of radios with cracked cases (possible water intrusion areas). Try to get as complete a package as possible (antenna, battery, charger). Trying to piecemeal a set together from different sources can be a pain, unless you don't mind paying full tilt at the local Motorola shop. Even so, I would recommend purchasing one new battery, even if the radio comes with one.

Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

Larry

bezking · #3 (**permalink**) 10-31-2009, 11:28 AM

If you're looking for nice refurb HT750s, I recommend this guy on eBay: eBay Store - Guardian Radios: Portable Radios, Accessories, Mobile Radios

He says he tests every radio he refurbishes, and judging by the fact that the one he sold me two years ago still performs like new, I think he is telling the truth...

bp805 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-31-2009, 01:39 PM

Thanks for the replies. I was actually looking at one of his refurbished radios on Ebay a week ago or so, but decided to wait it out to see if I could find one that wasnt refurbished but in good used condition. Thats good to know that the radio you got from him is in great working condition.

So does that mean that a radio that has been properly refurbished and tested to meet Motorola specs is just as good or better than a used radio that someone is selling on ebay "as is" because it hasnt been tested even though they claim it has only been lightly used? There had to be something wrong with the radio in the first place to have to be refurbished correct?

Wyandotte · #5 (**permalink**) 10-31-2009, 02:28 PM

May I ask why you are looking at the HT750?
Or are you open to other Moto models?

bp805 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-31-2009, 02:38 PM

I am looking at the HT750 because that is the radio that my department uses. I am also open to looking at the HT1250...why?

Wyandotte · #7 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bp805

I am looking at the HT750 because that is the radio that my department uses. I am also open to looking at the HT1250...why?

I actually was going to suggest that you get the same radio that your department uses, so you would have a source for batteries and mikes and a charger, and all that. I see you are already thinking that.

n5ims · #8 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 11:22 PM

Getting the same radio your department uses also would make it much easier to get them to accept and program it for use on their system. That would also make it work the same as others so when they say "move to channel 4", your channel 4 would match theirs.

CVPI4Ever · #9 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 02:44 AM

Ill chime in here and offer my $0.02 and you can take it how you want. My work has a slew of HT750's. Nothing but crap. They are always in the radio shop for something or another. We are trying to get rid of them for something else.

Magnetsteve · #10 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 09:17 AM

We use HT1250's with a full keypad for or FD application, they have been great radios for us. My personal preference I would rather have the HT1250 simply because it has the Alphanumeric display, where you can actually see what channel you are on, rather than just going by the channel number, and you can store 128 channels in a 1250 vs 16 in the 750

LowbandGuy · #11 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 12:51 PM

I have several HT750 lowbands. One of them I have owned for going on 10 years, it has always travelled in the back seat of the truck or being carried in the pocket of my safety vest while on job sites in and around the woods. I have never had a problem with it and it has been dropped.

I do have an HT1250 VHF I use for Amateur Radio with the full key pad. The feature I like best about it is the display, especially for showing battery strength and for which channel I am on. I bought it used and not recased. It has served me well so far.

Wyandotte · #12 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CVPI4Ever

Ill chime in here and offer my $0.02 and you can take it how you want. My work has a slew of HT750's. Nothing but crap. They are always in the radio shop for something or another. We are trying to get rid of them for something else.

You are probably right. There is a world of difference between the way public safety treats their radios, and the way the people in an industrial plant treat their radios.

One of the first things I do with a radio from an industrial plant is take a fridge magnet, lay it magnet side up on my workbench, and slam the radio speaker into the magnet a few times. This gets all the metal filings, welding beads, and general crap out of the speaker, and most of the time, the audio quality both tx and rx improves so much that, if the complaint was bad audio, it's resolved. Same thing with muffled audio from an external speaker/mike. Give it a few good whacks up against a fridge magnet and see how much crap comes out of it. Better than taking it apart.

And since the magnet was on my workbench, I can still charge a bench fee

.

bp805 · #13 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 01:00 AM

I havent heard any problems with any of our HT750s being pieces of junk...yet. Since I have to purchase it myself, Im opting for the cheaper option which is the 750 vs the 1250. The display might be nice, in theory, but its always gonna be in my radio holster which it never comes out of while Im using it, so to have a display is an expensive feature that will never do me any good.

As far as refurbished vs used "as is" condition on ebay...what is the better option?

Wyandotte · #14 (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bp805

I havent heard any problems with any of our HT750s being pieces of junk...yet. Since I have to purchase it myself, Im opting for the cheaper option which is the 750 vs the 1250. The display might be nice, in theory, but its always gonna be in my radio holster which it never comes out of while Im using it, so to have a display is an expensive feature that will never do me any good.

As far as refurbished vs used "as is" condition on ebay...what is the better option?

Refurbished means that the radio has actually been turned on and it worked, and the seller has either put a new case on it, or cleaned up the existing case best he could, and hopefully hit it with a can of spray air when he had it apart.

"As is" means the seller has no idea if it works. A radio without a battery, laying around, no idea if it's any good, no way to power it up to see.

chrismol1 · #15 (**permalink**) 11-08-2009, 11:32 PM

By the way your asking questions, I would buy the HT750 or HT1250 new in the box off ebay or from a local dealer. That way you know its brand new and working up to specs and has the latest upgrades. I've seen some new HT750's for around $300. HT1250's are closer to $400-$500