Need some help

[kd2ael]

Hi my name is Zach and im in police explorers its for teens who are interested in law enforcement careers. we do various things and learn everything about police and law enforcement. we do security at parades some times like walk up and down and call stuff in. But one day we where training for foot pursuits and they let use actual law enforcement radios. and lets just say that didnt end well some one transmitted off frequency and called real dispatch.

I am a ham radio operator so my group has sent me out to look for radios and a radio setup. so i really want to use motorolas ill use mobile as i am command post and others to be used as handhelds to talk to command post. but im new to these motorola radios so i need some help with a setup thats not to much money and legal. and off the law enforcemnet bands.

[Wyandotte]

Originally Posted by kd2ael

Hi my name is Zach and im in police explorers its for teens who are interested in law enforcement careers. we do various things and learn everything about police and law enforcement. we do security at parades some times like walk up and down and call stuff in. But one day we where training for foot pursuits and they let use actual law enforcement radios. and lets just say that didnt end well some one transmitted off frequency and called real dispatch.

I am a ham radio operator so my group has sent me out to look for radios and a radio setup. so i really want to use motorolas ill use mobile as i am command post and others to be used as handhelds to talk to command post. but im new to these motorola radios so i need some help with a setup thats not to much money and legal. and off the law enforcemnet bands.

1. What's your range? Can you use FRS or MURS radios?
2. Does the DPW have handhelds, and can you use them?
3. Have you thought about using the PD radios again, and providing some pre-event training on how not to change channels?
4. If you can get your hands on some ham handhelds, can you do a 1 day tech class and test?

This may be an attractive option for any volunteer organzation looking for comms.
Wideband handhelds are going to plentiful, and cheap real soon.
Get everyone in the group a tech ticket.

[n5ims]

Originally Posted by kd2ael

Hi my name is Zach and im in police explorers its for teens who are interested in law enforcement careers. we do various things and learn everything about police and law enforcement. we do security at parades some times like walk up and down and call stuff in. But one day we where training for foot pursuits and they let use actual law enforcement radios. and lets just say that didnt end well some one transmitted off frequency and called real dispatch.

I am a ham radio operator so my group has sent me out to look for radios and a radio setup. so i really want to use motorolas ill use mobile as i am command post and others to be used as handhelds to talk to command post. but im new to these motorola radios so i need some help with a setup thats not to much money and legal. and off the law enforcemnet bands.

Perhaps your first stop should be your agency's radio shop. They may have some old/spare radios that they can program with only the training channel(s) so the worst that could happen is that a trainee switches over to another training channel, not an operations channel for that agency. That would allow your group to use the actual radios so they can understand how they operate as well as working with a real radio's weight and bulk so they're used to it when they do it for real. They may even program in the normal channels (in the normal places perhaps) but as receive-only to eliminate any other mistakes.

[RodStrong]

Originally Posted by n5ims

Perhaps your first stop should be your agency's radio shop. They may have some old/spare radios that they can program with only the training channel(s) so the worst that could happen is that a trainee switches over to another training channel, not an operations channel for that agency. That would allow your group to use the actual radios so they can understand how they operate as well as working with a real radio's weight and bulk so they're used to it when they do it for real. They may even program in the normal channels (in the normal places perhaps) but as receive-only to eliminate any other mistakes.

Exactly. The local police academy cadets here are in a similar situation when they have to do pursuit training, felony stop training, etc. They have some retired HT1250s from a local law agency, and we put only two channels in them, both back channels that can't hurt anything. They are dumbed down to the point where they are idiot proof, and even the most radio challenged user can't mess anything up.

[Anderegg]

What band and analog/digital is the agency you are with operating on? Used Motorola radios that can be prorammed and operate on some of your agencies less seldom used tactical channels, are cheap and plentiful on eBay. HT1000's come to mind first. They can be found in VHF and UHF, and do narrowbanding. They can also do GMRS (UHF) or those business itinerant frequencies (VHF) that like hotels and school security guards use.

Paul

[kd2ael]

I thought about grms but I don't think It will work because some events are pretty big. Also they don't want us using there pd radios at all. We have to get are own radios

[SteveC0625]

I don't want to toss a blanket on this, but explorer posts have to have adult supervision and advisement from the agency under which the post operates. The advisor is supposed to be a direct contact into that agency. I can not help but wonder where the adult supervision is in all of this and what the agency and the advisor have to say about this radio situation.

[kd2ael]

We have adults we meet at the precent. They said they would like to see what I can come up with. So that's what I'm doing. Also the agency has nothing todo with us we just have to police officers who teach us. Then boyscouts of America run the whole explorers program of New York.

[Anderegg]

When I was a police Explorer, we got radios on some occasions, but on those that we didn't, I would bring out a couple of my own Radio Shack 40 channel handheld CB walkie-talkies with rubber duckie antennas.

They were huge, but at least they were something better than nothing.

Paul

[kd2ael]

Lol nice i used to love cbs. well i went to them and said i couldnt find any radios and they kind of blew it off o well. thank you all for your information it helped out alot greatly appreciated

[Anderegg]

Solution found...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Six-6-Motoro...item3a7dd461ed

...just get your fellow explorers to chip in a few buck and you have a whole fleet of radios.

Paul

[kd2ael]

Thanks anderegg hope I didn't spell that wrong. Question is what channel or frequency could we use.

[Anderegg]

Well, those are all UHF radios, so I would think GMRS would be a good choice. I am sure some others could chime in on that.

Also see....

Public VHF/UHF "No License" Radio Services

Paul

[n5ims]

Originally Posted by Anderegg

Well, those are all UHF radios, so I would think GMRS would be a good choice. I am sure some others could chime in on that.

Also see....

Public VHF/UHF "No License" Radio Services

Paul

Remember that GMRS requires an $85 license that covers your entire family. This "entire family" thing would most likely mean that every scout would require their own license to allow them to use the radio (unless they have a brother/sister/parent/etc. that are also part of the group). Since they're acting like cost is a big factor, this probably wouldn't work out too well. MURS, however, may be a good option since it's license free if they can find some compatible VHF-Hi band radios.

[Anderegg]

Yes, I agree. I thing 154.57 MHz PL 123 at 2 watts would work well for anything they would do. I don't think they will be separated by great distances.

Paul