Apco 25 Radio Models? please help

Drae2 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-29-2008, 08:12 PM

I am in law enforcement and also volunteer firefighter. The area I'm in follows the APCO25 rules of the 700mhz system. I am looking for a personal 2-way radio for both regular and 700mhz frequencies. Any suggestions on brands and models? Thanks!

16b · #2 (**permalink**) 02-29-2008, 09:14 PM

If your agency is on 700MHz, they are probably on a trunking system. This means that the system administrator is likely the only person who can authorize/program radios on the system. You need to contact the administrator to find out if 1) they will allow personal radios on the system, and 2) what specific requirements the radio must meet to operate on the system. If they do allow personal radios on the system, the administrator may also be able to point you in the right direction in your search.

If you are looking for used radios, Motorola will pretty much be your only option. 700MHz also narrows the field quite a bit. Off the top of my head, I can think of the XTS5000, XTS2500, and XTS1500, all of which will work on 700/800MHz. Obviously, as stated above, I wouldn't go out and buy anything until I contacted the system administrator.

Drae2 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 05:01 AM

Thanks for the help. Any idea where to get the best pricing on these models if I do decide to purchase one?

jparks29 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drae2

I am in law enforcement and also volunteer firefighter. The area I'm in follows the APCO25 rules of the 700mhz system. I am looking for a personal 2-way radio for both regular and 700mhz frequencies. Any suggestions on brands and models? Thanks!

That's the biggest bunch of BS I've ever heard......

"in law enforcement" is a phrase that wannabes use to make people think they're police officers, without actually saying it... usually security guards or some BS.....

You want an XTS2500 or XTS5000, talk to your system administrator, don't buy a radio, don't try to get it programmed, talk DIRECTLY to your system administrator. If you're supposed to have one, he'll issue you one, or sell you one and give you a proper ID on the system.

Drae2 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 01:14 PM

I already have my department radio issued out to me from the administrator. My department radio doesn't have the volunteer fire department programmed into it, just fire mutual aid. I want a radio that I can program for the fire department and use there but still have the sheriff's departments frequency programmed as well to have as a back up. I've done a search for the xts 5000 and 2500 but am not finding many places to purchase this radio. Are there any other models that can work or only the Motorolas or what website can I find the XTS radios for purchase? Thanks

Drae2 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 01:34 PM

And BTW Jparks, sorry for being politically correct. Next time I'll tell you that I'm a cop. A deputy to be exact. Didn't know you'd take it to mean I was some rent a cop.

Skud · #7 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 02:26 PM

[QUOTE=jparks29]That's the biggest bunch of BS I've ever heard......

"in law enforcement" is a phrase that wannabes use to make people think they're police officers, without actually saying it... usually security guards or some BS.....

someone got up on the wrong side of the bed lol

jparks29 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drae2

And BTW Jparks, sorry for being politically correct. Next time I'll tell you that I'm a cop. A deputy to be exact. Didn't know you'd take it to mean I was some rent a cop.

Sorry, you just hit a nerve, the 'I work in law enforcement' line is a phrase used by those who ARE NOT law enforcement officer to imply that they are..... I run a company selling and installing lighting equipment, and EVERY officer that wants to buy restricted equipment tells me their an officer/deputy/etc. and provides ID. The ONLY time I EVER hear 'I work in law enforcement' is some security guard or whacker trying to buy red/blues or programmed radios without a letter of authorization or even so much as ID. It usually goes something like this..

'I need red/blue LED's (Or a county radio for off duty use, or siren for POV for off duty use,etc etc)'

'OK, what agency do you work for?'

'oh, I'm in law enforcement, I work in xxxxx county'

'ok, so you're a county officer?

'yeah I work for so-and-so security company'

ok, I can't sell you any red or blue LED's, or any radio that transmits on a frequency you're not licensed for, I can sell you amber lights, and I can install concealed strobes behind amber lenses...

'But I work in law enforcement, and I'm cool with all the cops around, I can put red and blue lights (siren,lightbar,etc) on my car, they're cool with it..'

It's against the law, I cant do that, if you can show me a letter signed by an MSP commander or a county agency, then I'll sell it to you.

'oh, ok, well let me get back to you in a few days, I'll have it...'

(never shows up again)

If both FD/PD are on the same frequencies/system, then it's very easy for a system administrator to reprogram your radio with the FD talkgroups added, then authorize that radio ID on those talkgroups.

16b · #9 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 10:21 PM

eBay is where most people (myself included) buy their Motorola Astro radios. eBay being what it is, it's very hit-or-miss as far as what is to be found. A dose of patience goes a long way toward finding a good deal. Also, you have to know exactly what you are looking for (and *not* looking for), or you stand a very good chance of being ripped off. That is the main reason you need your system admin to tell you exactly what you need--these radios have lots of different possible software options, and lacking one may mean the difference between the radio working on your system and not.

http://batboard.batlabs.com/ is also a good place to look for radios for sale, though you have to be a registered user to view the ads. It is much less likely that someone will be trying to rip people off on Batlabs, but the inherent radio complexity issue remains. Batlabs is also a great resource for all types of information on Motorola's various radio models, so if you're up for some reading, go there.

wayne_h · #10 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 11:47 PM

Maybe I'm missing something here but why not have the TG's you need programmed in to your existing radio? Buying your own personal radio and having them program it doesn't seem any different of a scenario. Buying a Motorola radio is relatively easy, getting it programmed when you know nothing about what you need to do it is costly and in some cases prohibited (adding a trunked system and associated TG's without admin knowledge for example).

Drae2 · #11 (**permalink**) 03-02-2008, 01:26 AM

Thanks everyone for your help. I want to get a personal radio so that I can use it with the fire department on calls. I don't like using the issued radio for volunteer fire fighting just for the simple fact that if something happens while I'm on a fire call, I don't have to explain to my Lt. how my $2,000 radio got destroyed on something not work related. If I have my own and something happens it's my own loss and just have to deal with me cussing myself out. Now I just need to find the right one that'll work with the systems I want it to and a decent price. That's why I'm asking anyone with recommendations to please post.

JParks, I understand where you're coming from on that. I've had people flash security badges and such on traffic stops like they are someone. I had one guy who was a jailer several counties away tell a city officer that he was "an officer in xxxx county." The city officer wrote him a ticket for speeding 10mph over. 2 hours later I stopped him on the highway doing 15 over. Again he throws out the whole "I'm an officer in xxxx County." I just so happened to know the lead detective in that county and asked if that subject still worked there. The "officer" I had stopped stated, "OH yeah. He's been out for a couple of weeks but he just came back to the jail just last week." Found it hard to believe that a lead detective would go to work in the jail especially when I had just talked to him two weeks prior. I did some checking and found out he's just a newly hired jailer and several commanding officers didn't like that image being portrayed of their department. The "officer" got a good but chewing and almost lost his job over the deal. But it goes the same as what you're saying, so many out there throw out the whole "officer" or "law enforcement" thing to get somewhere which makes it difficult for those who truly are police, deputy...etc.....to be able to truly talk about who we are.