• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

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Any ideas or input about the "shroud of disbelief" surrounding Motorola equipment?

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KD6RRR

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Any ideas or input about the "shroud of disbelief" surrounding Motorola equipment?

So this probably should get moved to an appropriate forum; I apologize in advance to the moderators if this is posted in the wrong location.

Some quick history. I am an honest person. I have had some type of regular full time employment pretty much since my freshman year of high school. Paid my own way through community colleges to become an EMT, state certified firefighter, and later paramedic. I worked for two different ambulance companies and two different fire departments. Worked for a communications company installing, configuring, etc radios, emergency equipment and such on different public safety agency vehicles. Finally got a "real" job operating freight trains ("real" = pays enough to support a family).

Through all of this I have been an amateur radio operator. I love radios. I am fascinated with wireless communication the same obsessive way many people I come across at work are obsessed with trains.

Anyone who uses traditional amateur radio equipment (Yaesu, Icom, Kenwood, Alinco, etc.) knows well that most have low audio output. Until recently they weren't built very tough either. Same goes for radio scanners (GRE, Uniden, AOR, etc.) Easy way around this= Use "commercial" radio equipment (Motorola, Kenwood and Icom business gear, etc).

After I save and save and plan and save some more to buy comparatively high priced commercial gear (in my case, over time, HT1000's, MT1000's, P200's, GP300's, Maxtrac's, Radius gear, XTS3000's) and jump through all the hoops with Motorola to purchase even higher priced cables and programming software, or get them programmed by a local radio shop willing to trust me and add ham freqs as well as receive only public safety stuff, I come to the question for all of you=

Why is it seemingly EVERYONE I come across who also has some level of interest in radios immediately decides I am in possession of stolen, hacked, pilfered, unlawful, non-allowed, not okay, somehow illegal and bad and scary and untrustworthy equipment/motives/reasons for possessing said equipment? Not to mention how many of them immediately assume I am trying to impersonate a law enforcement officer of some sort, or in some manner project an aura of (nonexistant) authority over them somehow, simply by having in my possession and making use of a Motorola radio. I don't drive a former police issue Crown Vic, I don't wear uniform-like clothes complete with basketweave belts and radio holsters with speaker-mics in full view. My vehicle is not covered with installed covert emergency lighting. I wear shorts and t-shirts (usually plain with no logos or prints, although I must admit I still favor navy blue like I used to wear in the fire service) and drive a 10 year old pickup.

Any ideas/questions/concerns/comments? Candid, critical, honest replies are definitely appreciated.

Thank you, as well, for this haven of fellow radio nuts that is RadioReference.com!
 

SCPD

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Candid? Okay...I think you are either over-thinking things a bit, or you need to find some new folks to "come across.". I use and carry an HT1000 every day for work. No one cares.

A for acquiring HT1000s and similar, eBay has them, but Motorola no longer sells the software for older radios. It can be found -- out there -- with a bit of torrent... Local radio shops should hav no problem programming them, either.

Stop being so paranoid.
 

KD6RRR

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Yup, paranoid is definitely what it sounds like, doesn't it.

The crowd I usually encounter are fellow radio users. Mostly hams. Also former co-workers from the radio job and the fire service. Although since recently being transferred by my employer, I haven't found many new folks to be around.

I too use a radio at work, a Kenwood TK-2180 right now, but it stays in my locker at work once off duty. I carry my current model, a UHF XTS3000, when I am home and out and about. I need to edit that line about the radios. It is just a list of different models I have owned and supported throughout the years.

Thank you for your input!
 

k4sgt

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Hmmm... Sounds like you are dealing with a bunch of jerks. I work at a Motorola shop and there are five of us that are hams. There are loads of hams with Motorola gear in the world. It is not uncommon at all. I'd look for another source for your radio needs. Surely you can find service without being accused of criminal activity. I know that I certainly don't treat my customers like that.
 

KD6RRR

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Well thank you for being a customer oriented person! I have only recently had to start logging back into my Motorola account to get new subscriptions for new model radios since the move to California put me in the realm of many P25 systems. Previously I lived in rural Oregon, where my trusty old VHF HT1000 did the job just fine, and my ancient copies of RSS were all I needed.

I guess that in this post 9/11 society, since I haven't had to deal with acquiring new gear since well before that horrible day, it is a whole new world when it comes to being considered a trustworthy individual.
 

kb2crk

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Dont worry about the nay sayers. I carry a ht750 at work and my daily driver has a vhf maratrac complete with pa/siren set up, 110w uhf spectra a-3 (hhch), a uhf maxtrac for gmrs/frs monitoring (for cert exercises), an Ontario Hydro maxtrac for 6 meter ham and red cross monitoring, and a mocat cb for the hell of it. I have multiple PS frequencies programmed (for cert exercises) and monitor them frequently.I have not been asked about the old gear often but it does happen once in a while.
 

fdcaptjd

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My first post here on RR forums, but it is an interesting question.
I don't want to put anyone off with my "resume' ", but little about myself before I offer an opinion. First, I am a career full-time firefighter, and I work my non-FD days in an old-fashioned family owned two-way shop. We are an MSS, and parts-stocking dealers for most other brands.
I must plead guilty on being suspicious about non-official customers wanting public safety stuff programmed in any brand radio.
And I think the cause is the fact that while the radio communications world is important to folks like us, it is quite small to the rest of the world. When I tell people what I do, most comment that they “thought cell phones wiped out radios”.
So, it’s easy to fall into the assumption that any “non-official” person who wants a radio programmed must be up to something.

Not right I know, just is.

Regards,

Jeff
 

KD6RRR

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Chris, I like it!

Jeff, I can definitely see your point of view as well.

When I was on the job, we had our share of extreme fire buffs. Mostly young fellows on bikes chasing the engine around, but every so often there was one who made you nervous. One in particular I recall showing up at a 3rd alarm, complete with his own, personally financed, structure turnout gear, hoping to be of assistance.

And now I see railfans all along my mainline. And for the most part, they are friendly, trying to get that perfect photo of my train. But there are two strikes against them as well. One, there is occasionally one who goes too far. Setting a camera up between the rails, standing a little too close to the main, one even climbed up on the engine hoping for a friendly chat and and personal tour of the cab. Two, my employer has made them villans to us, because we are required to report any we see along the way to our police dept. Even worse, sometimes I will be "tested" to see if I do so by a management employee posing as a railfan to see if I call them in, and, if not, I am "disciplined" for my failure to follow orders.

So, I wonder if stereotyping of a group of people has found its way into this hobby as well. For the most part, good people doing something that they enjoy. But being classed as undesirable due to the actions of the minority.

I think the terms I have heard for such ones are "whackers" and "foamers", no doubt meant in a derogatory way.

Thank you all for your input on this!
 
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ElroyJetson

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DO NOT ASK ME FOR HELP PROGRAMMING YOUR RADIO. NO.
I've never encountered a "supicious mindset" from amateurs about the use of Motorola (or other public safety brands) of radios in amateur service. Quite the contrary, they're pretty popular in amateur service around these parts. They're not for everybody, but there are more Maxtracs and Spectras being used by hams in their cars than just about any other kind of mobile radio. For portables, I use an APX6000 (Bought with my own money, retail, via Bearcom) and XTS5000s. Cutting edge, high dollar equipment, yes, but nobody has ever expressed any concern about the kind of radios I choose to use.

You should just ignore the paranoid and suspicious people, at best. But it might be satisfying to you to got on the offensive against them. However, this won't win you any friends in the long term.
 

jim202

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Did you ever think that maybe they wished they had some of the same equipment?

Have you ever tried getting stern with them and tell them to get a life?

I travel all around the country and have a number of commercial radios in the vehicles I drive. Never had anyone make a negative comment about the radios. Then again by the time they get to see the radios, they have found out I know what I am doing and have the technical background.

Maybe the best thing to do is just ignore them.
 

KD6RRR

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I have a friend who owns an astoundingly successful machine shop. Several government contracts from what little he talks about work. He has something like 3000 plus employees, and every workday shows up at the office wearing jeans, cowboy type button up shirt, and old cowboy boots he still has on after feeding his animals before work. He sits in the company cafeteria with all his employees eating breakfast and listen to whats going on. Millionaire regular old guy.

He wanted to buy a Ferrari for his wife. Headed to the closest dealer he could find during his lunch break, still dressed in his usual attire, to check out the inventory, probably with a blank cashiers check in his wallet ready to pay for one on the spot. The salesperson basically told him that he was probably better served heading down the street to the Ford dealership and seeing if he might qualify to get financing for a mustang..

So he left, drove to the airport and hopped a ride in his private jet to Hollywood or the Bay Area or someplace, bought the car he wanted on the spot, and drove it back to the first dealership to explain the finer points of not judging a book by it's cover to the now seriously regretful salesperson.

After reading so many of your replies, and thank you all very much for them, as well as seeing many other threads here in the Motorola area of the forums where the subject of the legalities of Motorola RSS/CPS have come up, I am starting to think I may understand this issue I seem to keep coming upon that prompted me to start this thread.

It has gotten to be such a common practice in todays high tech, information overloaded society of deciding you have a desire to acquire something, then you look to the internet to find the best price. The absolute best price for many being free. Legal issues aside. Music, movies, software, etc.

It is apparent to many that Motorola equipment, software, accessories, etc are expensive. Expensive to the point of many never even considering being a Motorola customer because of the costs involved.

That said, I am believe a lot of the raised eyebrows I have come across are, for the most part, a product of people's perception. As I said originally, many of the negative responses I get are from people who have at least some knowledge of radios in general. Therefore they are no doubt aware of Motorola's pricey products.

That awareness, added to the current state of the economy and multiplied by my very non-well off appearance and lifestyle, I wonder may be equaling an automatic assumption that my Motorola stuff is not legally my own. Just something I five finger discounted from someone or just downloaded off the internet.

And like was already said, just probably best to ignore them, at least the negative opinion of my very cool Motorola gear! I am definitely thankful that I was fortunate enough to land a job 13 years ago that has weathered the economy and continued to support my family through these rough times. And I am thankful I am able to have the funds to finance my hobby.

Even more thankful for having a place like these forums to come to to interact with people with many different opinions, views, and takes on things to bounce ideas off of!
 

mancow

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He wanted to buy a Ferrari for his wife. Headed to the closest dealer he could find during his lunch break, still dressed in his usual attire, to check out the inventory, probably with a blank cashiers check in his wallet ready to pay for one on the spot. The salesperson basically told him that he was probably better served heading down the street to the Ford dealership and seeing if he might qualify to get financing for a mustang..So he left, drove to the airport and hopped a ride in his private jet to Hollywood or the Bay Area or someplace, bought the car he wanted on the spot, and drove it back to the first dealership to explain the finer points of not judging a book by it's cover to the now seriously regretful salesperson.

That's pimp. That's the kind of stuff we all dream of doing. Good for him.
 
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