Motorcycle Radios?

[landonjensen]

Why is it that it seems alot of Motor Units dont have portable radios on thier bikes? Wouldnt that be a safety issue, and if they ask for a plate or something, they wouldnt be able to hear the radio? CHP had a couple of motors closing the streets for the Rose Parade, and only a couple of the officers had portables. Ive seen this with other agencies also. Why?

 

[Dubbin]

I think there was a thread about this a few weeks back. If you can find it, you may find an answer.

 

[landonjensen]

Yeah i have been searching but found nothing so far.

 

[Colin9690]

Yeah i have been searching but found nothing so far.

I believe most motorcycle units use headsets with a PTT switch somewhere on the handlebars. That is the safest way to do it on a motorcycle.

 

[landonjensen]

I am sayingh when they get off thier motor when they approach a vehicle or park somewhere. I know they have a mobile on thier bikes but no portable radio at all for when they get off.

I believe most motorcycle units use headsets with a PTT switch somewhere on the handlebars. That is the safest way to do it on a motorcycle.

 

[MMIC]

That is very odd. Every agency that I have heard about has portables and uses the Setcom equipment to interface their headset with both the motorcycle radio and their portable.

Maybe those agencies are being cheap?

 

[Colin9690]

I am sayingh when they get off thier motor when they approach a vehicle or park somewhere. I know they have a mobile on thier bikes but no portable radio at all for when they get off.

You probably just couldn't see it. That would be incredibly unsafe to not be able to communicate when they get off the bike. They probably have one.

 

[landonjensen]

no i saw his whole belt when he walked away..........:wink:

You probably just couldn't see it. That would be incredibly unsafe to not be able to communicate when they get off the bike. They probably have one.

 

[dagooch0525]

Just a guess, but could it be a safety issue?

Granted, if they fell off or crashed they would have more to worry about than any issues a radio straped to their belt would create. Such things as getting impaled by shattered parts of the radio or battery acid.

It's a streeeeeeetch I know

 

[iMONITOR]

Motorola made various radios for use on police motorcycles:

 

[landonjensen]

I am talking about Portables, not Mobiles.

 

[W4KRR]

Around here, most police rely on their portable radios for all communications, whether in a car or on a motorcycle. Most patrol cars don't even have radios installed in them, they use their hand helds both in and out of the vehicle. This goes for motorcycles as well. Hearing the portables apparently isn't a problem, they seem to just use the shoulder speaker/mikes.

 

[icom1020]

That is very odd. Every agency that I have heard about has portables and uses the Setcom equipment to interface their headset with both the motorcycle radio and their portable.

Maybe those agencies are being cheap?

Must be a reverse of when I lived in the south, Knoxville TN had or still used mostly portables in the cruisers, they took handhelds home but I think it was a money issue as far as the mobile installs were concerned. Basically, the bike radios such as the GE were 10watt 'porta-mobiles' -- 'lunchbox' radios that were configured for a bike.

 

[CVPI4Ever]

I think the Ohio State Patrol cars have a "kill switch" for portables that can activate their portables when the Troopers step out of the cruisers and shut them off when they enter their cruisers to prevent feedback (squeal). This is all that I heard and I have no proof.

 

[iMONITOR]

I am talking about Portables, not Mobiles.

Sorry, I was basing my response on your question:

"Why is it that it seems alot of Motor Units dont have portable radios on thier bikes?"

 

[jmp883]

In regard to the motor officers without portables, I've never seen that in the 17 years I've been dispatching. The motor officers in both the full-time and part-time agencies I dispatch for always carry their portables on their belts. While on the bikes they use the Motorola radios mounted on the bike.

W4KRR wrote:

Around here, most police rely on their portable radios for all communications, whether in a car or on a motorcycle. Most patrol cars don't even have radios installed in them, they use their hand helds both in and out of the vehicle.

That's insane. Spend the money and install proper mobile radios in your vehicles AND ENFORCE THEIR USE! A handheld radio can never match the power output of a mobile radio. It isn't as much of a safety issue when you are out of your vehicle in terms of being heard, but it's a big issue when you are in your car. We have several officers in my full-time department who have transferred to us from other agencies and they only use their portables, in-car and out. Guess who the only officers are that we have in-car communications problems with? Doesn't matter what car they're assigned to, or what patrol zone we put them in....they're the only ones who complain about not being heard (or hearing us) when they are in the patrol car. It's all the more frustrating because we have no problems with the officers who use their mobile radios. I'm sure we also call out radio repair far more often than we need to simply because many of those call-outs are coming from the officers who don't/won't use their in-car radios.

It's a less-than-intelligent way to operate and an even more less-than-intelligent way to save money.

Just my thoughts, but after 17 years behind the microphone I don't want improper use of the radio system to be responsible for the death or injury of an officer or innocent civilian.

 

[landonjensen]

Yeah, but he didnt have a portable radio at all, only the one mobile radio mounted on his bike. So did one other officer, same with him.

 

[RolnCode3]

If they weren't carrying portables, it was probably because they were on a limited purpose shift. They were probably going to go home after the parade.

I have never seen a motor officer without a portable, that I can recall. For any agency. I'd guess your perception might not be as spot-on as you believe...just a thought.

 

[W4KRR]

That's insane. Spend the money and install proper mobile radios in your vehicles AND ENFORCE THEIR USE! A handheld radio can never match the power output of a mobile radio. It isn't as much of a safety issue when you are out of your vehicle in terms of being heard, but it's a big issue when you are in your car.

The radio systems around here were designed from the ground up for coverage based on hand held portable radios. The county system alone has ten simulcast repeater sites spread out all over, so nobody is ever more than a few miles from a site. I have not heard stories about poor coverage around here.

 

[Southtown800]

here in NYC there is a very limited number of radio cars....the bulk of the radio usage comes from portable radios, wether they be in the subway, on a motorcycle, or walking the beat, radio cars are out there, but you never know where unless you have a scanner handy,
but as stated above, the officers on the bikes were prob working limited duty shifts just for show,