I have an MTS-2000 that came with two hand mics. They have the port for the antenna on them. Do people typically used shortened antennas on the hand mics? How's the performance of these radios with the handmics/antennas versus those without the handmics?
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MTS-2000 hand mics
- Thread starter W2PSK
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mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
AKA: Public Safety mics...
Which band?
They work ~OK~ on 800MHz with the stubby antenna. The short antenna is OK at that frequency, and getting it up and away from the body helps. Kind of difficult to use with the 6" whip.
Never tried it on a UHF model.
Never tried it on a VHF model, but I suspect the antenna would be an issue, kind of a big antenna to have on your shoulder.
It's on a VHF model.
Yuck.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Yeah, it's not going to be a good thing. Theoretically they work, but having a VHF antenna sticking up off your shoulder isn't going to get really old after a while. When we switched our officers off 800MHz and back to VHF, we ditched them.
I can't recall how it handles the two antennas, maybe someone else remembers. I seem to remember a cap for the radio antenna jack. If you are not going to use the antenna on the mic, sell those public safety speaker mics on e-Bay to some sucker and just get the regular speaker mics.
MTS2000des
5B2_BEE00 Czar
The impedance of the cable/matching doesn't jive with VHF. The PSM was never intended nor supported to use on VHF, yeah saw many people doing this back when the Jedi's were "en vogue" but IIRC Motorola put out an SRN (know known as an MTN) advising against using anything but the proper 800MHz or UHF stubby on an NMN6241/42/43/44 (different cord lengths) and NOT to use on VHF radios. It also advised users not to coil, wrap or place any sharp bends in the mike cord (duh, it's got coaxial cable inside)!
After caring for hundreds of these, the best RSM was the NMN6191/6193x- the 91 was passive noise cancelling (you have to SHOUT to be heard), the 93 standard mikes. They hold up well and at one time you could actually order replacement cords. They were modular RJ-45 connectors. Wow, imagine that. Industry standard connector on a mike body from MSI.
After caring for hundreds of these, the best RSM was the NMN6191/6193x- the 91 was passive noise cancelling (you have to SHOUT to be heard), the 93 standard mikes. They hold up well and at one time you could actually order replacement cords. They were modular RJ-45 connectors. Wow, imagine that. Industry standard connector on a mike body from MSI.
MTS2000des
5B2_BEE00 Czar
The antenna most people used was a Visar antenna. RF switching was accomplished via a plunger on the UC, which activated a small physical RF switch which would route the RF to the two top pins on the UC. Very lossy design. The RF switches themselves were failure prone devices, with a thin gold leaf "collar" inside that would easily wear down or go intermittent.
FYI they never installed them at the factory on 2 channel HT1000s, just installed a jumper on the RF board instead. Same thing with the MTX series of 800/900 radios, as they weren't intended for public safety, the RF board had a jumper installed in place of the RF switch module.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Thanks. It's been about 14 years since I touched an MTS2000. I remember going through all this. Forgot about the plunger switch on the side.
In case you're wondering why VHF Jedis still had the RF switch, that was for use in the vehicular adapter (MTVA) which worked fine on VHF with the proper antenna.
MTS2000des
5B2_BEE00 Czar
I ran an enhanced JVA with both VHF and UHF JT1000s for a while back in the day. Before the Astro 25 series, and before all the Chinapride Bowelturd feces pieces radios came washing up on shores, this was the only way to FPP (yes, Icom H16/U16 and a few others but none as easy as the JT).
N4KVE
Member
I remember having a bunch of MTX8000’s back in the day. No RF switch. But the MTS 2000’s did. I still have that mint UHF MTS2000 I picked up from you in Atlanta years ago.
Thanks for all of the replies guys. I picked up a VHF stubby antenna for the mic. I noticed the switch on it and was going to ask what it was for. Now I read that it's to switch between the antenna on the radio and on the mic. I'm just not sure which position is for which. Attaching photos so maybe you can advise. However, some of you are saying not to use this type of mic/antenna on a VHF model, so if you have a reference to that, I'd like to see just to confirm.
So, attached are the pictures. Maybe someone can tell me which position is for the antenna on the mic and which is for the antenna on the radio.
So, attached are the pictures. Maybe someone can tell me which position is for the antenna on the mic and which is for the antenna on the radio.
N4KVE
Member
LOL. Volume hi/lo.
ROTFL Thank you.
So anyway, textese aside, I just bought a regular speaker mic. The two mics that I have now, with the antenna jack, came with the radio. No big deal. Maybe I'll see if there's anyone that wants them for the cost of shipping. I also have an AT-2051 battery charger. Maybe I'll list all three on an appropriate forum to be sold for the shipping cost. I'm sure someone can use these items I have no use for.
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