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Portable radio accesories

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XboXC

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Hi. I have two questions.
First - where I can find the programming cable for MRK / P7100 radios?
Second - MRK / P7100 has three antena models. Short, medium and long. What is differencies between models?
 

DisasterGuy

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You don't mention bands for the antennas. At least on 800MHz I am only aware of two antennas, 1/4 and 1/2 wave.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 

ElroyJetson

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DO NOT ASK ME FOR HELP PROGRAMMING YOUR RADIO. NO.
There are three 800 MHz antenna types I've seen: Stubby, 3" 1/4 wave whip, 6" 1/2 wave whip.

If the 3" antenna is considered the standard, the stubby antenna is inferior with 3 dB less sensitivity and radiated field strength, and the 1/2 wave antenna is superior with 3 dB more sensitivity and radiated field strength.

In fringe coverage areas, you want the 1/2 wave antenna and do NOT want the stubby antenna.

Tessco is another company that carries antennas for Harris radios.

So is New London Technologies.
 

DisasterGuy

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Do you have a part number on the stubby? I've never noticed it in the catalog.

As an interesting aside, we ran into an issue some time back due to the fact that Harris performs system design for coverage based on the "standard" 1/4 wave yet Motorola designs for coverage based on their 1/2 wave. A neighboring jurisdiction on a Moto platform issued a "shall not" memo to all their users regarding replacing 1/2 wave antennas with 1/4 wave antennas and it created quite an interesting situation for us on mutual aid.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 

kb4cvn

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The following antennas have been available for 800 & 900 portables since the MPD days...

1/4 wave whip
1/2 wave coaxial whip

Also, a 1/2 wave end-fed whip is available for 800 MHz only.


800 MHz band has a YELLOW stripe on the cap.
900 MHz band has a GREEN stripe on the cap.

I can post the part numbers if anyone is interested.



STAY AWAY FROM helical stubby antennas on 700/800/900 MHz. Too poor performance.
 

kb4cvn

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As an interesting aside, we ran into an issue some time back due to the fact that Harris performs system design for coverage based on the "standard" 1/4 wave yet Motorola designs for coverage based on their 1/2 wave. <snip>



Yeah, we always found Moto's coverage spec antenna very interesting. In automobiles, it would equate as follows:

Motorola cars are spec'ed for a vehicle with a 427 Hemi with a Supercharger, fueled by Nitro-methane.

Harris cars are spec'ed for a vehicle with a plain old 1.5 liter four cylinder, fueled by 87 octane regular gas, with exactly equal performance.
 

XboXC

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But i have 470MHz antenna with high UHF radio (red stripe). So, the longest antenna is the best of all three types? Right?
 

ElroyJetson

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DO NOT ASK ME FOR HELP PROGRAMMING YOUR RADIO. NO.
Motorola designs systems to use better antennas, requiring lower power and/or less transmitter sites for the same coverage.

From an engineering standpoint, it's better to reduce system power requirements and make up for it with better antennas.

Motorola wins on engineering in this case.
 
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