Recs for VHF user programmable handheld 2-way

[norcalbusa]

I've Googled and Googled- but and can't seem to find a decent handheld portable that I can program via my PC or the onboard controls. I work for an air-ambulance company, so frequencies change a lot (we cover a wide area). I need to be able to load & use virtually all of 150-159 MHz with tones and digital squelch. Thanks for the recommendations!

- Alphanumeric display
- backlight
- good audio (clear & loud)
- 16 or more channels

 

[Nasby]

Motorola JT1000.
Or Motorola XTS 2500 or XTS 5000 with FPP if you can spend a few extra bucks.

 

[jaspence]

Radio

EFJ-5100 with FPP. Even the models without full keyboards can have FPP.

 

[norcalbusa]

Thanks guys- I'll take a look!

 

[KG7PBS]

Motorola XTS5000 M3 with FPP

 

[madrabbitt]

budget would be a good question.

Assuming you dont need P25, i'd lean towards the jedi. JT1000 or HT1000 (with appropriate config) for the size/weight advantage over the XTS series.

Our air ambulance agencies here use KNG-150S, but even used those are expensive/hard to find.

I carry a XTS2500 w/ FPP, but i have agency limitations on models I can use. Overall its a good radio, and I can carry it with a AA clamshell or fit a spare battery in my bag.

 

[prcguy]

Do you need to use the handheld in the aircraft? The few times I had to do that I fortunately had the Motorola ear mic thingee which uses bone conduction for the mic. I had the earpiece under the regular headset for the aircraft radio/intercom and it worked great.

Very little engine noise was heard on my transmit signal and it was easy for me to hear the handheld. Without that it would have been nearly impossible to use the handheld inside a helicopter.
prcguy

 

[speedway_navigator]

Some Hytera models have front panel programming. My PD982 does but my PD682 only does
for DMR freqs. It might be a bug, can't image why analog would not be changeable since the
same program does both radios.

 

[rescue161]

https://www.dallasavionics.com/cgi-...ransceivers&man=technisonic&url=tdfm9000.html

 

[buddrousa]

Our local Air Ambulance does not allow secondary radios in the aircraft. The aircraft will contact the ground units on 155.205. I know our flight crews carry Kenwood portables to talk back to the aircraft on scene flights and the channels are 155.205 or the air ambulance dispatch channel.

 

[madrabbitt]

Do you people even READ the first post?

And have basic comprehension?

 

[rescue161]

Do you people even READ the first post?

And have basic comprehension?

The link that I provided is for a radio that uses one or more portable radios inside a housing. To be able to use a portable on a helicopter you are going to need at minimum a headset (David Clark, or otherwise). The radio that I linked allows you to use the onboard headsets without having to adapt to a portable. Plus they are designed for public safety use onboard aircraft.

 

[buddrousa]

Yes I can read and I deal every 3rd day with 3 Major Air Carrier's and know what they allow in the Air-Craft
Once a month I invite 1 of 2 crews to my station for meals and know these crews and their rules on a first hand basis. The medical crews in the back are not even allowed to TEXT WHILE IN THE AIR.

 

[madrabbitt]

The link that I provided is for a radio that uses one or more portable radios inside a housing. ...

That technsonic RF unit doesnt use PORTABLE RADIOS inside it.
It has slots for the RF boards from the APX radios.
Basically, you determine what your frequency needs are, then order the RF decks and populate the slots accordingly.
Its a really awesome piece of equipment, but nowhere near what the OP wants.
I know this, because one of the aircraft i've trained on board for my previous job had one on board.
It allowed them (as configured by them) to have two frequency agile VHF channels, 1 UHF radio for EMSCOMM, plus the state 700/800 phase 2 TRS.

So, again about the reading comprehension.

Yes I can read and I deal every 3rd day with 3 Major Air Carrier's and know what they allow in the Air-Craft
Once a month I invite 1 of 2 crews to my station for meals and know these crews and their rules on a first hand basis. The medical crews in the back are not even allowed to TEXT WHILE IN THE AIR.

I really dont care who you have dinner with. Unless you're specifically involved in writing policy for the OP's specific employer, then it really doesnt matter what everyone else does.
And yes. Personal comms are typically not allowed in the aircraft. Doesnt mean that air or medical crew cant or wont have a frequency agile portable on their person to enable them to talk OR MONITOR the agency's comms. As someone whos had experience on several sides of a typical emergency scene, I know that situational awareness of the situation you're about to enter is absolutely paramount.
Yes, the primary communication between the bird and the ground should be one person on one predesignated channel. But often being able to hear everything going on during the approach is critical to your own safety as you're about to enter into a chaotic event.

norcalbusa, im sorry for going off in your thread here, but i'm tired of everyone interjecting their own completely unrelated stuff whenever someone asks a simple questions imply because they want to be educated on options.
I dont see why its so hard for people to simply give facts (these radios do what you asked) or related opinions (I carried this model for that purpose and it worked, or this model is crap in that environment so i'd avoid it)

Nasby, jaspence, KG7PBS, prcguy and speedway_navigator all managed to do that. I dont see why others cant as well.

 

[rescue161]

That technsonic RF unit doesnt use PORTABLE RADIOS inside it.
It has slots for the RF boards from the APX radios.
Basically, you determine what your frequency needs are, then order the RF decks and populate the slots accordingly.
Its a really awesome piece of equipment, but nowhere near what the OP wants.
I know this, because one of the aircraft i've trained on board for my previous job had one on board.
It allowed them (as configured by them) to have two frequency agile VHF channels, 1 UHF radio for EMSCOMM, plus the state 700/800 phase 2 TRS.

So, again about the reading comprehension.

Sometimes, people need a different insight. Sometimes it's a good thing to give examples outside of what the OP thinks he wants. It may open their eyes to things that they hadn't thought of. Maybe you should learn to relax and not get all excited when you think others don't know how to comprehend.

I really dont care who you have dinner with. Unless you're specifically involved in writing policy for the OP's specific employer, then it really doesnt matter what everyone else does.
And yes. Personal comms are typically not allowed in the aircraft. Doesnt mean that air or medical crew cant or wont have a frequency agile portable on their person to enable them to talk OR MONITOR the agency's comms. As someone whos had experience on several sides of a typical emergency scene, I know that situational awareness of the situation you're about to enter is absolutely paramount.
Yes, the primary communication between the bird and the ground should be one person on one predesignated channel. But often being able to hear everything going on during the approach is critical to your own safety as you're about to enter into a chaotic event.

norcalbusa, im sorry for going off in your thread here, but i'm tired of everyone interjecting their own completely unrelated stuff whenever someone asks a simple questions imply because they want to be educated on options.
I dont see why its so hard for people to simply give facts (these radios do what you asked) or related opinions (I carried this model for that purpose and it worked, or this model is crap in that environment so i'd avoid it)

Nasby, jaspence, KG7PBS, prcguy and speedway_navigator all managed to do that. I dont see why others cant as well.

Again, different insight. If people only ever got what they asked for, then we'd all be living in caves. Lighten up Francis.

 

[krokus]

I've Googled and Googled- but and can't seem to find a decent handheld portable that I can program via my PC or the onboard controls. I work for an air-ambulance company, so frequencies change a lot (we cover a wide area). I need to be able to load & use virtually all of 150-159 MHz with tones and digital squelch. Thanks for the recommendations!

- Alphanumeric display
- backlight
- good audio (clear & loud)
- 16 or more channels

Because the FCC prohibits the user having direct access to the frequency, for Part 90 radios. There are some of the "cheap Chinese radios" that will do what you are looking for, but it is not legal to put them into VFO mode for transmitting on Part 90 frequencies. (The models that are Part 90 certified require locking into channelized operations, for Part 90 use.)

There are many options for PC programmed models. The difficulty would be programming all the options, and tracking where they are programmed into the radio. Which models would be loud enough, etc, would have to be found by trial.

Sent via Tapatalk

 

[buddrousa]

All I would ask of the OP is to ask the Air Ambulance Company Corporate managers if what he ask is allowed. As I have stated it is not allowed in 3 companies I deal with as I work with these companies on a paid professional level. I am stating policy not an opinion. I know 2 flight crews that lost their lives over not following policy.

 

[davidzimmerman]

Cleveland Ohio Lifeflight Has Radios to talk on all bands NOT the Flight Crews the helicopter pilot does all of the Communications