XPR7550E with an SMA?

[APX6k]

Good evening folks,

Did anyone happen to catch this unicorn on “the auction” site:

Special Motorola XPR7550e With SMA CONNECTOR Radio UHF 403-512Mhz RARE Mototrbo | eBay

Up for sale is Special Motorola XPR7550e With SMA CONNECTOR Portable Radio in UHF 403-512Mhz. This unit is RARE with the SMA connector.

www.ebay.com

It looks like an OEM XPR7550E with a factory SMA antenna. The portion of the housing where the antenna mates is quite different too, no raised pedestal. The seller also claims the orange emergency button is larger, though it looks identical in size to my own 7550E. Anyone have any insight on this? Special production run?

Thank you!

-apx6k

 

[KG7PBS]

Would love one in VHF

 

[Floridarailfanning]

Did anyone happen to catch this unicorn on “the auction” site

Yep, I saw that one the other day. Personally I'd steer clear of a radio like that unless I could get the "Full Story." Knowing that ex /\/\ employees have stolen stuff for Hytera it could have easily disappeared out of the lab in Schaumburg or Fort Lauderdale.

 

[alcahuete]

I saw that earlier in the week.

The Intrinsically Safe (IS) version has a normal SMA connector instead of the proprietary one usually found on the 7550s. My best guess would be that it's IS insides that have been re-cased.

Though that really wouldn't explain the larger orange button or the different mounting. [EDIT] Actually, all the buttons are larger on the IS version. But the larger buttons probably wouldn't fit in a normal case.

Hmmmmmmmm........

 

[redbeard]

Apparently there is a special order "callbox version" that has the SMA. It's meant to be integrated inside an emergency callbox and probably is ordered sans accessories.

 

[LowderK]

Is it a Canadian IS radio..?

 

[chrismol1]

The following kits include MOTOTRBO Next Generation XPR 7550e (VHF/UHF) and XPR 7580e (800/900) Enabled portables intended for Call Box, Remote Terminal Units (RTU), such as Motorola ACE 1000, and other Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) applications. The portables provide an SubMinature A (SMA) type antenna connector.

HK2079A CALL BOX RF KIT "FKP PORT E VERSION" 5W 136-174 MHz
HK2080A CALL BOX RF KIT "FKP PORT E VERSION" 4W 403-512 MHz
HK2081A CALL BOX RF KIT "FKP PORT E VERSION" 2.5W 800/900 MHz

 

[Skypilot007]

They should have had an SMA connector on all the 7550 radios from the inception of the product. WTF were they thinking? Money grab to sell some proprietary antennae? I see it as bottom of the barrel engineering, seems Motorola can only get the C grade or lower interns for engineering anymore, and this is what you get.

 

[PACNWDude]

Had to check some of my radios when I saw this. Have older XPR6550's with the SMA antenna, then newer XPR7550e with the proprietary version, not IS or like this SMA the OP showed. However, there have been several different antennas shipped with different batches, all UHF band. That and the third iteration of CPS2.0 is a little crazy. Newest batch of XPR7550e's meant I needed CPS 2.24.200.0, and they came with shorter UHF non-SMA connector antennas. I stay away from the odd items as well, buyer beware, and the Hytera lawsuit is still going on, and on, and on.

 

[chrismol1]

They should have had an SMA connector on all the 7550 radios from the inception of the product. WTF were they thinking? Money grab to sell some proprietary antennae? I see it as bottom of the barrel engineering, seems Motorola can only get the C grade or lower interns for engineering anymore, and this is what you get.

it was probably $0.02 per unit cheaper to go with the stud

 

[kayn1n32008]

it was probably $0.02 per unit cheaper to go with the stud

I bet it was to Further neuter the DMR product line to make it less attractive, and attempt to push users to their over priced P25 gear(even the APX-900 is over priced for a radio with different firmware, and a slightly different case)

 

[Floridarailfanning]

They should have had an SMA connector on all the 7550 radios from the inception of the product. WTF were they thinking? Money grab to sell some proprietary antennae? I see it as bottom of the barrel engineering, seems Motorola can only get the C grade or lower interns for engineering anymore, and this is what you get.

Nope. The real reason was to force users to buy mobiles for their vehicles and base stations since that obscure version of SMA is almost impossible to adapt for connection to coax.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Nope. The real reason was to force users to buy mobiles for their vehicles and base stations since that obscure version of SMA is almost impossible to adapt for connection to coax.

It’s not a obscure SMA, it’s similar to the old MX connector

 

[Floridarailfanning]

It’s not a obscure SMA, it’s similar to the old MX connector

Well, still I don't think there are many options for adapting for use with external antennas. I find it interesting that they went back to that proprietary style connection from the CP series and older radios while the XPR6000 had regular SMA connections. And they removed the ability to use RSM's with antennas because the coaxial was removed from the accessory connector.

 

[APX6k]

I would guess they removed the ability to use a Public Safety RSM on the XPR line to steer that particular industry towards the APX series. Just a thought..

 

[kayn1n32008]

Well, still I don't think there are many options for adapting for use with external antennas. I find it interesting that they went back to that proprietary style connection from the CP series and older radios while the XPR6000 had regular SMA connections. And they removed the ability to use RSM's with antennas because the coaxial was removed from the accessory connector.

They(MSI) Intentionally neutered the 7550. Because the cubic dollar APX is the ‘mission critical’ radio line. Can’t have a ‘mission critical’ PS speaker mic on the XPR series because then PS agencies would buy it and use it. No different than the NSPSAC being locked out of the XPR6850/7850. It’s to drive their APX sales.

 

[alcahuete]

Not only intentionally neutered, but also because they want you to buy their XPR portable lines. They don't want people hooking external antennas up to the handheld radios. If you want a mobile or base, buy one.

 

[Floridarailfanning]

I'm really looking forward to seeing what the next generation of radios is going to offer. Hopefully, it won't be an enhanced 2.0, but a complete redesign. I'd be willing to bet a dual-band radio with 3.5Ghz CBRS is coming as it would satisfy the needs of customers who have been needing dual-band TRBO radios and would put more Nitro capable hardware in customers hands.

 

[alcahuete]

I'm really looking forward to seeing what the next generation of radios is going to offer. Hopefully, it won't be an enhanced 2.0, but a complete redesign. I'd be willing to bet a dual-band radio with 3.5Ghz CBRS is coming as it would satisfy the needs of customers who have been needing dual-band TRBO radios and would put more Nitro capable hardware in customers hands.

Unfortunately, I don't think that need exists outside of amateur radio. I would do anything for a good dual band Mototrbo radio. Would make me a happy camper.

 

[Floridarailfanning]

Unfortunately, I don't think that need exists outside of amateur radio.

Sure it does. . . There are countless Rural Fire Departments and SAR operations which use analog and DMR and need interoperability across VHF and UHF. Most of these outfits simply can't afford P25 and would happily buy multi-band TRBO gear if they could get it. Of course, MSI would undoubtedly insist that "Mission Critical" equipment is a must for those users.

I would do anything for a good dual band Mototrbo radio. Would make me a happy camper.

I second that!