There is a good supply of high quality Kenwood and Motorola 900 MHz used equipment available for amateur use at very reasonable prices. Ditto for repeater hardware. This has led to a big increase in 900 MHz use including wide area coverage linked repeater systems. Reminds me of 2 meters and 440 MHz back in the early days - interesting conversations and fun!
Here are a couple of links with more information:
Welcome to kw902.com!
http://www.ohioaprs.net/ar902/
http://users.innercite.com/kj6ko/page8.html
Yep..couldn't agree more. There are currently 5 900 MHz repeaters in my area that I can get into. Usage is sparce currently but its picking up slowly. I picked up a Motorola MCS2000 model II 30 watt radio for about $100.00. No radio modificatiuons required, just some software hex editing.
There are plenty of posts on various radio forums discussing the junk this company sells. 50% is trash, & the other 50% is garbage. One fellow had his W&W charger burst into flames while charging his W&W battery. Good thing he was home.install a W & W Manufacturing battery to it
Are the commercial Kenwoods better than the ham versions when it comes to cutting off the static burst at the end of a received transmission? My TM-V71A always gives me a blast of static (even on repeater frequencies using PL tones), and I would love to get my hands on something like the commercial Motorolas I've used in prior jobs which never did that.
The LDS church is big in my area, they have set up nets using the surplus UHF radios, set up repeaters and they are getting their GMRS licenses. Not really a bad thing if there is a local emergency and they will let non LDS members join their weekly net.
Quite a bit of traffic on them in my area.
Looks like I'm going to have to go to 900 Mhz and HF.
I have bought several Kenwood TK-840's and they have been great. I will admit that I do have some GMRS freqs set up on one, but it's on the radio I use on the UHF. I also have a VHF in my vehicle when it's 20 degrees out or less, I hate to have my good radios in my vehicle when it's that cold, too much moisture. I paid under $50.00 for each, just carefully looking on E BAY, but prices have gone up. I'd stay away from the guys who show a 4 foot pile of them and want $75.00 without a microphone or mounting bracket.
The one's I have got have cleaned up almost as good as new, you just have to look close and communicate with the seller.
So far the cold and moisture has not hurt either, they are built like tanks. It's good to have a friend who programs them also. I've decided to buy any I find in excellent condition that are low priced, sooner or later the good one's will dry up. I need some handhelds now.
John
Kenwood.I would love to hear what radios people are looking to buy and why.
Would be cool to pick up some new gear cheap but I will be avoiding Motorola. What else do you guys see coming onto the market that is much more user friendly? I want something as simple or nearly as simple as what I have now. Just hook it up with a cable that does not cost $250 and program it with a RT Systems type program.
The LDS church can't get a GMRS license each family will have to be licensed unless all of them are blood relatives.
Here's a question. Could you take one of these older radios, 80s maybe, and modify them so they transmit on their original 150MHz public safety band, but with the new FCC Narrowband requirements? Thanks for any response.