VHF/ 800 MHZ Radio

[W3AWF]

Not quite sure where to put this one so I put it here.
Does anyone know of any radios that are VHF/800MHZ dual band? Our fire department is looking for some portables for the officers that we can use on our highband repeater, as well as use for the 800MHZ fire ground channels.

 

[RodStrong]

Motorola APX, Harris Unity, Thales Liberty, maybe a few others. All very expensive.

 

[W2NJS]

Good, but used, Motorola APX7000 portables can now be had on eBay for around $2,200 each, a far cry from the new price of $6,000 and up. If checked out as being serviceable for PS use by a competent shop there would be no reason not to use them in the fire service. At the same time the shop can program the units for you, thus saving the additional costs involved if you were thinking of doing the programming yourself. The programming of this line of radios is rather involved, believe me, and far more complicated than it used to be with the old Sabers and similar radios, so you really don't want to get involved with it.

 

[wd8chl]

FYI-the Motorola will only handle two bands in one radio, ie, VHF and 800 or UHF and 800. The others are significantly less expensive, and will do all 3 bands. Also the Harris Unity mobile will do low band as well.
And both the Unity mobile and portable have built in GPS and bluetooth, unlike the others.