APCO 25 Ham Systems

[PhaseLockedLunatic]

Icom now sells a P25 radio in their commercial line that can be purchased new for under $900. It's not as tough as the M/A-Com but seems at least as tough as the Motorola. That would be a good place to start if you can't find anything used. I've had very good results with these radios and, unlike most other P25 vendors, Icom is very supportive of amateur operators.

 

[N4DES]

Also Kenwood and Yaesu have some very nice looking P25 alternatives as well.

I haven't had an opportunity to use any in real-time, but the radio's design are
typical of their analog only brothers n sisters.

 

[mam1081]

I was able to play with one of those Icom P25 digital mobiles. I couldn't get the unit ID display to work on call RX, but that could have just been me not knowing the software very well. The audio sounded about as good as an astro spectra. The display was pretty nice though. I would much rather have something along the lines of the ne O5 or O7 heads for the XTL though (and front-panel programing!!).

 

[N_Jay]

They will all be at IWCE. Icom, Vertex Standard (Yaesu), Midland, Thales, Datron, Tait, as well as Moto, M/A-COM, RELM, and EFJohnson

 

[bReed11091]

I guess it depends on your needs and how much is in the piggy bank.

Well, if I can program frequencies directly into the radio, then a channel capacity isn't the biggest issue. Hopefully I'll get a reply back from the MSP about a radio I could buy from them.

 

[N4DES]

If you looking specifically for a Motorola with FPP (Q53 option) I can tell you this it is over $2500.00 for the XTS2500 Model III. The XTS5000 comes the same way but I do not know what the going price is, but I'm sure it will be dramatically more by at least $2K.

 

[bReed11091]

If you looking specifically for a Motorola with FPP (Q53 option) I can tell you this it is over $2500.00 for the XTS2500 Model III.

FPP is the front programming thing right? And it costs a lot huh? So are model I radios just radios with no screen or buttons except for PTT? And model II radios have a screen and some other buttons? And then model III radios have FPP, a screen, and some other things? Thats the way it seems to be with the astro sabers and the XTS radios.

 

[N4DES]

Yes the FPP allows for front panel programming with the right firmware and "dongle" key that attaches to the side of the radio, but not all model III's are capable of FPP out of the box. It has to be ordered that way.

 

[PhaseLockedLunatic]

My P7100's have a very interesting front panel programming option. I can modify any channel in the radio from the front panel, changing frequency or tone or NAC or whatever. But it is a temporary scratchpad. In the front panel program sequence there is a menu option for "restore channel" which puts it right back to the way the computer software had it programmed.

 

[rescue161]

My P7100's have a very interesting front panel programming option. I can modify any channel in the radio from the front panel, changing frequency or tone or NAC or whatever. But it is a temporary scratchpad. In the front panel program sequence there is a menu option for "restore channel" which puts it right back to the way the computer software had it programmed.

VERY cool. Do you know if the M7100 can do the same? What option is it? I have an M7100 here, but haven't messed with it much. I still need to have it flashed for P25, so if it needs to have an option enabled, I'll order that when I order the P25 upgrade.

 

[ka8ypy]

Yes the FPP allows for front panel programming with the right firmware and "dongle" key that attaches to the side of the radio, but not all model III's are capable of FPP out of the box. It has to be ordered that way.

There is no "dongle" on the FPP XTS5000 or 2500. It either does it or it doesn't.

 

[N4DES]

Yes there is...the FCC model requires the dongle while the Government version does not.
I have the FCC model that does require it so you are incorrect.

 

[grem467]

Q52 and Q53

awww yea!

 

[902]

I have several aircraft that use Technisonic interfaces with XTS-5000 radios in them. The VHF radio in them is FPP and progamming it, compared to a non-FPP 5000, is a b*tch.

Just like the XTS-3000, you need to create a separate conventional personality to track each discrete channel, and you have to either hand key or copy 16 pages of personality data in for each conventional personality. One's digital? Manually create that personality. One's narrowband? Etc. Then, you are limited to only 240 personalities. A non-FPP radio can take a handful of personalities, then you tie them to each of your channels in the Zone Channel Assignment screen, which makes programming simple. It took me two days to edit and program the features and pre-selected channels for the codeplug. The last two banks were left unprotected for keypad entry. It could have taken me a few hours to program a non-FPP radio.

I'd rather carry the PC around to reprogram a non-FPP radio than deal with the rigid structure of the FPP.

 

[jparks29]

There is no "dongle" on the FPP XTS5000 or 2500. It either does it or it doesn't.

welcome..I was wondering when you'd wander over here

 

[jeremym70]

P25 at IWCE

Any one going to be running P25 ham at IWCE? Trying to decide if I should pack the XTS2500 V or the XTS3000 U.
Jeremy

 

[K4APR]

Hey, just because a repeater might be a motorola micor which is pre apco25 doesn't mean it's apco25. You might want to make sure about it. Like is it computer operable and backed up with redundacy in case of problems. APCO25 is a standard by which most police and fire radio systems are going by these days. Like I stated before. Just because it does digital voice doesn't mean it's apco25 compliant. Just because you can access ECHOLINK or IRLP or phonepatches doesn't mean it's apco25 compliant. Just because you can link up with other repeaters doesn't make it apco25 compliant, that's been done in ham radio before apco25 came in to the light.

It's very obvious you have NO IDEA what you are talking about.

 

[loumaag]

It's very obvious you have NO IDEA what you are talking about.

It is apparent that you don't understand how forums work...

Why would you pick up on a post from 2.5 years ago to comment on, especially when the next post in the thread is from the Webmaster calling that person to task.

Speaking of the Webmaster, we have a policy here at RR where we don't allow advertising in signature lines unless it is approved by RadioReference, LLC. I am not sure if you have received such approval to advertise your company (RPC Electronics) in such a manner (but I am checking). I do know that lately we have had a rash of such activity, that is people making nonsense type posts just to get their advertising out in the public eye, and the end result in most of these cases is banishment and removal of the posts.

 

[shawn1899]

Can someone help please...

I want to get a radio to use on a conventional p25 ham repeater...

I know I need the Q806 to do p25.

My question is do I need H35 - conventional operation or what?

I see a lot of radios with Q806 and H38 (Smartzone operation), however I don't know what smartzone operation is or if that option would work for me.

So if someone could supply the absolute necessary flashcode options that I have to have to use a radio on a p25 ham system, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Shawn

Disclaimer: sorry if this is mentioned somewehere else on another thread, but I couldn't find it.

 

[JnglMassiv]

I want to get a radio to use on a conventional p25 ham repeater...

I know I need the Q806 to do p25.

My question is do I need H35 - conventional operation or what?

Nope, Q806 is all you need for a conventional Astro repeater. Just set up the Astro options and program the personality like any other repeater.

The Smartnet/Smartzone options are for trunked systems. You could consider conventional use as 'standard' in that you don't need a flashport option to open the feature.