Better G5 Antenna

[GTO_04]

Here is a pic of the Moto XTS 700/800 7" duck model 8505241U11 I mentioned in a previous post.

If you look very closely you can just barely see the antenna-skirt bulging (happens when you tighten it down snug). Again, it's nit-pick, and can be resolved with a dremel tool if you so desire. But I'm not too skilled with such projects so I suspect I'd just turn the antenna bottom into a 'boogered' mess. . therefore will leave as-is!

This antenna has the correct connector on it (SMA-F). I like how it preserves the commercial look of the radio, vs use of adapters and/or consumer-grade scanner antennas etc. . but that's just my personal preference.

It's a big performance upgrade over stock, which is the most important thing. I have no means to scientifically quantify but in subjective testing it performs as good, perhaps slightly better than the famed RS800 antenna.

Best,

Where can this antenna be purchased?

GTO_04

 

[county]

Where can this antenna be purchased?

GTO_04

Online auction sites, and a number of online two way supply stores (put the part # in a search engine and you will find them).

Enjoy!

 

[GTO_04]

Online auction sites, and a number of online two way supply stores (put the part # in a search engine and you will find them).

Enjoy!

Found one online for $10 and its the real thing! Thanks!

GTO_04

 

[JASII]

I took mine a step further with an 855 Mhz 6DB gain collinear outdoor antenna fed down with LMR400. I am receiving distant systems that my scanners were not hearing at all. Looking forward to the PII update.

How long is the run of LMR400?

 

[cpetraglia]

The antenna is 30 feet above ground with 75 feet of LMR400. Just a short jumper (RG58) to relieve stress at the pager. No pre-amps, nothing fancy. I have systems working now that my scanners would not even lock on a CC. It really surprised me. I had planned on a second G5 until Phase II got pushed back to mid 2017. (That's per my sales rep)

 

[KM4OBL]

Moto XTS Antenna

Here is a pic of the Moto XTS 700/800 7" duck model 8505241U11 I mentioned in a previous post.

If you look very closely you can just barely see the antenna-skirt bulging (happens when you tighten it down snug). Again, it's nit-pick, and can be resolved with a dremel tool if you so desire. But I'm not too skilled with such projects so I suspect I'd just turn the antenna bottom into a 'boogered' mess. . therefore will leave as-is!

This antenna has the correct connector on it (SMA-F). I like how it preserves the commercial look of the radio, vs use of adapters and/or consumer-grade scanner antennas etc. . but that's just my personal preference.

It's a big performance upgrade over stock, which is the most important thing. I have no means to scientifically quantify but in subjective testing it performs as good, perhaps slightly better than the famed RS800 antenna.

Best,

That antenna looks great! I'm going to buy one when I buy my G5....thanks for posting that.

 

[IAmSixNine]

The antenna is 30 feet above ground with 75 feet of LMR400. Just a short jumper (RG58) to relieve stress at the pager. No pre-amps, nothing fancy. I have systems working now that my scanners would not even lock on a CC. It really surprised me. I had planned on a second G5 until Phase II got pushed back to mid 2017. (That's per my sales rep)

Phas 2 mid 2017.. ah man.. i was hoping early 2017 like February.

 

[cpetraglia]

You know how stuff like this goes. That's why I held off on another purchase. I am actually surprised that it wasn't built in from the beginning. If they are mainly targeting PS, there is an awful lot of PII out there. Back in march they were saying 3rd quarter, then 4th quarter. Can the pager actually do PII? If it's just a FW update, what's the wait for? This is yet another promise that swayed my decision on buying my first one. Don't get me wrong, I love this little radio, but am missing more than I am hearing.

 

[BenScan]

I suspect it can't be done with the current hardware, and that's why they're on sale. I'm still very tempted to get a second one though, because the scanners are so frustrating for simulcast systems.

You know how stuff like this goes. That's why I held off on another purchase. I am actually surprised that it wasn't built in from the beginning. If they are mainly targeting PS, there is an awful lot of PII out there. Back in march they were saying 3rd quarter, then 4th quarter. Can the pager actually do PII? If it's just a FW update, what's the wait for? This is yet another promise that swayed my decision on buying my first one. Don't get me wrong, I love this little radio, but am missing more than I am hearing.

 

[cpetraglia]

So at least I am not alone in my way of thinking. Maybe we'll all get surprised. !! Should have never advertised it was coming. That will tarnish the brand. I already took the plunge to a Relm BK and I love it. PII and all.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

I suspect it can't be done with the current hardware, and that's why they're on sale. I'm still very tempted to get a second one though, because the scanners are so frustrating for simulcast systems.

Could be firmware development. Fix what ales it prior to starting something new (the software release I has DMR options but no way to program them for example). For example, on large multi-site system site roaming is piss poor with no way to set a preferred site or force a site search. Real world example, my demo G5 has a hard time acquiring the simulcast "site" locally and instead settles on a site in the neighboring county. From the same point, my XTS5000 affiliates to the simulcast site every time…and I can still force it to search/affiliate to the neighboring site (I have no site preferences programmed). When roaming, the pager has to physically loose the control channel before it'll rescan for another site (the XTS will start looking once the RSSI drops below a specific threshold). Little things like that really need to be resolved prior to them worrying about Phase 2.

As far as I have been able to tell, there are far fewer Phase 2 systems out than Phase 1 and even then very few are strictly Phase 2 (most are operating with some level of backwards compatibility with Phase 1).

 

[W2GLD]

FYI for anyone purchasing these antennas for their G5 pagers and/or radios, many of these antennas on eBay are cheap Chinese counterfeits. We've been buying these for years directly from Motorola and we decided recently to purchase two from a seller on eBay here: 700-800MHz Antenna For Motorola XTS1500 XTS2250 XTS2500 XTS3000 Portable Radios and received counterfeits; which we've confirmed through Motorola Solutions and by comparing with our current stock. The real deal is less than $30 directly from Motorola Solutions or any Motorola dealer; quality is everything, just a heads up to all...

Regards,

Jerry

Here is a pic of the Moto XTS 700/800 7" duck model 8505241U11 I mentioned in a previous post.

If you look very closely you can just barely see the antenna-skirt bulging (happens when you tighten it down snug). Again, it's nit-pick, and can be resolved with a dremel tool if you so desire. But I'm not too skilled with such projects so I suspect I'd just turn the antenna bottom into a 'boogered' mess. . therefore will leave as-is!

This antenna has the correct connector on it (SMA-F). I like how it preserves the commercial look of the radio, vs use of adapters and/or consumer-grade scanner antennas etc. . but that's just my personal preference.

It's a big performance upgrade over stock, which is the most important thing. I have no means to scientifically quantify but in subjective testing it performs as good, perhaps slightly better than the famed RS800 antenna.

Best,

 

[phirephoto]

Could be firmware development. Fix what ales it prior to starting something new (the software release I has DMR options but no way to program them for example). For example, on large multi-site system site roaming is piss poor with no way to set a preferred site or force a site search. Real world example, my demo G5 has a hard time acquiring the simulcast "site" locally and instead settles on a site in the neighboring county. From the same point, my XTS5000 affiliates to the simulcast site every time…and I can still force it to search/affiliate to the neighboring site (I have no site preferences programmed). When roaming, the pager has to physically loose the control channel before it'll rescan for another site (the XTS will start looking once the RSSI drops below a specific threshold). Little things like that really need to be resolved prior to them worrying about Phase 2.

As far as I have been able to tell, there are far fewer Phase 2 systems out than Phase 1 and even then very few are strictly Phase 2 (most are operating with some level of backwards compatibility with Phase 1).

Here in the Bay Area California there are quite a few phase II only systems..

 

[cpetraglia]

Here as well in the DC area. Most all are phase II with stuff like FD dispatch in phase 1. Luckily, my home county is phase 1, but most surrounding are PII.

 

[GTR8000]

...we decided recently to purchase two from a seller on eBay here: 700-800MHz Antenna For Motorola XTS1500 XTS2250 XTS2500 XTS3000 Portable Radios and received counterfeits; which we've confirmed through Motorola Solutions and by comparing with our current stock.

You've been around plenty long enough to know by now that anything from "Linda Wang" is counterfeit junk.

If you want genuine Motorola parts, then buy either directly on MOL or from a reputable dealer like Wiscomm. Anything else is a total crapshoot.

 

[GTO_04]

FYI for anyone purchasing these antennas for their G5 pagers and/or radios, many of these antennas on eBay are cheap Chinese counterfeits. We've been buying these for years directly from Motorola and we decided recently to purchase two from a seller on eBay here: 700-800MHz Antenna For Motorola XTS1500 XTS2250 XTS2500 XTS3000 Portable Radios and received counterfeits; which we've confirmed through Motorola Solutions and by comparing with our current stock. The real deal is less than $30 directly from Motorola Solutions or any Motorola dealer; quality is everything, just a heads up to all...

Regards,

Jerry

It figures. I just picked up one of these. It seems to work OK. How did you determine that this is counterfeit? Is it the green plastic in the base around the inner conductor? Otherwise, it looks exactly like the Motorola including their logo molded into the base. Thanks for the headsup.

I will admit I was a little suspicious given the price. I should return it but the shipping will probably cost more than it is worth.

GTO_04

 

[KM4OBL]

Here as well in the DC area. Most all are phase II with stuff like FD dispatch in phase 1. Luckily, my home county is phase 1, but most surrounding are PII.

I live in Alexandria, so unfortunately I will have to hold off on a purchase until I can confirm that the P2 firmware is definitely becoming available at some point.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

I'd just like to be the first to point out the APX portables do not use SMA connectors. They use modified MX connectors which look similar to SMA when the GPS option is fitted. Using an APX antenna on a G4/G5 is literally the same as putting a GPS antenna on the pager.

Updating my post to reflect newly acquired info.

APX antennas are properly polarized SMA antennas,

 

[hou30guy]

Any one found a antenna that works thats only about 3" and not 7". 7 looks wayyy to big for my and i carry it on a safty vest on my chest pocket. And would dorky as hell lol sorry guys. I see a motorla nar6595a apx 700/800 antenna 3" long, wonder will this antenna work for our radios

 

[b1100mac]

That is exactly the antenna i use on both of my g5's, and it works better than any other antenna or antenna/adapter combination i have found according to the bars. You will need to trim the bottom rubber lip of the antenna off with an exacto knife or razor blade so it allows the threads to screw down far enough to seat, but that was very easy to do.