• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

Caribbean Cruise

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jdobbs2001

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Joined
Apr 20, 2005
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221
First it depends on how long you want to use hand held communications. The Motorola units are still in production and Motorola guaranteess support 7 years AFTER they quit making them. Nextel is out of business so we don't know how long you will be able to get batteries, chargers, etc. for those units. Second the DTR550's are commercial grade radios with excellant audio (transmit and receive) and much better overall specs. The Nextel unit is a cell phone with so-so specs, and their audio quality leaves a lot to be desired. I have used the DTR550 and Midland FRS radios on a cruise ship. They both performed about the same, except I could hear and understand the DTR550's.

Those DTRs are impressive. They are so small compared to other radios. I can carry one in my shirt pocket. :)

They definitely get out far and clear. They also seem built to last for ever. Motorola does not seem to push them much though, it seems pointless to go through the licensing issues etc.. for an itinerant radio when you can just get a bunch of DTRs with no hassles.
 

rescuecomm

Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2005
Messages
1,456
Location
Travelers Rest, SC
The Motorola units are still in production and Motorola guarantees support 7 years AFTER they quit making them. Nextel is out of business so we don't know how long you will be able to get batteries, chargers, etc. for those units.

Last I heard, Southern Linc was still alive and well on 3-4 state IDEN system. The Canadian Tellus is still around too. Sprint didn't kill all the IDEN, just most of it. True that the lifespan may not be years, but the gear is real cheap on the web. I have four that get used on cruises, but mostly for trips ashore if we get separated. Keeps the cell charges under control.

Bob
 

KD8DVR

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Joined
Apr 11, 2004
Messages
1,305
Location
Columbus, Ohio
My TriSquare 900 Mhz radios did great on our last cruise. We'll be taking them on the next one we go on this summer.
 

gman4661

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Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
228
According to a Southern Linc rep, their system was fully functional during the severe ice storms a while back. He said it supported thousands of power company employees brought in to repair the damage. Cellular and Palmetto 800 sites were affected in my area.
 
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