CP200 question

[GregOH]

I've used one of these daily at work now four years and I think I'm on my fourth one. Last week it stopped receiving and started beeping and I got a solid orange indicator light.

I took an analog scanner to work with me some time ago and had signal stalker on, and wrote down the frequency our radios operate on. I'm wondering if I can get my own personal 2 way radio cheap at Amazon and program it to that frequency by hand easily and get away from the pricey CP200.

 

[hill]

Your new radio must have FCC Part 90 certification and must have your work's permission to add radios, as they hold the license.

Much more than just getting the frequency, since you need to know if its on repeater to have the input frequency. Also you may need CTCSS or DPL and they can be different for the transmit and receive. The radio would need to be able to operate in the narrow band bandwidth to be legal in the USA.

In closing a cheap radio got online would be much worse than a Mototola.

 

[GregOH]

I figured there'd be more to it than what I was thinking, that's why I asked.

Thanks.

 

[alcahuete]

You can get a used CP200d in good condition for ~$100. Far less hassle and way better quality than anything you will find on Amazon.

 

[K2NEC]

I've used one of these daily at work now four years and I think I'm on my fourth one. Last week it stopped receiving and started beeping and I got a solid orange indicator light.

I took an analog scanner to work with me some time ago and had signal stalker on, and wrote down the frequency our radios operate on. I'm wondering if I can get my own personal 2 way radio cheap at Amazon and program it to that frequency by hand easily and get away from the pricey CP200.

Pricey? You can buy a pair for less than $200 as a full set on ebay. Sure it may not be a Baofeng BF888s but you get what you pay for.
Like @alcahuente said, I'd recommend a CP200d, you can find one for just a hair over $100 on ebay and you already have the accessories for it since they use the same stuff as CP200s.

 

[GregOH]

I'd likely have to pay to have it programmed as well and with that, I really don't want to spend that much for a personal radio I'd only use at one location.

Also, I'm trying to get away from the CP200. While they are durable, I'm on my fourth one as mentioned above so the thought is, if the Motorola won't hold up, buying a cheap radio that I can program really wouldn't be much different and if it were to fail, I'd toss it to the curb and get another for 20 bucks.

My question is/was, is there something else that isn't expensive that will work as opposed to being talked into sticking with the brand I've been using. Cmon guys, I know there are some here like don't mind trying something new and going a different direction.

 

[Floridarailfanning]

As @hill said above, make sure you have written approval from your employer (or whoever the licensee is) to operate your own radio on the system. Being an employee who was issued a radio is not the same as bringing your own radio so you need approval in writing to be operating legally.

Now as for radios, if you want to get away from the CP200 or Motorola in general, any Part 90 radio that will cover the appropriate frequencies should work so long as it is operated in accordance with the licensee's authorization. The problem you'll likely run into is finding a cheap radio that has Part 90 approval. Part 90 refers to the FCC rules governing commercial and public safety licensees and you must use radios which meet those requirements to be operating legally.

 

[alcahuete]

I'd toss it to the curb and get another for 20 bucks.

Everything you said is accurate. However, I don't know that you're going to find a Part 90 certified radio for $20. And using anything else is putting the licensee (your company) at very big risk, thus in turn putting your job at very big risk.

As well, you need authorization from the licence holder before you put any radio on their system, because they are ultimately responsible.

@Floridarailfanning Great minds think alike! I guess we were typing at the same time.

 

[GregOH]

I'm sure they'll send mine off for repair and likely get me another one. My issue is the wait time that's involved because there are no more spares, and I'm using my cell phone to communicate with some that I normally communicate with on the radio which takes more time.

If it's alot to do and I can't simply use a legal FRS radio, I'll drop the idea and force them to get me another Motorola. Some people may be fans of this radio, I am not one of them.

 

[hill]

There are many Icoms and Kenwoods that would work with your radios at work if they cover the frequencies your work is using. All would need to be programmed with software for that radio type, as Part 90 radios don't have front panel programming. Business and public safety users have a preset channels they use and radios are set up for them to use on their systems, plus end users don't really need to make changes.

What kind of business do you work in? So we can see how rough it is on your radios.

 

[GregOH]

What kind of business do you work in? So we can see how rough it is on your radios.

Alot of fabrication going on so alot of welding and grinding of metal so with that, it's a tough environment for any raio to hold up to because the metal dust damages speakers. Many times with the other radios that have been replaced, I've had to resort to using a mic due to the speaker in the radio failing.

 

[PACNWDude]

I "repair" many HT-750 and CP200 radios that are well used by machinists and welders where the speaker gets quiet. The magnet pics up the metal particles though the speaker mesh and eventually does not work, or is not as loud as it should be. Most of the time it is only a matter of using a more powerful magnet to remove the particles, but this does mean taking the radio apart to get the speaker out.

As others have said, stay with Part 90 radios....and spend the $100 or so and stay legal and with something that looks professional.

A good portion of business is looking the part, meaning that the public and personnel feel professional and carry something that is not a yellow and black Beofeng that can be had from Amazon or requires programming to keep from being front panel programmed by a "golden screwdriver" type or amateur radio type. CP200's are cheap enough already, do not go lower than that. Used/refurbished/New Old Stock they can be found all over the Internet.

 

[littona]

I "repair" many HT-750 and CP200 radios that are well used by machinists and welders where the speaker gets quiet. The magnet pics up the metal particles though the speaker mesh and eventually does not work, or is not as loud as it should be. Most of the time it is only a matter of using a more powerful magnet to remove the particles, but this does mean taking the radio apart to get the speaker out.

That sounds like an interesting repair process!

 

[GregOH]

They gave me another one today. My boss told me to get the one from the steel room and use it because the person that used it before is no longer there. So I go get it and it has a mic on it and I turn it on, and the speaker in the mic is quiet, so I remove the mic and the one in the radio is just as bad or worse (reason the mic was added). So I asked for a mic and my boss said I have a new one I've never used you can have, so I attached it to the radio and I'm up and running again (for now).

I think what's going on is when the metal particles collect to the speaker, it ends up shorting the voice coil in the speaker and when that happens , it's like twisting a hot and a ground together and turning on the power source to it and eventually something is going to fry. It's just a matter of time.

I'm not going to pursue this any further, if the radio's won't be maintained, I'll just force them to get me radio #6 and so on. Guess that's the cost of doing business.

 

[K2NEC]

Sounds like you guys need more durable radios than CP200s. Something more industrial grade

 

[GregOH]

Sounds like you guys need more durable radios than CP200s. Something more industrial grade

Or something different for me. My radio gets far more use than anyone's, I travel through all the plants and work areas and I'm pretty sure I've had more fail than anyone. I'm the one person there that they don't want to be without radio contact with and I think I'm going to need something new soon.

 

[chrismol1]

How about a radio holster, one that covers around the sides up to the top, that way you can keep replacing cheap speaker mics instead. Most holsters like that have holes for the speaker, put a piece of tape on the inside to block the holes to keep crap from sticking to the radio itself

 

[K2NEC]

I believe caseguys have a holster like that

 

[rescue161]

For metal or any other dust partials, we would use electrical tape and lightly touch the speaker cone to remove the partials. Just keep changing the tape and once the tape is clean, then you know it is good to go. It doesn't take too long and most of it can be removed without damaging the speaker. This was on the XTS2500 and XTS5000 radios, but I'm sure it would work for the CP200 as well.

 

[GregOH]

Good idea. Maybe I'll plug in a mic and tape off the speaker area.