I just got a box of old Motorola radios and...

[Batt91]

I have no idea of the worth of any of this stuff. Here's the inventory:

2 Radius P50 Portables (2 ch each, w/ chargers)
1 HT600 (6 ch)
1 MT50 (4 ch... Looks Ancient)
2 Minitor I (w/ chargers)

These are old VHF Fire Dept. radios. They came from a box labeled "broken", but here is what I know:

Both P50 chargers appear to work fine.

P 50 #1 charges and appears to work. I can recieve ID info from a local repeater on it, but I can not confirm if it transmits.

P50 #2 seems to have a shot battery... will not turn on.

HT600 and MT50 are dead, unknown if operable at all, and I have no way to charge them.

I haven't examined the Minotor I's yet, maybe tomorrow...

I am interested in getting SkyWarn Certifed and possibly using one of the these radios for that purpose (With the proper credentials, of course). What would a local radio repairman charge to check these units over, and are these even the proper radios for doing what I have planned. Are these radios just too old and obsolete? Or... is this box of equipment more valuble to a collector? Some guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[RodStrong]

2 Radius P50 Portables (2 ch each, w/ chargers)
1 HT600 (6 ch)
1 MT50 (4 ch... Looks Ancient)
2 Minitor I (w/ chargers)

These are old VHF Fire Dept. radios. They came from a box labeled "broken", but here is what I know:
Both P50 chargers appear to work fine.
P 50 #1 charges and appears to work. I can recieve ID info from a local repeater on it, but I can not confirm if it transmits.
P50 #2 seems to have a shot battery... will not turn on.
HT600 and MT50 are dead, unknown if operable at all, and I have no way to charge them.
I haven't examined the Minotor I's yet, maybe tomorrow...

I am interested in getting SkyWarn Certifed and possibly using one of the these radios for that purpose (With the proper credentials, of course). What would a local radio repairman charge to check these units over, and are these even the proper radios for doing what I have planned. Are these radios just too old and obsolete? Or... is this box of equipment more valuble to a collector? Some guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Well, one man's trash is another's treasure of course. I don't think any of those radios are worth much, but that's just my opinion. One thing you could do is take a look at auctions on Ebay for those specific items, and it might help you get an idea of their general market worth.

Since the box was labeled "broken", there's probably a good chance they are broken. How broken is the question. I don't think any of those radios are worth one hour of shop labor to work on them. But, that is an opinion, and there's likely others here who will tell you I am wrong. I doubt you could get a hundred dollars for the whole lot even if they were working though. Even if they all worked, you would likely invest a fair amount of money in new batteries and chargers to get them running, and instead of doing that, you might want to invest that money in a new radio.

Regarding using them for Skywarn, for starters, you will have to see what system your local group uses, and then determine if any of these radios (assuming they work) are compatible. Not that this would be the case where you are, but most of the Skywarn guys where I'm at use mobiles most (but not all) of the time. Most have portables, but the mobiles are most utilized when they are running around chasing weather. If this is the case in your area, you may be more interested in a mobile for Skywarn first. Good luck. Hope my answers helped a bit.

 

[firefive76]

I have no idea of the worth of any of this stuff. Here's the inventory:

2 Radius P50 Portables (2 ch each, w/ chargers)
1 HT600 (6 ch)
1 MT50 (4 ch... Looks Ancient)
2 Minitor I (w/ chargers)

These are old VHF Fire Dept. radios. They came from a box labeled "broken", but here is what I know:

Both P50 chargers appear to work fine.

P 50 #1 charges and appears to work. I can recieve ID info from a local repeater on it, but I can not confirm if it transmits.

P50 #2 seems to have a shot battery... will not turn on.

HT600 and MT50 are dead, unknown if operable at all, and I have no way to charge them.

I haven't examined the Minotor I's yet, maybe tomorrow...

I am interested in getting SkyWarn Certifed and possibly using one of the these radios for that purpose (With the proper credentials, of course). What would a local radio repairman charge to check these units over, and are these even the proper radios for doing what I have planned. Are these radios just too old and obsolete? Or... is this box of equipment more valuble to a collector? Some guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Also, I don't think any of those radios can go narrowband. If you put a lot of money in them to get them going, they probably won't be worth anything in a few years when the narrowband mandate come around (guessing that Skywarn Freq's are in the range to go narrowband.)

 

[b7spectra]

If you can get over $50.00 for them, you will be doing good. The ones that don't work (they may just have dead batteries), I would put on eBay advertised as Tech Special. Selling them separate will be your best bet.

 

[SCPD]

Ht600

If you can get over $50.00 for them, you will be doing good. The ones that don't work (they may just have dead batteries), I would put on eBay advertised as Tech Special. Selling them separate will be your best bet.

I don't know about the others, but I'll wager the only thing wrong with the HT600 is a dead battery. Those were bricks that could be beat to death and still work. But, not worth much since it won't scan.

 

[C138NC]

I don't know about the others, but I'll wager the only thing wrong with the HT600 is a dead battery. Those were bricks that could be beat to death and still work. But, not worth much since it won't scan.

I was just at the radioshop yesterday and I saw an HT600 on the rack and dang they are a brick!

 

[Jay911]

I once left a MT1000 (same chassis as the HT600) on the roof of a van and drove away. A guy found it and I recovered it and used it for another 3 or 4 years. The same radio accidentally got slammed in the liftgate of the same van (by another person - I'm not that incompetent ). They are virtually impossible to break.

Having said that, they (along with everything else in the stuff you mentioned) are classified as No Longer Available by Motorola, meaning parts and such aren't available anymore. If the radio itself is intact, though, you can get batteries for those chassis - even brand new. I order batteries regularly for my FD thru Garden State Battery, and they even have HT600 batteries in stock according to their website.

Good luck with that stuff!

 

[chrismol1]

That bunch there sounds like a $20 box of parts.
All of that equipment is around or over 15 years old, not narrowband at all. You stated that some don't seem to be operating. Unless you really have some interest in the "vintage" radios you might as well get something a lot newer. In my personal opinion, i'd put them on ebay for $20 or chuck em.
Buying one new battery for one radio probably costs more than the value of all the radios together. A repair charge is probably the same way plus more. Actually, I don't know if they still have repairmen around for some of those radios. They'll have to visit the local cemetery to ask them. :lol:

 

[ramal121]

I was just given 5 SP-50's and a bank charger. What am I, a fall guy? My inner self says these are cool and I should squirrel them away, my practical self says these are junk and will be useless in a couple of years. What the hell. Can I chuck them in your garbo can?

 

[b7spectra]

How can anyone not say a radio that transmits/receives needs to be trashed? My Sabers are old and heavy, but they take a licking and keep on ticking!

 

[chrismol1]

Given 5 SP50's? Lucky guy!


if they still work I'd keep em'

 

[obijohn]

I don't know if they still have repairmen around for some of those radios. They'll have to visit the local cemetery to ask them. :lol:

I still maintain/repair radios older than those! I must be a real geriatric radio technician.

I still have MT-500's and HT90/HT-440's in use. I even maintain several HT-220's.

It's a good thing that I still have parts for these, because you can't buy them any longer.

Have fun with your modern, computer programmable radios.

 

[chrismol1]

now theres a difference between old radios and classics!
I wish I had a nice HT200:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[ramal121]

Heck, I'll keep the SP-50's and use them until some agency sends me a pink slip.

I still have MT-500's and HT90/HT-440's in use. I even maintain several HT-220's.

Don't need no stinkin' computer to maintain those. Right on!

 

[W2NJS]

Also, I don't think any of those radios can go narrowband. If you put a lot of money in them to get them going, they probably won't be worth anything in a few years when the narrowband mandate come around (guessing that Skywarn Freq's are in the range to go narrowband.)

All the Skywarn frequencies, as far as I know, are amateur, and there is no requirement or plan to require any ham channels to go narrowband.

Tom, W2NJS
Washington DC

 

[rescuecomm]

The HT600 can be programmed (hacked) to the 2 meter band by someone who knows how. (Assuming that it works.) The P50, on the other hand, is a crystaled radio and it is not worth the money to change it over. Your best bet is to get your technician class ham license and a Icom, Kenwood, or Yaesu mobile 2 meter 50 watt mobile radio. That is the best way into Skywarn and the best use of scarce resources.

Bob