• 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.

Is this Motorola antenna legit?

Status
Not open for further replies.

aleckrohto

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Messages
23
Purchased a 8505241U05 antenna on Discount Two Way Radio a few weeks ago and I am wondering if the antenna I received from them is legit? It does not have a Motorola logo on any of the sides of the antenna, but it has a red ring at the bottom of the SMA connector. Just curious if I received a ripoff antenna. Some pictures
are attached of the antenna I bought. DTWR seems like a reputable place.
IMG_0649.jpgIMG_0651.jpg
 

prcguy

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
15,333
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
And if you get a real one new in package it will have lots of M information and a sticky tag wrapped around the tapered portion of the antenna. The fakes run around $5 with shipping or five for about $12 with shipping.

Knockoff. The real 8505241U05 has the batwing logo and UHF embossed on it. Oh yeah, and the UHF antenna has a gray SMA color code, not red. Red is for the 800 MHz antenna 8505241U03.

 

alcahuete

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 24, 2015
Messages
2,488
Location
Antelope Acres, California
Did I do any damage to my radio by listening with this antenna on? I never transmitted on it, only RXed on it.

It won't do anything to the radio by listening. It might not do any damage transmitting either, if it's actually tuned to the proper frequencies they claim. It's just a fake. And considering that, if they advertised it as being a legit Moto antenna, I would send it back and get a refund.
 

DiGiTaLD

Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2005
Messages
789
Purchased a 8505241U05 antenna on Discount Two Way Radio a few weeks ago and I am wondering if the antenna I received from them is legit? It does not have a Motorola logo on any of the sides of the antenna, but it has a red ring at the bottom of the SMA connector. Just curious if I received a ripoff antenna. Some pictures
are attached of the antenna I bought. DTWR seems like a reputable place.
View attachment 84731View attachment 84732
Those are garbage compared to the real /\/\ antennas. In real world use they are not durable at all and fail 10 times as fast as a real Motorola antenna. Internally, (at least on 800 MHz) they are nothing but a copper coil attached to the center pin that doesn't even run the length of the outside rubber housing. The real Motorola antennas actually have a full length of wire inside them.
 

Anderegg

Enter text in this field
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 7, 2010
Messages
2,662
Location
San Diego
The #1 indicator that the antenna is a counterfeit, is the two notches around the base SMA. I would guess that the manufacuring process they use is garbage, so they need to put these notches to try and secure the metal and antenna internas to the outer plastic. I've had OEM new APX Moto antennas have the plastic twist off before. For RX they give me the same RSSI, I wouldn't trust them for extended TX just because unknown VSWR. They are also stiffer than Moto antennas, less flex. Counterfiet sell on eBay for like 10 cents a piece in bulk, so yeah, get your money back if they advertise as OEM or offer to pay them $0.10 instead.

Attached the pic crop of the tell tale notch.

Screen Shot 2020-05-14 at 10.31.23 PM.png
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,857
Location
Roaming the Intermountain West
"Standard RCA Handheld Radio Flexible Whip Antenna"

RCA used to be a good name. Then they sold out. Like Tram and Browning, they take known American brand names and slap it on Chinese junk.

Looking at the linked web page, other than saying it "Fits Motorola radios", I'm not sure what lead you to believe it was a Motorola antenna. It isn't.

You are not going to find legit Motorola antennas for $7.50.
If you want real Motorola stuff, you buy from a real authorized Motorola shop. 8505241U05 - Motorola OEM Heliflex Antenna, UHF Band, Whip Antenna 403-520 MHz - ShopWiscomm
 

N4KVE

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2003
Messages
4,126
Location
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

ChrisE_STB

CA Database Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Jan 8, 2005
Messages
112
Location
Bay Area
"Standard RCA Handheld Radio Flexible Whip Antenna"

RCA used to be a good name. Then they sold out. Like Tram and Browning, they take known American brand names and slap it on Chinese junk.

Looking at the linked web page, other than saying it "Fits Motorola radios", I'm not sure what lead you to believe it was a Motorola antenna. It isn't.

You are not going to find legit Motorola antennas for $7.50.
If you want real Motorola stuff, you buy from a real authorized Motorola shop. 8505241U05 - Motorola OEM Heliflex Antenna, UHF Band, Whip Antenna 403-520 MHz - ShopWiscomm


Id assume because they are putting the Motorola Part Number in the item description. Very Misleading. I have other reasons I don't like this vendor, and this is just another one to add to the list.

84856
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,857
Location
Roaming the Intermountain West
Id assume because they are putting the Motorola Part Number in the item description. Very Misleading. I have other reasons I don't like this vendor, and this is just another one to add to the list.

Yep, an easy way to get it to show up in web searches. Looks like a Motorola antenna, has the Motorola part number, but doesn't say it's a Motorola antenna. Just more sneaky shenanigans.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top