• 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.

Just thought this was awesome.

Status
Not open for further replies.

Gezelle007

Lurker in the Deep
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Oct 18, 2009
Messages
1,070
Location
Oregon
Below is a link to the website FireRescue1, and I was looking through one page about radio communication and equipment and about mid page there are pictures discribing radios and how complicated they are and what are the "higher tier" radios compared to the lower quality ones, observe - from the highest tier to lowest - Motorola XTS5000 models, Motorola XTS2500 models, and last, the one odd picture of the Kenwood TK-390. I love how Motorola just rules over everything. Yes, I am a true Motorola beleiver. :]


IAFF: Voice Radio Communications Guide for the Fire Service, Section 4 - Portable radio selection and use
 

Skypilot007

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 26, 2005
Messages
2,537
Location
Medford, NJ
It would be nice if Motorola radios would scan a few more channels and multiple zones like the other radio brands do. Having seperate zones and scan lists is dumb. Just make each zone the scan lists and select from the zones which channels to scan and be able to scan multiple zones. What the heck is so hard about that! They could also be much less expensive!

Other than that the Motorola radios are hard to beat.
 
N

N_Jay

Guest
It would be nice if Motorola radios would scan a few more channels and multiple zones like the other radio brands do. Having seperate zones and scan lists is dumb. Just make each zone the scan lists and select from the zones which channels to scan and be able to scan multiple zones. What the heck is so hard about that!
I'm guessing they have spent way too much time and money on way too much UI research into exactly how some theoretically representative sample of uses opperate, and their UI follows the doctrin that came out of that research. (Just guessing)

Remember, they are designed for USERS not radio geeks.

They could also be much less expensive!

Other than that the Motorola radios are hard to beat.

Of course if they were less expensive, then there would be less margin, and with less margin there would be profit,. and with less profit, there would be less funds available for R&D, and with less R&D the radios would be a lot easier to beat, and being easier to beat, there would be less sales and with less sales per-unit production costs would rise. and with higher costs margins would further shrink, and that would hammer profits which would make it even harder to design and build a radio that is hard to beat.
 

mancow

Member
Database Admin
Joined
Feb 19, 2003
Messages
6,879
Location
N.E. Kansas
But with all the other infinitely adjustable features and enormous channel capacity it would seem logical that they would add a flash option for increased scan capacity for those that need it.
 

Skypilot007

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 26, 2005
Messages
2,537
Location
Medford, NJ
I'm guessing they have spent way too much time and money on way too much UI research into exactly how some theoretically representative sample of uses opperate, and their UI follows the doctrin that came out of that research. (Just guessing)

Remember, they are designed for USERS not radio geeks.



Of course if they were less expensive, then there would be less margin, and with less margin there would be profit,. and with less profit, there would be less funds available for R&D, and with less R&D the radios would be a lot easier to beat, and being easier to beat, there would be less sales and with less sales per-unit production costs would rise. and with higher costs margins would further shrink, and that would hammer profits which would make it even harder to design and build a radio that is hard to beat.

Are you calling me a geek! Only geeks I know of have 10.000 posts on message boards.

I think I'm outa this one since you're here and I will go USE my radios and scan 10 talkgroups while I'm, at it. Have fun now.
 
N

N_Jay

Guest
I know it seems like it should be easy just to code in a few options either as enable/disable features or flash code models, but in reality, SW development time is probably the tightest resource in product development, and with every change you restart the testing cycle.

I know it sounds like an excuse, even I did not believe it until I earned the scars from a few seemingly harmless "easy to add" features.
 
N

N_Jay

Guest
Are you calling me a geek! Only geeks I know of have 10.000 posts on message boards.

I think I'm outa this one since you're here and I will go USE my radios and scan 10 talkgroups while I'm, at it. Have fun now.

I guess you missed the point. There was no insult intended.

To most radio users, the radio is a tool.

To a few (like the ones here) it is a toy (and I mean that in the best sense of the word).

It is like a hobby wooodcrafter who is uber-proud of his Swiss steel, German made, hand sharpened saw blades.

Most working carpenters buy a box and when one is dull or does not run true it get tossed.

You see the same thing is every industry that has a "Hobby" following.
 
Joined
Dec 26, 2004
Messages
1,217
Location
Tulsa
Motorola does indeed have some top notch products, but they actively pursue those lucative Public Safety markets. The always have concentraded on the govenment market with marketing techniques to enhance their share, including providing customers with bid sheets that they can use to solicit bids that will exclude other manafacturers equipement, or in some cases outright bribes.

You may remember the Motorola "works in a drawer" TV's these wee a favorite bribe item. I remember a municipal purchaser let it be known he sure like a new motorocycle, soon a new Motorola contract was signed and he was seen driving a new bike around town.

Don't wet your pants over Motorola; they do sell good stuff, but there is sometimes more behind the sale than meets the eye.
 

radiofan1

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
190
Below is a link to the website FireRescue1, and I was looking through one page about radio communication and equipment and about mid page there are pictures discribing radios and how complicated they are and what are the "higher tier" radios compared to the lower quality ones, observe - from the highest tier to lowest - Motorola XTS5000 models, Motorola XTS2500 models, and last, the one odd picture of the Kenwood TK-390. I love how Motorola just rules over everything. Yes, I am a true Motorola beleiver. :]


IAFF: Voice Radio Communications Guide for the Fire Service, Section 4 - Portable radio selection and use

That's about as stupid as if they had posted Kenwood's P25 and NXDN radios with the one odd picture of a HT1000.

Stupid is as stupid does. And I truly believe motorola is as corrupt as the day is long.

Over an out!
 
N

N_Jay

Guest
Motorola does indeed have some top notch products, but they actively pursue those lucative Public Safety markets. The always have concentraded on the govenment market with marketing techniques to enhance their share, including providing customers with bid sheets that they can use to solicit bids that will exclude other manafacturers equipement, . . .
Pursuing a market is what every successful company does.
And providing "Standard Specifications", "Boilerplate", or "DTS" (Detailed Technical Specifications) that at least favor, if not define your offering in the absolute norm in almost every technical field. To say that either is improper or unethical is ridiculous.

. . . or in some cases outright bribes.

You may remember the Motorola "works in a drawer" TV's these wee a favorite bribe item. I remember a municipal purchaser let it be known he sure like a new motorocycle, soon a new Motorola contract was signed and he was seen driving a new bike around town.

Don't wet your pants over Motorola; they do sell good stuff, but there is sometimes more behind the sale than meets the eye.

. . . . And I truly believe motorola is as corrupt as the day is long.


They haven't made those TVs in about 35 or more years.
I would love to know when the "motorcycle" example is from.

I don't think any company or industry has been without bad actors, but to imply that Motorola is an outlier defames a lot of very honest, ethical and hard-working people to whom the industry owes its existence to.

I am not saying that Motorola is the only driver of the industry, but given the amount of cross-pollination in the industry, I hardly know anyone who did not work for Motorola, work for a manager who was with Motorola, or have people working for them that worked for Motorola. To claim they are corrupt, is to claim that most of the industry, is either corrupt or complacent with corruption.

Sorry, those are NOT the people I have known well for over 25 years.
(and, yes, I take such libelous statement personally)
 
Joined
Dec 26, 2004
Messages
1,217
Location
Tulsa
Don't get your panties in a wad. I did not cite any current specific incidents, but what I know from personal experience. My point is in a lot of bid situations Motorola is a tough, savvy competator that has more resources at their disposal than a competator whick may be a single dealer. I could provide specifics but why should I. Indeed the Motorola TV's go back at lest 30 years but I've been in this business longer than that, including several years running a large MSS.
 
N

N_Jay

Guest
Since you ran a large MSS, should we assume that you were either party to, or complacent with, some of those "outright bribes", or being "as corrupt as the day is long". (I would think not!)
 
Joined
Dec 26, 2004
Messages
1,217
Location
Tulsa
Assume whatever you want to, I stand by my assertations.

Perhaps you need to get out the Brasso, your M halo is looking a bit tarnished.
 

RKG

Member
Joined
May 23, 2005
Messages
1,096
Location
Boston, MA
It would be nice if Motorola radios would scan a few more channels and multiple zones like the other radio brands do. Having seperate zones and scan lists is dumb. Just make each zone the scan lists and select from the zones which channels to scan and be able to scan multiple zones. What the heck is so hard about that! They could also be much less expensive!

Other than that the Motorola radios are hard to beat.

Most Motorola radios will permit you to populate a scan list with channels from any zone.

Most Motorola radios are used for work, often public safety work, in which a big scan list is hindrance, not a help.
 

ramal121

Lots and lots of watts
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 5, 2008
Messages
2,105
Location
Calif Whine Country
First off, I thought "works in a drawer" was Quasar, not Motorola. And M has been out of the TV business for more like 45 years or more (damn, is that another gray hair ?)

What it boils down to, is what the end user can comprehend and apply. Sure there are geeks in the end user realm that have a clue on how all this radio crapola works that we throw at them, being Motorola, Kenwood, Ritron or whatever. We can all diss the ability to do this or that with this software or that manufacturer, but in reality, most customers really want this....
 
Last edited:
N

N_Jay

Guest
First off, I thought "works in a drawer" was Quasar, not Motorola. .
WRONG!
"Works is a Drawer" was a Motorola tag line, and "Quasar" was a Motorola Brand for TVs.
Also the "Works in a Drawer" tag line was used by Motorola before being applied to televisions, I believe, to describe a LMR or Microwave transmitter with slide out access to the components.

And M has been out of the TV business for more like 45 years or more (damn, is that another gray hair ?)
...
The "Quasar" brand was later sold to Matsushita (Panasonic) in the mid '70's making it only 35 years ago..

Other than that, I think you were dead on. :wink::wink:
 

Astro25

Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2007
Messages
396
Location
Chicagoland
While Motorola makes an alright product, I wouldn't call the Kenwood -90 series "low tier". If an analog portable is all you need, they work excellent and can take quite a beating.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top