Laptop or notebook suggestions

[Osprey1163]

I'm looking for a laptop or notebook computer for programming my radios. I need something that can program both older models like the Icom V82, V8000 etc and newer ones like my FT70 and ID4100. I'm using an old Dell Latitude 2100 with Win7 for the older radios because Windows 10 has issues handling the com ports the older programs need to communicate. I'd really like to use one laptop or notebook for all my radios though!
I've never used a Chromebook, but I know they rely heavily on the cloud, so I'm not sure how well suited one would be for programming the older radios. Suggestions?

Chris
KB3SCN

 

[W8WCA]

I would not go with a Chromebook for one thing they do not really run Microsoft Windows!
They are kind of for email web browsing and maybe Word Documents and the like

I would look at Notebooks that run Windows.

You will not really need a powerhouse one for how you intend on using it.

I have been able to use a USB - Serial Port adapter for older radios in the past (I do not have any radios with serial ports now days so cannot say for sure)

 

[KE7TJK]

You should be able to use any modern Windows laptop with a high quality USB to serial adaptor. I currently use a Surface, running Windows 10 Pro with a Belkin USB to serial adaptor at home for programming all my ham gear (V-8000, TM-V71, VX-170, FT-2D, FT-70D, ect) and my commercial Motorola and Kenwood's with no problems. They key is the high quality USB to serial.

If you want a good laptop with an actual serial port, look at either a Panasonic Toughbook, or a Dell Latitude Rugged. I use Toughbook running WIN 7 at work for programming newer and older radios, and don't have any issues.

 

[KK4JUG]

For years, I used a (now 10-year-old) Acer netbook with a 9 or 10 inch display and Windows 7. It worked like a charm. Microsoft quit supporting or protecting Windows 7 so I became a little leery about online use. I bought a $199 Motile computer from Walmart. (Side note: It had almost no bloatware on it.) It has a 14" display and the battery lasts at least 7 hours. I say "at least" because I've never run it down.

Anyway, it runs Sentinel and 6 different versions of RT Systems software for various ham, UHF and VHF radios. The computer is available from other sellers under other names. If possible, I'd stick with Walmart because it's a name I know.

 

[cmjonesinc]

I keep an old cf19 and cf18 for the majority of my programming. They play well with older radios and can do the real old dos stuff when need be. Plus they have a real serial port. For newer stuff that's a little more robust I use a lenovo t530 with a serial to USB adapter when needed. Old toughbooks should be a dime a dozen these days.

 

[mmckenna]

Yeah, the older Panasonic 'ToughBooks' are common for radio programming. They stand up well to beatings in the field, the older ones will have real serial ports.
In fact, you can sometimes find them for a reasonable price on E-Bay, and some still are loaded with radio programming software.

 

[W8WCA]

You should be able to use any modern Windows laptop with a high quality USB to serial adaptor. I currently use a Surface, running Windows 10 Pro with a Belkin USB to serial adaptor at home for programming all my ham gear (V-8000, TM-V71, VX-170, FT-2D, FT-70D, ect) and my commercial Motorola and Kenwood's with no problems. They key is the high quality USB to serial.

If you want a good laptop with an actual serial port, look at either a Panasonic Toughbook, or a Dell Latitude Rugged. I use Toughbook running WIN 7 at work for programming newer and older radios, and don't have any issues.

Those Panasonic tough books are great!

 

[AK9R]

I agree that good quality USB to RS-232 adapters should work fine with Windows 10.

However, I have a Dell Latitude D620 that has a real serial port and runs Windows 7 that I'm slowly turning into my radio programming computer. If that doesn't work, I have an even older IBM ThinkPad that's still running Windows 98.

 

[thatoneiowan]

I would just chime in and say for specs-wise, I'd suggest going for something with a recent gen Intel i3 or Ryzen 3 processor at a minimum, 6gb+ RAM, and an SSD instead of an HDD. The Intel Pentiums are decent and will work okay, but they are not powerful and I don't think they are worth it for a long-term computer. The 6gb ram (over 4gb) will give you some more wiggle room. If it's *just* for doing one thing at a time with little to no other processes running, 4gb RAM will be fine, though.

 

[KK4JUG]

If the OP is wanting a computer just for radio programming, it's not gonna take a lot of bells and whistles. Furthermore, it's not gonna take a lot of RAM or memory and I wouldn't pay for any of it if it's not necessary, Sentinel and RT Systems programs will work just fine on old, slow machines.

If, instead, it's gonna also be used for other stuff, all bets are off.

 

[12dbsinad]

I'd also recommend the Toughbook. Even the newer ones will still have a RS-232 port. If you're looking at a CF18 or 19 just make sure it has enough RAM, some resellers will load Windows 10 in them with not enough, just barely enough to run just the operating system.

 

[SurgePGH]

I'm looking for a laptop or notebook computer for programming my radios. I need something that can program both older models like the Icom V82, V8000 etc and newer ones like my FT70 and ID4100. I'm using an old Dell Latitude 2100 with Win7 for the older radios because Windows 10 has issues handling the com ports the older programs need to communicate. I'd really like to use one laptop or notebook for all my radios though!
I've never used a Chromebook, but I know they rely heavily on the cloud, so I'm not sure how well suited one would be for programming the older radios. Suggestions?

Chris
KB3SCN

PM Sent. It's ready to rock and roll.

 

[AB4BF]

Several years ago, I bought a very used HP pavilion with an i3 processor and 4GB ram. It had Win 7 HE in it and if the computer would boot after 4 to 5 minutes without the blue screen of death, you were lucky.

I put Win 10 (free) in it which made it slower and even more BSD's. It had an allegedly 5400 rpm HD with 640GB. I was going to use the laptop for radio programming and FT-8. Well so much for that...

Lo and behold, money from heaven, my second stimulus check came in! After paying a few necessary bills, I had enough left over to purchase off eBay a new battery, 4 more GB of RAM, Win 10 Pro and a Samsung 860 EVO 1TB Solid State Hard drive. All for less than $175!

First thing I did was order a Hard disk USB transfer cable for $4.56 with tax to load the new SSD which transferred all the files to the SSD. It took about 1.5 hours for everything especially after I downloaded the Samsung transfer software which is free. I took the old, tired HD out and put the new SSD in its place. the old HD was about 3/8" to 7/16" thick but the SSD is maybe 1/4" thick. Mind boggling...

I had taken the new battery out and unplugged the laptop to install the new SSD and 4 more GB's of RAM. I put the battery back in, plugged her up and the first time booting up took less than 30 seconds to home screen. With an i3!

After rebooting several times and letting Windows get caught up with all its updates, I tried the official first time booting. 12 seconds. It never takes over 20 seconds now and no blue screen of death.

A lot of people here have lamented about the drivers not working too well if at all on Windows 10. I also saw that, too. I took the Win 10 pro and installed it on the i3 laptop. I think it took a little longer than 20 minutes but Win 10 Pro is loaded with drivers and doesn't seem to mind downloading and installing ancient drivers, either.

No problems so far, knock on wood...

 

[jazzboypro]

I've been using Dell products for over 10 years and i'm very pleased with their laptops/PC and their customer service is excellent. I'm not a fan of buying used stuff but if i had to i would buy a Dell laptop

 

[a417]

I've been using Dell products for over 10 years and i'm very pleased with their laptops/PC and their customer service is excellent. I'm not a fan of buying used stuff but if i had to i would buy a Dell laptop

Agreed. I have a D830 that I bought refurbished from Dell in 2007 for like $200, and it's still going strong in 2021.

 

[iMONITOR]

DELL Precision (Workstation) line of laptops can't be beat! You can find used ones originally costing multiple thousands of dollars for a few hundred on Ebay. They even include a real RS232 serial port for those that require it.

 

[AK9R]

Look in the Dell Store on their website for refurbished items. Decent value with a warranty.

 

[jazzboypro]

They also have good deals on new laptops, just received my Precision 5550

 

[N1XDS]

Hello,

I am using a Panasonic CF-19 "Black Cobra edition" to program my Motorola APX 6000XE, Harris XG-75 and Harris XG-100 portable radios while running Windows 10 pro edition. This is my second Panasonic CF-`19 laptop and these are great computers for work use and personal use. I bought both mine from a well recommended dealer on eBay with no issues.

 

[Osprey1163]

I greatly appreciate all the replies and suggestions! The two notebooks I've been using for my radios both run Win7. They've developed too many "quirks" to be endearing anymore.....like one day working fine programming a radio and the next not being able to communicate with it no matter what I do. The Win 10 HP laptop I have is a 17" model so is a bit bigger than I'd prefer for field use and, well, I paid a lot of money for it and prefer to keep it indoors.