Looking to buy Motorola XTS5000

[Msjessica8983]

I'm looking to buy Motorola XTS5000. VERY new to radio. I had seen one where they were able to listen to like all of sedgwick county real time scanners and I was absolutely obsessed with it but haven't been able to find one like it again.
Cost isn't a problem either, I've been saving up

 

[SKINNY1]

You can buy them all day long on Ebay. The trick is finding someone to program it for you. It can be done.

 

[Msjessica8983]

That's what I'm hoping to find.

 

[jtderby]

I haven't looked to see what's in sedgwik county as far as bands, analog and digital modes and what might be encrypted. With that, and the fact that you say you are new to radio, a scanner might be a better choice than the XTS5000. Will likely give you more flexibility and you would have an easier chance of setting it up yourself. There's also less risk of accidently ending up transmitting where you shouldn't be since a scanner is incapable of doing so.

 

[mmckenna]

That's what I'm hoping to find.

Before you do, you need to do a LOT of research and accept some friendly advice...

There are several models of XTS-5000 radio. They come in different bands. You —MUST— have the correct band radio if you want to listen. Don't buy the wrong band and think someone can magically make it work, they can't. These are single band portables and the band you buy is the one you are stuck with.

If you are in Sedgwick County Kansas, they are 800MHz. You —MUST— buy an 800MHz radio. Do NOT buy a VHF, UHF, etc. They will not work.

You need to fully understand Motorola flashcodes. The radios come with specific features activated. You will need a radio with the correct flashcode for it to work. Get the wrong flashcode, and it will not work. Trying to find someone to update it can be a pain and cost you money. Do not randomly buy radios off e-bay unless you know what you are getting into. No shortage of posts on this page where someone buys a cool looking radio and doesn't realize it won't do what they want.

To make an XTS-5000 receive that county trunked radio system, there's some slightly shady stuff that has to be done to make the radio listen to the system. It is not easy to do if you are inexperienced programming commercial two way radios. You will need to have the Astro Portable software, a programming cable, and a PC to run the software.

Screwing up the programming can get you in a lot of trouble. If not done correctly, the radio will affiliate to the radio system. The system manager will see that and can remotely kill your radio.
Setting up the radio wrong can also result in taking resources away from public safety professionals. That will get you in trouble.
Setting up the radio wrong can also impact other individual radios and can put public safety professionals lives at risk. Know what you are doing before you go down this path. The FCC does absolutely enforce the rules and it can be a very expensive lesson if you get caught.

You may hear a lot of people tell you to "just buy a scanner". There's a reason for that. A scanner cannot accidentally screw up someone else's radio or take resources away from professionals.
You'll never get a visit from the system admin or the FCC if you buy a scanner.

Friendly advice part:
With a good scanner, programming will be much easier and you'll be able to listen to way more than the XTS-5000 can.

 

[Msjessica8983]

Before you do, you need to do a LOT of research and accept some friendly advice...

There are several models of XTS-5000 radio. They come in different bands. You —MUST— have the correct band radio if you want to listen. Don't buy the wrong band and think someone can magically make it work, they can't. These are single band portables and the band you buy is the one you are stuck with.

If you are in Sedgwick County Kansas, they are 800MHz. You —MUST— buy an 800MHz radio. Do NOT buy a VHF, UHF, etc. They will not work.

You need to fully understand Motorola flashcodes. The radios come with specific features activated. You will need a radio with the correct flashcode for it to work. Get the wrong flashcode, and it will not work. Trying to find someone to update it can be a pain and cost you money. Do not randomly buy radios off e-bay unless you know what you are getting into. No shortage of posts on this page where someone buys a cool looking radio and doesn't realize it won't do what they want.

To make an XTS-5000 receive that county trunked radio system, there's some slightly shady stuff that has to be done to make the radio listen to the system. It is not easy to do if you are inexperienced programming commercial two way radios. You will need to have the Astro Portable software, a programming cable, and a PC to run the software.

Screwing up the programming can get you in a lot of trouble. If not done correctly, the radio will affiliate to the radio system. The system manager will see that and can remotely kill your radio.
Setting up the radio wrong can also result in taking resources away from public safety professionals. That will get you in trouble.
Setting up the radio wrong can also impact other individual radios and can put public safety professionals lives at risk. Know what you are doing before you go down this path. The FCC does absolutely enforce the rules and it can be a very expensive lesson if you get caught.

You may hear a lot of people tell you to "just buy a scanner". There's a reason for that. A scanner cannot accidentally screw up someone else's radio or take resources away from professionals.
You'll never get a visit from the system admin or the FCC if you buy a scanner.

Friendly advice part:
With a good scanner, programming will be much easier and you'll be able to listen to way more than the XTS-5000 can.

Where do you recommend that I start? I

 

[mgolden2]

You're better off buying an actual scanner.

 

[ems55]

Before you do, you need to do a LOT of research and accept some friendly advice...

There are several models of XTS-5000 radio. They come in different bands. You —MUST— have the correct band radio if you want to listen. Don't buy the wrong band and think someone can magically make it work, they can't. These are single band portables and the band you buy is the one you are stuck with.

If you are in Sedgwick County Kansas, they are 800MHz. You —MUST— buy an 800MHz radio. Do NOT buy a VHF, UHF, etc. They will not work.

You need to fully understand Motorola flashcodes. The radios come with specific features activated. You will need a radio with the correct flashcode for it to work. Get the wrong flashcode, and it will not work. Trying to find someone to update it can be a pain and cost you money. Do not randomly buy radios off e-bay unless you know what you are getting into. No shortage of posts on this page where someone buys a cool looking radio and doesn't realize it won't do what they want.

To make an XTS-5000 receive that county trunked radio system, there's some slightly shady stuff that has to be done to make the radio listen to the system. It is not easy to do if you are inexperienced programming commercial two way radios. You will need to have the Astro Portable software, a programming cable, and a PC to run the software.

Screwing up the programming can get you in a lot of trouble. If not done correctly, the radio will affiliate to the radio system. The system manager will see that and can remotely kill your radio.
Setting up the radio wrong can also result in taking resources away from public safety professionals. That will get you in trouble.
Setting up the radio wrong can also impact other individual radios and can put public safety professionals lives at risk. Know what you are doing before you go down this path. The FCC does absolutely enforce the rules and it can be a very expensive lesson if you get caught.

You may hear a lot of people tell you to "just buy a scanner". There's a reason for that. A scanner cannot accidentally screw up someone else's radio or take resources away from professionals.
You'll never get a visit from the system admin or the FCC if you buy a scanner.

Friendly advice part:
With a good scanner, programming will be much easier and you'll be able to listen to way more than the XTS-5000 can.

Listen to the man,, good advise !!!!!

 

[jtderby]

@mmckenna
Way better way of explaining why a scanner is a better choice than what I wrote. Hat's off to you Sir.

 

[mmckenna]

Where do you recommend that I start? I

If you are in Sedgwick County, Kansas, their system runs simulcast, so the place to start is with a Uniden SDS100 if you want a portable, or the SDS200 if you want a mobile or base radio.

Big benefit to that is that there are thousands of people on this page that will happily assist you in finding the best place to purchase one. They are also very knowledgeable when it comes to programming.

 

[ladn]

Just buy the scanner!

• Fewer arcane model/option and flashcode choices
• Easier to program
• Less contentious support options here on RR
• No worries about accidently affiliating with a system or transmitting where you're not welcome
• More flexible (multiple bands and modes)
• Not as cool looking, no cop sounds and not quite as good audio as an XTS, but you're less likely to be mistaken for a Narc and get shot either

 

[Ace9133uwu]

Not as cool looking, no cop sounds and not quite as good audio as an XTS, but you're less likely to be mistaken for a Narc and get shot either

Whaddya mean? Both look cool in their own right, but side by side the SDS100 looks way cooler. That and the SDS weighs around ten pounds less than the XTS. 😆
That’s a new one, the possibilty of getting mistaken for a narc. 🤔

 

[tdhooge]

Don't buy the radio, SGCO will be going encrypted sometime sooner than later, I understand they got 1.6 million to upgrade for the Encryption. Harvey County LEO's are going encrypted sometime in January 2024. This comes from the Main person with Harvey Co. Not sure what is going to happene to fire as far as I know that may still be in the open.