Low band alternatives to the Maxtrac/Radius/CDM

[eportel6607]

Guys is there a Moto radio that would be an alternative to the Maxtrac/Radius/Maratrac line?

Is there a recommended alternative to the CDM 1250 low band product line?

The Maxtrac/Radius line is great is still works great but they are old and if we can't get the Maxtrac/Radius line any more what do you guys recommend that we go to?

The CDM line seems to be very inconsistent. I have four CDM1250 42-50 radios...each with their own issue. Two of them will not transmit more than 9 watts.
Another radio won't power up at all and the fourth radio has a CPU issue!!

Are they worth repairing???

 

[KG4INW]

We have several customers who are using PM-1200 low band mobiles and seem to like them because they keep purchasing them. They're used in power line maintenance trucks that aren't the cleanest environments and only have minor maintenance issues from time to time. I believe they are actually Vertex radios that Motorola put their name on (since they own Vertex any way).

 

[eportel6607]

We have several customers who are using PM-1200 low band mobiles and seem to like them because they keep purchasing them. They're used in power line maintenance trucks that aren't the cleanest environments and only have minor maintenance issues from time to time. I believe they are actually Vertex radios that Motorola put their name on (since they own Vertex any way).

Thanks very much. I'll look into it. Oh yeah looks like a Vertex VX4000/5500.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Thanks very much. I'll look into it. Oh yeah looks like a Vertex VX4000/5500.

Only real difference is the PM1200 can be flashed to P25 (don't remember if it is through Astro 25 or Apex). From the look of it on the Motorola Solutions site, the low band model is NLA though.

The VX-6000 (100W variant of the VX-4000/5000) is actually a rebranded Kenwood TK-x90. Which are analog only versions of the TK-5x10 series.

 

[eportel6607]

Only real difference is the PM1200 can be flashed to P25 (don't remember if it is through Astro 25 or Apex). From the look of it on the Motorola Solutions site, the low band model is NLA though.

The VX-6000 (100W variant of the VX-4000/5000) is actually a rebranded Kenwood TK-x90. Which are analog only versions of the TK-5x10 series.

Very interesting. I thought the VX6000 looked very much like the Kenwood TK-690.

P25 is of no interest to us. Actually neither is the PM1200 now that I see it's the 100w remote only radio.
I was hoping that there was a VX4000L/VX5500L varient. This would be much more practical.

Thanks very much for your input. I learn something today.

 

[mmckenna]

Kenwood TK-690. Last time I looked California Highway Patrol was still using them as their primary mobile radio. They are still in production, but lots available on e-Bay.

 

[eportel6607]

Yes. I had about fifteen of them but since the entire system was based off of much less expensive Moto stuff and we had used the MDC protocol....and all of the accessories like connectors, mics, speakers was plentiful and cheap we sold all of the Kenwood items. The quality of the Kenwood items are better but I couldn't find what I need for all the mods that needed to be make. The other thing is that the mod information for Moto equipment is also must more plentiful. So unfortunately I felt it was better to stick with what we had already.

 

[mmckenna]

Got it. You can add after market MDC boards to the Kenwood's, though.

 

[eportel6607]

Got it. You can add after market MDC boards to the Kenwood's, though.

This is true...and I can add MDC to the Vertex VX4000/5500 but the only do encode, no decode/display and the package cost almost $60. It makes me cringe when I think that a Maxtrac/Radius is radio is under $60 used and it includes MDC encode and decode/display.

Thanks for your input.

 

[mmckenna]

True. The TK-690's were developed when Motorola still had an active patent on MDC. I was looking at replacing our old Police Department MCS-2000's with new TK-790's, but the lack of MDC was what drove us to the TK-5710's.

Since there seems to be so few manufacturers produce Low Band radios, I keep waiting for Kenwood to offer a low band version of either the TK-5710 (TK-5610?) or a low band version of the NX-5000. Seems like there will always be some market for low band radios. I have been told that Kenwood will be manufacturing the TK-x90 line of mobiles for quite a few years to come. Just expecting to see a replacement in the near future.

 

[eportel6607]

Interesting.
The big 110 watt radios are too large for most vehicles. Some like the Vertex VX5500 is nice because it's very shallow in depth....unlike the Maxtrac/Radius radios. The VX5500 and I think the VX6000 are still current radios in Vertex's product line.

 

[mmckenna]

Kenwood TK-6110 is another option. It's a 70 watt radio, smaller than the TK-690. It's got an ANI board slot, so you could make it do MDC, but I don't think it would decode and show on the display.

 

[eportel6607]

Hmmm. Maybe. I'm all done with the CDM1250 low band radios. JUNK. I have four and all of them have issues. Locked up CPU, two transmit a max of 6 to 9 watts and the other won't power up anymore. Said when radios that are over 20 years old (Maxtrac) work far better and are more reliable than a radio that was last built in 2009.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Kenwood TK-6110 is another option. It's a 70 watt radio, smaller than the TK-690. It's got an ANI board slot, so you could make it do MDC, but I don't think it would decode and show on the display.

But has been discontinued (TxDOT had a few hundred of the range 3 models).

So if we are talking about the possibility of using an older (out of support) radio, what about something like a Mitrek or Micor? At least you don't need a computer to get those up and running.

 

[mmckenna]

Nope, TK-6110 is still sold by Kenwood. It's on their December 2015 dealer price sheet. Same with the TK-690, 790, 890 mobiles and the TK-190, 290 and 390 portables.

TK-6110 comes in a K and K2 model:
K covers 29.7mHz to 37.0mHz
K2 covers 35.0mHz to 50mHz.

TK-690 comes in 3 models:
K covers 29.7mHz to 37.0mHz
K2 covers 35.0mHz to 43.0mHz
K3 covers 39.0mHz to 50.0mHz.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Nope, TK-6110 is still sold by Kenwood. It's on their December 2015 dealer price sheet. Same with the TK-690, 790, 890 mobiles and the TK-190, 290 and 390 portables.

TK-6110 comes in a K and K2 model:
K covers 29.7mHz to 37.0mHz
K2 covers 35.0mHz to 50mHz.

TK-690 comes in 3 models:
K covers 29.7mHz to 37.0mHz
K2 covers 35.0mHz to 43.0mHz
K3 covers 39.0mHz to 50.0mHz.

Last I had checked with Kenwood they told me they were no longer producing the 6110. Good to know.

K2...also puts out about 55W @28 MHz.

 

[mmckenna]

I've thought of purchasing a used one (either 6110 or 690) and putting it on 6 meters. 10 might be fun, too. Used to know a guy that had a low band Syntor X that was set up for both 10 meters and 6 meters. Tuned lengths of coax fed 2 separate antennas. That was a pretty sweet setup 20 years ago.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

I've thought of purchasing a used one (either 6110 or 690) and putting it on 6 meters. 10 might be fun, too. Used to know a guy that had a low band Syntor X that was set up for both 10 meters and 6 meters. Tuned lengths of coax fed 2 separate antennas. That was a pretty sweet setup 20 years ago.

I actually pulled my lowband X9000 out of the closet yesterday...there was a guy on eBay selling them for $70. The famous Motorola diplexing chart was built specifically for that radio. I figure I'll install it one day if I ever find a autotuning 28-54 MHz screwdriver.

I probably have 3 6110-K2's around somewhere. There's a good writeup on converting them for both 6 and 10.

 

[eportel6607]

But has been discontinued (TxDOT had a few hundred of the range 3 models).

So if we are talking about the possibility of using an older (out of support) radio, what about something like a Mitrek or Micor? At least you don't need a computer to get those up and running.

For me out of support radios are fine...but not radios that require channel elements and front end tweaking...not to mention the size of a suitcase. Actually I have one more Mitrek 42-50. I think it's a 60watt model.
I also have ten Maratrac w/ the advanced control head. The radio is only going to work for our "on grid" control stations. Twenty three amps is a lot to draw from a solar system. A radio with PTT ID is a must for the field radios. The Maratrac doesn't offer that.
Thanks guys for your input.

 

[cmdrwill]

Doesn't the Maratrac have MDC signaling?