Make of FBI radios? Customs? DEA?

[zz0468]

I'm not going to get drawn into an argument. I have my view and opinions. Others have their's. That is fine with me. I will not challenge other people out of respect. No alpha male crap here! :roll: The forums run much smoother without that.

Then stop perpetuating myths that M/A-Com equipment is crap. It's fine if you don't like it, but it ain't crap.

 

[Squad10]

FWIW, the DEA uses the A3 HHCH in some cars in the DC area as they have both VHF and UHF astro spectras installed and the A3 is the only HHCH that has a switch on the head to toggle between the two.

Does anybody know if this configuration is offered as a current production product?

I heard years ago that this configuration was a special development for DEA but Motorola then offered it to state, county, and local governments primarily for detective use. I heard this at a DEA/Motorola/Sti-Co meeting I attended. I remember the meeting because a main topic of discussion was what Sti-Co could do to remedy many of their VHF/UHF disguise antenna couplers (located in the DEA vehicle's trunk) from catching fire during a radio transmission.

 

[ka8ypy]

Does anybody know if this configuration is offered as a current production product?

I heard years ago that this configuration was a special development for DEA but Motorola then offered it to state, county, and local governments primarily for detective use. I heard this at a DEA/Motorola/Sti-Co meeting I attended. I remember the meeting because a main topic of discussion was what Sti-Co could do to remedy many of their VHF/UHF disguise antenna couplers (located in the DEA vehicle's trunk) from catching fire during a radio transmission.

The XTL-5000 will do multiple radio - single head set -ups (dual radio or more) in both the O5 and O3 head.

Also the GE Orion does it, but much easier as well as the current Jaguar line I believe.

 

[Squad10]

The XTL-5000 will do multiple radio - single head set -ups (dual radio or more) in both the O5 and O3 head.

Also the GE Orion does it, but much easier as well as the current Jaguar line I believe.

Just looked at Model Type W3 HHCH configuration. Thanks ka8ypy.

 

[prcguy]

In 1995 the FBI contracted Racal to design the MSHR (Minature Secrure Handheld Radio) 136-174MHz with type 1 encryption. In 1998 the fed purchased $5.8m of MSHRs for the FBI and DoD.
Here is a useful link to radios listed by the US DoJ with some specs and who uses them:
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/191161.pdf
prcguy

 

[immelmen]

Does anybody know if this configuration is offered as a current production product?

.

I saw this configuration as a new install to a brand new car recently. The TO4KLH radio was old however, it had a full size UHF antenna connector rather than the mini-UHF...first time I had seen this on an Astro spectra. The A3 HHCH looked used as well.

 

[Stephen]

M/A COM is crap the Military Base I work at uses a brand new M/A Com system, which is a P25 System not Pro-Voice, the system fails all the time, and half the time gives a false system busy to users. Even the radios tech stated that if they could have gone with Motorola they would have. Unlike like the Department of Justice, DOD goes with the cheapest bidder on certain things like radio systems.

 

[Squad10]

M/A COM is crap the Military Base I work at uses a brand new M/A Com system, which is a P25 System not Pro-Voice, the system fails all the time, and half the time gives a false system busy to users. Even the radios tech stated that if they could have gone with Motorola they would have. Unlike like the Department of Justice, DOD goes with the cheapest bidder on certain things like radio systems.

I'm sorry to hear about the brand new MB radio system not working well. Maybe somebody in the DoD purchasing department made a typo on the DoD - M/A COM radio system contract and typed semi-operability instead of inter-operability??? Both semi and inter have the same number of characters.

 

[W6KRU]

Both semi and inter have the same number of characters.

Wanna bet?

 

[Squad10]

No, I don't want to bet. Just a feeble attempt at humor and irony at the same time on a gloomy day waiting for Friday to come when I'll be in the Palm Desert area for a week. Just me and my PSR-500.

 

[SOFA_KING]

Then stop perpetuating myths that M/A-Com equipment is crap. It's fine if you don't like it, but it ain't crap.

IT WAS A JOKE! That is why I put the laugh smiley next to the statement. The old GE vrs Motorola joke.

And so what if I do think it's crap. THAT IS MY OPINION. And I have a right to it. YOU have no right to tell me what to do. GOT IT?

And I really do not think it is crap, although from what I have experienced I prefer Motorola. :roll:

 

[Astro25]

The DEA has XTS5000s (saw them with XTS2500s when I was sent to Colorado) and some even still use Astro Sabers...

I don't know about the other agencies though.

 

[FFPM571]

Chicago area:

USMS XTS5K, Thales for SRT, occasional Astro SaberIII W3 mobiles new XTL W3's

IRS-CID, XTS5K , W3 astro spectra. They used to use a dual spectra UHF-L- VHF but not latley

DHS-ICE, XTS5K

BATFE, XTS5K W3 astro spectra and XTL

USCG -CID same

Dept of Commerce CID XTS3000 and 5K

Dept of Education CID.. yes there is such a thing. Had analog saber in SVA but there was an XTS3K also.

most everything is the same, any analog spectra or systems sabers have been removed. The "G " loves to leave their handheld radios in the cars when they send them in for service..

 

[JASII]

Since there has been several references to the HHCH, does anybody happen to know if scanning is possible on the HHCH?

 

[zz0468]

IT WAS A JOKE! That is why I put the laugh smiley next to the statement. The old GE vrs Motorola joke.

That's all well and fine. But a tip for next time... jokes are usually funny. And if it is, maybe next time I'll get it.

And so what if I do think it's crap. THAT IS MY OPINION. And I have a right to it. YOU have no right to tell me what to do. GOT IT?

I'm hardly telling you what to do. What I was doing was stating that if you don't want people to challenge your opinions, don't state it in the first place. It's what we do best here. Person A states that brand M is crap. Person B states that Person A is full of beans. That's the game.

And I really do not think it is crap, although from what I have experienced I prefer Motorola. :roll:

Look... here's where I'm coming from: I lived with an EDACS system for 15 years that had all sorts of coverage holes, and it was a shoddy installation job, and had all manner of problems. So, in that particular locale, EDACS and M/A-Com got a black eye. But as I got more and more involved in dealing with the hardware, I learned that it's actually a robust system, the equipment was excellent quality, and if you gave it half a chance, it really works quite well. Better than Smartnet, actually. I know - I've maintained both Smartnet and EDACS systems. But because of several highly publicized, but poorly done implementations, the manufacturer gets a bum rap here and similar forums, and I get tired of it. It's frequently an opinion that's born out of ignorance of the facts, perpetuated by people who've never lifted a soldering iron or have no clue what goes on in designing and maintaining large radio systems.

And as for pulling "alpha male crap"... I think you just did. Welcome to the club! =)

 

[ka8ypy]

Since there has been several references to the HHCH, does anybody happen to know if scanning is possible on the HHCH?

I don't believe so, no.

 

[immelmen]

Since there has been several references to the HHCH, does anybody happen to know if scanning is possible on the HHCH?

Not sure I understand the question, but if its asking if the radio can be set to scan a scan list from the HHCH the answer is yes it can.

I own/use two different W3 HHCH's and they are both set to enable scan on the radio(and edit scan lists for that matter).

 

[Squad10]

Chicago area:

IRS-CID, XTS5K , W3 astro spectra. They used to use a dual spectra UHF-L- VHF but not latley


The last traffic I heard on 166.0000 was about two years ago. It was P25 but I didn't know if it was encrypted because I had no digital radio at the time. I monitor the complete VHF and UHF federal bands about 10 hours a day, 7 days a week and have not heard any activity on the long time IRS analog frequencies. Has anybody heard activity on 166.000/167.1000, 165.9500, 167.0000, 418.225/414.7000, 418.175 in the Chicago area recently?

 

[ka8ypy]

Not sure I understand the question, but if its asking if the radio can be set to scan a scan list from the HHCH the answer is yes it can.

I own/use two different W3 HHCH's and they are both set to enable scan on the radio(and edit scan lists for that matter).

HHCH is separate item from the W3 head.

HHCH is the control head for the dual astro spectra set up run by a separate control box and does not allow scan from either radio. and only controls which radio is selected and which channel in the radio (00 - 99). HHCH looks like an A3 head but with a switch for on/VHF/UHF.

The W3 is a full featured control head and yes, allows the scan function to operate in the radio as any other W series head would.

Sorry for the confusion in my previous reply.

 

[Squad10]

But because of several highly publicized, but poorly done implementations, the manufacturer gets a bum rap here and similar forums, and I get tired of it.

Yup, high density sights in general and like the Sears Tower and a hot site like the Hancock Center require a lot of technical talent and experience when it comes to making a system work great. Dealing with interference issues, not only generated locally, but unauthorized users causing co-channel interference, and third harmonics from old alarm systems that can de-sense 800MHz repeater receivers.

Due to high RF, one can see sparks fly at night when a metal object like a wrench is tapped on a point on the grid at the Hancock. Plus a camcorder needs to be placed into a fabricated chicken wire cage if you don't want scrambled video.