MAXON

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Maxon has been sending me a lot of stuff regarding their dealer program. Maxon is a name that has been around a long time on the lower tier. They have some inexpensive DMR Tier 2 radios that appear on par with the mid and low tier HytEra radios. They also have analog products and even a nifty mobile extender mike that uses BT.

This may be of interest to someone wishing to become a dealer or some ham clubs looking to equip a lot of folks. I am curious about anyone's experience with these radios. The idea of setting up a dealership with one of the smaller firms in my retirement has interested me.

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e8123ce88fbc9a04020af064e/files/b1d0d0cd-34f7-440a-9dd8-c5c504b12d7f/Maxon_Dealer_Program_Mini_Catalog.pdf?utm_source=2019+Maxon+Customers&utm_campaign=7b3581cc10-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_01_08_07_05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0933138912-7b3581cc10-293521813&mc_cid=7b3581cc10&mc_eid=154eacb95d

 

[bharvey2]

Huh, I didn't know Maxon was still around. I had a quite a few older Maxon radios (DOS or dedicated 20 key programming so that lets you know their age) By no means were they lower tier. They were every bit as robust as the big boys radios. Maybe a CoValue rebranding?

 

[Golay]

Where I work, there used to be about 50 Maxon wall mounted radios in service. Basically a wireless P.A. system. They were just Motorola MX handhelds (that's how long ago I'm talking) mounted in a stainless steel box with a power supply, with the speaker and mike coming off to connectors on the top of the unit. Later we went to a system made by Femco that did the same thing. Like bharvey2 says, the stuff was bulletproof. Any repairs were because smashed cables going to the radio or no power. They came with a nice Antenna Specialist NMO gain antenna mounted on a stainless plate and about 20' of coax with a BNC connector that hooked to the bottom of the radio. We slowly migrated to forgoing the antenna and just putting BNC quarter wave rubber duckies on the jack on the radio. Everyone could still hear each other.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Huh, I didn't know Maxon was still around. I had a quite a few older Maxon radios (DOS or dedicated 20 key programming so that lets you know their age) By no means were they lower tier. They were every bit as robust as the big boys radios. Maybe a CoValue rebranding?

If I recall correctly, they were the manufacturer of 800 MHz EDACS radios private labeled for GE/Ericsson/COMNET Ericsson, etc back in the 80's and 90's. I was surprised to see them at IWCE a couple years back. They have a lot of stuff.

 

[bharvey2]

I believe you are right on point there. As well as the Maxons I had some labeled GEs as well. All of the GE and most of the Maxons I had were all conventional. I think you're right about the EDACS too. Among the HTs I had were a couple of SL500s. I had no provisions from programming them or even determining their band. When I contacted Maxon about them, they seemed very unhappy that I had any.

 

[KevinC]

If I recall correctly, they were the manufacturer of 800 MHz EDACS radios private labeled for GE/Ericsson/COMNET Ericsson, etc back in the 80's and 90's. I was surprised to see them at IWCE a couple years back. They have a lot of stuff.

EP4800, solid portable. I still have 2 of them stashed away.

 

[spongella]

In the early '90's I bought a pair of their GMRS radios, they were great, even programmable for repeaters. Yes Maxon's been around for years.

 

[bharvey2]

I've got a some conventional HTs as well as mobiles stashed away along with the programming tools. I've got both VHF and UHF but they're all wideband only and while they might program into the ham bands, their operation in the ham bands is terrible. However, I can still use the UHF ones for GMRS. The limiting factor is the number of channels - no more than 16 depending upon the model. I have one at my desk at working programmed up for a few of the local GMRS repeaters but it's dying a slow death.

 

[TheBoz]

Maxon has been sending me a lot of stuff regarding their dealer program. Maxon is a name that has been around a long time on the lower tier. They have some inexpensive DMR Tier 2 radios that appear on par with the mid and low tier HytEra radios. They also have analog products and even a nifty mobile extender mike that uses BT.

This may be of interest to someone wishing to become a dealer or some ham clubs looking to equip a lot of folks. I am curious about anyone's experience with these radios. The idea of setting up a dealership with one of the smaller firms in my retirement has interested me.

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e8123ce88fbc9a04020af064e/files/b1d0d0cd-34f7-440a-9dd8-c5c504b12d7f/Maxon_Dealer_Program_Mini_Catalog.pdf?utm_source=2019+Maxon+Customers&utm_campaign=7b3581cc10-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_01_08_07_05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0933138912-7b3581cc10-293521813&mc_cid=7b3581cc10&mc_eid=154eacb95d

I have two of the Maxon VHF DMR radios, the TPD 1124 and the TPD 1116 and I have been very impressed with them, I think they would do well if more people were aware of them. Our city fire department has a few of the TPD 1124 radios, that’s how I found out about them, I’m not sure who they got them from. The range and sound quality has been very good on them, I have Motorola, Hytera and Vertex digital radios, and I feel the quality of the Maxon radios are equivalent to them as far as performance.