Motorola HT1250 for amateur radio Was: Radio

[Archie9284]

Question, I have a Motorola HT1250 VHF radio. Can I used that instead of buy a VHF/UHF radio for my Amateur radio

 

[K6GBW]

You can use it on 2 meters (VHF) as long as you can get it programmed. The HT1250 is an older radio and the CPS software was designed to run on Windows 95. It can be a bit challenging. For the cost of the radio, programming etc. it's usually just easier to use an actual ham radio. But, if you already have it and the means to program it then absolutely.

 

[mmckenna]

Question, I have a Motorola HT1250 VHF radio. Can I used that instead of buy a VHF/UHF radio for my Amateur radio

Sure.

The mobile version of those, the Motorola CDM series, have been my go-to mobile radios for years, and I had them programmed with a lot of ham stuff.

No matter what anyone tells you, it is absolutely legal to use these old commercial radios on the ham bands. Many of us do. Better receivers, more features, and more interface options.

 

[nokones]

You can use it on 2 meters (VHF) as long as you can get it programmed. The HT1250 is an older radio and the CPS software was designed to run on Windows 95. It can be a bit challenging. For the cost of the radio, programming etc. it's usually just easier to use an actual ham radio. But, if you already have it and the means to program it then absolutely.

And on Windows XP operating system.

 

[tleck330]

Just programmed up an old HT1000 earlier this year for the same purpose. Ended up using Dos-Box and the old CPS software.

 

[KG4INW]

The last versions of Professional/Waris CPS runs just fine in Windows 10 (I don't have anything with 11 yet) but they'll restrict you to narrowband only unless you get the wideband EID. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the second-to-last version will still allow wideband as is though (since 2m ham is still wide).

 

[PACNWDude]

Do this myself with an old VHF CDM-1250. I use an older Dell D810 running WinXP and a Motorola programming cable and Radio Interface Box (RIB). I also use a UHF version as well. CDM series (Waris) radios work great for amateur use, once you have everything needed to program them.

Beware some online auction sites for both radios and programming hardware.....make sure to research what you are buying. I know many that bought CDM1550LS Plus mobiles in UHF for GMRS use, only to find they were 16 channel only. (Should you want to buy a UHF version as well).

 

[mmckenna]

The last versions of Professional/Waris CPS runs just fine in Windows 10 (I don't have anything with 11 yet) but they'll restrict you to narrowband only unless you get the wideband EID. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the second-to-last version will still allow wideband as is though (since 2m ham is still wide).

I don't know which version is 'second to last', but I have 6.12.05 and it does wide.

 

[KG4INW]

I don't know which version is 'second to last', but I have 6.12.05 and it does wide.

Ah, I checked and it's actually the third-to-last, which is 6.12.05. 6.12.08 was the first to force narrowband while 6.12.09 is the latest/last.

 

[FFPM571]

.05 works fine on Win 10 I just used it to program an HT1250LS+ for GMRS at wideband

 

[Project25_MASTR]

I've had issues with 6.12.09 and 64 bit versions of Windows (Windows 7 and Windows 10) not communicating correctly with the COM port. I seem to remember a Windows 7 64 bit machine with a hardware serial port doing just fine though. Don't think I've actually tried Windows 10 yet (haven't had a need).

 

[nokones]

I've had issues with 6.12.09 and 64 bit versions of Windows (Windows 7 and Windows 10) not communicating correctly with the COM port. I seem to remember a Windows 7 64 bit machine with a hardware serial port doing just fine though. Don't think I've actually tried Windows 10 yet (haven't had a need).

If you're using a serial port with an USB to Serial Adapter Cable to the RIB, you might need the Prolific Driver for the Windows 7 Operating System. IF you're using a RIB-Less Cable, I'm not sure if you need the Driver or not because I have not tried/used a RIB-Less Cable on the older vintage CPS and Radios. Mostly, because I don't have one to try.

Also, I was only able to get the older vintage CPS, like the MTS2000, Professional Radio CPS for the PM400s, and the HT750, HT1250, and CDM series Mobiles, and the Astro Digital CPS for programming the Astro Saber and XTS3000 radios to work on 32-bit systems only, so I just my old XP 32-Bit Laptop.

My Windows 7 is a 64-Bit operating system. I think my Vista Desktop is a 32-Bit system but I don't use it anymore. I have a 64-Bit windows 8.1 that I keep for my Vertex-Standard Repeater Station.

I did have an old Windows XP Laptop stripped from the XP Windows Operating System and converted to a DOS 6.2 only to program my MT2000 and HT1000 radios but, the computer won't do anything for the Saber radios. It goes through the motion of reading the codeplug but won't display the data that was read. Apparently, the processor clock speed is too fast for the Saber radio.

The converted Laptop has both the serial and USB ports and the optical reader but will only recognize the serial port. My XP Laptop I use with the CPS only has the USB port and a defective Optical Reader. So, I had to buy an Optical Disk Read/Writer and connect it to my Windows 11 computer, copy what I need to load on the XP Laptop to an USB Flash Drive than load programs on the XP Laptop. At least it works

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Brainboxes USB adapter. Uses a vendor signed driver. Before that I used the IOGear adapter (which has to have the IOGear signed driver) which is what Motorola was actually recommending at the time I bought it.
My bench PC is Win 7 32 bit (and it boots a MS-DOS 7.1 image loaded with all the relevant RSS via PXE). My legacy laptop is a Centrino CF-19 that runs Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 (which will be the last supported 32 bit version of Windows). It's the 64 bit machines I've always had issues with.

 

[carlnphily]

Question, I have a Motorola HT1250 VHF radio. Can I used that instead of buy a VHF/UHF radio for my Amateur radio

I Use Version 6.12.05, On A Win7 64Bit Machine, Thur A Ribless USB To Radio Adapter $20 From Amazon For All Of My HT1250's
And Same As Above But With A Ribless USB To 8Pin Mic Style Connector Also About $20.00 From Amazon For All My CDM Series Mobiles.
I Also Cut Off The 8 Pin And Rewired It To A 20 Pin Rear Connector So I Can Leave It Attached All The Time.
I Believe 6.12.05 Is The Last Version That Allows Wide Band Without Getting Permission From The Big M

 

[FFPM571]

FYI the Wideband entitlement for the Waris line is long gone.....

 

[Feeneydfeeney]

You can use it on 2 meters (VHF) as long as you can get it programmed. The HT1250 is an older radio and the CPS software was designed to run on Windows 95. It can be a bit challenging. For the cost of the radio, programming etc. it's usually just easier to use an actual ham radio. But, if you already have it and the means to program it then absolutely.

I run the software on windows 8 no issues just wont run on Windows 10

 

[nokones]

I'm running the .09 version on Windows 11 with an USB (RIBless) cable

 

[dryfb]

I use one of the latest Windows 11 releases, along with Windows 10 and an FTDI cable for PR860s, which are pretty similar to HT750s but a different CPS and I've never had an issue programming