My two pet peeves about amateur portable radios

[SurgePGH]

A few thoughts...
Wouldn't and APX 7000 handle this?
I really, really wonder if amatuer based radios had ZERO possibities to be MARS/CAP modded would these type of questions arise?
I've seen too many people using modded amatuer radios in the public safety sector.
I agree with a few people here. Bu a scanner. YES I understand that it's a pain in the arse to carry multiple radios. If you need multi-band capabilities then buy a radio capable of doing so.

 

[MUTNAV]

I own scanners, too. The Uniden BC-125AT is about the only portable scanner that I've owned or used that has halfway decent sensitivity and selectivity. What I don't like about it is its battery setup. Yes, it will use AA alkaline or rechargeable batteries, but constantly changing out batteries will wear out the battery receptacles long before the radio wears out. Also, I admonish anyone to NEVER charge the rechargeable batteries in the BC-125AT radio with the USB cord. The charging circuit is prone to malfunction and can overheat and destroy the radio, if not potentially starting a fire. I caught mine just in time--it had started to melt the case and would have destroyed the radio had it been on the charger for just a little while longer. As to the Uniden "high-end" digital scanners like the SDS-100 (which I own), my experience has been that their performance in the analog VHF and UHF bands just plain sucks.

As to the post above, the federal allocations of the 162-174 mHz is 12.5 kHz channel spacing, WITH 2.5 KhZ frequency step spacing in the commercial, industrial, and public service uses. The whole purpose of narrow-band "re-farming" was to double the amount of available channels in a given frequency spectrum--VHF in this case. Now, amateur radio may still operate in wide band, and most do--this is because there was so much "legacy" amateur equipment out there that was not narrow-band capable. Also, a lot older wide-band-only commercial radio equipment obsoleted for use in those bands was surplus sold into the used amateur radio market. The whole point of my original post, however, was that amateur radios often serve a dual purpose for the user--communicating on amateur channels and monitoring the commercial and public service channels. Those non-amateur "splinter" 2.5 kHz-spaced channels are coming into more use. The typical amateur radio (the "hybrid" Chinese radios being the major exception) can not tune those splinter channels because of the 5 kHz tuning step used in those amateur radios.

My final editorial comment. If people wonder why amateur radio is decreasing in popularity, it is, in part, because a lot of amateur radio operators just get hide-bound stubborn about accepting any new technology other than what has been around for decades. I can understand some of that--I'm not keen on jumping on every new hardware or software gizmo "just because"--but I don't see why a 2.5 kHz tuning step feature in an amateur radio should be such a "not on my amateur radio" thing.

Necessity is the mother of invention, or as put in a longer more motivating way (probably one of the best TED talks ever

You don't have to accept the status quo, as a ham, you can build whatever you want, and if there is a market for it, go get it type accepted and make a mint... That would be a great example to get more hams active and help the hobby, if you don't want the business and don't want to sell it to someone, you'll have a unique item. Show those manufacturers up! Like the tiny tuna tin transmitter or Norcal sierra did for me,

Thanks
Joel


Thanks
Joel

 

[railguy5]

A few thoughts...
Wouldn't and APX 7000 handle this?
I really, really wonder if amatuer based radios had ZERO possibities to be MARS/CAP modded would these type of questions arise?
I've seen too many people using modded amatuer radios in the public safety sector.
I agree with a few people here. Bu a scanner. YES I understand that it's a pain in the arse to carry multiple radios. If you need multi-band capabilities then buy a radio capable of doing so.

There are 3 current generation multi-band portable radios in this VERY EXPENSIVE league:
Motorola APX7000
Kenwood Viking VP8000
BK Radio BKR9000

Very expensive = $4K to $10K+

None of these radios are widely sold into the "normal" retail radio market--they are aimed mostly at the public service market. I've seen and used similar, but slightly older single band Motorola and BK radios and they are indeed superb performing radios, but their performance advantage is not, in my opinion, worth from up to 10 times more than some very good performing commercial radios.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

There are 3 current generation multi-band portable radios in this VERY EXPENSIVE league:
Motorola APX7000
Kenwood Viking VP8000
BK Radio BKR9000

Very expensive = $4K to $10K+

None of these radios are widely sold into the "normal" retail radio market--they are aimed mostly at the public service market. I've seen and used similar, but slightly older single band Motorola and BK radios and they are indeed superb performing radios, but their performance advantage is not, in my opinion, worth from up to 10 times more than some very good performing commercial radios.

The APX7000 was discontinued some 5 years ago. The BKR9000...hasn't been shipped yet (still awaiting 700 MHz type acceptance) and at this rate I think Tait may get the TP8000 to market before BK gets their multiband out (maybe even get the TP9000 to market before).

APX8000 is current.
VP8000 is shipping as of the beginning of February.
Harris XL200 is current.

Also worth noting, the VP8000 and XL200 don't start in that VERY EXPENSIVE price range unlike the APX8000...but they can be optioned up there depending on what the user wants.

 

[MTS2000des]

My final editorial comment. If people wonder why amateur radio is decreasing in popularity, it is, in part, because a lot of amateur radio operators just get hide-bound stubborn about accepting any new technology other than what has been around for decades. I can understand some of that--I'm not keen on jumping on every new hardware or software gizmo "just because"--but I don't see why a 2.5 kHz tuning step feature in an amateur radio should be such a "not on my amateur radio" thing.

I own two P25 repeaters on the ham band, one of which is on a private IP linked network. New technology for sake of advancing the art of radio communication is part of the reason why amateur radio still exists. I've invested thousands of my personal dollars without asking for anything. I do it because I love radio and like to see hams advancing tech not clinging to the past. OTOH, if some OM wants to clasp their Clegg and gas bag on 2m "wideband" FM (by LMR standards) so be it. Room enough for everyone.

Many "stubborn" folks are turned off by the whackerism that the ARRL and some others push, "ham radio saves lives", the orange vests, bandolero of Baoturds and other radios with unauthorized out of band transmit, lights and sirens- you get the picture. Wanna-be cops/Randy Rescues parading around with ham radio badges. Those who work in public service legitimately and happen to be hams are turned WAY off by this crap.

2.5KHz tuning steps aren't necessary anymore than things such as MDC1200. Hardly "advancing the art of radio", just additional cost that a ham manufacturers concentrate on what most of their market buys. Today that seems to bottom feeding, poor performing Chinese feces pieces that have low TX deviation, horrible front ends, klunky firmware, anemic scan rates, and chargers that may incinerate while in use, but hey, they have those 2.5KHz synthesizer steps AND a flashlight with FM radio!

 

[MStep]

Keeping "in-step" (pun intended) with the thread, for years I have dogged AOR into putting a 3.125 step into their DV-1 receiver, but to no avail. And I imagine that would also be applicable to their portable DV-10.