New to us rescue truck with MA/COM radios - Need some help UHF and VHF

[JRSpero]

Hello, My fire department just purchased a used truck that has MA/COM radios already in it. For our P25 system i have already installed one of our Motorola radios but for the UHF and VHF i would like to recycle these current radios since they get used very little. I was hoping someone could chat with me about about the software i would need to program these and how hard this will be. For UHF we only need to add one conventional freq and VHF maybe 5. Attached are the images of the models we have.

Thanks in advance for any help and i look forward to chatting with someone.

 

[DisasterGuy]

Those are old Orion radios. Rather than spending the money on the software and cable, I would recommend finding a Harris shop that is able to just take care of the adds for you

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[JRSpero]

I contacted our local harris shop and they told me they did not have the means to do so. Do you know what software and cable would be needed?

 

[DisasterGuy]

The software package is known as Programmer for that generation radio. The version needed will depend on the version of firmware in the radios. If I recall the conventional only version is around $325 and you must purchase it directly from Harris Software Services.

The cable is available NOS from NLT New London Technology Online Store

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[TampaTyron]

Your local Harris shop does not have the means to program a handful of conventional channels in a 10-15 year old radio? And I thought my local Moto shops were difficult.......... TT

 

[JRSpero]

I guess my next question would be does anyone know of a place i can send these radios to be programmed?

 

[radioman2001]

Going to be tough being in a Motorola state.

Quote"
Your local Harris shop does not have the means to program a handful of conventional channels in a 10-15 year old radio? And I thought my local Moto shops were difficult.......... TT

That's Harris, a government contractor. They keep the reigns on their radios a lot tighter than mother M. Cable is not a problem you can build one since you can connect directly to the 56 pin connector on the back without a GE Rib box. Look around there are plans out there for it. Based on the firmware you might? be able to find a version of Programmer I think up to ver 16 or 17 that doesn't require on-line registration. Try Yahoo groups, they have an Orion group.

 

[Firebuff880]

Have you thought about pulling the radios and taking a day trip up to Lynchburgh VA ?

Also, in Atlanta is Loudoun Communications Inc. if you want to ship them.

If I were doing this, I would go through your NIFOG and do all the Interop UTAC and VTAC as well as what you specifically looking for.

 

[WRCM]

I would contact this guy and ask if he has the means to program them: Great Eastern Communications Co | eBay Stores
I have an old GE Phoenix that I wanted programmed. The local radio shop laughed when I showed it to them, and acted like I had dug it up from some ancient archeological site. But this guy had it programmed and back to me within about 3 days.

 

[AI7PM]

............

That's Harris, a government contractor. They keep the reigns on their radios a lot tighter than mother M. Cable is not a problem you can build one since you can connect directly to the 56 pin connector on the back without a GE Rib box. Look around there are plans out there for it. Based on the firmware you might? be able to find a version of Programmer I think up to ver 16 or 17 that doesn't require on-line registration. Try Yahoo groups, they have an Orion group.

Agree with the above comment on Harris. I've been away from (FloriDUH) my exposure to them for about 18 months, but they were becoming a real PIA to the radio manager. Perhaps one reason Motorola got the contract for the county's new P25.

Maybe the Motorola shop would trade them out for you reasonably.

 

[kb4cvn]

D2BHCX = 35-50 MHZ, 110 Watt
D2HMCX = 150-174 MHz, 110 Watt
D2UMCX = 440-470 MHz, 50 Watt
D28MCX = 806-870 MHz, 35 Watt
(model number info taken from your photographs...)


Orion Radios are super easy to program !!!

All it requires is a computer with Win-XP or later, Radio Programmer software (TQS-3389, Revision 10 or later the best), and a programming cable (older TQ-3377 w/TQ-3370 interface box, OR, one of the newer cables TQ-3409 / TQ-3410 which don't require an interface box).

You are south of me, down in Wake County. Private Message me to discuss further...

 

[kb4cvn]

Going to be tough being in a Motorola state.

Quote"
Your local Harris shop does not have the means to program a handful of conventional channels in a 10-15 year old radio? And I thought my local Moto shops were difficult.......... TT

That's Harris, a government contractor. They keep the reigns on their radios a lot tighter than mother M. Cable is not a problem you can build one since you can connect directly to the 56 pin connector on the back without a GE Rib box. Look around there are plans out there for it. Based on the firmware you might? be able to find a version of Programmer I think up to ver 16 or 17 that doesn't require on-line registration. Try Yahoo groups, they have an Orion group.

Harris isn't the company in the private radio systems market it used to be in the GE/Ericsson/etc. days before it was acquired by Harris Corp. Sadly they are trying to run it like their DoD commo business unit. I retired in 2012 from Harris Lynchburg. It has gone down hill since.

 

[DisasterGuy]

Harris isn't the company in the private radio systems market it used to be in the GE/Ericsson/etc. days before it was acquired by Harris Corp. Sadly they are trying to run it like their DoD commo business unit. I retired in 2012 from Harris Lynchburg. It has gone down hill since.

This right here says it all. You cant run the state / local business the same way you run federal contracts. While the system engineering and sales channels are totally different between state/local and federal and DoD, the overall corporate environment and controls are stuck in the federal mindset. They are still turning out some good products and have some good talent left but it is painful to have to work with the system.

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[KE4ZNR]

D2BHCX = 35-50 MHZ, 110 Watt
D2HMCX = 150-174 MHz, 110 Watt
D2UMCX = 440-470 MHz, 50 Watt
D28MCX = 806-870 MHz, 35 Watt
(model number info taken from your photographs...)


Orion Radios are super easy to program !!!

All it requires is a computer with Win-XP or later, Radio Programmer software (TQS-3389, Revision 10 or later the best), and a programming cable (older TQ-3377 w/TQ-3370 interface box, OR, one of the newer cables TQ-3409 / TQ-3410 which don't require an interface box).

You are south of me, down in Wake County. Private Message me to discuss further...

I have sent the thread starter and kb4cvn emalis to hopefully put them in communication with each other as I know them
both outside RR.
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[radioman2001]

Good to hear there are others out there that can help. I am not down in Brunswick County full time yet otherwise I would do it for a fellow Firefighter.

 

[KM4GDU]

I'm Starting to get these programmed up for them tomorrow. I'm glad to be able to help them help out.

Carl
KM4GDU

 

[KE4ZNR]

I'm Starting to get these programmed up for them tomorrow. I'm glad to be able to help them help out.

Carl
KM4GDU

Thanks Carl! I still owe you lunch sometime soon!
73 KE4ZNR

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