P25 Simplex

[MTS2000des]

Having the only P25 2 meter repeater in the ATL area, P25 is an oasis from poor sounding analog repeaters cobbled together from mobiles with low quality SU's that sound like crap. P25 on VHF can easily give you good DAQ 3.4 from mobile to mobile WITHOUT a repeater with a quality tuned antenna, SU and location. Where analog FM may yield a hissy and crackly experience 30-40 miles away, on P25 it's clean and clear.

The XTS/XTL are long in the tooth, however, they are now selling less for what some hams spend on some turdy Chinese school bus radio and still have years of life. Kenwood TK-5710H is also a good radio, solid performer, 100+ watts and programming is easy. Lots of these are hitting the surplus market and make GREAT P25 (as well as analog) radios for VHF/UHF. LMR radios of this caliber will sound way better than any hamster toy, and will outlive most of the people using it. For what a dinner out will cost a family of four these days, these radios can be in your shack.

One thing about P25, you will NEVER hear some low rent, low quality CCR crap with stupid CB radio roger beeps, sirens or other whacker sounds- just clean, clear audio or silence.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Having the only P25 2 meter repeater in the ATL area, P25 is an oasis from poor sounding analog repeaters cobbled together from mobiles with low quality SU's that sound like crap. P25 on VHF can easily give you good DAQ 3.4 from mobile to mobile WITHOUT a repeater with a quality tuned antenna, SU and location. Where analog FM may yield a hissy and crackly experience 30-40 miles away, on P25 it's clean and clear.

The XTS/XTL are long in the tooth, however, they are now selling less for what some hams spend on some turdy Chinese school bus radio and still have years of life. Kenwood TK-5710H is also a good radio, solid performer, 100+ watts and programming is easy. Lots of these are hitting the surplus market and make GREAT P25 (as well as analog) radios for VHF/UHF. LMR radios of this caliber will sound way better than any hamster toy, and will outlive most of the people using it. For what a dinner out will cost a family of four these days, these radios can be in your shack.

One thing about P25, you will NEVER hear some low rent, low quality CCR crap with stupid CB radio roger beeps, sirens or other whacker sounds- just clean, clear audio or silence.

As I like to tell people, I can't stand the noise. I can deal with the effects of digital...just not the noise.

 

[MTS2000des]

As I like to tell people, I can't stand the noise. I can deal with the effects of digital...just not the noise.

Yup, static is a key cause of misophonia.

 

[prcguy]

Yup, static is a key cause of misophonia.

Hams are the major cause of misphonia. I'm gonna sue all of um for damages!

 

[K6GBW]

I as able to contact K6GBW on his 2m P25 simplex freq at 5w into a lousy antenna over a surprising distance. Worked great!

23.5 miles it was! I really can't wait to get the new antenna up!

 

[prcguy]

23.5 miles it was! I really can't wait to get the new antenna up!

So I'll be able to hear you in my electric toothbrush?

 

[K9KLC]

The XTS/XTL are long in the tooth.

They'll fit right in here, I'm long in the tooth. When I do analog I usually am on a Kenwood 641 or 741 easily approaching 30+ years and for DMR on 2 meters and 70CM I use /\/\ XPR4550's and on 900 I do have a 5580 I use up there. I am still going to likely dig out my Astro and see what's up. I have a close friend already has one in his car and with some programming we can easily do some testing and see what we think about it. Sounds fun, I'm already searching for a second P-25 mobile for either here or my son's place, I'm a little tired of all the static working him 2 Meter simplex.

 

[vagrant]

I as able to contact K6GBW on his 2m P25 simplex freq at 5w into a lousy antenna over a surprising distance. Worked great!

What is the gain on what “you” would consider a lousy antenna? 8dBi
I am figuring your elevation helped as well.

 

[prcguy]

What is the gain on what “you” would consider a lousy antenna? 8dBi
I am figuring your elevation helped as well.

One antenna is a goofy MP Antenna Super M (not so) Ultra Base, which is a bent up Discone. The other was a Comet 333 triband. In digital mode I didn't see any difference although I could have looked at RSSI and I will next time.

 

[w4amp]

I use P25 on 900 mhz. It's a great mode.

 

[K9KLC]

I use P25 on 900 mhz. It's a great mode.

Ya I guess this is next, unfortunately most of us use Motorola XPR's for 900 (and honestly the other bands too) so a whole bunch of us would need to get different radios and then new programming for all. However nothing is out of the question. DMR has served us well but maybe it's time to think outside the box. This post has got several of us to thinking.....

 

[K9KLC]

For you guys just jumping off into the Astro25 line of radios, ill give you a couple of recommendations. make sure they are on a later version of firmware 19 or 20.

I would suggest to start here with these TX audio settings in your XTS/XTL radios. I have found that this provides the most natural sounding audio across my radios with a variety of users. including men, women and kids.

View attachment 206251

I would also set your RX audio to the following

View attachment 206252

As always your milage will vary but this is how i have setup my radios and still use them today. I have been rolling with XTS and XTL radios for the better part of 15 years.

The same for both mobile and HT's?

 

[kayn1n32008]

The same for both mobile and HT's?

These are the audio settings I'm using for my XTS5000 and XTS2500 portables. I get positive audio complements, both while using analogue and P25.

 

[K9KLC]

View attachment 206473
These are the audio settings I'm using for my XTS5000 and XTS2500 portables. I get positive audio complements, both while using analogue and P25.

Ok then I'll ask you. Is it the same for the mobiles? I'll be honest I have zero use for an HT in my area. Thanks.

 

[K9KLC]

View attachment 206473
These are the audio settings I'm using for my XTS5000 and XTS2500 portables. I get positive audio complements, both while using analogue and P25.

However I have some kind of older HT someone gave me. I'll try and find it and if I can get the programming stuff , I'll make sure it's like this. I've had it for 3-4 years now, used it once went to a town where some other guys had P-25 and after that never turned it on again. I'll have to see if I can find it in my spare room. I remember front panel programming a couple of analog frequencies in the thing but it was honestly just too big to carry for the stuff I do and it was only VHF which I usually do only simplex.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Ok then I'll ask you. Is it the same for the mobiles? I'll be honest I have zero use for an HT in my area. Thanks.

I don't honestly know. If I were to get a Astro25 mobile, I would use the same audio settings in my portables, but that is just me.

 

[K9KLC]

If I remember correctly it's this or looks just like this.

 

[kayn1n32008]

If I remember correctly it's this or looks just like this.

That is an XTS5000, The audio setting i screen captured are from my XTS5000

 

[K9KLC]

That is an XTS5000, The audio setting i screen captured are from my XTS5000

I okay il gonna try and find the thing and see what's up. Thanks.