• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

Quality handheld radio

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TeK-NO

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Any suggestions on a VHF full keypad handheld? Nothing Chinese please, part 90 certified. Preferably no digital/ DMR or any system just straight analog.

Also please include a company or website I have been searching and have not gotten no results.
 
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TeK-NO

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But the problem would be to get a programming software...
 
KevinC

KevinC

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rks1257 said:
Yaesu FT-270R. Bullet proof. Great radio. Not sure I will ever get rid of it. Out of production but maybe still available if you search.

Welcome to Yaesu.com

Also, Icom V80 sport. Still in production. I have the 70 version dual band. Also a great radio.

IC-V80 Sport VHF FM Transceiver - Features - Icom America

Hard to go wrong for $75.00

ICOM IC-V80 Sport 5W, 2M (144-148 MHz) - Main Trading Company (mtcradio.com)
Click to expand...

Are any of those Part 90 certified? That was one of his requirements.
 
mmckenna

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TeK-NO said:
But the problem would be to get a programming software...
Click to expand...

Kenwood TK-290. You can find them for less than $100. Spend some money either buying it from a shop that will put it on the service monitor and align it for you before sending it out, or buy one and take it to a shop that handles Kenwood radios and have them align it.

If you want something a little bit newer, the TK-2180 is hard to beat. Solid radio, only discontinued last year or so. Software is easy to purchase/find and very easy to learn.

If you buy any used radios (doesn't matter the brand), make sure you get it aligned, don't assume it's good.

If you want something new, give us an idea of what your budget is, and we can probably make some suggestions.
 
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PACNWDude

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FedFyrGuy said:
You would have to get programming software and appropriate cable for most Part 90 radios. Unless you find one with a front panel programming feature (FPP). Same website:

used-radios.com

Vertex VX-P829 VHF (134-174MHz) Portable Radio (Full Keypad) FPP

Vertex VX-P829 VHF (134-174MHz) Portable Radio (Full Keypad) FPP
used-radios.com used-radios.com
Click to expand...
That same website has a lot of great radios, and a reasonable price. Have purchased hundreds from them for work as well. Items are refurbished (usually re-cased), "new old stock" or sometimes still new in the box from someone buying more than they needed and offloading them. As for VHF Part 90 +1 on Vertex or Motorola with a full keypad. I give the nod to Motorola HT1250's as I have the software and cables for them, but anything from this company, means they will also program some channels into them to get you started as well.
 
mmckenna

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Homeboys-Scanna said:
Just wondering, what does it mean to "align" a radio? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Radios will wander a bit with age, sometimes from component drift, sometimes from outright abuse.. They drift off frequency (both TX and RX). Deviation will wander a bit, filters, etc, etc.
It's considered good practice to periodically realign a radio. The manufacturers will have published specifications that the radio should meet. The service manual will have a step by step guide on how to realign the radio and what the tolerances are.
A good public safety agency will realign radios once a year or so just to keep them working as well as possible.

Buying used radios from unknown sources can sometimes get you stinkers. Old radios that haven't seen the inside of a shop since new are good candidates for an alignment before relying on them.

I'll align radios when they come through at work. Sometimes they are still within specs, sometimes not.
I've done all my personal radios, and it can make a difference if they are old.
 
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paulears

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He’s not been very clear. Cps programmed by computer brings back the commercial radios in droves. Motorola, icom, kenwood etc.

the icon v80 is/was a brilliant radio but I doubt it meets your Part 90 rule, and of course it was ……. Chinese. All the modules sourced from the Chinese factory, but then ‘assembled’ elsewhere. A bit like some Fender guitars.
I’m not sure what he really wants. P90 as I understand it as a Brit, gets applied to all sorts of products, so we need a bit more info on what he wants. Programming from the keyboard often causes certification issues as many specs require frequencies to be a dealer thing. Icom in the 90’s, for example, did it with a lock code you typed in.
 
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