• 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.

Radio Purchase

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nfd24norf

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I am quite a novice, so hopefully I can get a simple answer. I see Motorola radios all over ebay for sale. If I were to purchase one, am I able to get a Motorola programmed to monitor the fire dept communications for where I live. Just curious, I see so many for sale. Is it legal to have one programmed into a cities system. I know anyone can have scanners, but motorolas you can talk into, isnt that a safety issue. Would love to have one that picks up the city where I live, my scanner is not very reliable. Thanks in advance for any answers!!!

PS I am assuming you can pay someone to program a radio though as well right??
 

bezking

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I would agree. Motorola Radios can be programmed to not transmit on a certain channel, only receive. In this way they make great CONVENTIONAL scanners. However, if you are trying to monitor any kind of trunked system, stay away from Motos and use an actual scanner.
 

n5ims

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One other thing that using a Motorola radio may cause is if the PD or FD see and hear you using your Motorola radio on thier system it may be quite hard for you to prove to the officer on the street that the radio isn't either stolen or used to interfere with their communications. While it may be properly programmed to not transmit, the existance of the Push-To-Talk switch is likely the only evidence they may need to impound it for further inspection.

There's always the chance your Motorola "scanner" couldl be taken from you and you'll either be out the cost of the radio or legal fees to get it back. With a normal scanner, it's pretty easy to show them that it doesn't transmit or otherwise interfere with their system.
 

ptfd13

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It's actually quite easy to prove that a radio does not transmit. Simply push the button and all you will hear is a tone while holding the button. Also, the officer will not hear anything over the air.
 
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kb0nly

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Yep i have programmed a lot of them for monitoring, just program as receive only channels and if you don't have any channels with transmit don't even put a mic on it and leave it out of the vehicle, no way you could have transmitted then.

How many you want by the way?? LOL.. I got a pile of Spectra's on the auction block right now.
 

Skypilot007

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1st off I would laugh at any FD/PD authority that wanted to impound my motorola. There is simply no laws around here and in most states for having such a radio for receive only. It is no different than having a scanner. For trunking systems that's another story but completely doable on most systems with the know how.

If one only needs to scan a limited number of channels (16max) in a specific band and desires the serperior quality receive that most motorola radios offer go for it. You would need to aquire the proper software and cables for whatever motorola radio you decided on.

If you need muti band and many channels in your scan lists than a scanner may be the answer. Or you could buy a hole bunch of motorolas! Its all up to your know how and how much you want to spend.
 

nfd24norf

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Thanks for all the help. And yes I would only need to less than 10 channels but it is an 800mhz system type II i believe. thanks for all the great answers!!!! If I bought a radio Would it be pretty easy to pay someone to program it?
 

bezking

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NO! Do not use a Motorola radio for trunking! When you program a motorola for a TRS, you need a system key, which you do not have and can not get. Second, even if you forged the SysKey (don't ask here), the administrator of the TRS would see that your radio is now on the system, and will send a command from the console to turn your radio into a brick!

Stick with a scanner
 

ElroyJetson

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DO NOT ASK ME FOR HELP PROGRAMMING YOUR RADIO. NO.
That's solid advice above. Take it.


To be able to sneak a Moto radio onto a trunked system for scanning purposes and having it be truly invisible so the system administrator can't detect it requires a considerable level of technical skill and access to some tools that you shouldn't be able to find. If you lack that skill, you might get the radio listening but it won't be invisible and should definitely avoid trying to go that route.

Buy a scanner. It's easier and cheaper.


Elroy
 
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