Radtel RT-1000Pro

[EAFrizzle]

The 950 pro will manually receive 225-380 MHz. Just cannot scan it.

Yes, it defaults to 136 - 174 in the scan. I haven't bothered to see if the CPS will allow adjustment. Too bad RT Systems doesn't make anything for Radtel anymore; their old CPS for the RT-860 is fantastic, glad I got it before it was gone.

The 880 and 860 scan the MilAir band just fine. No idea if the 1000's FW will be like the 950 with scan limits or like the 880. Radtel is very responsive to user input, adding all sorts of requested features, but some don't seem to be well thought out.

I enjoy all three of my Radtels, and they each serve a different function. The 950Pro is my favorite all-around, even if the best antenna is a bit big. Best HF reception and audio of the three gets it toted around quite a bit. The 880 is by far the best of the three for MilAir monitoring. It usually stays on the bench with a planar disc and an MLA-30 connected to it. I like the HF sideband audio better than the AM; the compressed audio range works well with SSB. The 860 is for talking. Nice size for carry and good battery life. Ham, MURS, FRS/GMRS and 900 MHz available with easier FPP than the 880 or 950. If I didn't already have a dozen Baofeng 5RMs, I'd probably get a half dozen for hurricane comms. Even though we don't get hurricanes in Dallas.

What I don't understand is why the CCR makers don't make similar receivers/scanners. They're getting the ears pretty slick these days, so it really shouldn't be too hard or expensive to offer an analog longwave to 1300 MHz receiver with basic signal-hunting functions.

 

[bearcatrp]

If Radtel doesn’t fix the scan function for mil air, may pick up the 880. Hoping the next firmware update comes out soon.

 

[devicelab]

There's a new firmware & CPS update available from 7-22.

Firmware Update Content:

1. Fixed occasional abnormalities in voice signal reporting.
2. Added an AM RX DAC Out menu to the Analog Set menu. Lowering this value can reduce distortion caused by excessively strong AM signals.
3. Added an AM RX DAC Out item to the button customization function for accessing the corresponding menu. Under the AM RX DAC Out menu, the value can be adjusted up and down to change the AM output to achieve the least possible distortion.
4. Fixed the issue of garbled characters in the region name display.


CPS Update Content:

1. Added AM RX DAC Out setting option.
2. Added AM RX DAC Out item to the button customization function.

 

[bearcatrp]

There's a new firmware & CPS update available from 7-22.

Firmware Update Content:

1. Fixed occasional abnormalities in voice signal reporting.
2. Added an AM RX DAC Out menu to the Analog Set menu. Lowering this value can reduce distortion caused by excessively strong AM signals.
3. Added an AM RX DAC Out item to the button customization function for accessing the corresponding menu. Under the AM RX DAC Out menu, the value can be adjusted up and down to change the AM output to achieve the least possible distortion.
4. Fixed the issue of garbled characters in the region name display.


CPS Update Content:

1. Added AM RX DAC Out setting option.
2. Added AM RX DAC Out item to the button customization function.

This for the 1000 or 950 pro?

 

[surfacemount]

In hand.

First of several dumb questions.

All TX is done on the left port, correct? The right port is just for shortwave listening?

(Two aerials come with it, they both fit left port only. One is a long whip, and the other is a standard old-school collapsing one).

It's a relatively heavy unit for a CCR. (I've had one or two I thought were completely empty inside due to lack of weight).

The FCC ID on this example is 2AZSA-6D880.

 

[EAFrizzle]

All TX is done on the left port, correct? The right port is just for shortwave listening?

(Two aerials come with it, they both fit left port only. One is a long whip, and the other is a standard old-school collapsing one).

Yes. Transceiver antenna is on the side, HF on center jack.

Strange they didn't send something like the donuts or a telescopic for the HF section in portable use. They're not that great on the 880, so they may not be worthwhile for the 1000. My MLA-30 works great on the 880, running -10 dB of attenuation. LoG with an attenuated LNA works well, too, but not quite as well as the active loop.

 

[surfacemount]

I was surprised myself. As it is type accepted as a receiver, I assumed the metal antenna was for the right port. Nope

Now I am wondering about how to scan that wide of a swath of frequencies (CB/VHF/UHF) with an offboard compact magmount antenna? Does someone make a tiny triplexer that is low-cost and not cost me 6dB in deafness?

Definitely making a tiger tail at this point.

 

[EAFrizzle]

They may have just shipped the telescopic antenna with the wrong SMA by accident. Not the strangest occurrence in a CCR box.

 

[surfacemount]

i went and looked at the picture on the website. definitely wrong for the right port. oh well

 

[EAFrizzle]

They're plenty cheap on Amazon. I wouldn't pay for one of those donut loops, though; several models have an open short in the loop windings and are usless. The ones that do work are kinda fiddly to get tuned. I got several of each free with the 880s and 860s.


If you're looking for a better telescopic than the skinny cheapos, I like the Gabil GRA-RH795. Nice and solid, a bit heavy fully extended on a BCD325P2, but things like the 880, 950, and SDS100 have enough weight to be stable. Comes in male and female SMA and male BNC. Goes from 8" to 44" letting you tune it from 4 meters to 33 cm, and a lot more metal in the air for HF reception than the cheapies.

 

[bearcatrp]

Here is a similar antenna I use on most of my radios.

Comet BNC-W100RX

25 - 1300 MHz Telescoping 8 - 40 Inch Double Hinged Scanner Antenna BNC Connector

www.hamradio.com

 

[surfacemount]

Next dumb question. (I really haven't had the time management ability to really play with this right now).

There is a way in certain land mobile radios to pull the entire codeplug out, and push one in, if one were so inclined, in order to see the difference that certain changes make.

In the hopes someone will whore these out like the UV-K5 was, how might I get my current FW/SW out of the radio, especially if I were to brick it?

Linda at radtel says I can put a CB in VFO3, UHF in 2 and VHF in 1 and monitor all at the same time, so that's one less concern if I can figure out how to get an antenna setup that won't bork the lone port because I am using a Harris Monstrosity...