Rather Than Uniden, RS or GRE...

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mattp019

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I'm a big fan of Motorola Products due to use in the Coast Guard. I'm used to having a charge for an entire day. From what I can tell, most users seem to only get a few hours of use from AA's. I can't imagine having to change and charge batteries so often. My question is, can this radio (APX) be programmed for use in my area, Palm Beach County, Broward County and even more so, my city Boca Raton, FL? I would be looking to monitor PD, Fire, Utilities and possibly Air. So, is this radio even an option at all?
 

james32746

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Provided that you have the APX 7000 VHF/800 MHz split model that can do the those trunked systems (the 800 ones). However it is important to note that most if not all system admins. will not allow individual radios onto their trunked systems for obvious reasons unless you are a municipality in the county or other government agency. So for 800 MHz trunked systems around you will have to stick with the scanner.
 

krokus

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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.973 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

There are a lot of threads on here about using radio X instead of a scanner, and why that is at least a bad idea, even on the systems where it is possible.

As for battery life, I get 8 to 10 hours, easily, with a fresh set of 2700maH AA Li-Ion batteries in my PSR-500. (I have gotten 12, when not scanning a digital system.)
 
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mattp019

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Provided that you have the APX 7000 VHF/800 MHz split model that can do the those trunked systems (the 800 ones). However it is important to note that most if not all system admins. will not allow individual radios onto their trunked systems for obvious reasons unless you are a municipality in the county or other government agency. So for 800 MHz trunked systems around you will have to stick with the scanner.

I see why I would need that model rather than the other. Sorry for that. I should have noticed... So, when you say system admin, do you mean the people who operate and provide the radio freqs themselves, such as my local PD or Sheriffs Office? With this type of radio, will I not be able to 'pick up' nearby freqs? Why would this radio have to be 'allowed' to operate on a nearby freq? I apologize for the mutitude of questions. I'm brand new to this and just want to make sure I love what I end up buying. Thanks so much!
 

UPMan

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Unlike scanners (which are invisible to the radio systems that they monitor), two-way radios will "affiliate" with the system you are monitoring (basically a two-way handshake between the radio and the system controller). So, this brings two issues:

1) Two-way radios are not user programmable. They must be programmed by the department's radio shop...and they will only program radios that are authorized to be on the system.

2) If a radio that is not authorized to be on the system is somehow programmed to do so, anyway, then when the radio affiliates with the controller, there is a possibility that an "unauthorized radio" flag will go up. The radio shop can send out a signal that will essentially brick the radio. (Not saying they would, but it could happen.)

Of course, two-way radios also make lousy scanners (very limited number of scan channels, not user programmable, etc).
 

mattp019

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You beat me to it! I was just about to post DISREGARD DISREGARD DISREGARD. I do apologize for my ingnorance. I stumled upon the Motorola section. Read what each of you have mentioned. I now understand. Too bad! I would have loved a Motorola!
 
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