RF-7850M Issues

[prcguy]

Oh, and another thing: What's the difference between Falcon II and Falcon III radios?

A generation or two. The first gen Falcon included the RF-5000 HF radios like the RF-5020 and PRC-138 from the 1990s. The first Harris Falcon multiband handheld was actually a Thales PRC-148 series with custom encryption and waveforms. The original PRC-117F was a Falcon II and their first Falcon II handheld was a 30-108MHz VHF version. I believe the PRC-152 is a Falcon III and the 152A definitely is a III with more waveforms and networking features. Its just a continuation of the series with more stuff and more $$.

 

[mfn002]

Got it. I was wondering about that.

 

[TDR-94]

Completely different architecture and certifications as well.

Their radios are typically designed for a 10yr. lifecyle.

 

[prcguy]

Completely different architecture and certifications as well.

Their radios are typically designed for a 10yr. lifecyle.

I would be surprised if they last 2yrs on the battlefield.

 

[prcguy]

Completely different architecture and certifications as well.

Their radios are typically designed for a 10yr. lifecyle.

I might add that during Trump's first term some mil radio contracts were looked over and vendors like Harris and Thales wanted to sell a new radio at $25k or more rather than repair out of warranty radios. A friend of mine ended up being contacted to repair Harris and Thales radios for the military, which he did for awhile then the big boss changed and his gig was up. That's the guy I recommended to the OP for repair.

 

[TDR-94]

I would be surprised if they last 2yrs on the battlefield.

You're not the only one! lol!

 

[gtaman]

I might add that during Trump's first term some mil radio contracts were looked over and vendors like Harris and Thales wanted to sell a new radio at $25k or more rather than repair out of warranty radios. A friend of mine ended up being contacted to repair Harris and Thales radios for the military, which he did for awhile then the big boss changed and his gig was up. That's the guy I recommended to the OP for repair.

I did get a notice that Thales is ending support for all non JEM MBITRs finally this year.

 

[TDR-94]

Who was still using the standard MBITR's?

 

[prcguy]

Who was still using the standard MBITR's?

Hams.

 

[gtaman]

Who was still using the standard MBITR's?

Saw the national guard here with some that were not JEMs a few months ago. I knew they were not JEMs by the side connector.

They didn’t look to good lol.

 

[TDR-94]

Yeah, the side connector is a dead giveaway that it's a JEM. I figured some National Guard units would still have some for training. I've seen the USAF using them for certain types of training, However, the AN/PRC-163's are quickly replacing them for just about everything else. I've heard the AN/PRC-152(C)A's are still preferred by many over 163's though.

 

[mfn002]

Changing the subject slightly, does anyone know where the government is auctioning off these radios at? I did some research and couldn't find anything about where these surplus radios are coming from.

 

[gtaman]

Changing the subject slightly, does anyone know where the government is auctioning off these radios at? I did some research and couldn't find anything about where these surplus radios are coming from.

The Tan man packs on eBay and some other things came from Raytheon (RTX).

These RF7850s and others have come back from overseas 100%. From Europe as well as the Middle East.

 

[mfn002]

The Tan man packs on eBay and some other things came from Raytheon (RTX).

These RF7850s and others have come back from overseas 100%. From Europe as well as the Middle East.

So the US doesn't use the RF7850?

 

[prcguy]

So the US doesn't use the RF7850?

They have "exportable" encryption and not US type 1 so they are more than likely from outside the US.

 

[TDR-94]

The DoD and contractors may use the RF-7850M-HH for certain interop and training with coalition forces, but those are not NSA certified radios for classified DoD requirements. That's why they are exportable and are primarily sold to coalition and foreign militaries that aren't part of NATO. The U.S. and NATO use CCI TYPE-1 radios to secure classified TOP SECRET information that those other countries are not privey to, and because of the classified encryption algorithms used to secure the information. The Federal government also uses CCI TYPE-1 radios and probably some RF-7850M-HH's for various other operations.

Most of the RF-7850M's on the used market are former ANA radios along with Ukranian soldiers selling their radios for money.

 

[mfn002]

The only radios I've seen coming out of Ukraine are captured Azarts and other radios used by Russia. I don't think I've ever seen a Ukrainian eBay seller selling anything other than that. RF7850s are very seldom seen on eBay and the majority of the sellers that offer these radios come from the US, although there was one a year or so ago that was being sold by a seller in Saudi Arabia.

As for the ones from the ANA, wouldn't those have Arabic keypads?

 

[TDR-94]

I've seen several over the last year listed durectly from Ukraine and others over the last few years from Pakistan, sourced from Afghanistan.

Many started using U.S. forwarding addreses to hide their origin countries. There are also actual U.S. sellers selling them, but that's not where they are being sourced from.

 

[mfn002]

I've seen several over the last year listed durectly from Ukraine and others over the last few years from Pakistan, sourced from Afghanistan.

Many started using U.S. forwarding addreses to hide their origin countries. There are also actual U.S. sellers selling them, but that's not where they are being sourced from.

Ah, I get it.

 

[prcguy]

I've seen several over the last year listed durectly from Ukraine and others over the last few years from Pakistan, sourced from Afghanistan.

Many started using U.S. forwarding addreses to hide their origin countries. There are also actual U.S. sellers selling them, but that's not where they are being sourced from.

Its good that we get some of these radios back in the US and it would be illegal if they were shipping out of the US without an export license as they are ITAR controlled and treated the same as munitions.