SAR Handheld

[prcguy]

novaman64, are you anywhere near So Cal?

 

[novaman64]

novaman64, are you anywhere near So Cal?

NorCal - So 5-7 hours away depending where in SoCal

 

[wwhitby]

You may be best served with multiple portables, even if it's a PITA

Novaman,

Most of what I do is on VHF analog, so I carry a trusty TK-2180, but there are a few times that I need UHF, so I use a TK-3180.

I would really like to have one Part 90 dual band radio. But when I look at the cost of a new dual band Viking, Harris, BK or Motorola, and since I would have to pay for it myself, I just grin and bear it and deal with my two HTs.

 

[prcguy]

NorCal - So 5-7 hours away depending where in SoCal

If you choose to go the Harris XG-100P or M route, PM me.

 

[otobmark]

Thought on FPP. If you are the owner of the radio(s) and maintain and program them yourself, technically you are allowed to have FPP because you are not just a “user” but are a technician for your radio fleet. FPP ban is to keep users (cops, taxi drivers) from causing a problem by playing around with radios. Having FPP on a radio you are already allowed to program with cps (and have the knowledge to do it correctly) anyway is totally in keeping with the spirit and probably even the letter of the law.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Thought on FPP. If you are the owner of the radio(s) and maintain and program them yourself, technically you are allowed to have FPP because you are not just a “user” but are a technician for your radio fleet. FPP ban is to keep users (cops, taxi drivers) from causing a problem by playing around with radios. Having FPP on a radio you are already allowed to program with cps (and have the knowledge to do it correctly) anyway is totally in keeping with the spirit and probably even the letter of the law.

With the channel capacities of modern radios, there really shouldn't be a need for FPP. With an all band1000ch radio, you could load the entire NIFOG database, all your local and regional channels and still have room left over for your ham stuff.

I'm a ham operator, and in past work, a heavy LMR user, I've never had the need for FPP. Even now, my primary portables for VHF and UHF are XTS2500's and neither of them have FPP. My UHF-R1 had FPP and I removed the feature.

 

[otobmark]

FPP is a misnomer on most radios in that it allows you to modify a channel, NOT create a new one from whole cloth. I create a zone of dummy channels (FM, P25 or mixed mode) which I can use FPP to set frequencies, tones, NAC and maybe TG (not sure about TG). Like you I very very rarely use them in the field. I mostly use FPP due to original channel being incorrectly programmed (I know…test codeplug!). if i could run cps on my phone it would be great (wifi or BT programming). some guys have tablet pc small and light enough to at least put in their daypack.

 

[kayn1n32008]

FPP is a misnomer on most radios in that it allows you to modify a channel, NOT create a new one from whole cloth. I create a zone of dummy channels (FM, P25 or mixed mode) which I can use FPP to set frequencies, tones, NAC and maybe TG (not sure about TG). Like you I very very rarely use them in the field. I mostly use FPP due to original channel being incorrectly programmed (I know…test codeplug!). if i could run cps on my phone it would be great (wifi or BT programming). some guys have tablet pc small and light enough to at least put in their daypack.

I don't rarely use FPP, I NEVER use FPP. Ever.

 

[prcguy]

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve had a Motorola radio programmed for what I thought was everything I needed and someone announces “everyone change to this frequency“, which I didn’t have. It’s mostly hams that cause this and I was fortunate to have FPP in some cases to fix the problem. Other times I had a spare ham radio with me that I was not planning on using but it fixed the problem at the expense of carrying two radios where FPP would have been a better fix. Look at FPP as insurance. You hope you don’t need it but you’ll be very happy having it when needed.

 

[tweiss3]

“everyone change to this frequency“, which I didn’t have. It’s mostly hams that cause this....

Isn't that the truth. And you can still make the FPP change faster than most of them with VFOs.

 

[prcguy]

Isn't that the truth. And you can still make the FPP change faster than most of them with VFOs.

I’m seeing more and more public service users carrying two radios because one just won’t do these days. When the shtf and many radio frequencies are in use for one emergency, you will miss important calls with just one radio.

That’s why the Captain here is carrying two APX radios.

 

[PACNWDude]

Two radios does seem to become the norm at some point. Current JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) Dual Harris AN?PRC-152 radio setup for reference. Dual keypad/display units as well.

(Of course tis comes a decade after my knees and back are blown out from humping an AN/PRC-117F [and spare batteries], laser, Panasonic Toughbook, along with the AN/PRC-152).

 

[novaman64]

I’m seeing more and more public service users carrying two radios because one just won’t do these days. When the shtf and many radio frequencies are in use for one emergency, you will miss important calls with just one radio.

That’s why the Captain here is carrying two APX radios.

View attachment 199945

Fancy team wendy helmet.....

 

[prcguy]

Fancy team wendy helmet.....

Yes he is “Team Wendy“ and few people outside his fire station would know what that means.

 

[hill]

I have a whole bunch of different Kenwood models mainly used for ham/GMRS and some public safety receive.

The Kenwood TK-5210/5310's I have enabled FPP. Other then to test it out I think only used one time in a few years just change some channel setting that wasn't correct. It works be not the best option.

Even my older TK-290s with keypads can do it.

Best just to use a computer, as it is quick to change a single channel and write it to the radio When I travel for work or for pleasure always have my small laptop that use for radio programming and cables.

 

[novaman64]

Novaman,

Most of what I do is on VHF analog, so I carry a trusty TK-2180, but there are a few times that I need UHF, so I use a TK-3180.

I would really like to have one Part 90 dual band radio. But when I look at the cost of a new dual band Viking, Harris, BK or Motorola, and since I would have to pay for it myself, I just grin and bear it and deal with my two HTs.

Most of our stuff is also VHF. We do have UHF radios in all our OHV though, so if we call in OHV for a transport we need UHF to communicate with them.

 

[jeepsandradios]

Our SAR team members are issued 2 radios. One VHF for SAR operations and one UHF for countiy TLMR system. 99% of the time the only one in the field is the VHF radio. Some will carry the UHF in the pack. If we are operating on UF then the VHF is in our pack as a backup radio. We do have some dual band and multiband radios in officers hands but on an incident we have dedicated radios for each task. A multiband is nice for off duty monitoring but in operations there really isn't a need. See what the 205 tells you to operate on and take that radio. Once you have an assignment you are not switching from band to band.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

On the VP8000...it is a EFJ spec'd (and partially designed) product manufactured by JVCK. It is exclusive to EFJ and there will not be an NX variant of it, especially with JVCK seemingly ending support for P25 on future NX releases. Remember just because EFJ is owned by JVCK, doesn't mean what's EFJ's is JVCK's as EFJ is operated entirely independently and things are often done outside of JVCK's manufacturing (like the entire Atlas product offering which doesn't use any JVCK manufactured hardware).

Back to the original post. For the big four operators when it comes to multi-band, it's already been addressed. L3-Harris, Motorola, EF Johnson and BK Technologies. V/U was never available in the VP900 (only V/7/8 and U/7/8) so for EFJ the only option is the VP8000 which is still going to have a pretty high premium to it. V/U was available on the APX7000 though most of what you see available today is going to be Depot hack jobs as it wasn't a common configuration to order compared to V/7/8 or U/7/8 but you also can no longer legitimately get flash upgrades for these radios from Motorola so if it doesn't have what you want in it, you aren't getting it the legitimate way. Of course, the APX8000 is available but still commands it's premium as well. There are some XG and XLs from Harris available with multiband at much more reasonable prices hunting used. I've not really played with the TP9800 or TP9900 from Tait. I have a decent amount of experience with the BKR9000...FPP is built into it (though you have to enable the menu for it in RES) and it is very much built around wildland/SAR mentalities with easy cloning from older radios, now WiFi cloning/programming and FPP options. It's a relatively new radio though and I don't know if you will find one on the used market...new has about a 2-3 month lead time though.

Dual radios are common with IC's and group leaders. Park one on the command channel, one on the tac channel and go to town. Similar reason to why I always setup my ACU-T with at least a command radio and a tac radio and they typically aren't patched (just monitored).

 

[novaman64]

Thanks all. Picked up a APX7000. The APX CPS took a minute to get used to but for the most part have it figured out. Last piece Im trying to figure out is just a scan list I can add/remove pre-existing channels to, did get the dynamic list working which is nice though.

 

[noderaser]

Add "SCNL" to your menu items, and make sure you have at least one "Scan List" in CPS. There may be other settings to enable editing the scan list on the radio, I can try to pick through them if that isn't all you need.