I did find something Motorola does way cheaper (if you know about it). Radio Management versus EFJ's Armada Server, well actually CPS and firmware entirely. APX CPS and firmware is free these days, Armada is not. Radio Management is free for 100 radios (though you can get more licenses given to you) and Armada Server only lets you do 20 radios for free.
Motorola Solutions Inc. (MSI) is definitely NOT the same Motorola company that built and had an excellent reputation from decades ago. With a private equity firm now in the driver seat, their #1, #2, #3, #4, # . . . . priorities are pure profit. The MSI marketing department was expanded and the MSI quality control department was vaporized.
With MSI, actually nothing will be
cheaper or
free since the bottom line is where it still all comes together $$$ with creative and sneaky marketing.
With Motorola, you will never pay more anywhere else guaranteed!
I am completely aware of the MSI Radio Management System (RMS) creature since I am responsible for over 3000+ radios on one of the very first operational RMS in the whole country. When the RMS equipment was delivered in 2014, there was only one MSI Engineer in Plantation, FL who understood the system (since he developed it), and refused to speak with any customers to help with any equipment installation questions (quote: it was not his job and pay grade). No one else was home at MSI to help. I was forced to read a very thick MSI RMS engineering concept manual along with a non-disclosure agreement to reverse engineer the RMS system and complete the install as a standalone onsite local network. Today the RMS is located "within the cloud" (unhackable? Trust us, you're in good hands, ha!) with its many cloud downtime defects added to the software/firmware mix mess.
When MSI RMS works, it is really good, and when it doesn't, it is really really bad if not absolutely the worst nightmare!
Many radio techs working with
RMS, have gone bald after tearing their hair out with the frequent MSI system failures.
The reason the Motorola software and firmware evolved into becoming "free and downloadable", is because the versions changed so often
(sometimes weekly) that it became extremely costly to the end users. Also, the previous software subscription service and associated mailing was not fast enough to keep up with the extreme amount of frequent version changes. Some of the software and firmware versions were so bad (v17 & v19 era) that they actually bricked the APX radios. The dead APX radios required a trip to the Motorola depot repair service in El Paso TX known as
Mexorola! When the repaired radios came back, the firmware versions were always changed to newer versions that were not even published or available to anyone beside Mexorola and you had wait for the software version that matches the firmware version. Sometimes the new software version was not made available for 2 months causing radios to be downed due to not being able to program them after the Mexorola repairs. FYI, Mexorola is a contractor that works for MSI and will not communicate or work directly with customers. Everything has to go through MSI to get to Mexorola. Hence,
the CONSTANT merry-go-round of firmware/software/bug updates and dreaded planned product obsolescence when least expected.
I also assist with a local County Sheriff's radio network that has their own county wide Kenwood EFJohnson Viking 700/800 P25 Phase 2 system (EFJ) with the Armada Management System. They are very pleased with their system operation, communications coverage, the total cost of the radio equipment/software/firmware/Armada Management, and the much lower ongoing cost of maintenance as compared to MSI. The EFJ equipment is also programmed to work on the statewide MSI system with no issues. The EFJ equipment has had very few software and firmware changes over the last 6 years. The complete bottom line cost for everything was 40% less than a comparable MSI system.
That being said, you have to be careful about the blanket statement of N30/N50/N70 radios have greatly improved performance with the C78 antenna because not everyone has them in 700/800 MHz because not all trunking systems are 700/800 MHz which is something made multiple BDA/DAS system installers learn the hard way usually ending in the phrase, "We didn't know you could do P25 trunking in VHF or UHF."
Yes, it is true that there are Vhf P25 and UHF P25 trunked radio systems. This is when Motorola sales department steps in to tell you that,
"your frequencies are all worn out" and need to be replaced with the new 700/800 frequencies. This is from the Motorola sales playbook.
Also, you can't really say the "OEM" antenna as the radios don't come with an antenna (that's standard across almost all manufacturers)...that's a line item that must be added on the quote so theoretically it's up to the purchaser to choose (though typically chosen by the sales rep).
It is a shame that manufacturers no longer place any emphasis on the portable radio antennas seeing that the overall expensive radio performance is totally dependent upon the quality of the antenna. So, they treat the portable radio antenna choice with a separate line item as an afterthought. This is where
GE always prevails,
Good Enough!
I would also add, stating that the RSSI button is on the side, is a crapshoot as like all modern radios, it's 100% programmer configurable.
Yes, it is true that the RSSI indication can be programmed to use most any button on the radio instead of just the side bottom 2-dot button default. Since the radios are for evaluation with speedway_navigators project, I have a gut feeling that the MSI/dealer did not put a lot of effort into the programming to be fancy. But you never know with fingers crossed, and it could be a crap shoot.
I work with a consultant who is working with a county getting bids on new radios. Yesterday we unboxed Tait, Harris and Motorola portables for the 7 eval teams.
The Kenwood dealer forgot to ship his radios. Each vendor is going to do a presentation Friday and the teams will have 3 weeks to test them.
After reading all of my comments above, please make sure that you have included time off for the technician/employee therapy sessions in the total project cost if you choose Motorola/MSI.
One more important tidbit;
avoid downloading and adopting any MSI software/firmware versions created between June and September each year when college IT interns are hired by MSI to do the software/firmware work with no oversight or taste testing before launch.
The MSI software/firmware versions that come out December through April and performed by the adults, seem to have a lower number of issues. Almost as if they send them first to an "Orkin" pest control department to get the bugs out before launch.
Summary, it is all about the pizza sauce!
Best Regards
