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Triumph PRC-152

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BigLebowski

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Putting chicom electronics in a fancy shell is still putting lipstick on a pig.

They look cool for the shelf but they don't work well. I would avoid them. Funny though, they do have more bells and whistles than the real deal.
 

prcguy

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What do they do that the real ones don't? Nothing that I know of. Their are some real ones out there surplus here and there. With that you get the looks and performance.

Putting chicom electronics in a fancy shell is still putting lipstick on a pig.

They look cool for the shelf but they don't work well. I would avoid them. Funny though, they do have more bells and whistles than the real deal.
 

sefrischling

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What do they do that the real ones don't? Nothing that I know of. Their are some real ones out there surplus here and there. With that you get the looks and performance.

They handle low band and offer encryption. They are completely different radios in many ways.
 

BigLebowski

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Well for starters on the real deal you can only access 5 presets from the knob before you have to go scrolling through in FP mode. You can scan all the channels if you want and you have dual receive whereas on the real ones you can only scan 10 presets (and slowly) and are locked to one channel at a time. You also don't have the HUB to deal with which is a pain in the ass.

Of course the real one offers 30-512 (or 870) continuous, AM/FM, digital modes, and encryption. Oh, and actual performance! It's a very purpose-built radio.

What do they do that the real ones don't? Nothing that I know of. Their are some real ones out there surplus here and there. With that you get the looks and performance.
 
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ke5lng

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The TRI- PRC-152 cannot be programmed VIA a CPS. Unfortunately, you’ll have to front jam everything into the radio (FPP programming).

However, the “TCA” clone variant of the PRC-152 does have a personal CPS and cable, if that’s something that interests you.

Originally the TRI model was just a Baofeng UV-5R inside a PRC-152 housing. Funny enough, you could even hear the Baofeng keypad tones and generic voice as you’d click through the options in the radio. But, they’ve made great strides to make it as much of a 1:1 replica as possible.

The new(er) produced TRI 152’s seem to have 1:1 qualities in some ways. I believe the new production models come with the capability of receiving the aviation band.

This is actually not true. They can be programmed and do alphanumeric display (6 characters) See attached photos. Photos taken right now by me, Pin out is by W8CET, I do not have a better/bigger copy.

You will need the Baojie UV88 software (with the background pictured, not the one with the fields and mountains). You will need Win 7. Trying to read the radio, even with the factory cable (pictured) is a pain, it fails 99% of the time. However, WRITING is 100%. So I simply fill out the CPS channels as I like, then write it to the radio.

CPS & Pinout (Pin out by W8CET)
83365 83364

83363



Factory Cable

83359 83360

83361 83362
 

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Ant9270

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This is actually not true. They can be programmed and do alphanumeric display (6 characters) See attached photos. Photos taken right now by me, Pin out is by W8CET, I do not have a better/bigger copy.

You will need the Baojie UV88 software (with the background pictured, not the one with the fields and mountains). You will need Win 7. Trying to read the radio, even with the factory cable (pictured) is a pain, it fails 99% of the time. However, WRITING is 100%. So I simply fill out the CPS channels as I like, then write it to the radio.

CPS & Pinout (Pin out by W8CET)
View attachment 83365 View attachment 83364

View attachment 83363



Factory Cable

View attachment 83359 View attachment 83360

View attachment 83361 View attachment 83362

I notice that is the old generation PRC-152, have you tried that software and pin out on the new gen?
 

ke5lng

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No, I do not have one of the newer ones. Think the newest one has double the pins. I have a TCA version with cable and software enroute, but it looks like that one goes through the U229 connector.

On a side note, I noticed the voltage and audio on the left side pins, wonder what they were planning for that? Not the same pin out as a real PRC152, so not to make it work with the vehicular adapter, maybe they were plannning on a replica one? Still, interesting.
 

chankel

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I have the radios and programming software and programming cable, no big deal. I was also able to get the latest firmware and upgrade them.

Where did you come by the programming software and cable for a TRI? I haven't seen that actually sold anywhere. TCA brand, software and cable, I have seen but only available from Asia
 

chankel

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No, I do not have one of the newer ones. Think the newest one has double the pins. I have a TCA version with cable and software enroute, but it looks like that one goes through the U229 connector.

On a side note, I noticed the voltage and audio on the left side pins, wonder what they were planning for that? Not the same pin out as a real PRC152, so not to make it work with the vehicular adapter, maybe they were plannning on a replica one? Still, interesting.

Did you ever receive the software and cable for the TCA PRC-152? I saw on an Airsoft forum that the TRI software was password protected and the user couldn't open / run it as no one had the password. After writing this it occurred to me that maybe the poster was using pirated software which is why he lacked the password...

How was your experience with the TCA version? On that, the manual indicates that the pins can be switched to the actual military pin out to work with the real U-328/U 6 pin male. I read that the newer TRI version came with a production change that allows the same. Before that it seems there was a demand for a "crossover" connector with a socket for the radio side and a plug for the headset side that changed the pin out.

According to https://cryptomuseum.com/crypto/usa/u229/index.htm
Type
M/F
Pins
Description
U-228/U​
M​
5​
5-pin, male, cable mount​
U-229/U​
F​
5​
5-pin, female, cable mount​
U-328/U​
M​
6​
6-pin, male, cable mount​
U-329/U​
F​
6​
6-pin, female, cable mount​
U-183/U​
M​
5​
5-pin, male, panel mount (chassis)​
U-283/U​
M​
6​
6-pin, male, panel mount (chassis)​
GC-429​
F​
5​
5-pin, female, circular panel mount (chassis)​
GC-629​
F​
5​
5-pin, female, square panel mount (chassis)​
GC-529​
F​
6​
6-pin, female, circular panel mount (chassis)​
GC-729​
F​
6​
6-pin, female, square panel mount (chassis)​
 
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ElroyJetson

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Just to clear up a couple of points: NO, there are no legitimate Harris PRC-152 surplus radios on the market, not in the US, not unless they're stolen US government property. The PRC-152 is a Type 1 encrypted product and is NOT legal for civilians to own. It MAY be possible that such radios could be found on the black market in certain foreign countries. In which case they're either battlefield pickups or were "liberated" from allied forces (Such as the Iraqi Army that we have equipped with these radios) and in either event you can't legally touch them, not in the US.

There is at lest one SIMILAR Harris radio that is basically the PRC-152 with non-Type 1 encryption packages, which ARE legal for civilians to own, if you can stomach the roughly 15,000 dollar price tag. That is the RF-310M-HH. Harris makes other radios in a similar form factor such as the VHF only version RF-7800V-HH.

I had an earlier version of the Triumph PRC-152 for a while. It was OK. The receiver audio was tinny and the speaker is Chicom garbage. I was able to improve on it by some CNC machining to the front audio board and some mods to the front housing that allowed it to accept the speaker from an XTS5000. It was still tinny but that did improve the audio considerably. I'd recommend internally adding a small power amplifier chip and adding some equalization filtering to knock down the raspy treble.

What does the real Harris 152 offer over the TRI replica? Start with 30 MHz to 870 MHz frequency coverage, not including the 450-762 MHz range. Yes, 800 MHz P25 trunking is an available option. It's a voice/data radio and incorporates ad-hoc networking. It does a LOT that the TRI radio doesn't even try to duplicate.

Here's the spec sheet.

 

prcguy

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There are lots of Harris RF-310M0-HH and RF-5800M-HH radios legally in civilian hands. Prices range up to maybe $4k used but many have sold for half that or less. At the last Dayton Hamvention I attended you could find groups of military radio collectors huddled together with several people in a group sporting these and Thales PRC-6809 MBITRs. No big deal these days.

Just to clear up a couple of points: NO, there are no legitimate Harris PRC-152 surplus radios on the market, not in the US, not unless they're stolen US government property. The PRC-152 is a Type 1 encrypted product and is NOT legal for civilians to own. It MAY be possible that such radios could be found on the black market in certain foreign countries. In which case they're either battlefield pickups or were "liberated" from allied forces (Such as the Iraqi Army that we have equipped with these radios) and in either event you can't legally touch them, not in the US.

There is at lest one SIMILAR Harris radio that is basically the PRC-152 with non-Type 1 encryption packages, which ARE legal for civilians to own, if you can stomach the roughly 15,000 dollar price tag. That is the RF-310M-HH. Harris makes other radios in a similar form factor such as the VHF only version RF-7800V-HH.

I had an earlier version of the Triumph PRC-152 for a while. It was OK. The receiver audio was tinny and the speaker is Chicom garbage. I was able to improve on it by some CNC machining to the front audio board and some mods to the front housing that allowed it to accept the speaker from an XTS5000. It was still tinny but that did improve the audio considerably. I'd recommend internally adding a small power amplifier chip and adding some equalization filtering to knock down the raspy treble.

What does the real Harris 152 offer over the TRI replica? Start with 30 MHz to 870 MHz frequency coverage, not including the 450-762 MHz range. Yes, 800 MHz P25 trunking is an available option. It's a voice/data radio and incorporates ad-hoc networking. It does a LOT that the TRI radio doesn't even try to duplicate.

Here's the spec sheet.

 

ElroyJetson

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I'd love to get a radio that is in the same family as the PRC-152. Let's just say that. I'd prefer one that serves as an all-in-one radios for non-trunked VHF low band, VHF, VHF air, and UHF service. Doesn't have to be specifically a 152 or a 310 or a 5800.

However...I want a Harris radio, not a Thales. Thales radios just are not the type I want.

Please tell me about those "security features". I have no knowledge of them.
 

prcguy

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"Security features" like removing the hold up battery with the main battery off and loosing some bands and features and crypto and the only way to get it back is return to the factory or find the impossible to get service software. And do you really want to send an Ebay or mystery radio back to Harris not knowing its full history?

All the radios mentioned are very nice and fun to play with but the Thales PRC-6809 MBITR is no slouch and I sold off all my Harris stuff and kept the MBITR series. Plus there seems to be more affordable accys out there for the MBITR series.

I'd love to get a radio that is in the same family as the PRC-152. Let's just say that. I'd prefer one that serves as an all-in-one radios for non-trunked VHF low band, VHF, VHF air, and UHF service. Doesn't have to be specifically a 152 or a 310 or a 5800.

However...I want a Harris radio, not a Thales. Thales radios just are not the type I want.

Please tell me about those "security features". I have no knowledge of them.
 

ElroyJetson

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No matter, I'm still interested in acquiring one of the previously mentioned Harris radios but finding them on the used market is apparently less than exactly easy. Of course I don't want one with a problematic history but if it came out via a legitimate channel, I'd be very interested.

You are always welcome to send me a PM with some pointers as to where to look, if you care to do so.
 

TDR-94

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P25 features being enabled in any of Harris "green" radios is a rarity,including the PRC-152.
 
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ElroyJetson

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Does anyone here have hands-on experience with both the TRI PRC-152 and the new version 152A? The 152 had weak, tinny audio quality which was probably its worst feature. I'd like to hear that the 152A has more robust audio quality.

I had an original 152 and I replaced its speaker with one from an old Motorola XTS5000 housing. Some custom machine work was required. It was an improvement but it was still quite tinny. I was considering building an EQ and 1 watt amp module to put inside it (there was plenty of room) but never got around to it.
 

BigLebowski

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Audio is *slightly* better on the TCA 152A, but it's still weak and tinny. These are designed to be used with a headset and the airsoft folks that buy these things don't know any better.
 
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