Users of XL series of radios

[officerdave]

Our agency is on an Open Sky system, using P7300/XG-75 portables. It looks like we are transitioning to a L3 Harris Phase II simulcast system. I have a number of newer XG-75s that can operate on Phase II P25 , but need to replace my older radios. Anyone on here have experience with using the newer XL series of P25 radios? I would suspect we will go with XL-185 portable and mobiles as the budget allows . ( system administrator says we need multiple key encryption capability ) Just looking for any insights , from users who have had the chance to use these radios.

 

[rescue161]

The XL-185 is a great single band radio. If you need multi-band, then look at the XL-200. We have had good experiences with the XL platform. I would stay far away from the XG100P. That should not be an option as it was EOL'd, but if a dealer tries to sell you one of those, find another dealer.

 

[12dbsinad]

Our agency is on an Open Sky system,

I'm sorry.

using P7300/XG-75 portables. It looks like we are transitioning to a L3 Harris Phase II simulcast system. I have a number of newer XG-75s that can operate on Phase II P25 , but need to replace my older radios. Anyone on here have experience with using the newer XL series of P25 radios? I would suspect we will go with XL-185 portable and mobiles as the budget allows . ( system administrator says we need multiple key encryption capability ) Just looking for any insights , from users who have had the chance to use these radios.

Great radio's. I'd look into single band XL-200's as they are almost the same cost as the 185's. If you ever need multi band it's ready to go.. I've got many happy agencies using them and some of them were die hard APX fans.

 

[rescue161]

That is an excellent suggestion on the XL200 single band.

 

[officerdave]

thanks for the response.... single band XL200 does make sense. Of course almost all VHF/UHF is going away by me ( some backup VHF Fire ) , as everyone is going 7/800 trunk systems. Other than our own car to car VHF repeater ( have other mobiles for that ) we do not use VHF.

 

[12dbsinad]

thanks for the response.... single band XL200 does make sense. Of course almost all VHF/UHF is going away by me ( some backup VHF Fire ) , as everyone is going 7/800 trunk systems. Other than our own car to car VHF repeater ( have other mobiles for that ) we do not use VHF.

Well, if you never need it then so be it. A lot of people think there is a huge difference in price but that's simply not the case. As a matter of fact, we don't even hardly sell XL185's because of the price point so we just order the 200's with single band feature string.

Common in our area are VRS which having the ability of multi band is great. We have a Sheriff's office that runs VHF P25 trunked with 800 Meg VRS's... works excellent.

 

[officerdave]

Well, if you never need it then so be it. A lot of people think there is a huge difference in price but that's simply not the case. As a matter of fact, we don't even hardly sell XL185's because of the price point so we just order the 200's with single band feature string.

Common in our area are VRS which having the ability of multi band is great. We have a Sheriff's office that runs VHF P25 trunked with 800 Meg VRS's... works excellent.
[/QUOTE'
I will talk to our local sales guys about the cost difference . We piggy back on two large cities' system , so I should get an idea from their radio folks, what radios they are going with.

We use V-TACs for in building coverage , especially fire. Of course off of OPEN SKY we would have to go with Harris's VRS. I am hoping with proper simulcast coverage, VRS will not be needed. Again thanks for the input. I may try and get some XL200s early , as I have left over capital funds for radios.

 

[merlin]

XG-75s can be programmed with OTAP, OTAR, and multi key as they are. Upgrading to XL series, go with XL-200s.

 

[merlin]

thanks for the response.... single band XL200 does make sense. Of course almost all VHF/UHF is going away by me ( some backup VHF Fire ) , as everyone is going 7/800 trunk systems. Other than our own car to car VHF repeater ( have other mobiles for that ) we do not use VHF.

Local public safety here has gone to 4.9 Ghz system. 7 and 800Mhz is totally dead. some wee bit of gas pipeline telemetry at the top of 700 Mhz. some cell channels dividing 800 Mhz. that is it.

 

[officerdave]

XG-75s can be programmed with OTAP, OTAR, and multi key as they are. Upgrading to XL series, go with XL-200s.

correct our 75s use OTAP on OPEN SKY. My cache of XG-75s should get me on the system, but since I will need additional portables, I would rather upgrade to the XL-200s.

 

[wa8pyr]

Our agency is on an Open Sky system, using P7300/XG-75 portables. It looks like we are transitioning to a L3 Harris Phase II simulcast system. I have a number of newer XG-75s that can operate on Phase II P25 , but need to replace my older radios. Anyone on here have experience with using the newer XL series of P25 radios? I would suspect we will go with XL-185 portable and mobiles as the budget allows . ( system administrator says we need multiple key encryption capability ) Just looking for any insights , from users who have had the chance to use these radios.

We've got several hundred XL200 portables here, it's a great radio. XL185 is basically the same but 700/800 only.

Definitely make sure that whatever you buy has the latest firmware and test your codeplugs thoroughly before you roll them out, though. We were early adopters and it seems like Harris was using us as unofficial beta testers; we had a few instances where features didn't work as intended. The bugs have been worked out and we seem to be in good shape now.

 

[rescue161]

XL-185 can be any band, but only one. Our 185's are UHF.