• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

Using a Motorola 800 Radio as a Scanner

Status
Not open for further replies.

WayneH

Forums Veteran
Super Moderator
Joined
Dec 16, 2000
Messages
7,522
Location
Your master site
Passport is a definite no. I wouldn't even try to as a good admin will catch you and zap your radio.

Standard LTR is probably the simplest trunking to program provided you understand how it works. It's not the same as programming a scanner but similar.
 

MississippiPI

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Oct 4, 2004
Messages
900
Location
All over the Great State of Mississippi
Motorola as scanner

I can't speak for Motorola but I have an 800 EDACS radio programmed with the same system that the police and fire depts have in their radio. It's an actual radio that has been programmed not to transmit--works great.

Be safe
 

MTS2000des

5B2_BEE00 Czar
Joined
Jul 12, 2008
Messages
5,233
Location
Cobb County, GA Stadium Crime Zone
not to mention back in 2004, several metro Atlanta firefighters in Walton county lost their jobs and were prosecuted criminally for violating the Georgia Computer Trespass Act.

Aside, many system administrators love to disable rogue radios on their systems. the newer Astro 25 systems are all but impossible to program subscriber units on that won't affiliate.

Buy a scanner...stay legal...have fun.
 

immelmen

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2007
Messages
383
Don't buy a commercial radio to listen to a trunked system when you don't know what's involved with getting it programmed. It's really that simple. Don't let your ignorance possibly screw it up for people who know what the heck they're doing.

If someone wants to get started, stick to conventional. Figure out which radio you can afford and then what the costs will be to acquire the programming software and hardware (not cheap). Get good at that, mingle in the Motorola (or whatever) scene and move on to trunking.



Bravo! Wayne, this is by far the best response I have ever read anywhere to this often asked question!! Great job giving constructive, reasonable, responsible advice without blasting back the "buy a scanner" line that I have always thought is rude to say to people taking an interest in two-way technology.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top