What should my first radio be?

[KK4JUG]

I find it amusing that no one ever considers Motorola radio's. They are great, durable, and will last you years. Everyone just jumps to Icom/Yaesu/Kenwood. Sure they are a bit pricey but they will beat any Icom any day of the week.

Motorola is good quality but the variety is limited. Do they make any kind of multi-band radio. Is is possible to program a Motorola without software. I'm asking because I'm not sure but I don't think so.

 

[prcguy]

I love Motorola quality and performance, but screw them and their stupid software policies. You can easily get a used radio then spend more on the software to program it. Send the radio in for repair and it can come back programmed with a newer version and you have to buy software all over again.

I've moved on to Thales and other brands that actually support the customer for free.
prcguy

I find it amusing that no one ever considers Motorola radio's. They are great, durable, and will last you years. Everyone just jumps to Icom/Yaesu/Kenwood. Sure they are a bit pricey but they will beat any Icom any day of the week.

 

[KK4JUG]

I love Motorola quality and performance, but screw them and their stupid software policies. You can easily get a used radio then spend more on the software to program it. Send the radio in for repair and it can come back programmed with a newer version and you have to buy software all over again.

I've moved on to Thales and other brands that actually support the customer for free.
prcguy

Nice radios and amazingly versatile but I can buy a car for what I'd pay for a Thales.

 

[K2NEC]

Motorola is good quality but the variety is limited. Do they make any kind of multi-band radio. Is is possible to program a Motorola without software. I'm asking because I'm not sure but I don't think so.

Motorola has analog, DMR, and P25 radios in all shapes, sizes, and colors available. Actually, Motorola is coming out with multiple dual band radio's and the APX8000 is even all band. Most commercial (DTR series, RDU/RDM/RDV, older commercial, etc.) radio's have free (wow!) software available for download however all professional and public safety radio software requires an account with Motorola. The account, however, allows you to access the software for radios as well as latest firmware.

 

[jonwienke]

And the account is not free...

 

[N8IAA]

Did you know that people other than the OP may search for the same and read this thread? The Internet is amazing, as well as your ability to presume they have made up their mind. Lotto numbers please, thank you.

Always the same people saying the same thing over and over.
2M, dual band, HF. This is not the first thread asking the same thing on RR.

Oh, the numbers are: 1,2,3,4,5,6. Hope you win:roll:
Larry

 

[N4KVE]

And the account is not free...

You don't need an account to be able to program a radio. 5 minutes, a laptop with internet access, & half a brain will get you the same result.

 

[K2NEC]

And the account is not free...

Never said it was...

 

[AK9R]

The OP said he didn't want to spend too much money. A Motorola APX8000 plus programming software qualifies as "too much money" for a starter amateur radio station in my book.

If we are intent on truly helping the OP and others who might read this thread, let's steer the conversation back to more affordable amateur radio gear.

 

[K2NEC]

The OP said he didn't want to spend too much money. A Motorola APX8000 plus programming software qualifies as "too much money" for a starter amateur radio station in my book.

If we are intent on truly helping the OP and others who might read this thread, let's steer the conversation back to more affordable amateur radio gear.

I never said buy an APX8000 I was just saying that the APX8000 is an all band radio and if you are starting out I would even argue that it is a bad starter radio.