Which Motorola for MURS

[tower06]

Ok, so I am looking to purchase some used radios for my family to use under MURS Regs. I prefer the Motorola radios for their ruggedness, having used them while I was in EMS, just seem like the best choice for me. I've looked at the HT1000's which I am most familiar with, but have also looked at the MTS2000 and the Mt1250. I rather like the MT1250 given the fact that there is windows based software available for programming.

The HT and MTS are DOS based for which I don't have a older slower machine to run DOS on, and Motorola no longer supports the software.

What's my best choice? I don't want off the shelf MURS radios. I want something that I can also use as HAM later on if needed. The radios will be used for emergencies for family, also while hunting, camping, hiking, and if absolutely necessary, in the case of major emergency/disaster getting out of the area I live in.

Please note, I am a complete novice to radios and am looking for as much info before I commit money to anything. I am trying to stay budget conscious, but also want to be able to purchase software so I can be independent and not have to rely on anyone for programming.

All info is appreciated.

 

[N4KVE]

MTS2000's are my favorite, & the CPS needed to program them is definitely Windows run. HT1000's are Dos.

 

[tower06]

MTS2000's are my favorite, & the CPS needed to program them is definitely Windows run. HT1000's are Dos.

How are the MT 1250's?

 

[SteveC0625]

How are the MT 1250's?

If you meant the HT1250's, they'll definitely do the job, but...

Point #1: The CPS costs $265 for a three year subscription. That's a lot more than many are willing to invest to program a couple of radios.

Point #2: They're not type accepted for MURS. (Not saying don't do it, but more making sure you have a full understanding of the situation.)

Point #3: The CPS runs fine on XP or Win 7 32 bit. Some have reported issues on 64 bit. And Win 8 or newer is a crap shoot.

Point #4: There's a major learning curve to the CPS. It's not like other manufacturer's software that is fairly intuitive. This one isn't. the Pro Series CPS is not for a beginner.

Search tags: The Professional or Waris Series of radios includes:

HT750 HT1250 HT1550 EX500 EX600 EX560 EX650 PR860
CDM750 CDM1250 CDM1550 HT1250LS+ CDM1550LS+ CDM1550LS

It may be helpful to search using wildcards.
If someone asks a question about one model,
the answer usually pertains to most, if not all.
They are all programmed with HVN9025 CPS.

 

[N4KVE]

CPS for MTS 2000 is not sold by "M" anymore, so it's available on many sites for free. To me the 2000's are far superior to the 1250's in my experience.

 

[tower06]

If you meant the HT1250's, they'll definitely do the job, but...

Point #1: The CPS costs $265 for a three year subscription. That's a lot more than many are willing to invest to program a couple of radios.

Point #2: They're not type accepted for MURS. (Not saying don't do it, but more making sure you have a full understanding of the situation.)

Point #3: The CPS runs fine on XP or Win 7 32 bit. Some have reported issues on 64 bit. And Win 8 or newer is a crap shoot.

Point #4: There's a major learning curve to the CPS. It's not like other manufacturer's software that is fairly intuitive. This one isn't. the Pro Series CPS is not for a beginner.

Search tags: The Professional or Waris Series of radios includes:

HT750 HT1250 HT1550 EX500 EX600 EX560 EX650 PR860
CDM750 CDM1250 CDM1550 HT1250LS+ CDM1550LS+ CDM1550LS

It may be helpful to search using wildcards.
If someone asks a question about one model,
the answer usually pertains to most, if not all.
They are all programmed with HVN9025 CPS.

So what would be my best best? HT1000s which is a crap shoot if I can find the software and a machine to run it, or go with the MTS2000s and find the programming software online?

 

[tower06]

CPS for MTS 2000 is not sold by "M" anymore, so it's available on many sites for free. To me the 2000's are far superior to the 1250's in my experience.

If I can get a windows based programming software that will run on laptop with Win 7, I'll go with the MTS2000. Price point looks better that the 1250s and will more than adequately serve my needs.

 

[Nasby]

CPS for MTS 2000 is not sold by "M" anymore, so it's available on many sites for free. To me the 2000's are far superior to the 1250's in my experience.

And cost a lot less than an HT1250.

 

[Stealthguy05]

Professional CPS runs on Windows 64bit. Provided you have a current subscription that lets you have the latest update.

 

[tower06]

Well ended up winning bid on 6 HT1000 DTMF models. Just need to program for MURS.

May move up later to MTS2000s but for now these will serve my purpose.

Any suggestions on the best VHF antenna I can get for these to maximize effective/range. I know I am limited to 2 WATTS on MURS but I figure a good antenna should help.

 

[mmckenna]

Motorola makes a "high gain" VHF antenna for those (will fit the MTS-2000 if you ever update).
I'm using them on my HT-1000's, but honestly I don't notice a big difference over stock.

8505518V01 NAD6563 - Motorola OEM Heliflex Antenna, VHF Band, Helical 136-174 MHz - ShopWiscomm

 

[N4KVE]

The nice thing about that antenna is it covers the entire VHF band, while the other antennas only covers a third of the band each.

 

[tower06]

Motorola makes a "high gain" VHF antenna for those (will fit the MTS-2000 if you ever update).
I'm using them on my HT-1000's, but honestly I don't notice a big difference over stock.

8505518V01 NAD6563 - Motorola OEM Heliflex Antenna, VHF Band, Helical 136-174 MHz - ShopWiscomm

What about non OEM antennas? Any that stand out?

 

[mmckenna]

No. There isn't any "magic" involved in antennas. No manufacturer can circumvent the laws of physics. The limitation is physical size and the available ground plane.

Be -very- cautious of after market antennas, especially those on e-Bay. There are reported cases of antennas purchased off there being no where near resonate at the frequencies they are advertised for. Stick with the known brand antennas and don't believe any hype.