Most Rugged Motorola Equipment

Jim1348 · Post by **Jim1348** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:37 pm

I was having some discussion at work recently about gear that is rugged, long lasting, and just simply works. I use a Panasonic Toughbook CF-29 computer at work it is very rugged and reliable. Anyway, what is the most rugged piece of Motorola gear that you have or have used in the past? I used a VHF Motorola MX-350 back in the day and it seemed almost indestructible!

FireCpt809 · Post by **FireCpt809** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:12 pm

Saber/astro saber R were pretty much bulletproof. I used to carry a Saber IIR when I was on the ambulance. That got a few looks from the whackers I would see at the hospital they had never seen something so big.

WB6DGN · Post by **WB6DGN** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:31 pm

At the risk of sounding ill informed (well, I am...) WHAT is a "whacker"???
Tom DGN

FireCpt809 · Post by **FireCpt809** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 10:23 pm

Whackers are wannabe's and over zealous emergency service types.

PETNRDX · Post by **PETNRDX** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:39 am

I must go with the Genesis. (HT600 & MT1000)
I STILL use them, especially for tower work.
They don't break, even when dropped from fairly high.
Second would be the MX-300 series.
Love them both.

Post by **escomm** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 9:18 am

You can drive a 1 ton pickup truck over a Mitrek and it won't cause any troubles.

Batwings21 · Post by **Batwings21** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:16 am

escomm wrote:You can drive a 1 ton pickup truck over a Mitrek and it won't cause any troubles.

I'll second that...
I maintained a few hundred low-band 42mhz mitreks in snow plow trucks for the state for years, the only problems we ever had with them were control head wires. Those guys used to throw tools, tool boxes, anything that fits in a truck cab at them and all we had were minor wiring corrosion issues.

mruwave · Post by **mruwave** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:42 am

The HT220 was, IMHO, virtually indestructable...finicky to get tuned and working, though and a real pain to repair. I carried an MX330S for years with NO problems. Only weak point was the flex circuit.

ledzep11 · Post by **ledzep11** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 12:00 pm

Back in the early '90s, I left an MTX-810 laying on top of the car, and took off. At the first stop sign, it slid off the roof, skipped off the hood, and started sliding down the street face down.

Aside from a scratched up speaker grill, it still worked great! Also had a similar occurence with an MTS2000 (it was left on the hood after scraping frost off windows.) It also works fine, and is still used daily. Then there was a P50 that was dropped from 40 feet up out at GE appliance park while running telephone wires... it didn't fare so well.

Andy Brinkley · Post by **Andy Brinkley** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 2:56 pm

For portables I'd vote for a MX300-R. Fully submersible and can serve as a boat anchor for those covert SEAL missions.
As far as mobiles go it is hard to beat a Mitrek or a SyntorX

resqguy911 · Post by **resqguy911** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:10 pm

+1 for the MX300R. Now that was a radio!

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:41 pm

Saber or ASTRO Saber IIR... farking expensive special batteries and all.

4n6inv · Post by **4n6inv** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 9:19 pm

My 2 cents worth was the STX (Brick). Bullet proof and seemingly unfillable. Although I have to stand in awe of the Saber (Astro Saber) R's. Just damn.

Although; in retrospect; I was in a knock down drag out on the forth floor of a parking deck at a mall (Director of Security), and my EX500 and my earpiece got kicked off and landed four floors below onto an concrete parking lot. It never missed a beat. Barely even showed a scratch on one of the corners...

Jim

MT2000 man · Post by **MT2000 man** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:10 pm

The most rugged would have to be awarded to the Saber/Astro saber "R" radios. Simply indestructible !!

Post by **wavetar** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:55 am

For mobiles...we don't seem to have Syntor radios in Canada, so I'd have to go with the MCX90/100/1000 units. The local Motorola office did have an MCX run over by a dump truck here years ago to showcase to the potential client (large construction firm) that they were 'virtually indestructible'. Radio still worked fine. They subsequently sold them approx 200 units.

Portables...I'd have to give it to the Saber/Astro Saber form factor simply due to the number of them still out in service. Salt water is pretty much their only weakness...as it is for so many other things.

Will · Post by **Will** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:04 am

wavetar wrote:For mobiles...we don't seem to have Syntor radios in Canada, .

The MCX100 and MCX1000 are Canadian Syntors......

Yes very rugged.

RFguy · Post by **RFguy** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 8:05 am

wavetar wrote:For mobiles...we don't seem to have Syntor radios in Canada

I haven't seen one for years, but the "new" RCMP sysyem was bult out with them in the late 70's early 80's. Every RCMP car across Canada had one. They are long gone. They now have Astro Spectras and XTL5000's around here.

dfc2 · Post by **dfc2** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 7:23 pm

The MX-300R's were the best...... as a bunch of 21 year old MP's at ft. Bragg in the mid 80's...... we beat the crap out of them...never a problem....

dfc2

MT2000 man · Post by **MT2000 man** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 7:29 pm

That settles it then. There should be a durability test. Astro Saber R vs. MX300R lol I wonder who would win ? I'd vote a tie, or I'd give a slight edge to the mx300R due to it being heavier/beefier

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:50 pm

MT2000 man wrote:That settles it then. There should be a durability test. Astro Saber R vs. MX300R lol I wonder who would win ? I'd vote a tie, or I'd give a slight edge to the mx300R due to it being heavier/beefier

Ah, but it depends on the events! The MX's weak point was the battery mount - if you used it to adjust a suspect, you had to make sure you grabbed the radio around the radio/battery mount to stabilize it. The big metal bracket of the Saber/Astro Saber R fixed this weakness.

Jim202 · Post by **Jim202** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 4:29 am

Over the years, I have found that the Micor was one of the best built radios to use.
If you look around you still find them in service. The Micor base stations just keep on going
like the bunny add. Their death will be the mandated 2013 narrow banding on the VHF and
UHF bands.

Jim

Jim1348 wrote:I was having some discussion at work recently about gear that is rugged, long lasting, and just simply works. I use a Panasonic Toughbook CF-29 computer at work it is very rugged and reliable. Anyway, what is the most rugged piece of Motorola gear that you have or have used in the past? I used a VHF Motorola MX-350 back in the day and it seemed almost indestructible!

Bill_G · Post by **Bill_G** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:20 am

I'm having a difficult time deciding what was the most rugged equipment Moto made because I've worked on so much of it. I guess I was too close. It didn't bode well for a product if I got good at fixing it because it meant I had to fix a lot of them. MX ant contacts would crack, tr relays wouldn't budge, frames would break, flexs would go intermittent, mics would go deaf, spkrs would get tinny, and batt holders would get loose. OTOH, I could go from dept to dept with a handful of modules, swap them out in the field, and drag back the worst to the shop. The rest went back into service quickly. That was darn handy.

I never got to work on Sabers. Micor stations were made of iron and seemed to last forever. But, their backplanes and pins could become a nightmare. Spectras were good and reasonably trouble free though individual units would become a headache. PAC-RT's were pretty good once you knew how to set them up. Motracs seemed to either last forever in the vehicle, or stay forever on the repair shelf. HT220's worked well ... until they broke. The P200 / HT600 series seemed bulletproof, and then would develop radio cancer, linger, and then die. GP's would get the crunchies. Maxtracs and GM's worked well, were easy to install, but had their own short list of common defects. Maxars were very popular, but could fail in some strange ways.

The first generation MIRS portable seemed indestructible. I could bounce one off the floor, grab it on the rebound, and start a phone call. But, it was big, and not very popular as a subscriber unit. Maybe if more of them had been in service I would have a different view.

My vote goes to the Spectra mobile as the most rugged despite some of the issues they can have. It's the modern Motrac.

com501 · Post by **com501** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 3:26 pm

ledzep11 wrote:Back in the early '90s, I left an MTX-810 laying on top of the car, and took off. At the first stop sign, it slid off the roof, skipped off the hood, and started sliding down the street face down. Aside from a scratched up speaker grill, it still worked great! Also had a similar occurence with an MTS2000 (it was left on the hood after scraping frost off windows.) It also works fine, and is still used daily. Then there was a P50 that was dropped from 40 feet up out at GE appliance park while running telephone wires... it didn't fare so well.

Interesting, I would have never thought to use an MTS2000 as an ice scraper....did it work well for that?

com501 · Post by **com501** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 3:28 pm

dfc2 wrote:The MX-300R's were the best...... as a bunch of 21 year old MP's at ft. Bragg in the mid 80's...... we beat the crap out of them...never a problem....

dfc2

I was leaning out the door of a Huey looking at the streambed, the radio dropped out and landed in the creek and was promptly embedded by a tank.

We went back and dug it out, it was on my hand receipt. It was still on, and working.

Post by **Toje** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 4:33 pm

I have an MTS2000 that I take everywhere with me, I have left it off the roof while driving as above, came up to an intersection and it came off the roof into the road at a nice speed, Its still has not failed me.

MT2000 man · Post by **MT2000 man** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:26 pm

True, while I have to admit I also carry an MTS2000 as my primary portable. It's been dropped, dragged, thrown, etc. and still works like a charm. The Jedi radios can really take some abuse. I'd like to see a Waris radio . . . ah, never mind (stops beating dead horse).

Post by **Mfire39** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 9:16 pm

MT2000 man wrote:The Jedi radios can really take some abuse. I'd like to see a Waris radio . . . ah, never mind

I couldn't agree with you more..

-Marc

Karfield · Post by **Karfield** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:52 pm

I love those last 2 posts as I repaired jedi radios for several years and still do from time to time. I've done waris radios now for at least 4 or 5 years. Waris have issues with the antenna nuts and their inability to take a good hit. However, I have seen one that took a bullet and didn't fare too terribly bad. On that same note I've seen an HT1000 almost completely melted in a fire and still working. I will add however that MTS2000's don't fare too well in the hands of shipping companies. Something about sharp corners and the displays not really compatible. Also, they must not have made good hammers. I do distanctly remember having one of my sups throw an MTS2000 across the room a few times just to prove that they don't break easily. Just from a reverse engineering perspective it deffinately is one heck of a radio where it's only true weak points would be the jumper flex and perhaps the cover flex (if you have a keypad model).

I also wanted to add that there was a ruggedized version of the jedi radio. It would likely belong to that list of motorola oddballs as I never got to see one but I did know of their existance. Also, it used different parts and I believe a different CPS.

I so miss the good ole days fixing Jedi's

Post by **escomm** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 3:31 pm

Alright, but a 2 channel HT1000 with no keypad when it was brand new cost more than 128 channel HT1250 with full keypad and display. Why are we comparing apples and oranges? The JEDIs were top tier radios, Waris is mid tier. Are we going to point out next how much more rugged the XTS5000 is over the BPR40?

com501 · Post by **com501** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:51 pm

Top Tier radio - HT200 DROP TESTED for your satisfaction....

Karfield · Post by **Karfield** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:20 am

Here is my curious point. We haven't heard any stories about the XTS5000R radios yet? Unfortunately for this model there are 2 or 3 mini sockets and 2 pressure sockets but I'd still like to hear some stories. I've yet to see one run over but I have seen some with pretty messed up displays. Anybody used one in a manner it wasn't designed for and had it survive? I remember stories of it's earlier cousin the Astro Saber being used by entities unmentioned as billy clubs and coming in with um, red stuff on them. So comparing high tier to high tier how does the new XTS stand up to the old Saber?

And yes ES you are right comparing a HT1000 to a HT750 isn't really fair.

com501 · Post by **com501** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:28 pm

The ONLY XTS5000s we have seen in the repair shop are ones with broken displays, usually as a result of being run over by something heavy.

Air bridge (Think airport boarding ramp)
Tank (That one was really flat, they just needed to verify the serial number for turn-in)
Cars, fire trucks, swat vans. (Usually pretty fu-ugly, nothing much surviveable)

I have not seen ANY with any medium damage, other than the darn dumb XTS2500 antenna connections. The XTS5000 doesn't have that problem.

Post by **wavetar** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 7:23 am

escomm wrote:Alright, but a 2 channel HT1000 with no keypad when it was brand new cost more than 128 channel HT1250 with full keypad and display. Why are we comparing apples and oranges? The JEDIs were top tier radios, Waris is mid tier. Are we going to point out next how much more rugged the XTS5000 is over the BPR40?

Agreed to a point, however the Jedi was also considered 'mid tier' in it's time...the Saber/Astro Saber was considered top tier...and then the XTS3000 afterwards, all while the Jedi was being made.

Post by **escomm** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 9:33 am

wavetar wrote:
escomm wrote:Alright, but a 2 channel HT1000 with no keypad when it was brand new cost more than 128 channel HT1250 with full keypad and display. Why are we comparing apples and oranges? The JEDIs were top tier radios, Waris is mid tier. Are we going to point out next how much more rugged the XTS5000 is over the BPR40?
Agreed to a point, however the Jedi was also considered 'mid tier' in it's time...the Saber/Astro Saber was considered top tier...and then the XTS3000 afterwards, all while the Jedi was being made.

Emphasis added for your convenience.

Regardless, the HT1000 was a top tier radio during its day, look at the bandsplit for the 800MHz model-- went all the way to 870MHz. The point is that an apples to oranges comparison is being made, apparently the XTS5000 vs BPR40 comparison did not illustrate this clearly enough.

And lastly, how did the (Astro) Sabers make it up to 800MHz? Through the Saber SI... which was a Jedi in a Saber case....

com501 · Post by **com501** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 9:41 am

Hey escomm, check the weather lately? Shouldn't you be building an Ark?

com501 · Post by **com501** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 9:42 am

The State of Nevada still thinks the HT1000 is a top tier radio. That is what is used in most every prison. They are slowly replacing them with throw away HT750s...

Post by **escomm** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:04 am

com501 wrote:The State of Nevada still thinks the HT1000 is a top tier radio. That is what is used in most every prison. They are slowly replacing them with throw away HT750s...

CHP as well, although they will be getting 700/800MHz EFJs once they reband the extenders to 700MHz. Their only problem right now is the beancounters are buying cheap NiMH batteries.... to be used in overnight chargers...

Post by **escomm** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:36 am

For what it's worth, Motorola now considers the XTS5000 to be "mid tier" because of the APX7000.

com501 · Post by **com501** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 4:12 pm

No department in Nevada is going to buy an APX unless they come out with an EDACS version. Harris owns the state, pretty much.

All the rural areas are VHF. Some have just discovered PL for their repeaters! (Others are still resisting...'What do we need that stupid buzz for anyway?')

Post by **escomm** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 5:31 pm

Not surprising... Didn't Nevada find out a couple years ago that using a marine frequency for extenders isn't good... especially when they didn't have a license for it.....?

com501 · Post by **com501** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 6:15 pm

They found out that running a VHF trunking system on frequencies used by the railroad, California Division of Forestry, and marine channels without a license wasn't good either. Somewhere along the line, there was a fall guy, and they agreed with the FCC that they just wouldn't pay the fine, but they wouldn't try to license the system either.

There is a warehouse full of Quantars in Reno....

resqguy911 · Post by **resqguy911** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 6:54 am

com501 wrote: There is a warehouse full of Quantars in Reno....

That sounds like a song title...

Post by **akardam** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:53 am

resqguy911 wrote:
com501 wrote: There is a warehouse full of Quantars in Reno....
That sounds like a song title...

Especially since I read that as a whorehouse full of Quantars in Reno... which could actually be plausable.

motorola_otaku · Post by **motorola_otaku** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 9:30 pm

All this and only one guy gives props to the STX? My only gripe with them is that they only came in 800 MHz.

kotaguchi · Post by **kotaguchi** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 10:06 pm

One cool thing I remember with those STX was that LAFD were using MX-800 and the remote mic the firemen used looked like they had Motorola take the full featured with display full keypad mic from a converta-com and or from the front of a full featured STX.and made them remote mics"SP" for the firemen.Very cumbersome looking but I suppose it was not as much as trying to get their radio out of their bunker coats.

RADIOMAN2002 · Post by **RADIOMAN2002** » Fri Jan 22, 2010 5:32 am

I go with the HT-220, had quite a few, but like most Motorola products, they either worked forever, or were just bad from the get go. I have had in my possession a few Vietnam version HT-220's. Not much different than the original, just more weather proofing, the black out frame ,eschetchion and knobs. The MX is though my favorite radio, I still have hundreds of them, I used to provide and repair them for my local CAP unit.
BTW I thought Nevada just got the old IMTS channels for their up and coming VHF trunking system?

com501 · Post by **com501** » Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:08 am

Motorola lost out to EDACS and we now have an 800 mhz EDACS statewide system which of course doesn't work well in the terrain we have. MANY sites needed, and a lot in the mountains have VHF simulcast for rough spots.

$millions thrown down a rat hole, and no one in jail, sadly.

jban · Post by **jban** » Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:27 pm

In my county, due to the migration to 800, the radio shop aquired a boatload of HT1000 & MT2000 vhf units. The jail system is still on VHf and has been using the HT750 for several years with poor durability. Radio techs started sending the surplus HT & MT units to the jail, no more problems.

njh621 · Post by **njh621** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 11:08 am

Another vote for the MX300 Series (including the 300/R). They used those things in the Titan II ICBM program, even during propellant transfer operations! If they can survive Titan's toxic and highly corrosive propellants, they can survive nearly anything.

Second vote for the Genesis (HT600/MT1000) series. I don't know how many times I've dropped my MTX810s but they haven't failed me yet!

4n6inv · Post by **4n6inv** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:03 pm

It would be bloody warfare if you matched wits with the STX, MX series, or HT220. I put my STX on top of my Suburban while I was working a traffic fatality and drove off with it still on the roof. When I got up to 70 MPH; the sliding sound and seeing something small fall in my rear view mirror gave me the "Pit of My Gut" feeling that this was not going to end well. I had owned the radio - purchased out of my pocket - full keypad - two days earlier! I slammed on brakes (Smart! Especially with a body in the back!), got out and started running back to approximately where I thought it fell off. I got there just in time to see it be run over by one car; tossed into the air, land back on the pavement, and be run over by a truck; once again, flinging it into the air and back onto the pavement. It landed close enough to me that time to where I was stupid enough to run out into the first lane of taffic and play "Pick Up STX". Aside from a fractured LCD display, and a cracked battery, it was still working! Bought the LCD repair kit and a new battery and it was good to go for another six years until the MTS2000 came out - and I had to be the first on the block to get one of those... I don't know how many personalities I had in it, but I had close to 40 full zones with every department in the Atlanta area, GA power, Life Flight, and the ATL airport.

Just having a display, albiet; only eight characters, was a joy. Of course; this was also when Lab Tools were everywhere and Motorola was going berserk. I actually bought one of the LAFD display speaker mics at Dayton and replaced the front witha regular STX front and it worked great. Cumbersome? Yep! You bet. It didn't see much use, but my convertacom was a dream come true with the enhanced mic. I was the envy of every nerd in the department...

BTW - for what it's worth - I SWEAR I saw a wall advertisement at the Motorola dealer offering the STX in 900, but I never actually saw one, nor do I know if they actually were ever produced.