Purchase Advice for XTS2500

[speedbird727]

Hi Gang - I need to replace my HT1250 and was considering buying an XTS2500. I do not, however, know much about these radios. I'm not opposed to buying a used unit, but I have no idea what to look for.

Can the community share any potential "gotchas" that I could get burned with? I don't trust most of the eBay sales and will eventually look for a sale on one of the boards.

Thanks!

[bezking]

First, I would advise you to post in the For-Sale section here instead of looking on eBay for your first radio.

Here are the most common things to look out for:

• If you find a radio with front-panel programming and trunking, and you program it with CPS newer than version 9, you lose fpp.
• Radios with the 4-meg controllers can't have a HOST version higher than 9, but 8-meg radios can have the latest. Current is 16.
• Radios with 123ABC serials are OK but you should probably have them tuned and aligned
• If the first digit of the flashcode isn't a 4 or a 5 you can't display ID numbers on the radio's display like you can by default on the 1250
• Interestingly, on the XTS2500, you can't change the power setting per channel like you can easily do on the 1250.

I'm sure there's tons of stuff I left out but that should get you started

[HLA]

any specific reason you choose that radio? You could upgrade to the ht1550 and get most options in the radio right out of the box. They're not made anymore but i'm sure you could find one NIB somewhere or even a used one since you're not opposed to a used 2500? Plus you can still use any aux options and cps from the 1250

[speedbird727]

Thanks bezking & HLA for your suggestions so far.

HLA, that's a great idea about the HT1550. I was thinking that the XTS series radios would retain more of its resale value when I go to sell it someday. Your point, however, is well taken.

[escomm]

HT1550 requires a special battery to FPP. XTS2500 does not. XTS2500 will require it as a flash option.
HT1550 will not let you edit channel names. XTS2500 will.

Ht1550 will probably be cheaper. But the sellers from Hong Kong have driven the price of an XTS2500 down to about $450-500. For a P25 radio that will take a licking and keep on ticking, the price can't really be beat.

[Winger2002]

For a P25 radio that will take a licking and keep on ticking, the price can't really be beat.

Seconded, XTS is a much beefier radio than a HT, better audio, better scan performance

[MSS-Dave]

I can tell you from experience that a XTS2500i (note the "i" means IP67 rated) will spend 24 hours in a ditch with 3 feet of water covering it turned on and not suffer ill effects. Not rated for that, your mileage may vary and all of the other disclamers. A lot of my portable fleet is outdoors in the rain with NO failure in 2 years.

Will a HT1250/1550 do that?

[tvsjr]

I had a trio of 1550s before upgrading to XTS/APX. They were flaky as hell, odd scan, sounded like crap. Anything from the ASTRO25 line will blow them away.

[MTS2000des]

second that. the TX audio on a 1550 sounds like a cheap early ASTINKO hammy radio. The 2500 is a huge improvement. Superior product, FPP doesn't need a special battery, P25, way more rugged. Not to mention IMO Astro 25 CPS is much more ergonomic than Pro Series CPS.

[speedbird727]

Here's a follow-up question that will certainly show off how unfamiliar I am with the ASTRO 25 line. I've been reading a lot about FLASHport options and there seems to be a number of posts on various boards with conflicting information.

Would someone be willing to tell me if the statements below are correct?

The two FLASHport options required to do FPP are Q52: Federal Government FPP and Q53: FCC FPP And Radio Cloning. If you have both you can do FPP with any version of firmware and CPS. No external hardware key required. However, if your radio has only Q52 then you're limited to nothing higher than version 9 for firmware and CPS.

The Channel Announcement feature is included as part of Q806: ASTRO IMBE Digital Operation and functions on both analog and digital channels.

I appreciate any confirmations or corrections you can share!

[Mfire39]

Would someone be willing to tell me if the statements below are correct?

The two FLASHport options required to do FPP are Q52: Federal Government FPP and Q53: FCC FPP And Radio Cloning. If you have both you can do FPP with any version of firmware and CPS. No external hardware key required. However, if your radio has only Q52 then you're limited to nothing higher than version 9 for firmware and CPS.

-Correct.. Q52 + Q53 in the radio will allow use of FPP with all versions of CPS. If the radio only has Q52 in it without Q53, then using CPS above R09.01.02 will cause "FPP" to disappear from the menu items, and you will no longer be able to FPP the radio even though it still shows up as having that option.

The Channel Announcement feature is included as part of Q806: ASTRO IMBE Digital Operation and functions on both analog and digital channels.

-Correct, channel announcement is included with Q806. It will work with analog, digital, and trunking channels, as these are all assigned in the zone personality.


-Marc

[MTS2000des]

Would someone be willing to tell me if the statements below are correct?

The two FLASHport options required to do FPP are Q52: Federal Government FPP and Q53: FCC FPP And Radio Cloning. If you have both you can do FPP with any version of firmware and CPS. No external hardware key required. However, if your radio has only Q52 then you're limited to nothing higher than version 9 for firmware and CPS.

-Correct.. Q52 + Q53 in the radio will allow use of FPP with all versions of CPS. If the radio only has Q52 in it without Q53, then using CPS above R09.01.02 will cause "FPP" to disappear from the menu items, and you will no longer be able to FPP the radio even though it still shows up as having that option.

The Channel Announcement feature is included as part of Q806: ASTRO IMBE Digital Operation and functions on both analog and digital channels.

-Correct, channel announcement is included with Q806. It will work with analog, digital, and trunking channels, as these are all assigned in the zone personality.


-Marc

Channel announcement is also firmware dependent, IIRC you have to have HOST ver 9 or higher for it to work.

[Mfire39]

Channel announcement is also firmware dependent, IIRC you have to have HOST ver 9 or higher for it to work.

Channel announcement was introduced for the XTS2500 in Host R06.00.00, and in Host R04.00.00 for the XTS5000.

-Marc

[Tom in D.C.]

Don't overlook the fact that, in addition to all of the stuff described above, you need an
XTS to converse in digital, even just conventional digital in place of analog. There is more
and more P25 usage as time passes. We've just seen the first signs of a ham P25 portable
from Yaesu which may hit the market some time in 2012.