FPP VHF Portable P25 Capable

Jim1348 · Post by **Jim1348** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:30 pm

I may be interested in buying a front panel programmable VHF portable that is P25 capable. What are my choices?

Rayjk110 · Post by **Rayjk110** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:34 pm

Well for starters the XTS2500, 4000 and 5000 if you go Motorola. Make sure you get options Q52 and Q53 if you side with the Astro25 line.

I think BK has some stuff too but I'm sure someone else will chime in on their specifics.

d119 · Post by **d119** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:34 pm

* XTS 5000
* XTS 2500
* EFJohnson 5000 series
* Bendix/King DPH
* Racal/Thales 25

Thats about all I know of in single-band units.

n7maq · Post by **n7maq** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:49 pm

d119 wrote:* XTS 5000
* XTS 2500
* EFJohnson 5000 series
* Bendix/King DPH
* Racal/Thales 25

Thats about all I know of in single-band units.

A few more..

Kenwood TK5120,
Icom F70DT (IIRC on the mod3el number)
Datron

Jim

3-SAM-12 · Post by **3-SAM-12** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:04 am

1 more, Vertex P929 with Programming Key

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:10 am

Thales Liberty
Motorola APX (probably, once released)

smokeybehr · Post by **smokeybehr** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 6:29 pm

n7maq wrote:
d119 wrote:* XTS 5000
* XTS 2500
* EFJohnson 5000 series
* Bendix/King DPH
* Racal/Thales 25

Thats about all I know of in single-band units.
A few more..

Kenwood TK5120,
Icom F70DT (IIRC on the mod3el number)
Datron

Jim

The Kenwoods aren't easily FPP. The easiest to FPP is probably the BK DPH.

Jim1348 · Post by **Jim1348** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:09 pm

It looks like I have some more research to do here, unless somebody knows off hand which of these will will do the entire 2 meter band from 144-148 mHz. I know that might sound odd, but if I recall correctly, some analog Motorolas a few years back started coverage at 146 mHz. Also, does anybody know how the scanning capability compares on any of these? I know some radios are able to scan more channels than others, etc.

Tom in D.C. · Post by **Tom in D.C.** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:38 pm

Jim,

An additional, so far unmentioned, criterion for selection is if you have
local friends who own P25 HTs. If you do, what radios do they own
now? You can effect a lot of cost savings, plus learn more things
faster about the new "stuff" if you have local friends who are faced
with the same questions you're facing.

A general answer to you latest specific questions would be that most of the current P25 HTs cover 144 mHz. Most of them are 16-channels. Many of them are FPP, but watch out; while you can change many channel parameters with FPP you can not change some others, like the scan lists. On the Motorola radios, buying and using FPP functions can be tricky. Some flashcodes, for whatever reasons, don't have full FPP flashcode listings, and some FPP radios, if programmed with the "wrong" CPS version will actually erase your radio's FPP capability. Motorola keeps upgrading CPS versions and often there are serious bugs when it comes to certain radios' features.
Much of this subject can be found here on the Board via searches.
It will take you some time to do so but you will get a lot, and I mean
a LOT, of valuable P25 feature/programming information by doing so.

Regards,

n7maq · Post by **n7maq** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:10 pm

smokeybehr wrote: Jim
The Kenwoods aren't easily FPP. The easiest to FPP is probably the BK DPH.

They program just fine for me, you just go into program mode and enter what you need. They are easy for me to program and you don't need a key like the BK. I disagree that the DPH is the easiest.

As far as ease to program the FPP here is my two cents. I own or have owned Motorola XTS2500, 5000, Kenwood TK5210, Icom F80DT (UHF ver of F70DT), BK DPH, EF Johnson 5100, and the Racal 25's (501). As far as ease of programming, the XTS's are the easiest for me. They all are easy to program once you get use to the correct steps. With the Motorola, EFJohnson, and Racal 25 I was able to pick them up and program them without any instruction at all. The Bendix King does need a programming key (but you can use your car key if need to, but I don't recommend it) and the rest that I have listed do not need any kind of a key. I have messed with a Datron, but not enough to say anything good or bad.

The Motorola's are limited in there scan list, and IMHO the display. They only let you scan 16 channels at a time. The display is only 12 characters on one line. That is insane when you have 1000 channels. The mid-tier HT1550 gives you 4 lines(14 character IIRC) 1 for freq and PL, 1 for channel name, 1 for zone name, and 1 for a clock. Motorola could do much better here.

The Kenwood's display, and scanning seem the best to me. Not to take away from the other radio, that is just my opinion.

What radios do I grab when I heading out, an XTS or two and a Kenwood TK3180(not a P25 unit) for the LTR stuff.

They all will cover the two meter band, but some of the older Bendix Kings do not cover below 148MHz without a software mod. I don't know why they did that, but it was dumb of them. Most P25 units will cover from 136 to 174 so you have the full VHF band.

I hope this helps a bit.

Jim

ai4ui · Post by **ai4ui** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:31 pm

You don't need a key to program a DPH - a pocket knife, small screwdriver, or like was said a car key does nicely. Okay, technically you do need something...

Where the DPH (Command radio) shines is it has 20 channels per group, a custom configurable group that you can assign any channel in the radio to, and you can scan up to 22 channels (20 channels in a particular group and then your priority channels if they are in another group). All radio parameters are FPP and the radio can be configured for mixed mode receive and transmit - it will transmit based on whatever mode it received, as well as the ability to select the transmit mode from a menu. Then there is the user selectable transmit tone - 32 PL/DPL & 32 NACs.

The software and cable is affordable & obtainable. Unlike the XTS, the AA clamshell pack is the same size as the regular rechargeable battery. It only has 500 channels, but who needs 1000 channels in a conventional radio?

If you are an MDC1200 affectionado you will be out of luck with the DPH. It will transmit an ID, but that will be with DTMF. The P25 signaling works, but there is a bit of a learning curve.

I have had no problem talking to other manufacturers digital radios in simplex or through a Quantar repeater. It will even display the ID of the radio it is receiving while in digital mode.

The only downsides are that by today's standards the radio is huge and the keypad is not back lit. It's kind of hard to loose as the BK line hasn't gotten any smaller. Also, you can only clone to & from other DPH-CMD radios.