AVA HHCH Availabilty

[HarrisonRHW]

Need a new mobile setup and one of the ideas that was considered was an AVA with a TPL amplifier I have lying around. Landed on Astro Saber stuff because it seems to be the best value for money in terms of HTs with digital capability (it would start analog only, but I need to have the possiblity digital open and cost effective), not to mention the AVA is a relatively simple piece of hardware compared to other Convertacoms. The only issue is that because of the size of the AVA I would want to mount it away, and use the HHCH. I have seen mention of it before - I understand it is different from that of the XTVA and W3 HHCH, although it looks similar. I wanted to know how hard it is to find one of the HHCH's for the AVA and what it will be in cost. If I don't use an HHCH, is the mic plug just a standard Motorola plug like that of say a Maxtrac/GM300? If you want to suggest a better solution that is fine too, I just don't plan on dropping upwards of $2000 for an XTS portable.

[Tom in D.C.]

HHCHs appear from time to time but not all that often. If I saw a used one for sale I'd
certainly want to get a return guarantee in the event it had a problem, my thinking being
that someone would dump one that was flaky or glitchy or otherwise less than perfect.

[HarrisonRHW]

So I take that as a, "they aren't easy to find, not worth the trouble." Will have to look into other options - as long as there was a way to remotely change the channels, that would be enough - Alias display isn't necessarily that important

[Tom in D.C.]

No, I think an HHCH has a definite place, especially where you have absolutely NO room for a
control head in a mobile; but they are hard to find unless you get lucky. I've also seen a new
version of an HHCH that's used on the XTL mobiles. It's a mobile microphone with a limited number of button controls on it -- really a slick unit -- no readout but does a lot more than the standard mobile mic.

Regards,

[HarrisonRHW]

Could you post information on that one, if you have any?

Basically I thought an HHCH with an AVA would be a cheap way to be able to upgrade to digital later, but have a nice out of the way remote mount, but I am open to other cost effective solutions - an XTL2500 and O3 head is still a bit expensive

[Tom in D.C.]

I've only seen the new XTL control unit on a friend's mobile console. Probably can be found on the Motorola catalog site under XTL accessories. I'm going to go look there later today when I have time to do so. Also, I was rereading previous posts from you about and it strikes me that the cost of a decent, warranted AVA these days is somewhere between $500 and $1k, so when you add that to the cost of a decent XTS5K you're easily getting into XTL price territory.

[HarrisonRHW]

I could believe that price, but I have been seeing AVA's pop up on fleabay for the $100 price range, lots - I thought they were in that price range. Considering what you can get an XTS-3000 (and be able to use the XTVA with it's HHCH) for the $500 neighborhood with a flashcode that I can survive on until I need to get a unit for digital.

[Tom in D.C.]

I'm getting the mobile adapter models confused. Yes, you can find an AVA, meant for use
with an Astro Saber, for maybe $100, but the unit that's used with the XTS radios is a lot
more -- and the people selling them always seem to get their price for the units -- I think it's
called an XTVA. I once was a user of the old Saber SVAs with the 6150 keypad mic and I
loved them; great radio and great mobile adapter. I'm not familiar with the keypad mic for
an AVA but there has to be one, but then you're back to using an Astro Saber which is a step
backward, IMHO.

[FireCpt809]

I still use a SVA for my UHF T-band Systems saber III I have the 6150 mic on mine with a 50W amp and a 5 db gain antenna. I dont have any use digital so a ASTRO is not necessary I love it. I may upgrade someday..

[HarrisonRHW]

Granted it may be a "step backwards" but I think of it this way - an XTS3000 is nothing more than an Astro Saber with a nicer case and display. As I said it has come up as an option because an XTVA can always have an XTS5000 dropped in it, but they are not that far off from each other in terms of features I would personally use. I don't see IMBE APCO-25 voice being used for anything more than on a conventional single channel repeated system. Personally I think an AVA is significantly better looking that an XTVA - although unless I can find an HHCH for an AVA, then I may be tempted to invest in the XTS stuff, and a Waris Mobile to hold me off until I get a XTVA (when the prices come down).

What I was referring to was the HHCH for the AVA mentioned here:

http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2499

Scroll most of the way down and you will see what I am talking about. It looks like the Astro Spectra W3/XTVA HHCH, but it is in fact different.

[akardam]

I wouldn't count on getting a HHCH to work with an AVA. We've only ever seen one working unit, and it required a combination of special hardware and firmware.

[HarrisonRHW]

So that was a custom job? Do most people with the AVA end up just using a palm mic?

[motorola_otaku]

What I was referring to was the HHCH for the AVA mentioned here:

http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2499

Scroll most of the way down and you will see what I am talking about. It looks like the Astro Spectra W3/XTVA HHCH, but it is in fact different.

That thread was a big bunch of speculation and experimentation that yielded nothing. Here is the setup that is confirmed to exist and work:

• Handheld control head, part #PLN7737x (the X revision is unimportant)
• AVA cradle, part #PLN7736A. ALL of the AVAs you are seeing on eBay are part #NTN7727x, and they will not work.
• HOST firmware in the Astro Saber between AP_R03.02.xx and R05.xx.xx. Anything newer or older than that will not work.

In short, you are better off splurging for an XTVA and XTSes in the bands you need, or analog Sabers and a standard SVA with the NMN6150 handheld control head if you can do without P25.

[HarrisonRHW]

Well when you put it that way... it is a lot of effort. Will probably pick up my XTS3000's and start saving for the overpriced XTVA's now. The price between the 3K's and the Sabers is negligible because you are getting a new case, but you don't have to play the "is this IMBE or VSELP?" game, plus the XTVA will accept 5Ks in the future. I just hope that Motorola eventually adds LTR support to flashport radios (not a big deal since all my Waris stuff supports it). I do think that the XTVA is a bit ugly and cumbersome to work with though, but I think I could make it work.

[resqguy911]

Being the owner/operator of one of these working AVA/HHCH combos, I can tell you that it is high on the cool factor- until you realize that you can NEVER upgrade your radios again... If you want flexibility, go with the XTVA.