Questions about MCS2000/GM1200/MC2100/whatever radios..

[Johnny Grep]

Hi -

I'm in the market to replace a few of my mobile radios. I currently have a TK780 & a Vertex FTL-2011 but would like to replace them with Motorola gear.

I've been looking at the MCS2000 because of its feature set, but I've seen a few euro radios floating around like the GM1200 or MC2100. Are those any good, and which features do they support (or not)? I need 5-tone (yes you read that right) so I'm thinking about getting a euro radio to replace the FTL, and a NA MCS2000 to replace the TK... any thoughts?

I've also seen MCS2K heads with a green on black display (inverted) with black buttons, kind of like a LM3000 (LINC) head... what are those? MC2100? Anything else? Are those heads backward compatible with the other radios?

Also, I'm looking for a HHCH-type setup if possible whether it be a handset or a palm mic (prefer a handset). Anything compatible with the MCS2000 series?

[Karfield]

Unless someone else pipes up here it's my impression that there is not a Motorola radio that will do 5 tone. The topic came up here the other day and I simply could not think of one Motorola unit that will do 5 tone. Not even the PM1200.

[motorola_otaku]

Unless someone else pipes up here it's my impression that there is not a Motorola radio that will do 5 tone. The topic came up here the other day and I simply could not think of one Motorola unit that will do 5 tone. Not even the PM1200.

GM300 will do it. So will the European MX family (the Saber clones.)

Japan had a MCS variant for their 900 MHz J-SMR system that used what I guess you would call a "model 2" M370 head (display & 2 rows of buttons underneath but no DTMF keypad) but I've never actually seen one in person. There is/was no factory-made MCS HHCH for the North American market and no hack to make a M370 head or W3 Astro HHCH work 100 percent that I'm aware of. If there was a Lima Alpha Bravo version of MCS2000 RSS out in the wild I'm sure it could be made to work, though.. all you'd need to do was change the button assignments to match the HHCH of your choice.

[Andreas]

The GM1200,is a trunked radio and do not support the select 5!
You have to flash it with MC2100 firmware,to have this feature and more than 10 channels.
The GM900 is a select 5 radio with only 16 channels and have a special head.
All the MCS2000/MC2100/GM1200 heads (with rotary switch or full keypad) are compatible.
The heads,with the inverted display/keypad,are only older ones,from the early days.
You also can buy the GM360/380 to have a select 5 radio.

Andreas

[Motoboy]

Third party equipment is always an option. Check out:

http://www.midians.com/html/specspage.a ... +Signaling

[Johnny Grep]

Unless someone else pipes up here it's my impression that there is not a Motorola radio that will do 5 tone. The topic came up here the other day and I simply could not think of one Motorola unit that will do 5 tone. Not even the PM1200.

GM300 will do it. So will the European MX family (the Saber clones.)

Japan had a MCS variant for their 900 MHz J-SMR system that used what I guess you would call a "model 2" M370 head (display & 2 rows of buttons underneath but no DTMF keypad) but I've never actually seen one in person. There is/was no factory-made MCS HHCH for the North American market and no hack to make a M370 head or W3 Astro HHCH work 100 percent that I'm aware of. If there was a Lima Alpha Bravo version of MCS2000 RSS out in the wild I'm sure it could be made to work, though.. all you'd need to do was change the button assignments to match the HHCH of your choice.

Which buttons did work, and which didn't, out of curiosity? And do you have a P/N and/or pic of that Model 2 JSMR handset?