XTL5000/XTS5000 - is analog RX sensitivity poorer?

[g8tzl2004]

Anybody have any views on the analog RX sensitivity of the latest high end Motorola radios (XTL5000/XTS5000) compared to the older stuff eg. MCS2000?

Has anybody measured sensitivity for 12dB SINAD?

I previously read comments that older radios have better weak signal RX performance. Is this correct? If so, why design newer radios with poorer RX performance?

Thanks

[MT2000 man]

There was this thread http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.p ... &hilit=mts
basically comparing the RX of an MTS2000 Jedi, to an XTS3000. Most found the MTS2000 had a hotter (ie better) receiver than that of the XTS3000.

The newer XTS5000's are known to be one of the BEST receivers out there (with most folks here giving them two BIG thumbs up, even over the old Astro Saber's). So, I would say the XTS5000's are better in RX specs then then a Jedi, or older XTS series radios.

[g8tzl2004]

I remember reading that thread. I was surprized that the MTS2000 sensitivity could range from 0.2uv (121dBm) to 0.38uv(115dbm) - thats an "enormous" 6dBm difference. Its like the "luck of the draw" - you might get a deaf one - but still within the very pesimistic spec. A bit like cheap Chinese Ebay radios!!!!

I've noticed that Motorola now publish "typical" specs of "around 0.22uV" whereas previously you used to get "better than 0.35uV".

I find that some of my Moto mobiles have excellent RX front ends - more senstive than any ham radio with no intermod.

You wonder what was wrong with the manufacturing process to give such variability in the Jedi portable sensitivity. I think the Jedi mobiles are much more consistant as well as the later HT1225 stuff.

[Pj]

FWIW, the best RX performance I have ever had in a Motorola radio were with the Syntor X9000's in lowband and VHF (UHF seemed average). The APX7000 I have seems to be pretty good on V and U. Just waiting to get my hands on a 7500 to try. I'd say that the XTL5000's are pretty hot as well with the RX Preamp option.

As an aside, I had a panter88 XTS2500 with a stock Moto UHF antenna that would RX like no one would believe. It would conisistant RX a repeater from over 30+ miles away pretty damn good. Two scanners with outdoor roof mount antennas, and the GE orion in the truck would never hear it. In between were a few large mountains/hilltops in the way of the repeater. Never had a radio THAT good on UHF.

[g8tzl2004]

Is the XTL5000 pre-amp option an actual "hardware" additional board or is it just a software mod to switch in an already existing pre-amp?

I would like to think that all the modern radios have uniform sensitivity so its not the luck of the draw.

I wonder if the Hong Kong Motorola radios are aligned better - maybe they are all done manually? Although I'm not sure if the latest Motorola stuff has an auto align option. I recently aligned an Icom and I got different values each time I ran the auto RX align routine!!

Are the Hong Kong Motorola radios 100% real - whats with the 95% new message?

[chrismoll12]

I get a kick out of "95% new radios" Its the same thing as new old stock.