Pricing

[mavericknet]

Good evening folks,

I've recently joined up with a statewide volunteer search and rescue group that has some relatively archaic radio equipment, this stuff will all be boat anchors come January 1st. I've started working on a grant proposal to send out to a couple of area charities to see if we can get some help in upgrading. As I understand the current situation, we have mutual aid agreements with a number of public safety entities in the areas for which we operate; we can operate but we have to supply the equipment. We operate on UHF/VHF and the North Carolina VIPER system. We currently have 2 XTS3000, some VHF spectras, 2 maxtracs, and a complete mess of old HTs. I would love to get a big old case of APX7000s and a couple of the mobiles and solve this all in one shot, but if the second hand prices are any indication I can keep dreaming.

I've been reaching out to some old contacts to find current prices these days, but I've not heard back. That being said, it's been eight years since I last ordered radios.

Can anyone here give me a good idea of the ballpark price I can look to spend on:
20 XTS5000 and 5 XTL 5000 units 800mhz, smartzone, no encryption.
20 HT1250/1550s in VHF hi, and 5 CDM1250/1550s in VHF hi.
4 CDM1250/1550s in UHF

And just so I have an idea, 22 APX 7000, 5 APX7500?


Any ideas of anybody with a lot of excess capital or radios who love dogs?

The HTs are in really bad shape and will most likely be recycled, but as for the spectras I'd love to find some other use for them, we have an interop/command trailer we're putting together, I was thinking of maybe converting a pair of the spectras into a repeater, but then again I really don't think they'll narrowband. Maybe an ad-hoc 2m repeater? I'll take any ideas/donations.

[Dorf411]

What makes you think you need the XTS/XTL5000? The 2500's will do everything you need them to do for less money and the portables will be smaller as well.

[mavericknet]

Hadn't really considered the 2500, the other agencies around here were using 5000s. Could use a price on 2500s as well, I'm reading the P25/ASTRO operations as we speak. I came from a land of part 90 uhf/vhf and now I'm swimming in a sea of digital around here.

Anybody ever had any dealings with Harris communications? That Unity line they've got could be the ticket, at will probably by at least a grand cheaper for not sporting the big /\/\.

[escomm]

For prices on high tier radios you will need to seek out your local manufacturer's rep.

[rydzewski]

Harris makes a great product. Seeing that they are made in the County I work in we are seriously considering them. Harris has allowed us to test there dual band portables... they are very impressive and are MUCH cheaper then Motorola's.

[AL7OC]

In Alaska, we have an organization of SAR teams -The Alaska Search and Rescue Association. They were able to come up with grant money to purchase some XTS1500s and XTL5000s for use on the state trunked system (ALMR). We have these set up for mostly IC and Interoperability talkgroups to talk to troopers and park rangers. The grant also covered a boatload of HT1250s with analog SAR and Interoperabily channels. ASARA owns the assets, but member groups can request them "on permanent loan". Each team only needs a handful of the trunked radios for command posts. The 1250s serve as our field radios from tactical operation. Teams also outright own equipment that has been acquired over the years.

Does NC have, or could you organize, a statewide SAR association to obtain federal or private grant money for purchasing radio assets?

-Pierre

[mavericknet]

Yea, I haven't heard back from the local rep, from my previous dealings with local reps I am not surprised. Working with the local rep from my home town was like pulling teeth with chopsticks.

What's the channel market look like for Harris? Aside from their corporate website I can't find vendors that are advertising their wares.

[trumpetman12]

Don't forget VIPER is Motorola Type II, which slates you to either Motorola of EF Johnson radios for right now. The 9600 VIPER system is coming online very slowly, so be careful about investing in any other manufacturers or you might have to wait a few years before you can put your new radios to use when the state finally goes full P25.