Batboard

Good afternoon-

My Fire Department just purchased a brand new fire engine, and we are stuck in a bind. We currently use 46.xxx for our dispatch channel, so are in need of purchasing a low band radio for our operations channel. Currently we have the PM1200, as that was the only low band available, however the board is trying to get a radio with the HLN1220/HKN1018/HLN1457A Style mic, the Old Style microphone with hang up clip, as they do not like the newer style plastic one. This mic style does not work with the PM1200, and I do not believe any radios after the spectra series/maratrac radios. If anyone has any options for how to make this work either with our radio, or an older radio for sale that works with this style mic let me know.

Have you tried to see if Motorola has any handsets in their current product line-up, which are compatible with this radio? I seem to remember we had this issue with a local mass transit district (city buses) several years back. They wanted the traditional telephone-style handset, like they had used on their older UHF Micors in the 1980s.

At the time, the newer buses were coming with Motorola GM300 mobile radios. We extended the microphone, via the rear accessory connector, to a ruggedized RJ-45 (8-pin phone jack) located by the bus driver. We then mounted a newer style handset by the driver, and connected it to the extended jack.

If I remember correctly, we used something like an AAREX4617A or HMN4098A, which essentially was a Motorola Maxtrac/CDM cellular style handset, with cup & clamshell.
- http://www.discounttwo-wayradio.com/pro ... 0?limit=96
They worked with several mobile radios (including Maxtrac, Radius, M120, & GM300s) - possibly even the GTX Series of mobile radios. That being said, I don't know if the microphone jack for the PM1200 mobile radio has the same pin-out, as the older radios. Your local dealer should be able to determine that. As for the older traditional telephone-style handset, which was remarkably more durable, I believe it had a carbon element microphone, and was not compatible with the newer radios.

Good Luck!

trg,