Batboard

Just curious if anyone has any input in reference to the use of EF Johnson radios on a Motorola Smartnet Type II 800 system? Currently all our radios are Motorola XTS3000, XTS5000, or Astro Spectra. Is there anything noteworthy to using an EF Johnson radio on the system or with the other radios, ID problems, access problems, incompatibilities? I am looking at the 5300.

We operate on the system as guests, as in our department doesn't own the system we just rent space from the department that does own it. Therefore, I am wondering what kinds of challenges I might get when I suggest putting this equipment on the system.

We are not digital, but we did start using the EFJohnson 7780 handheld on our system about 2 years ago.
While it may not be much help, being digital vs analog, we didn't have any problems gettting the radios to work on our SmartNet Type2 system. The only issue was needing to get EFJ to make us a new system key that would work with their programming software (the Moto Keys don't work with the EFJ software).

We have a ton of them in our buses and 7800 portables in the field.
They work...um lets just say they work. The access isn't as fast as a true blue Moto. and the audio quality isn't as good. But otherwise the radio has access and is reliable.

Yes the system key is different and EFJ is the only one who can make it.

When the digital system hit our county we found out that EFJ made a radio (Cheaper but not the same quality IMO) that would work on the motorola system, But just because it will work dosn't mean that they will let you.

Our county has a multi agency communications partnership (MACP). The MACP would not let us use the EFJ radios on the system because they said it would create a safety problem... The example they used: if the system goes down with only motorola radios, it is motorola's problem. If the system goes down with both EFJ and Motorola radios they wouldn't be able to blame motorola if some one got hurt due to a system failure because of the EFJ radios create a possible problem.

To make a long story short, We tried and tried and still had to buy motorola because the MACP would not allow EFJ radios on to the system!

My advice make sure your system administrator will allow you to use other brands on their system!

On a side note... I have been told the EFJ radios use some of the same parts as the XTS but I wasn't as happy with the feel of the radio. The channel selector knob and volume knob aren't as big so gloved use is tougher. The EFJ radio also didn't feel as durable as the XTS. However there is a signifcant price difference between the two as I remember?

Grant

so much for multi-vendor systems.

Such statements just negate the entire point of the P25 standard.

Morons.

True, but until someone comes out with a P25 complaint infrastructure, everyone else is just piggy-backing Motorola anyway.

Todd

gcowan99 wrote:The example they used: if the system goes down with only motorola radios, it is motorola's problem. If the system goes down with both EFJ and Motorola radios they wouldn't be able to blame motorola if some one got hurt due to a system failure because of the EFJ radios create a possible problem.

That is what "interoperability testing" is all about - you get somebody (like, oooh, I don't know, ME) to design a test to insure the equipment meets the standards, and you then use that test to insure that all equipment meets the standards. If something breaks, you find out who is violating the standards.

wavetar wrote:True, but until someone comes out with a P25 complaint infrastructure, everyone else is just piggy-backing Motorola anyway.

Icom and Kenwood are working on repeaters, if that is what you mean by infrastructure.

Yes, sometimes Mother M has to be reminded that, in the case of APCO-25, they *didn't* write the specs, and that their internal specs are NOT the controlling documents. If only there were some other company, dedicated to testing APCO-25 gear and making sure it meets the APCO specs....

I agree that our system isn't very interoperable, I spent 2 years in the middle of this mess and even had a Memo from Motorola that stated it was ok to use EFJ on their systems as the use almost identical electronics. (not a quote) EFJ told our county they would supply the software, equipment and radios for the county to test, they even said they wouldn't have to release the system key and would teach the guys how to use the softwate. but it seems that the Big M has brainwashed most of the radioshop guys in the county and they wouldn't even try that?

I wish our county/city would finish what they started. They purchased on bond a mobile for every police car (city and county) and every city fire truck. They also purchased portables for every riding position of every fire truck in the city and almost every sworn police officer city and county both. Then they bought a total of I think it was 6 mobiles or portables for each county fire department. thats right 6. some departments have 13 trucks or more... and that dosn't even touch the riding positions or fire officers. Then told us we had about 3 years to finish buying our own radios... and then told us we couldn't use the lower cost alternative radio. There have been politics involved in this deal that screw up possibilities both ways, but the sad thing is we are all here for one reason... To help people. Too bad the politics and money dictate how well we can do it!

On the metro system of the Twin Cities of MN we ran into this issue with the EFJ 5100/5300 series radios.

While they did preform on the system there were some radio issues themselves which set things backa tad. Things such as audio issues, scanning, and system ack/nack when powering on/off.

However, it is up to the system admin person or in this case here board. Some I think are paid under the table from /\/\ as well as almost act like they get a commision based on how they are nazi like for /\/\. (Sorry about the nazi statement, I did not mean to insult nazi's with that statement of /\/\ usgae.)

brainwashing is an excellent term and is often financial backed.

True P-25 infrastructure is the big hump right now. Wasn't EFJ making P-25 compliant conventional infrastructure already?

I've been using some of EFJ's equipment and I was surprised at the similarity to Motorola radios.
Some of the techs I work with explained to me that /\/\ would sell it's RF decks to EFJ so they could manufacture radios.
But now EFJ is building their own boards - I hope the quality is comparable.
I've got some friends that are USAF LMR managers that are awaiting the arrival of the new 5100x/5300x series radios - the mobiles are supposed to be 50W and P25 capable.

wavetar wrote:True, but until someone comes out with a P25 complaint infrastructure, everyone else is just piggy-backing Motorola anyway.

Todd

I have a P25 M/A-Com system. We use XTS-5000's for our portables. We also have XTL-5K's and M/A-Com M7100's in the vehicles. Our only problem at this point is getting "omnilink" to work.

To get back on topic, EFJ is working to get in on our system, but so far we have not had a demo.