GR/RKR1225 repeaters going NLA...

[wavetar]

As of Feb 10/08, you will no longer be able to order the GR/RKR1225 repeater. Recommended replacements are the MotoTRBO XPR8300, or the MTR2000 for multi-channel purposes.

While not perfect, it was a nice plug & play repeater with lots of interfacing options, and we sold a lot of them. At least it stuck around long enough to force Motorola to update the RSS to an XP compatible version.

I'll leave this as a sticky for 30 days so everyone has a chance to see it.

Todd

[escomm]

Argh....

As of now, MOTOTRBO is NOT a suitable replacement for the R1225.

Suggesting the MTR2000, which costs 4 times as much, is laughable.

And so the wheel turns....

[tvsjr]

Kenwood TKR-750/850. Sorry, someone had to say it.

[wavetar]

Argh....

As of now, MOTOTRBO is NOT a suitable replacement for the R1225.

Suggesting the MTR2000, which costs 4 times as much, is laughable.

And so the wheel turns....

Agreed on the MTR2000, but now that the XPR8300 has it's accessory connector "turned on" with the latest firmware upgrade to allow for external hook ups in analog mode, what makes it not suitable as a replacement?

And Terry, I knew you'd throw in the TKR-750/850...and rightfully so. Better than the GR series at a lower cost...hard to beat.

[Crimestopper]

Well we still have the CDR series. It is not a great desktop but it will have to do. My guess is that Motorola is getting anxious about the Kenwood line of digital repeaters so they want to capture the market before kenwood.

I just heard the new today and was thrown back by it as well.

[MTS2000des]

well you can always pick up a MotoVertex VXR-7000. these are superb desktop base/repeaters, built-in tone panel, power supply, optional internal duplexer, and it has a DB-25 on the back for interfacing to various devices (such as outboard controllers)...excellent machine that has a 50watt PA with 100 percent duty cycle. We've had one since 2002 in service and it's sees heavy use and has survived two lightning strikes and lived to tell about it.

Clear to me that Motorola only wants to sell high end stuff, for example the XTL2500 as a replacement for the GTX? Are you serious? Like the average 900Meg customer is going to want to pay for an XTL to replace their GTX's.

[Grog]

Clear to me that Motorola only wants to sell high end stuff, for example the XTL2500 as a replacement for the GTX? Are you serious? Like the average 900Meg customer is going to want to pay for an XTL to replace their GTX's.

No, we're not. But then we use the maxtras and hopefully they'll have a good lifespan. Toss in some spectras and MCS2000s for bases, and pray for long life.

[Rayjk110]

I worked on a couple GR1225's a few summers ago. They didn't really have any problems, and the 1 that got hit by lightning survived just fine. Looked like a glorified GM300 chasis with an extended heatsink inside. Never touched an RKR, but I would assume it's the same guts, just re-arranged.

[transistor747]

I would bet that a replacement for the GR1225 shows up, looking very much like the Vertex VXR-7000.

[Jason]

More like there wont be one.. the Vertex will totally take it's place more than likely, as we see them drift away from the low tier radius products.

This was an unusually FAST cancellation, even for big /\/\. Must have run into some component sourcing issues, etc. We usually see several months or a year of notice before mainstays like this unit gets canned.

Ive had good luck with these stations over the years. Very few failures.

[wavetar]

The cancellation without much notice is to more or less force people to choose the MotoTRBO repeater. While the notice was short, it's days were numbered as the mobile & portable counterparts hadn't been available for about 5 years.

Todd

[Al]

Even though the XPR repeaters cost somewhat more, I'd say they're a better replacement for the GR1225 in analog service because the 1225 was only rated for intermittent duty cycle use....the XPR is rated for 100% duty cycle use. That and the fact that I've replaced quite a few PAs on the 1225s due to high duty cycle burnups makes them look good.

[wavetar]

Even though the XPR repeaters cost somewhat more

I keep hearing people say that, but I still maintain they cost less, for what you get. According to my price book, the GR1225 with comparable rack mount housing, battery revert circuit and power supply costs us as a dealer around $2500, give or take a few pennies...and you have to assemble it yourself. The fully assembled XPR with built-in battery revert and power supply costs us under $2000.

[escomm]

Have you factored in the monthly firmware updates that require a site visit to upload?

[Grog]

Have you factored in the monthly firmware updates that require a site visit to upload?

Do the XPR repeaters run in analog (I honestly have not looked), and if so, do they require the firmware updates for analong-only users? If not, why bother with the trips if they are indeed only being used as an analog replacement for the 1225?


Then again, I'd go with the kenwood

[escomm]

Yes, they do run in analog, and there have been firmware defects that caused analog transmissions to be garbled or otherwise not transmitted. It's a very common issue with the trbo radios, both infrastructure and subscribers.

[Grog]

Those newfangled radios are complex eh? <as I hug my older than dirt analog sabers>

[wavetar]

Have you factored in the monthly firmware updates that require a site visit to upload?

Umm, nope. Other than updating our demo units to enable the accessory connector, I haven't had a cause to update any customer repeater. We did have a couple that pretty well failed out of the box, the problems of which were eventually detailed on an FSB for a certain serial number range, but otherwise they've been solid in the field. Same with the field radios...zero failures or returns so far.

Those newfangled radios are complex eh? <as I hug my older than dirt analog sabers>

Definitely can be complex. Firmware upgrading is a pain because number one, every different model has it's own corresponding firmware package...so our 8 demo units (4 UHF, 4 VHF...each having a mobile, 1 lower tier portable, 1 higher tier portable, and 1 repeater) require me to download 8 different firmware packages. Number two, the files are quite large, varying from 21MB to 34MB or so. Thank goodness for high speed internet.

Todd

[escomm]

Wish I could say the same. After going through 10 speakers and three trips to the mountain I threw in the towel. It is a nice toy though.

[wavetar]

10 speakers?

[escomm]

The first two or three generations of the radio shipped with defective speakers (no sound at all or it sounded extremely tinny to the point of unintelligibility). Some radios needed a second replacement as the first round of fixes didn't quite solve the problem. It's unpleasant when your newfangled rental radios that are supposed to be so much better than everything else and cost three times as much as the fleet crap out in the first two weeks of being on location. I am surprised your demo units did not need to be fixed. How long ago did you get them?

[wavetar]

We received the UHF demos in March 07, which was when they became available for Canadian dealers. If I'm not mistaken they were available quite a bit earlier in the U.S. which may account for a few bugs being worked out by the time we got them. Can't say I would've replaced a rental fleet with them until they were proven good though.

[EngineerZ]

Kenwood TKR-750/850. Sorry, someone had to say it.

Ditto... I'd also look at the Tait TB7100. We've been buying both the Kenwood and Tait repeaters for low duty-cycle locations and have been very pleased. For some reason, the Kenwoods can take a long to ship at times, but work great once they are in. We have only bought a couple of the Tait units so far, but if they continue to perform well I will probably switch over completely. Tait makes some very nice equipment.

--z

[Zaputil]

"....the XPR8300 has it's accessory connector "turned on" with the latest firmware upgrade to allow for external hook ups in analog mode...."

So, has anyone tied a Tone Remote termination panel to an XPR8300?

For a follow up, how would do wireline control in with a 2-slot digital setup?

Thanks!

[wavetar]

"....the XPR8300 has it's accessory connector "turned on" with the latest firmware upgrade to allow for external hook ups in analog mode...."

So, has anyone tied a Tone Remote termination panel to an XPR8300?

For a follow up, how would do wireline control in with a 2-slot digital setup?

Thanks!

Haven't tried it yet, but notice I said "analog mode", so it ain't happening in 2-slot digital yet. I would imagine any future compatible "digital" accessory will be a full I.P. based unit which won't have any issues with working the 2-slot digital setup.

Todd

[jeffee1]

"....the XPR8300 has it's accessory connector "turned on" with the latest firmware upgrade to allow for external hook ups in analog mode...."

So, has anyone tied a Tone Remote termination panel to an XPR8300?

For a follow up, how would do wireline control in with a 2-slot digital setup?

Thanks!

Haven't tried it yet, but notice I said "analog mode", so it ain't happening in 2-slot digital yet. I would imagine any future compatible "digital" accessory will be a full I.P. based unit which won't have any issues with working the 2-slot digital setup.

Todd

I'm definately interested in this. Does anyone have any info on Tone Remote or some sort of dispatch console connection to an XPR8300 running in digital mode? We have a large manfacturing facility running a mix of simplex channels and repeaters (CDR-700 and MTR2000) about 16 channels in all. Looking to go down the path of an upgrade. Currently running a CommandPlus console but looking at a Telex C-6200. Any thoughts?