Motorola Saber Help

[RTG7192]

Hello!
I was offered a free Motorola Saber preprogrammed to the Ham frequencies that I currently use. Naturally, I accepted. While I've waited for it to show up, I bought a charger, and at the top of my purchasing list are some new batteries, a legal version of RSS and programming accessories, and some more radios to add to the collection. (At over $100/hr at one local store for programming, I might as well just buy RSS myself!!!)

Being relatively new to Motorola radios, can you give some tips and pointers as I start out in this new hobby?

[kf4sqb]

Unfortunately, Saber RSS is NLA from Motorola, the only place you can legally obtain it. About the only thing I can tell you to do is try a Google search, and hope for the best. Despite the fact that they no longer sell the RSS, and no longer support the radio series, Ma M still acts like a Nazi about the RSS, so you can't ask for a copy here, nor could we legally give you one if you could. Otherwise, the Saber series are great, durable radios, with excellent performance. About the only particular problem I'm aware of with them is that the knobs on the top tend to get brittle with age, and break/fall apart. There may be some other problems as well, but that's all I'm aware of. Congrats on your new Motorola acquisition, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed my various Motorola gear over the years. Its some of the best gear on the market, commercially speaking. Most of it works great for Ham use, like the Sabers (as long as you get one with the correct band split), with the only drawback being that its not front panel programmable. Best of luck!

[Tom in D.C.]

More info on Sabers is available at http://www.batlabs.com under Model
Specific Information. Also try Google searches for Motorola Saber
and you'll find a ton of information at various sites.

One other point. If you're offered or thinking of buying a UHF Saber,
be certain that the bandsplit is 438-470 and not 403-433, or perhaps
450-512. The only
easy way to determine a Saber's bandsplit is by reading the radio,
and the 403 units are pretty useless in the US except for specialized
repeater link operations. The 450 and up units often can't be tuned
for low input or low output UHF ham repeaters around 442 or 443 mHz.
The cardinal rule is that if the seller can't or won't make intelligent
conversation about the bandsplit of the UHF Saber he's trying to sell you
than it's usually better to look elsewhere.

[kf4sqb]

Oh, and one more good source of information on the Saber is The Repeater Builders Information Page. Just scroll down to the Motorola link, then scroll down to the Saber link.

[RTG7192]

Hello,Thanks everyone for all your greats leads and tips im sure i will find some helpful info.i always knew batlabs was the place to go for help and info from trusted people.

[SlimBob]

When you've got that Saber loaded with channels just the way you like it, you'll understand that $100 is cheap for the frustration involved in keying all that information in.

[FireCpt809]

Saber RSS is easier to use than any later MTSX RSS.. Even systems saber ...

[Cowboy]

Saber RSS is easier to use than any later MTSX RSS.. Even systems saber ...

Compared to SysSaber, I'd take Saber or MTSX any day of the week...

Stupid personalities/zones/modes to zones mapping LOL