APX7000

This forum is dedicated to discussions pertaining specifically to the Motorola ASTRO line of radios (those that use VSELP/IMBE/AMBE), including using digital modulation, digital programming, FlashPort upgrades, etc. If you have general questions please use the General or Programming forums.

Moderator: Queue Moderator

Post Reply
k5rpd
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2004 8:41 pm

APX7000

Post by k5rpd »

Does anyone have any new information on this radio? I do understand after speaking with a contact of mine that it will be available in UHF with a choice of R1, R2 or R3.
Also- do any of you know of any agencies that have any units in hand and operational in the field??
Thanks for any info anyone can provide!
User avatar
alex
Administrator
Posts: 5761
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by alex »

k5rpd wrote:UHF with a choice of R1, R2 or R3.
I'm sure that it will be avaliable in UHF, but I don't think I'd expect to see it until after the VHF/700/800 is released.

I also doubt that Motorola would take a step back and go back to 3-4 different UHF ranges. They probably will stick with 380-470 and 450-520.

-Alex
The Radio Information Board: http://www.radioinfoboard.com
Your source for information on: Harris/Ma-Comm/EFJ/RELM/Kenwood/ICOM/Thales, equipment.
User avatar
rc50won
Posts: 234
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 6:37 am
What radios do you own?: Don't ask my wife.

Re: APX7000

Post by rc50won »

The scuttlebutt, coming from the hams here in the Plantation facility, is that the V/7/8 will be released Q3 2009 and a U variant sometime in mid to late 2010. While I have touched a working V model but have no idea if any of these have been given out in the field yet.

Marshall
User avatar
batdude
Personal aide to Mr. Cook
Posts: 2741
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by batdude »

a few, FEW... very select customers have field units on VHF/700-800

they are engraved on the front as beta test units.


the one i handled is a very slick radio... display is great... GPS works great.

antenna length ... sucks.



doug
BRAVO MIKE JULIET ALPHA
"You can do whatever you want, there are just consequences..."
IF SOMEONE PM'S YOU - HAVE THE COURTESY TO REPLY.
User avatar
FireCpt809
Posts: 1846
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2002 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: Alot..

Re: APX7000

Post by FireCpt809 »

I immagine the antenna has to be simular to the VHF wideband/800 dipole to cover both those bands
resqguy911
Posts: 613
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2004 3:35 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by resqguy911 »

batdude wrote: antenna length ... sucks.

doug
But on the positive side, some users will NOT be using the VHF feature- ergo they will use the standard 700/800 whip we know and love...
"TDMA = digital and same great taste, half the bits"
ka8ypy
Posts: 279
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 4:18 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by ka8ypy »

batdude wrote:a few, FEW... very select customers have field units on VHF/700-800

they are engraved on the front as beta test units.


the one i handled is a very slick radio... display is great... GPS works great.

antenna length ... sucks.



doug
Not all of the units are engraved as test units. PG County, MD has about 10 units getting ready to start testing their new TDMA Phase II system in a couple of months. None of them are marked at all, save for a PGC property tag on them.
User avatar
Astro Spectra
Posts: 668
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by Astro Spectra »

Moto had 700/800/UHF R1 units on display at APCO Sydney (Australia) last week. Radios were working on UHF R1 freqs just fine talking to other XTS radios. Antennas were marked 7-800 GPS and looked like the APX VHF antenna. A nice bit of kit working on both P25 Phase 1 (FDMA) and II (TDMA). Excellent audio and really loud. A sound proof booth was on hand to allow audio testing. Also the internal option slot will support an upcoming Bluetooth module allowing the use of wireless audio accessories. Actual sized cardboard cutout units were part of the give aways on a typically excellent Motorola stand.

No engraving and no comment on UHF/VHF units. The previous 700/800/VHF unit I've seen certainly looked a little more like a prototype with an 'evaluation unit' sticker inside where covered up by the battery.

By the way don't forget the equally tasty APX 7500 XTL style 700/800/VHF units.
User avatar
Wowbagger
Aeroflex
Posts: 1287
Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2002 10:46 am

F2, not P2

Post by Wowbagger »

Please, don't call the Motorola system "Phase II" - it is NOT APCO-25 Phase II. The Motorola X2-TDMA system is NOT compatible with the TIA/EIA APCO-25 Phase II proposals.

Yes, it is confusing. Yes, it sucks that APCO isn't running with the Motorola system/Motorola isn't running with the APCO standard, but that is how it is.

If we DON'T nip this in the bud, I can see a few years hence when APCO really DOES release the Phase II system specs and vendors start shipping it the questions:

"But I have a Motorola Phase II [sic] radio, why won't it work with this system?"

We have enough confusion between Smartnet, ASTRO-25, full-on APCO-25, MotoTRBO, D-STAR, and all the other systems - can we PLEASE prevent yet more confusion?
Last edited by Wowbagger on Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
This is my opinion, not Aeroflex's.

I WILL NOT give you proprietary information. I make too much money to jeopardize my job.

I AM NOT the Service department: You want official info, manuals, service info, parts, calibration, etc., contact Aeroflex directly, please.
User avatar
Pj
Moderator
Posts: 5147
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: X9000 thru APX

Re: APX7000

Post by Pj »

I'm bringing one gross of asprin to Wowbagger at Dayton this year..
Lowband radio. The original and non-complicated wide area interoperable communications system
Image
User avatar
Astro Spectra
Posts: 668
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: APX7000 - P1, X2, and P2

Post by Astro Spectra »

I can assure you that my use of Phase II terminology was deliberate.
User avatar
Wowbagger
Aeroflex
Posts: 1287
Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2002 10:46 am

Re: APX7000 - P1, X2, and P2

Post by Wowbagger »

Astro Spectra wrote:I can assure you that my use of Phase II terminology was deliberate.
It may have been deliberate, but I believe it was in error: last I'd heard the APCO-25 Phase II spec was NOT finished, indeed it wasn't ever remotely complete enough for a system to be based upon it. Indeed, Aeroflex has been approached about what our road-map for support for APCO-25 Phase II is, and we've said "We can certainly support it, when it is defined enough to implement."
This is my opinion, not Aeroflex's.

I WILL NOT give you proprietary information. I make too much money to jeopardize my job.

I AM NOT the Service department: You want official info, manuals, service info, parts, calibration, etc., contact Aeroflex directly, please.
User avatar
xmo
Moderator
Posts: 2549
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by xmo »

I suppose in the test equipment business the sales guys and bean-counters let the engineers get the product completely designed and debugged before they start selling but in the 2-way business the sales scoundrels at Moto are all about logging the business - so they're out there pushing their pre-standard TDMA products and will assure the customer that a simple flash will bring them up-to-date when the standard is finalized.
akardam
Posts: 2251
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2004 10:53 am

Re: APX7000

Post by akardam »

You see this in many tech industries with many standards. Witness 802.11...

Of course, Motorola, regardless of them shedding weight, is still a sizeable gorilla in the market, and I'm sure they wish their implementation to become the standard, not the other way around.
User avatar
Astro Spectra
Posts: 668
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by Astro Spectra »

I'm sorry my point seems to have been missed - the news was that APX will support FDMA Phase 1 and TDMA X2 and TDMA Phase II. All three supported in one box same as with some of the new infrastructure. Yes the standard isn't finished and yes you'll have to a) flash radio and b) pay Moto for it. But the point of my post was that Moto were stating in public that the APX radio would do the lot.

I thought this scooped IWCE. While it was news to me, perhaps it wasn’t and is old hat already?
User avatar
Cipher77
Posts: 156
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2002 10:02 am

Re: APX7000

Post by Cipher77 »

There's a Chicago suburban county sherriff's dept. that is going to be the beta test for APCO25 phase II gear within the next several months. I don't know if they actually have the portables yet -- more than likely, no.
The Grabbing Hands, Grab all they can. Everything counts in large amounts. Martin L. Gore
User avatar
Pj
Moderator
Posts: 5147
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: X9000 thru APX

Re: APX7000

Post by Pj »

I'm sure there will be a few lab rats...as PG County already has the 7000's to play with. I also heard that there is a place in Florida as well doing it, but the name escapes me.

But now that I am thinking about it...

PG County...just a stone's throw away from the Moto depot there...
The unnamed IL county...see above
The Florida agency...also see above

The radios are not straying far from existing Moto plants.
Lowband radio. The original and non-complicated wide area interoperable communications system
Image
User avatar
FireCpt809
Posts: 1846
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2002 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: Alot..

Re: APX7000

Post by FireCpt809 »

User avatar
batdude
Personal aide to Mr. Cook
Posts: 2741
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by batdude »

in ref to peter's words above... moto did the same thing with VSELP guys... they had a product ready to ship that did not meet the standard, but the hardware was ready... so they released what they had.

i dont see this being much different...



d
BRAVO MIKE JULIET ALPHA
"You can do whatever you want, there are just consequences..."
IF SOMEONE PM'S YOU - HAVE THE COURTESY TO REPLY.
ka8ypy
Posts: 279
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 4:18 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by ka8ypy »

batdude wrote:in ref to peter's words above... moto did the same thing with VSELP guys... they had a product ready to ship that did not meet the standard, but the hardware was ready... so they released what they had.

i dont see this being much different...



d
Exactly....The question is, will M come out with a hardware upgrade (read, new vocon) for the XTS/XTL family once the standard is settled on?
akardam
Posts: 2251
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2004 10:53 am

Re: APX7000

Post by akardam »

ka8ypy wrote:Exactly....The question is, will M come out with a hardware upgrade (read, new vocon) for the XTS/XTL family once the standard is settled on?
I tend to feel they'll not do anything short of saying "time to upgrade", but I guess only time will tell...
ka8ypy
Posts: 279
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 4:18 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by ka8ypy »

akardam wrote:
ka8ypy wrote:Exactly....The question is, will M come out with a hardware upgrade (read, new vocon) for the XTS/XTL family once the standard is settled on?
I tend to feel they'll not do anything short of saying "time to upgrade", but I guess only time will tell...
Unfortunately, I think you are correrct, which really sucks for a bunch of volunteer companies that went out and bought 5Ks on the say so from a local MSS that guaranteed that they could be upgraded to the new system and work on EVERY talkgroup.
User avatar
2wayfreq
Batboard $upporter
Posts: 356
Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2001 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: XTS5000 VHF, M-RK II UHF

Re: APX7000

Post by 2wayfreq »

Our County will be migrating to VHF/700MHz ASTRO25 7.x in about 2 years. It will have G-Series site equipment, GPS, IV&D, HPD etc. We are planning to have 70+ sites and (approximately) 95% coverage. I get the same reaction from deputies and the like, that the APX7000 antenna is Huge! Well, unless M comes up with a smaller antenna form that is just as functional to support 7/8/V and GPS, we'll be stuck with it. I just wonder how flexible that thing is? How long will it survive in the field before its bent all to heck?
I have an other question if anybody knows: How many antenna ports are there on the back of the APX7500? I would think it would have one for 7/800 and a second for VHF. Of course, there is also GPS connectivity.
Radio Tech Troubleshooting Golden Rule #1: Check your connections
User avatar
Pj
Moderator
Posts: 5147
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: X9000 thru APX

Re: APX7000

Post by Pj »

How many antenna ports are there on the back of the APX7500? I would think it would have one for 7/800 and a second for VHF. Of course, there is also GPS connectivity.

That is my understanding.

Unless you are going to go with Motorola features, don't count out Thales with their new stuff...that will do a little more in some areas than the APX
Lowband radio. The original and non-complicated wide area interoperable communications system
Image
User avatar
batdude
Personal aide to Mr. Cook
Posts: 2741
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by batdude »

speaking of thales...

what's the deal with the Liberty?

i haven't heard much about it since apco LAST YEAR (2008)



doug
BRAVO MIKE JULIET ALPHA
"You can do whatever you want, there are just consequences..."
IF SOMEONE PM'S YOU - HAVE THE COURTESY TO REPLY.
resqguy911
Posts: 613
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2004 3:35 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by resqguy911 »

batdude wrote:speaking of thales...

what's the deal with the Liberty?

i haven't heard much about it since apco LAST YEAR (2008)

doug
Plenty of info about it at IWCE http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.p ... lit=thales
"TDMA = digital and same great taste, half the bits"
User avatar
mancow
Batboard $upporter
Posts: 2374
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by mancow »

It seems like it's about the longest running product debut in history. Quote a price and sell the thing already!

batdude wrote:speaking of thales...

what's the deal with the Liberty?

i haven't heard much about it since apco LAST YEAR (2008)



doug
User avatar
escomm
Queue Moderator
Posts: 5170
Joined: Fri Mar 24, 2006 8:24 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by escomm »

resqguy911 wrote:
batdude wrote:speaking of thales...

what's the deal with the Liberty?

i haven't heard much about it since apco LAST YEAR (2008)

doug
Plenty of info about it at IWCE http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.p ... lit=thales
Nothing new with the portable... they have a mobile now... judging from how it's gone with the portable it will probably begin shipping 2Q 2015 :-)
rangerfourever
Posts: 253
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2004 3:39 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by rangerfourever »

hello from suburban chicago....APX7000 tested on our soon? to be new countywide 700/800 system. So far using 700 for fire ops and ground testing. Some audio issues with patching the current VHF fire stuff through the APX . Building penetration testing so far proved good on the beta setup. Firefighters had issues with the ergonomics of the portable with gloves etc. More to come as select PDs use portables for next round of Beta tests. The portables being used are clearly beta units and works in progress.....
resqguy911
Posts: 613
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2004 3:35 pm

Re: APX7000

Post by resqguy911 »

escomm wrote: Nothing new with the portable... they have a mobile now... judging from how it's gone with the portable it will probably begin shipping 2Q 2015 :-)
mancow wrote:It seems like it's about the longest running product debut in history. Quote a price and sell the thing already!
Ok, I'll spill. The Liberty portable is now fully operational on P25 trunking in multi bands, demonstrated in person at IWCE. The housing, buttons & knobs have had a few changes since inception. The single and gang chargers were unveiled, and sport nifty gauges for the charge %. The price has been quoted thru GSA, if you want one that bad.

If I may, the APX series were publicly announced at APCO2008, and I still can't order them. A beta unit does work well, but I can't deploy a fleet of betas! And I think the new Camaro has a longer running debut :lol:
"TDMA = digital and same great taste, half the bits"
Post Reply

Return to “Legacy Batboard Motorola ASTRO (VSELP/IMBE/AMBE) Equipment Forum”