Question about the Waris Series HT-750 and 1250??????

Adamwest · Post by **Adamwest** » Thu Dec 05, 2002 8:45 pm

Hi All

I read most all the comments made about the new waris series radios. We use them mainly for conv. vhf. The one thing I have heard on these radios, is there was a rx issue with the uhf went they first came out. The HT-750 has been in service here for over two years now. The railroad is no kind place for radios of any type. We have special engine radios that are on all our engines. It is the Spectra Clean Cab radio but nothing clean about were it is. Our standard radio has been the HT-1000. The only problem I have with it is the jumper come loose went dropped, no big deal. Also motorola has stopped making them and raised there price to force you to buy the newer series. Crazy ain't.
The HT-750 VHF has not given me any trouble. We have over 200 of the HT-750 in service and about 15 or 20 HT-1250. I have not seen one of the HT-1550 in conv. vhf but I think I am going to get a loaner to see what it is like. The only radio that motorola makes that I can not stand is the visar. Motorola now has a replacement for it the EX-500 and 600 series. I have four of the EX-600 but do not believe I will order to many of these radio. Motorola came out with the ex series but there is no travel charge for it.
I do agree with alot of the comments about this series not being a good public safety radio. The Astro seems the way to go there and if I were in public safety that is what I would want.
Just was wondering why so many people dislike the new waris series of radios? Wondering if I am missing something or is it a personal thing with these radios???

Have a good one!!!!1

Adam

Will · Post by **Will** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 1:19 am

Most of us who have been arround appreiciate the well built radios, HT1000/Jedi of late and the Warez does not live up to even the HT1000, especially in VHF. The railroads here had nothing but problems with the HT750's even after Motorola had "fixed" them several times. The tapered cone antennas were a big problem and all of them got changed out to the GP300 antennas.
But even with the GP300 VHF antenna, an old HT1000 out ran the HT750's. Some are now using the VX 800 or VX9000 ports from Vertex. There is some discusion here on the Vertex.

streaker · Post by **streaker** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 8:56 am

We have quite a few HT750's and Ht1250's. I am actually not communication department, I am an transportation dept employee on a railroad. I personally own a HT1250 I use for FD use and like it, other than the receive trouble, I can't decode QCII pages the tower is just too far. Back on target though, the only trouble I have heard of at work it when the speaker mic's were all replaced. I know everyone that has a HT1250 likes them, but that may be the fact that they are the only radio that has the NOAA weather programmed in them. Everything else we have is 16 channel and all 16 are usually spoken for.

With all these new features comes some trouble shooting, all we can do is hope "M" will figure it out.

Dkouz · Post by **Dkouz** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 9:15 am

Since you brought up railroads......I have yet to see anyone with a Waris. All HT600/P200/MT1000, or HT1000/MT2000 around here on the 'big roads' On my RR, a museum line w/rides, we use HT90/440s, P200s, and Micors for the locos. I couldn't imagine have to put up with a radio that I can't use as a hammer. All of the people that I have talked to say that they hate their HT1000s and prefer the HT600s, ect.

Back to Waris....We use HT750s at my day job, FedEx Ground, in a hub. They seem to work fine for what we do, even though we're pretty rough on 'em. I can't see how the Waris stuff could stand up to a RR enviroment.

Just my thoughts,

elkbow · Post by **elkbow** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 9:48 pm

I have a couple of UHF HT1250's and love them. I have speaker mics, headsets, etc. and haven't had any problems. Interesting thing, I was flying back home today and noticed that all the TSA folks at the Orlando International Airport were using HT1250's, not sure which bandsplit.

The 1550 would be nice just do to the extra tags your can put on the channels.

MT2000 man · Post by **MT2000 man** » Sat Dec 07, 2002 5:36 am

Speaking of airports, I was in, I believe it was JFK, the lady at the desk, and security guards had MT2000's, a4 model, UHF I belive.
Now that the MT's are almost discontinued, if not already, they too will probably go with the HT1250, or 1550.

Zero dbm · Post by **Zero dbm** » Sat Dec 07, 2002 6:00 am

Give Motorola a couple more years for the in field development. Lets not for get that the HT1000's and all the jedi series had the very same problems when they first came out. They just need the bugs worked out.

jim · Post by **jim** » Sat Dec 07, 2002 8:21 am

These radios aren't as bad as everyone says. I have quite a few of them in circulation and it is only ONE department that has trouble with them- and it's all physical abuse. The joint where the volume pot is soldered to the board always cracks and sometimes the pot locks up. All of the problems that I encounter seem to revolve around the volume pot. (????) Battery contacts and the cases aren't the highest of quality, either.
The one problem that I did encounter due to Motorola's infinite wisdom was the fact that the speakermics would malfunction when a drop of water landed on them! These things weren't even close to being ready for a wet environment. This is supoosed to have been fixed on the latest release of the new speakermics.
As much as we liked the MT1000, Saber, HT1000 and other "good" radios, they are gone or almost gone. What is there that is really good to sell to a local police department that they can afford. It's hard enough to get them to purchase a $600.00 radio sometimes. Imagine trying to sell some small town 13 radios that cost $1700.0 apiece. Won't happen. That's where "M" is going to shoot themselves in the foot. They need to better the Waris line in a real hurry to make them as good as the older radios, otherwise, "K" or "V" may just bump them from the market.

Donnie5063 · Post by **Donnie5063** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 6:12 am

I had a HT1250 for about a year and it was one of the first out HT1250's and I just recently got a new HT1550XLS and I love it compared to the 1250 the receive is awesome! I still have the 1250 and I have placed them side by side and the 1550 smokes the 1250. The 1550's are the way to go. The only down fall on both of them is battery life. OH well there is no such thing as a perfect world. My 2 pennies, Donnie

Monty · Post by **Monty** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 8:28 am

With respects to the HT750~HT1550 Series radios, Motorola
Spent MILLIONS of dollars in the development of them.

They really would not, could not sell them if they did not
work. So that aside, the CDM/Pro Series Radios do work
for the enviroment they were designed for !

The problem......Many persons ( Including myself ) just have
a hard time adjusting to the New Technology, or should
I call it replactology

The new concept is ( Replace )
rather than ( Repair ) , and when
it comes to these new CDM/Pro series Radios,
well, replacement will happen sooner
than later.

Just a few of the Reasons:

Motorola uses the [ Customer ] as the Quality Control
reporter, hence as problems are found, Motorola has
the staff and manpower to come up with all kinds of fixes
such as firmware and Software Upgrades. This seens to
happen monthly.

As far as some of the Features, well, it is a radio series
that will cover about 90% of the customers needs
however [ Perfromance ] has been subsituted for
Features.

One thing I do not care for is the Quarter Size China
style Speaker , and the Audio has been a problem for
sometime in the series.

You can get a External Speaker/Mic, but not everyone wants
to use a External Speaker/mic, PLUS if you look closely you
will see [ Nothing More ] than a piece of mylar tape covering
the Universal Contacts....

DO NOT ATTEMPT to lift up the Edge to look ! If you do, it
will not reseat properly ! If you need a Photo, I will
include one later.

Speaking about the Universal Contacts ? That too is
nothing more than a Cheap Flex Strip with Gold Pads !

For 1000.00 Radio, I would Expect a bit more, but
what I see as a Tech, I see a bit less, and even less
quality. I mean really, Tape over the Universal Contacts
on a Motorola Radio?

Unherd of untill now.

Parting with the horrible Cost of the Battery, the
Volume Control and other Controls are marginal
at best. I am seeing alot of these radios comming
into the shop with the Volume Controls which
spin around and around.....I mean even the GP300's
had a Plastic Stop on the frame.

And rest assured ! With what I have seen in the past
with the noisy pots in the GP300's / P110's / P1225's
and SP50's, the Pot Design is almost ( if not ) Identical
except for the shaft size....

In other words, expect the VC to become defective even
with normal use.

I know many dealers may be a little upset with my
findings, but they are all true, and although the Radios
DO WORK, and WILL WORK, the radio is designed to
last about 3 Years before replacement may be either
needed or considered.

NOT everyone will aggree with me I am sure, and the
Opinions Expressed are mine, and mine alone
( and are a bit biased ) since I am use to dealing
with Radios like Sabers, MT1000's, HT600's
P200's, HT1000's MTS2000's and those were a radio !

And YES they had there share of problems too !

Well built, and many that are over 10 Years Old work
just as well today, as when they were built. The radios
built today.....Well, you will not see Motorola Sales Persons
[ Throwing Them ] accross the parking lot anymore
to weed out a Kenwood or Yaesu contract sale !!!

In fact, there really are no more Motorola Salesman anymore.

Motorola got rid of them too, and what they could not replace
with a Pretty Sales Sheet, they used a Monkey or a Computer
Terminal

I miss the nice looking, well trainned Motorola Foxy
Salesladys that use to come around and would do
just about anything to make a sale.

I just miss the Old days and use to look foward to
seeing a better quality product in the following
year, and as I get older, well I will have to get use
to eating bananas too

But untill then, I will continue to use my Saber,
Spectra, and 99 Channel MT1000, Visar, and the
good old reliable Maxtracs and Radius Mobiles
which I can still change around at will.

And I still am not happy about the nightmares
I have in dealing with the firmware of the
CDm/Pro Series radios.

But all in all, Motorola again spent Millions of dollars
in the development of a small compact radio with LOTS
of features to satisfy the [ New ] style demand for
radios.

They DO WORK, and will perfom well in todays enviroment
and well, I can look foward to lots of Monkey style repairs.

Does not require a Skilled Tech anymore to replace battery
contacts or a knob....Just a good Anti-Static Mat and a pair
of pliers will do just fine.

Monty

elkbow · Post by **elkbow** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 9:00 am

I agree with alot of what you all are saying. It comes down to this....cost vs. performance. As in everything, trying to cut corners or making something somewhat cheaper internally, will save on the over the counter cost. If you want and outstanding radio from motorola, then pick up a XTS3000 or XTS5000. If you want a good radio, pick up and HT750, HT1250 or HT1550. If you want to save money and get a great radio, get a HT1000 or other Jedi series radio's. My personal choice is to go with the new radio's, its like going with a new computer.

If I was an fireman, cop, or other emergency services personnel, then I may go with something other than my HT1250's....due to rain, snow, mud, etc. Its like firearms, I carry a Glock....why? Because of the rain, snow, mud, etc.....takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

We all have our likes and dislikes. We all like either our Fords, Chevys, Dodges, etc. Whatever you have is what you think is the best in most situations....its called pride of ownership. So whatever you have, it is the best as long as it functions when it is supposed to.

Everyone have a Happy Holiday season. I'm going to go blaze through the snow on my 'snowboard', to get there driving my 'Ford' truck with 'Bridgestone' tires, toting my 'HT1250' while monitoring my 'Spectra' and listening to some 'country' music. Get the point.....yall have a good one.

MT2000 man · Post by **MT2000 man** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 5:44 pm

Ya ! Ford trucks all the way

Sorry, I just had to butt in

RADIOMAN2002 · Post by **RADIOMAN2002** » Mon Dec 09, 2002 7:12 am

I think most of the problems with Motorola products come from that very old school train of thought, from years past. They think they are still top of the heap and can make their sales past on past performances. They also are in the mindset that they can make as much money from a 2-way radio as they make on a cellphone or Nexhell on the maufacturing end. I question whether Motorola invested much in the Waris line considering it isn't even maufactured by them ,but by a company in Singapor. How do I know this, well, my department puchased a dozen 1550ls portables. Immediatly we found a transmit problem that Florida didn't know about and couldn,t fix. All they kept saying was that they (Motorola) had to take it up with the engineers in Singapor. After six months of playing this game, our department took all the loaner radio's(by the way they sent us 1250's,which were worse)off line , and purchased Vertex's. Unfortunatly Motorola, would not take anything back and our department didn't push the issue to return all the Motorola product we bought. 13ea 1550 portables and 35ea CDM-1550 mobiles. Considering our experience with Motorola, which we have continued to let all the departments in our area know about, as long as I am around, there will be no Motorola product purchashed ever again. BTW I havn't even gotten into the Problems that our police department had with the CDM line, that for another time.

Question about the Waris Series HT-750 and 1250??????

Question about the Waris Series HT-750 and 1250??????

Railroads