Using Commercial Equipment

• Sometimes you can use commercial two-way radios in amateur service.

• They have bands very close to the amateur band, so some can be re-tuned to the amateur band.

• Most 2M FM activity started with modified commercial equipment back in the 60s.

• Back then it was crystal controlled so it was pretty expensive to have a multi-channel radio.

Commercial Equipment cont’d

• Some of the older radio (mid 80s & 90s) are programmable using eproms and can be modified to work on the ham bands.

• The most popular are Motorola and GE.

• Motorola radios are more difficult as it is harder to get the programming software.

• The GE you just need to change the eprom using the equations etc.

Commercial Equipment cont’d

• Commercial equipment is different than amateur in that it is not capable of changing frequencies. They are programmed in, you will have a license to transmit on a particular frequency only (not a band of frequencies).

• Most are simple to operate, and are pretty rugged (go in dump trucks, garbage trucks, etc.).

Motorola

• Motorola Maxtrac, GM300, M120, and M10 series are good and usually can be reprogrammed to the Ham bands. They come in VHF and UHF, 2 channel or multi-channel.

GM300

GE

• GE has several radios that are used by hams.

• The Phoenix and the MVS are the most popular.

• The Phoenix has a old eprom that is not readily available and needs a DOS computer to program it, there is a mod to add a newer type eprom.

GE cont’d

• The MVS is easy to program using Windows and a special cable ($ 40 - $ 50).

GE Phoenix GE MVS

eBay & Ham Tailgates

• These radios can be bought for $ 25 to $ 50 depending on model, accessories etc.

• With shipping and some up front costs you can have a good radio for the house etc. for less than $ 100.

A

B

C

D

E

F

Off eBay – 10/13/2010

eBay

• Buying on eBay, you have to set up an account.

• Usually you have to set up a PayPal account also (most eBay sites will accept PayPal).

• There are Auctions Items and Buy it Now (fixed price) items (some auctions will have a Buy it Now option).

eBay cont’d

• Some things to look out for:– Read what you are buying – the picture may

not be exactly what you are buying– Check the shipping – sometimes the shipping

is way too high (eBay has been cracking down on the shipping prices)

– Check out the accessories (don’t have a microphone – may cost another $ 20 to get a microphone etc.)

eBay cont’d

• A & B are the same - $ 10 difference

• C & D have a $4 difference but one doesn’t have a microphone.

• E is $ 10 cheaper yet

• F has all the accessories, mike, cables, bracket

• A, B, C, D, & F are “Buy it Now” – Fixed price

• E is auction so it may go higher

eBay cont’d

• Probably the best buy is F – just need to get a programming cable and you are up and running for less than $ 100 – next time you won’t need a programming cable.

• You could use one of these radios to make an IRLP node (don’t need the microphone).