Russian and Ukrianian Radios

[Lscott]

I was doing some searching for some digital radio info and stumbled across this. Perhaps this is why the Russians are having trouble, using crappy CCR radios?

https://defence-blog.com/russian-soldiers-uses-chinese-portable-radios-during-kremlins-invasion-of-ukraine/

I guess the Ukrainian military are using Motorola radios.

https://k0lwc.com/what-radios-are-ukrainian-military-using/

[PartsMan]

Wow. We all know the limitations of a Chinese handi talk.

[axorlov]

I was following the developments since 2014 annexation of Crimea and flare-up in Donbass region. Ukrainian political body and army brass decided to put money in second hand US Army equipment. It's mostly Harris, as far as I can see (my horizon is limited). By now they have robust and protected communications all the way down to platoon level. Disadvantage is that US can listen on them, being holder of the encryption keys and provider of the hardware. Advantage is that they are in the war with the country other than US. This decision was derided by some UA politicians at the time from the monetary standpoint, but it clearly has payed off. We see plenty of intercepts of RU forces comms, while we have exactly 0 intercepts of UA comms. Of course, not everything is published and will be published, but the ratio is kind of clear: (big value)/(negligibly small if not 0).

On the other hand, Russia is being Russia started the war with a false assumption that they will be greeted with flowers. Sure, flowers will go on the graves of the soldiers. The second link has a picture of R123, that I'm more intimately familiar than I would ever liked to be. That's a technology from the late 60-s, with vacuum tubes and everything that implies. Russian forces use open comms over shortwave to coordinate transport and logistics and other stuff. Just google it, you will quickly find the freqs.

[Lscott]

1 hour ago, axorlov said:

Russian forces use open comms over shortwave to coordinate transport and logistics and other stuff. Just google it, you will quickly find the freqs.

I wonder if anybody in the US has heard the short wave communications? At least any that are identifiable as such.

[axorlov]

I did I did! Although I cheated, I used websdr in France and Netherlands.

[PACNWComms]

On the Ukrainian side, looks like Motorola DMR. Very capable radios. I myself use a Motorola XPR7550e for GMRS and other UHF personal comms. https://k0lwc.com/what-radios-are-ukrainian-military-using/

 

[Lscott]

15 hours ago, axorlov said:

I did I did! Although I cheated, I used websdr in France and Netherlands.

Yeah!!! I don't want this thread to be about any politics. I'm just interested in the radio technology being used. Sort of surprising that regular commercial radios are being used. I would have thought highly encrypted digital radios designed specifically for military use would be the norm.

[Lscott]

14 minutes ago, PACNWComms said:

On the Ukrainian side, looks like Motorola DMR. Very capable radios. I myself use a Motorola XPR7550e for GMRS and other UHF personal comms. https://k0lwc.com/what-radios-are-ukrainian-military-using/

 

I'm mainly a big Kenwood guy but I do own several Motorola XPR-6550's, VHF and low split UHF, models. They were fairly cheap compared to the XPR7550e's I've seen. I have the cables and software to program them. I've even got a XPR-6580 800/900 MHz radio. Then with a little bit of in memory hex editing on the CPS you can get those on the Ham 33cm band easy.

[PACNWComms]

12 hours ago, Lscott said:

XPR-6580 800/900 MHz radio

In the military I went from Motorola for commercial radios, then worked as an engineer in the JVC/Kenwood Group. I stay away from anything made when too many former Microsoft software engineers were hired.....2012-2017 or so. Now, I am back to Motorola. 

My XPR7550e was $505 to y door from Sunny Communications. XPR7580e's are $385 plus tax/shipping, also great radios. I also use XPR6550's and XPR6580's, I totally agree those are great for amateur use, and even cheaper now that the are "end of support" by the big M. Since batteries are readily available, I have recommended the 6550 for many GMRS users, as a solid radio, if you do not mess with programming all the time, or travel the country and need to make changes (I do not assume everyone has CPS and cables, even though those are getting cheaper too.)

As for Ukraine, it did not surprise me much to see DMR in use, I had to buy a pile of XiR8668 (Asian market XPR7550) for a project a few years ago. With the new R7, Motorola is keeping the name the same worldwide, no DP4x00 for eastern Europe, XiR86xx for Asia, and XPR75xx for the Americas, all being the same hardware.

[Lscott]

I’m planing going to the Dayton Hamvention this year with a couple of buddies. I thought about looking for a good deal on a 7550e. I’m not fond of the funky antenna connector but I’ll consider getting it just to try out. At $500 plus, that’s way too much for something I’ll just be experimenting with. The 6550’s I got for less than a $100 each. The 6580 I got was in like new condition with battery pack, charger and programmed for a number of Ham 33cm repeaters for $85 at a Ham swap.

[PACNWComms]

10 hours ago, Lscott said:

The 6550’s I got for less than a $100 each. The 6580 I got was in like new condition with battery pack, charger and programmed for a number of Ham 33cm repeaters for $85 at a Ham swap.

Yes, at those prices, they are a great deal.

I should have added to my XPR7550e purchase at $505, that was to prove a point to my employers procurement process, they pay Motorola $1172.00 for each XPR7550e. Usually, I look for the better deals, but in this case, I was making a point to them that the price is less than half if I pay with a credit card instead of a purchase order.

I still can't believe I paid that myself looking back.....I could have bought a lot of other radio gear at that price, and my XPR6550 still works and looks practically new, even after some drops on concrete. (But the so does my Anytone 878.) 6580's for $85, I need to get to my local ham swap meet sometime, has been a few years and that is a great deal.

[Lscott]

I look at what I've paid at Ham swaps verses what people charge on eBay, which IMHO is way TOO much. Every once in a while somebody sells a radio at a supper good deal. I'm still kicking myself for missing a new NX-200 for $135. It was up for maybe 15 to 30 minutes and was gone before I could hit the buy it now button.

I just recently snagged  a Kenwood TK-2180 with battery pack, charger base, antenna and speaker microphone for $40 at a local Ham swap a few weeks ago. And yes it works. On eBay you're looking at $100 to $200 for just the radio! At another swap I found a Kenwood TH-79A with accessories in good condition for $35. You get the idea.

[WROZ250]

On 3/24/2022 at 8:52 PM, Lscott said:

I’m planing going to the Dayton Hamvention this year with a couple of buddies. I thought about looking for a good deal on a 7550e. I’m not fond of the funky antenna connector but I’ll consider getting it just to try out. At $500 plus, that’s way too much for something I’ll just be experimenting with. The 6550’s I got for less than a $100 each. The 6580 I got was in like new condition with battery pack, charger and programmed for a number of Ham 33cm repeaters for $85 at a Ham swap.

Been a few years since I attended Dayton.  Last time I was there was the last time it was at the Hara. However, unless the 'flea market' has drastically changed, if you can't find what you're looking for there and, at a great price, you can't find it.  We use to scour the flea-market area late Sunday, looking for even better deals (funny how much prices drop when somebody wants to go home with more cash and less radios) and sometimes, you'd get a surprise with what people just didn't want to take home. LOL!

One of the things I miss about living in the Midwest, Dayton was only a few hours drive.  We use to stay there in groups, usually reserving a block of hotel rooms well in advance (like 6-12 months).  Great memories!!!

Unfortunately, AZ to Dayton is a bit impractical these days.

Combine that with the Pandemic impact, these days I am so jonesing for a good hamfest... 


 

[MichaelLAX]

On 3/25/2022 at 8:31 AM, Lscott said:

At another swap I found a Kenwood TH-79A with accessories in good condition for $35. You get the idea.

 

Great price!

Just so you know, I don't believe that the cigarette lighter power source is to operate nor transmit on the 79A; only to charge the battery.

I still have my two TH-22d's and my two TH-79a's* with a complement of PB-32, 33 and 34 NiCaD, NiMH and Li battery packs (I see you have the BT-9 alkaline replaceable battery case) and accessories (including the K-1 headset that fit under my bicycle helmet for VOX bicycle mobile use - I think it would still work with my Baofeng, if I ever get my knee fixed!).

*My original 79a stopped working, so I went on eBay to buy another one used and about a year later I discovered the UV-5Rs and haven't used any of these since (except my Kenwood SMC-33 handheld K-1 mic with my shack-mounted UV-5Rx3 tribander).

[MichaelLAX]

On 3/24/2022 at 6:19 AM, Lscott said:

Yeah!!! I don't want this thread to be about any politics...

Politics?!? 

It is the freedom loving Peoples of Ukraine being invaded by the war criminals from Russia!

Who on this forum could possibly disagree...

[n4gix]

On 3/27/2022 at 2:13 PM, MichaelLAX said:

Who on this forum could possibly disagree...

You don't want to know. I recently de-camped from NW Indiana and moved to Arkansas. While Hot Springs is a beautiful change from NWIN, politics is one subject I will not discuss with any of my new neighbors!  

[Lscott]

I was surprised that commercial grade radios were being used. If CCR's are being used I guess it could be worse.

[axorlov]

Looking at some reports and some photos, there are Baofengs in use, by Territorial Defense Units. It's basically a "well regulated militia" formed from volunteers, often with combat experience. They are organized as a light infantry, without any IFVs or heavy infantry armaments. Only small arms, light machine guns. RPG-7, RPG-18 at max, and these are not fielded everywhere. Equipment other than weaponry (helmets, vests, uniform, sleeping bags, night vision, etc) is mostly supplied by volunteer efforts and donations. Units are under the command of the military and sometimes headed by actual officers. Baofengs seem to be bought off public donations.

[SteveShannon]

4 hours ago, axorlov said:

Looking at some reports and some photos, there are Baofengs in use, by Territorial Defense Units. It's basically a "well regulated militia" formed from volunteers, often with combat experience. They are organized as a light infantry, without any IFVs or heavy infantry armaments. Only small arms, light machine guns. RPG-7, RPG-18 at max, and these are not fielded everywhere. Equipment other than weaponry (helmets, vests, uniform, sleeping bags, night vision, etc) is mostly supplied by volunteer efforts and donations. Units are under the command of the military and sometimes headed by actual officers. Baofengs seem to be bought off public donations.

Ham Radio 2.0 had a YouTube video where he mentioned a Polish ham radio organization that was collecting Baofeng radios to provide to Ukrainian fighters. 

[Lscott]

15 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

Ham Radio 2.0 had a YouTube video where he mentioned a Polish ham radio organization that was collecting Baofeng radios to provide to Ukrainian fighters. 

Seeing how Baofengs are disparaged here I wonder just how well they hold up in the field. I guess any radio is better than none. As cheap as they are a truck load isn't that expensive.

As a point of comparison the old WWII man-pack radios only did 0.3 watts on low band VHF. The range was about 3 miles with the long antenna.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCR-300

https://olive-drab.com/od_electronics_scr300.php

[SteveShannon]

That’s exactly right.  Wartime conditions probably don’t allow room for snobbery.