New Toy.. Just showing off.

[kidphc]

It begins. Replacing the CDM1250 for this beauty of a XTL5k...

Gotta get it installed.. Now to figure if I really want a VHF brick to dual brick it or run a second O5 head in the rear of the truck with a hangup set to get cool points. 

Just too bad even mid power VHF bricks, and the DTMF mic (standard doesn't fit well in my hands) are silly priced right now.

 

 

[gortex2]

To do Dual Brick on the XTL you need the W3 head, SP Firmware and a SP cable that's pretty hard to find. It will not work with the O5 head. Your best bet is a second O5 head if your going to add VHF into the mix. Your right VHF decks are not cheap these days. For a while they were pretty reasonable but everything went up in the last couple years. I've seen some APX decks for the cost of the XTL. 

[hfd376]

Or really go for cool points, an apx7500 V/U dual head...

[gortex2]

Or just go to the top of the board...Dual 8500 all band radios with a E5 control head. Its a nice setup. 

In my old jeep I used to run the APX7500 with dual deck (V-8, UR1-UR2) with a single O7 head and had all bands. 90% of the time it sat on a TLMR Trunked system and VHF for SAR but was nice to be able to change bands and not take up a ton of room in a JK Wrangler. I still have that setup in my office although its been delegated to scanner duty for now. 

[tweiss3]

Yea, I don't understand how the VHF stuff is so expensive all of a sudden. I just picked up an XTVA with the HHCH for an absolute song to play with, since I have a XTS5000 in UHF, and wanted to see if I could get a VHF and about choked at the prices. 

[kidphc]

On 2/23/2023 at 11:32 AM, tweiss3 said:

Yea, I don't understand how the VHF stuff is so expensive all of a sudden. I just picked up an XTVA with the HHCH for an absolute song to play with, since I have a XTS5000 in UHF, and wanted to see if I could get a VHF and about choked at the prices. 

Yup, unfortunately most of the XTVA I was looking at were also missing the amp. I could find the amps for uhf, but they were damn near the cost of the XTS. Friend suggested just looking for a mobile Telewave amp since the Moto one was a Telewave to begin with (take with a grain of salt, I might have been having another stroke during the conversation.)

[kidphc]

On 2/22/2023 at 10:49 AM, gortex2 said:

To do Dual Brick on the XTL you need the W3 head, SP Firmware and a SP cable that's pretty hard to find. It will not work with the O5 head. Your best bet is a second O5 head if your going to add VHF into the mix. Your right VHF decks are not cheap these days. For a while they were pretty reasonable but everything went up in the last couple years. I've seen some APX decks for the cost of the XTL. 

That is what I was reading. They are on ebay for about $500. I read somewhere that some SS (special services) had motorola configure a dual brick with the 05s. Not sure but my buddy whom I bought the radio it is an S split,using modded cps to get it in the "q" split without the "out of band" message. Said not to stress about it, that he's help me when it comes time... Sooo cryptic. Long story short. Told me to run an extra power cable and canbus cable as he handed me the new cables. So we shall see. 

Good news is I found an antenna that might work well with GMRS and 70cm UHF p25. This too is a we shall see. Since the spread is about 38+- mhz. From one end of the band to the other end of the band. Which is huge to cover short of using a 1/4 wave with high swr on the edges.

[wayoverthere]

1 hour ago, kidphc said:

That is what I was reading. They are on ebay for about $500. I read somewhere that some SS (special services) had motorola configure a dual brick with the 05s. Not sure but my buddy whom I bought the radio it is an S split,using modded cps to get it in the "q" split without the "out of band" message. Said not to stress about it, that he's help me when it comes time... Sooo cryptic. Long story short. Told me to run an extra power cable and canbus cable as he handed me the new cables. So we shall see. 

Good news is I found an antenna that might work well with GMRS and 70cm UHF p25. This too is a we shall see. Since the spread is about 38+- mhz. From one end of the band to the other end of the band. Which is huge to cover short of using a 1/4 wave with high swr on the edges.

I think @marcspazhas used a tram 1/4 wave that had a nice wide bandwidth in UHF...I don't remember the model number,.or how is measured out across the range though.

On the larger side, I know the Browning br1713bs has a nice wide bandwidth (410-490 rated) and showed low swr everywhere I tested in 70cm and gmrs (1.2 or less)

[kidphc]

I think [mention=2213]marcspaz[/mention]has used a tram 1/4 wave that had a nice wide bandwidth in UHF...I don't remember the model number,.or how is measured out across the range though.
On the larger side, I know the Browning br1713bs has a nice wide bandwidth (410-490 rated) and showed low swr everywhere I tested in 70cm and gmrs (1.2 or less)

I'll have to talk to Marc next time there is a meet. Or if I catch him on bullrun.

I ordered a signal stalk. 1/4 2m, 3/4 wave 70cm. Mostly because it's nintinol and more then 1/2 the price of a sti flexible antenna.

1/4 wave, unfortunately is play the antenna song in parking garages. So want max flexibility.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[marcspaz]

11 minutes ago, wayoverthere said:

I think @marcspazhas used a tram 1/4 wave that had a nice wide bandwidth in UHF...I don't remember the model number,.or how is measured out across the range though.

On the larger side, I know the Browning br1713bs has a nice wide bandwidth (410-490 rated) and showed low swr everywhere I tested in 70cm and gmrs (1.2 or less)

 

@kidphc, I have a Tram/Browning 1126-b 1/4 wave NMO antenna.  It has great SWR for 70cm and GMRS.  Rated from 410-490mhz.  I just need to find a high-gain antenna that is good for 70cm.  I have the MXTA26 which is awesome for GMRS and rated for 120w, but I don't think it's tuned for 70cm.

 

I already have the radios, and next week I will be installing a UHF XTL5000 for GMRS and 70cm, and a VHF XTL5000 for 2m.  They both make a measured 110w+.  The VHF unit has a pre-amp, too.

[wayoverthere]

11 minutes ago, kidphc said:

I'll have to talk to Marc next time there is a meet. Or if I catch him on bullrun.

I ordered a signal stalk. 1/4 2m, 3/4 wave 70cm. Mostly because it's nintinol and more then 1/2 the price of a sti flexible antenna.

1/4 wave, unfortunately is play the antenna song in parking garages. So want max flexibility.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
 

Ahh...yeah, I think I missed you were trying to have 2m on the same antenna.

The signal stalk is great on flexibility and durability, and does great signal wise on 2m and 70cm... haven't tried it for gmrs. The tram 1181 is a hair shorter, and on my truck was the difference between hitting all the beams in the parking garage at work, and just hitting an occasional one...it isn't as flexible as the signal stalk though. I think your truck is taller, too.

Edited February 27, 2023 by wayoverthere
fix typos...

[marcspaz]

Oh!  If you want one antenna that does it all, get the Diamond NR7900a.  It is high gain. VHF/UHF power rated 250w/300w respectively, and covers everything we need to do on amateur and GMRS.  Probably the best mobile antenna I ever owned.

 

https://www.diamondantenna.net/nr7900a.html

[kidphc]

Ahh...yeah, I think I missed you were trying to have 2m on the same antenna.
The signal stalk is great on flexibility and durability, and does great signal wise on 2m and 70cm... haven't tried it for gmrs. The tram 1181 is a hair shorter, and on my truck was the difference between hitting all the beams in the parking garage at work, and just hitting an occasional one...it isn't as flexible as the signal stalk though. I think your truck is taller, too.

When I get the vhf unit I will be installing another signal stalk if it works well after trimming.

I would rather punch another hole in the roof then run a diplexer if I can.

I love the fact the pre-amp on the vhf models are a flashcode and not an add on board.


Marc,
Any reason you went with a high power vhf?

Are you going to run dual heads or run a w3?

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[kidphc]

Oh!  If you want one antenna that does it all, get the Diamond NR7900a.  It is high gain. VHF/UHF power rated 250w/300w respectively, and covers everything we need to do on amateur and GMRS.  Probably the best mobile antenna I ever owned.
 
https://www.diamondantenna.net/nr7900a.html

Probably will separate the antennas. Plus if a 1/4 is wracking crap in parking garages the diamond well it will become scrap metal fast.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[marcspaz]

@kidphc  I went with the VHF high power because there are a few alligator 2m repeaters around me.  I normally run a 50w radio and a 300w amp, but 90w-100w gets me into the repeaters that I can hear.  The thing that made me switch is, during the summer, I remove the amp so it doesn't get stolen while the roof and doors are off.  With the XTL5000, I can leave it installed and not worry about theft... and I'll still have enough power to reach the repeaters.

 

Also, going to run dual heads.  Two W7's.

[gortex2]

6 hours ago, kidphc said:

Yup, unfortunately most of the XTVA I was looking at were also missing the amp. I could find the amps for uhf, but they were damn near the cost of the XTS. Friend suggested just looking for a mobile Telewave amp since the Moto one was a Telewave to begin with (take with a grain of salt, I might have been having another stroke during the conversation.)

I run a APX XTVA in all my vehicles. Not one has an amp. Never have needed it to be honest. 99% of the time a roof mounted NMO on the XTVA will do what you need. Something to think about. (I actually have both VHF and UHF amps in a box)

 

[gortex2]

I run 1/4 wave on both my UHF and VHF on my truck. I also run the LArsen Tri Band on my truck (4 of them) but I find the 1/4 wave does the bulk of my work and does it well. 

[kidphc]

13 minutes ago, gortex2 said:

I run 1/4 wave on both my UHF and VHF on my truck. I also run the LArsen Tri Band on my truck (4 of them) but I find the 1/4 wave does the bulk of my work and does it well. 

Good to know. Kinda spoiled with all the mobile units. Almost don't want to go back to the ht with an external antenna days. Ocassionaly, have to throw it in high power, I often find myself on fringe of some of the repeaters.

 XTVA with the xts5k is redundant with the XTL5k. So the XTVA sits in the garage with all the hardware. Who knows maybe I'll get permission to throw it in the JKU or the wife's van one day.

Now talking about a $2.5k APX.... i'd probably go your route, but throw the amp in just because.