CAP Portible Radio on eBay?

Started by GaryVC, April 27, 2019, 09:23:40 PM

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carcarjg

Quote from: arajca on April 28, 2019, 03:36:08 PM
Quote from: GaryVC on April 28, 2019, 03:00:52 PM
Quote from: carcarjg on April 28, 2019, 12:49:06 PM


But could you program it yourself with CAP freqs, or would you have to go through your Squadron comm staff?

I talked to the wing DO yesterday and he said I would have to program it myself. The Wing COMO died two years ago and hasn't been replaced. We do not have a squadron comm staff.
You can find the EFJ knock-off cable on Ebay. The EFJ software is available on the Communications page accessed through Eservices. If you have a CAP EFJ handheld/portable, once you have the software and cable, you can read the CAP radio and clone it to yours. If you don't get an EFJ, you'll need to find the cable and software.

I've looked on Eservices and I can't seem to find the comm page. Is there a specific link that I have to go to?

Luis R. Ramos

After you logon, scroll down and you will find NHQ Communications page. Are you familiar with WMIRS? Right under it.

Squadron Safety Officer
Squadron Communication Officer
Squadron Emergency Services Officer

arajca

Quote from: GaryVC on April 28, 2019, 03:58:43 PM
Quote from: arajca on April 28, 2019, 03:36:08 PM
You can find the EFJ knock-off cable on Ebay. The EFJ software is available on the Communications page accessed through Eservices. If you have a CAP EFJ handheld/portable, once you have the software and cable, you can read the CAP radio and clone it to yours. If you don't get an EFJ, you'll need to find the cable and software.

That sounds like a plan. All our mobile radios are EF Johnson. Can we use those? So what handheld would your recommend?
Any EFJ handheld that starts with 51. CAP uses the 5112 and 51ES. There is also the 51SL, which does not have encryption capability.

chuckmilam

Quote from: GaryVC on April 28, 2019, 03:00:52 PM
I talked to the wing DO yesterday and he said I would have to program it myself. The Wing COMO died two years ago and hasn't been replaced. We do not have a squadron comm staff.

Wow.

carcarjg

Quote from: Luis R. Ramos on April 28, 2019, 04:27:38 PM
After you logon, scroll down and you will find NHQ Communications page. Are you familiar with WMIRS? Right under it.
Nice, I see it now. Thanks!

NovemberWhiskey

One other radio series to consider is the Motorola XTS line; the XTS 5000 is available in large quantities on eBay and is an upgrade (in radio performance terms) on the EFJ 51xx. Lots of police/fire departments are getting rid of them as they are end-of-life. They take the same batteries as the EFJ HTs (or rather, the EFJ takes the same batteries as the Motorola).

Your major issue will be finding someone to program one; or at least the combination of someone who can program them who has access to the CAP frequencies and zone plans for your wing.

Slim

Quote from: NovemberWhiskey on April 29, 2019, 01:02:56 AM
One other radio series to consider is the Motorola XTS line; the XTS 5000 is available in large quantities on eBay and is an upgrade (in radio performance terms) on the EFJ 51xx. Lots of police/fire departments are getting rid of them as they are end-of-life. They take the same batteries as the EFJ HTs (or rather, the EFJ takes the same batteries as the Motorola).

Your major issue will be finding someone to program one; or at least the combination of someone who can program them who has access to the CAP frequencies and zone plans for your wing.

Ant that right there is the rub.

I'm a Motorola guy myself, and own an XTS3000 and a 5000.  They're rock solid radios, readily available, and normally what I would recommend to someone.  But, the difficulty with getting the software to program them can be a problem, then there's knowing how to use it properly.  Getting the needed frequency data from your wing is another issue itself.  The cable needed to program them is also easily available on eBay, but you also need an older computer.  In my experience, the software runs best on a computer using Windows XP, or an XP virtual machine.  Some say Windows 7 32-bit will work, but my only Win7 machine left is 64-bit, and it won't work with Windows 10 at all.

That's why it's just easier to recommend the EFJ 5100 series.  Your wing should have everything needed to program it for you, all you need to do is the legwork to get it done.


Slim

NovemberWhiskey

Quote from: Slim on April 29, 2019, 01:18:53 AM
The cable needed to program them is also easily available on eBay, but you also need an older computer.  In my experience, the software runs best on a computer using Windows XP, or an XP virtual machine.  Some say Windows 7 32-bit will work, but my only Win7 machine left is 64-bit, and it won't work with Windows 10 at all.

Hmm; I have no problems running Astro CPS 20.01 on Windows 10 x64 - actually, I run it inside a VirtualBox VM on my MacBook Pro. I have much more trouble with the EFJ software, which seems to have a fantastically complicated matrix of supported firmware vs. required PCConfigure version, some of which need XP to work.

I do broadly agree with your points though.

OldGuy

Whisper is USAF returns to Motorola as primary comms next year.

Slim

#29
Quote from: NovemberWhiskey on April 29, 2019, 01:31:56 AM
Quote from: Slim on April 29, 2019, 01:18:53 AM
The cable needed to program them is also easily available on eBay, but you also need an older computer.  In my experience, the software runs best on a computer using Windows XP, or an XP virtual machine.  Some say Windows 7 32-bit will work, but my only Win7 machine left is 64-bit, and it won't work with Windows 10 at all.

Hmm; I have no problems running Astro CPS 20.01 on Windows 10 x64 - actually, I run it inside a VirtualBox VM on my MacBook Pro. I have much more trouble with the EFJ software, which seems to have a fantastically complicated matrix of supported firmware vs. required PCConfigure version, some of which need XP to work.

I do broadly agree with your points though.

I tried it on a couple different Win10 64 machines, with a USB to Serial adapter, and kept getting "Failed to communicate" errors.  I still have an XP machine with a serial port that works just fine that I use to program my Astro, Astro25 and Waris (HT750) series radios, which also works for running PCConfigure to program my personal EFJ 5317.  Then again, I also have an old Toughbook running Win98/true DOS to program my old HT1000s, MT2000s and Visar.

Quote from: OldGuy on April 29, 2019, 01:36:19 AM
Whisper is USAF returns to Motorola as primary comms next year.

No whispers necessary.  The new contract is for Motorola SRX-2200 and APX-7000 portables (for those wings who may need dual band capability), and APX-4500 mobile/base radios.  My understanding was that they were supposed to start rolling out one wing per region beginning later this year.  But older, legacy equipment like the EFJs will still be usable.


Slim

SarDragon

Quote from: arajca on April 28, 2019, 03:36:08 PM
Quote from: GaryVC on April 28, 2019, 03:00:52 PM
Quote from: carcarjg on April 28, 2019, 12:49:06 PM


But could you program it yourself with CAP freqs, or would you have to go through your Squadron comm staff?

I talked to the wing DO yesterday and he said I would have to program it myself. The Wing COMO died two years ago and hasn't been replaced. We do not have a squadron comm staff.
You can find the EFJ knock-off cable on Ebay. The EFJ software is available on the Communications page accessed through Eservices. If you have a CAP EFJ handheld/portable, once you have the software and cable, you can read the CAP radio and clone it to yours. If you don't get an EFJ, you'll need to find the cable and software.

Reading a CAP-owned radio and using the code plug is a maybe proposition. If the radio versions are different enough, that method probably won't work. If you can get with someone from another wing, that might work.

Building a code plug on your own is VERY tedious. There is a lot of information for each channel, and it has to be entered over 100 times. I hate to be Danny Downer, but I have been working with the EFJs for about 10 years now, and am still learning. There are five or six basic flavors of the 5317, and even more versions of the programming software. It's a mess.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

NovemberWhiskey


GaryVC

So would this work?
https://www.ebay.com/p/Police-Fire-1-Motorola-Xts3000-II-VHF-P25-Digital-Narrowband-Radio-Wprogramming/1410231471?iid=283454384864&chn=ps
I have VMware installed on my Windows 10 computer. I used to be a computer guy (programming in many dead languages). The Wing DO told me I could get the frequencies. I am going to ask the senior squadron near us if they have any comm guys, since the wing doesn't.

arajca


NovemberWhiskey

You would also need to acquire a programming cable and the Motorola CPS.

Please bear in mind that, below wing level, communications officers in CAP are not generally accountable for programming radios and some/many would not have the requisite knowledge: radios in the Astro25 series are also significantly more complex/configurable than most ham radios for example.

Eclipse

+1 I don't know or care how they work, nor do I need to.  Give me big buttons and clear designators.

You think LEA or FD rank and file know what frequency the radio is on or how to program channels?

Also, carcajg, your wing absolutely has a DOK, you can't have equipment issued without one.

Contact the Chief of Staff.  If they really don't, then it needs to be escalated to Region. 

"We don't' know anything about radios" is highly unlikely especially considering all the rhetoric about national comm exercises,
etc. And if that situation really exists in your wing, then it need NHQ attention because that is a SERIOUS
mission impediment.

That doesn't mean the DOK of record is going to get in a COV and drive to your house on whim to
program your hamfest finds, but it's very doubtful the last time your
wing had one was 2 years ago.

"That Others May Zoom"

Slim

Quote from: GaryVC on April 29, 2019, 03:12:43 PM
So would this work?
https://www.ebay.com/p/Police-Fire-1-Motorola-Xts3000-II-VHF-P25-Digital-Narrowband-Radio-Wprogramming/1410231471?iid=283454384864&chn=ps
I have VMware installed on my Windows 10 computer. I used to be a computer guy (programming in many dead languages). The Wing DO told me I could get the frequencies. I am going to ask the senior squadron near us if they have any comm guys, since the wing doesn't.


That'll work just fine.  As I mentioned, the programming cable is readily available on eBay anywhere from $15-$20, just make sure you buy the right one.  The XTS3000 is in the Astro series, and uses the same cable as the HT1000.  Do not buy the Astro25 cable for the XTS5000/2500, as they are not the same.  The software is out there in the wild, just do a Google search for XTS3000 programming software, and you'll find it.  The most recent/newest version available is r05.04.00.


Once you have everything in hand, before you do anything else, read the radio and save the original codeplug file.  Then, just start playing around with the software and you can figure out how it works and what goes where.  If you run into any problems, shoot me a PM and I can help you out.


Slim

SarDragon

Here are two of the screens from the EFJ programmer. The top pic is the initial screen and covers global items. The lower pic is the entry screen for a single channel.







All this info needs to be entered/verified for each channel, which is why not having a pre-built code plug is so much trouble.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

SarDragon

For anyone who screamed "OPSEC", that is not a CAP freq. You cannot leave that field blank, and 151.000 is a default.
I take OPSEC very seriously, and ensure that I do not violate it when posting.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

OldGuy

Quote from: SarDragon on May 01, 2019, 04:35:03 AM
For anyone who screamed "OPSEC", that is not a CAP freq. You cannot leave that field blank, and 151.000 is a default.
I take OPSEC very seriously, and ensure that I do not violate it when posting.
Since we do not "know" what CAP frequencies are, would you prefer we ignore potential issues like this in the future?