Help me pick out a new (narrowband) VHF HT...

[tvh2k]

I'm looking to replace my Vertex VX150 before the end of the year and was hoping some comm enthusiasts could share with me their recommendations on my next purchase.  I'm not a super comm geek (I had the CAP/MARS mod to the VX150 done for me) but I use my portable on ES missions and occasionally to check into wing nets / etc.  As a CUL / GBD it's nice to have my own equipment and I'd be willing to spend a few hundred dollars to have a radio that meets current NTIA specs.

(1) What brands/models would you recommend?  Personally I like how compact/feature-rich my VX150 was and would rather avoid something as big as a Moto Saber.  I'm open to suggestions, though.

(2) What's the difference between narrowband "pre 1/06" and "post 1/06" (As listed on the NTC website equipment compatibility pages)?  What happened to narrowband on 1/06?

(3) Should I bother to get a P25-compliant radio?  I don't really think we're going to be using P25 anytime soon but then again, who knows?  TP put out a memo indicating that it could be used and I'm pretty sure the CAP-issued EFJ's support it.  How much would it cost me?  Would you buy it?

Thanks to all who contribute.

[Al Sayre]

Don't buy anything until they finalize the frequency issues, you may just be throwing your money away for a brick that you can't use.

[Psicorp]

Unfortunately, if you're looking for narrowband compliance, you'll be spending closer to $1K.  I have a VX-150 and until I'm issued an EFJ brick, that's what I'll be carrying.

Some companies are either waiting to do the compliance testing or they've just decided not to with the radios they have out.  That necessarily mean they aren't compliant, just that there's no way to be sure.    Best advice at this juncture:  save your money and wait.

[Hartley]

Hi,

  Al and Psicorp's advice is probably not bad - the longer you wait, the more efficient your narrowband dollar will be.
  That said, you need to look at a couple things - if you are active in a CAP ES function (IC, GTL, etc.) you should be getting a radio (or radios) issued to you, and that radio will be covered as far as maintenance, etc.  Second,  if you really want or need to have your own radio you probably want be talking to your local (Wing/Group/Unit) Comm leadership, because they should have a good idea of where your local program is going and what might work best for you (including what radios they can help you support). 

  As a side note, the new CAP Narrowband channels WILL be within the 138-150.8 mHz band, just like the old ones, and quite likely spread throughout that band (not in the 144-148 ham band, of course :-).  There are some radios out there that have a serious problem working below 143 mHz (or even 148 mHz) - be careful!  Right now, the repeater frequencies are still planned to be in the same general range as the current ones, tho you never know.
  If your radio is going to be used over a wide area (outside of your home Wing) you will want to make sure it has the channel capacity to accommodate all of the new channels  (6+ Simplex, 64 repeater freq/tone combinations, etc.)

To answer your question about "Pre 1/1/06" and "Post 1/1/06", the NTIA (in mid-2005) altered the requirements for Narrowband compliance, and they made 1/1/2006 the "cutoff" for the older (and somewhat more lenient) requirements.  They also updated the EIA reference Standard, and this is the source of the problem, because one of the tests contained in it changed, rendering the earlier specifications obsolete.  Until a radio is tested and the specs under the new test published, we can't evaluate the radio for "Post 1/1/06" compliance.  Some manufacturers (Relm/BK, Motorola, EFJ and others) have done so, but many have not (Vertex, Kenwood, Icom, etc.)  These radios have earned the (un)coveted "TBD" designation.

73 DE Hartley

[♠SARKID♠]

I just prefer my trusty Kenwood TK280.  My squadron has its own EFJ HT that I use when needed.

[Duke Dillio]

What is the holdup with the new frequency rollout?  My squadron wants to purchase a couple more radios as we only have one mobile and one portable right now.  I have a Kenwood TK-730 mobile and was getting ready to purchase a Kenwood from one of the member benefit people on the CAP NHQ site until I saw this.  Do we have any idea how long we will have to wait?

[DKruse]

I echo the sentiment by others about waiting until all the narrowband issues are cleared up.

You've probably already seen that most standard amateur radio gear does not meet the NTIA specs.  You need to step up to what most companies call "land-mobile" radios (or similar market-speak).  These radios are *usually* more durable than the amateur radio gear but also more expensive.

If you decide on P25, the price is going to skyrocket.  The EFJ portables support P25.  If you are able, I'd recommend getting one of those issued to you.

As for brands, I've used Icom gear over the years and have been very happy with it.  While I haven't owned any of the Icom land-mobile radios, I have used them and I've been impressed with them.  Durable and small.

Hope this helps.

[Major Lord]

I am a big fan of the Icom F30GS. It is NB compliant, but not APCO ( which we have plans to implement in the next century....) 256 Channels allows me to have all our CAWG and NV repeaters, all the Marine Channels, Ham channels, and all VHF public safety freq's that we need. I have bought them used on E-Bay for as little as $50.00, and own half a dozen of them.

Major Lord

[ammotrucker]

I am a big fan of the Icom F30GS. It is NB compliant, but not APCO ( which we have plans to implement in the next century....) 256 Channels allows me to have all our CAWG and NV repeaters, all the Marine Channels, Ham channels, and all VHF public safety freq's that we need. I have bought them used on E-Bay for as little as $50.00, and own half a dozen of them.

Major Lord

I thought according to FLWG communication site that the Icom F30GS was only up till 1/06 and that it was to be determined after that.
I have two units like that but I have not requested my call sign because my comm guy tells me that they are not compliant

[wacapgh]

If a particular radio (by S/N) had been authorized for use on CAP frequencies before 1/06, then you may continue to do so.

I think a post on the CAP-COMM list attributed the delay to getting the final OK from the Canadian and Mexican governments. They get the final say to allocations within 200 miles of their borders, goes back to agreements signed back in the 1920's or so..