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Portable Radio
My department allows us to respond to the scene. Now before people get off topic and critical about that, we've been doing it for years and know how to keep the roads open and such. Anyway, the department however doesnt issue radios or portable/pager type radios. Ive been in the market to buy my own but id like to see what else people are using and what they perfer. I operate on UHF frequency and would require a speaker mic as well. We run Motorola HT1250's and thats pretty much the only brand/ model ive had experience with. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Wayne Peterson on
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I agree every deptment has its own operation method, we have radios in POVs and start setting up who and what truck each responder is going to get before we get to station, some responders go direct others get engines, tankers, medical, etc. basied upon type of dispatch. Portables are the worst POV radio, bad transmision range, I would suggest that you get a mobile and maybe a portable for fire gound communications. Kenwood makes grade A equipment and a few bucks cheaper. I have been using Kenwood for 17 years with no problems at all.
In my opinion there are only 2 good radio makers, Kenwood and Motorola.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Brewer on
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There good radios. My fd issued me a CP200. Good raido. Like Wayne's FD we all check enroute for the truck's or the sceen. Me personly I go to the sceen unless i am close to the truck.
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Permalink Reply by Ron King (Fire Chief) on
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Stay with Motorola. We have had the 400 for almost a year. The speaker mic. are not so great on a fire call. All members have a radio after probation.
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Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on
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The Motorola is a great radio. The speaker mic is beneficial most of the time. The cord that attaches the mic to the radio, however, will get caught on things in the heat of the moment. Good luck taking your POV to the scene. I personally think it's a bad idea. At our department only a handful of Paramedics and EMT's are allowed to do so and only on medical calls --- and only if the call is closer to their location than the station. On fire calls we want only fire apparatus responding to scenes. There was a working structure fire in a neighboring county years ago where several folks showed up at the scene in POV's and (you guessed it) --- no one brought an engine!
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Permalink Reply by Brandon Link on
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Ok maybe i didnt make this clear enough, haha, im looking for a portable radio just for fireground operations. Yes my department has portables on our units, but id like to have my own in order to be "combat ready" or give size ups when not riding a rig. also, we have a really good blanket of repeaters, with the exception of a few really well built buildings, so range isnt an issue for me. i just was looking for a radio and was wondering what other people use or suggest. i also wear a radio strap under my scba, so getting hung up is rarely an issue. im looking for specific makes and model numbers.
Like i said the debate isnt our response style, its the radio. but in our defense, we listen to the radio transmissions carefully, so qualified drivers will respond to the firehouse but the others will go to the scene. it works really well for us. but 90% of the time people just go to the firehouse anyway. its just nice to have that option open. and its never acceptable to go out of town in your pov. almost always, the route is clear. we are really good at finding a driveway or a spot a block away to get out of the way. most people dont drive big vehicles either (we're in suburban Pittsburgh commutes arent gas friendly.)
Thanks.
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Permalink Reply by keith on
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not to start a fight and it might only be in my location, My dpt has ht1205 vhf and they dont work very well at all. i personally have a icom fs-121 and it out performs the ht hands down. it gets out where they and are a lot clearer then the ht. the only thing im not found of is the volume the ht has mine beat in that dpt. just my personal thoughts take it as you will
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Hmm it could be VHF in and of itself. im on UHF and with our layout and topography it works pretty well, except for a few buildings that are solid concrete, built into the side of a hill.
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I know my FD has no radios on the truck due to everyone is issued them. We allways have a truck enroute. If its the FD were I am just a fire fighter the ones in town get the truck and I meet them there if i am not close to the fire house. Were I am ASST Chief I go for the truck all the time.
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im not too familiar with kenwood models, any ones in particular i should investigate? Most of the county has the Motorola just because county DES bought them all at once and got a bulk deal on it. from there noone bothered to deviate from the norm.
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Permalink Reply by Brandon on
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PERSONALLY I LIKE MOTOROLA HANDS DOWN, WE USE THE MOTOROLA XTS 2500 SERIES GREAT RADIO FROM WHAT I CAN TELL AND BEEN OPERATING WITH AND AROUND FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS. OTHER THAN THAT I HAVE HAD AN ICOM GREAT RADIO BUT PERSONALLY ID GO WITH THE XTS SERIES
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Permalink Reply by Avery Dale on
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My department issues Kenwood TK-272 walkie talkie's with the heavy duty lapel mic's. I bought one personally years ago & loved it. A few of the members bought their's mirroring mine & now the department buys them.
It's a five watt radio that comes in either UHF or VHF & 200+ channels.
I carry it in a Boston Leather Radio Strap with mic holders on the strap so snagging in almost impossible.
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Permalink Reply by Justin Buck on
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Ron we use the same kind yall use. I personal like them the best
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