$25 Motorola 2 way radios

[half k cruiser]

Need help with these Motorola radios. The local radio shop has the Motorola CM200d and CM300d for sale at $25 if you buy 6 or $50 regular price. It appears you can get them in either VHF or UHF but not both. The lady I talked to didn't think they would be for HAM use. I was wondering if anyone here had any idea on these, and if this would make a good mobile setup ?

 

[george_tlc]

I'd doubt they would be of any use for Ham.

At there standard 'business use' frequencies they would require a license to operate (not a Ham license).

Stick to Ham gear - there's more support (software for programming them and repeater offsets etc etc) and the bands they operate on are legal.

cheers,
george.

 

[1FZj80]

These are Part 90 business radios that can be used in the 2m and 70cm ham freq. However, you will not have all of the programming options you get with ham. Business radios generally operate only a few licensed frequencies.

 

[half k cruiser]

So you are saying these can't be tuned from 144 - 148 ? Or are you saying its more difficult because you can't program them in vehicle ? I see that the manufacturer spec sheet says they operate from 136 up to 174 with 99 programmable channels.

 

[e9999]

there are specific narrow windows throughout reserved for business use. I would think that business radios would typically limit themselves to those, but then again it's the Wild We... errrr China now with electronics so only specs will tell.
So what I mean is that it's not obvious that one'll work on Ham bands where presumably Wheelers might chat.

 

[george_tlc]

Those are Motorola radios so will be following the 'laws'. If they were set up for business use, then the channels will be in the business bands NOT the Ham bands.

I personally would not both with them for Ham use, even if you can tune them to the Ham band. $120 gets you a basic 2m rig with 50W max output. Brand new, name brand, after market software support, full coverage of the Ham 2m band with all the repeater offset stuff etc etc.

cheers,
george.

 

[1FZj80]

For $50 it may be worth it. But, you need to make sure you get the software for programming or else it is useless. For $25 I would give it a try

I use a Wouxun KG-UV3D Part 90 radio for ham all the time. I am also able to also use it for MURS, GMRS, FMRS and the business frequencies. The software is a free download. The business radio restrictions do not apply to ham. You could make your own radio if you wanted or use a 70 year old WWII monster without legal issues.

But, these Moto radios are designed for business use not ham, and will likely not have features and functions generally used with ham.

 

[ntsqd]

Usually business band radios are deliberately not easy to program without extra bits so that they can't be re-programmed in the field. Typically there is an agent that the business buys these radios from that does the programing as well as setting up the company with their "lease" from the FCC on the freqs used. It is not like how you can buy programs and a patch cable to program a ham radio. I didn't see that offered or even listed on the Motorola page about those radios.

 

[WB8LBZ]

These radios are digital narrow band FM. You would be talking to yourself. This is a different digital standard than D-Star or P-25. If I were you I would pass on this and find yourself a KenwoodYeasuIcom dual band mobile solution. My .02 worth.

Larry

 

[Elbert]

probably good radios to use simplex to one another...but only with someone with the same radio. I believe the programming is controlled by the "radio-shop" as noted.

 

[Fast Eddy]

[strike]If you only need simplex FRS/GPRS and 440cm ham bands, these are $35/two.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/electronic-toys/789912-spare-ham-less-than-half-uv-5r.html[/strike]

Edit: apples and oranges. The motos in the OP are 25+ watts.

 

[rusty_tlc]

These are actually great radios, if you can find someone to program them for you. We have a local ham operator that re-programs them for the local repeaters and simplex frequencies. The Moto radios are industrial grade (read built for abuse) and perfect for offroad use. They also come up for sale cheap when companies go out of business or up grade. Again, you need to have the correct software and cables or know a "guy" who does.

Start asking around, check with local hams, see if you can find a "the guy". If you can I'd buy one.

 

[John McVicker]

Rusty_tlc is right on. Just picked up one of these from my Ham Club. One of our guys bought about 20 units, some work, some don't. He tears them apart and reprograms them using DOS. Most have 8 channels, I got lucky and got one w/16 channels

Very well made, 100 % duty cycle and great for Simplex, and he programmed all our nearby repeaters. Just used it this week in Death Valley...Simplex...worked great.

These are good, heavy duty, hardcore units if you can get them programmed.

Thanks, John

 

[ih88hi10]

lets clear up any misconceptions

The CM200-D and 300-D are Motorola's new value line of DMR digital radios.

They are good for business and GREAT for ham as DMR (aka MotoTRBO) has become very popular in the ham bands for a number of reasons. These will get you on DMR-MARC or the Hytera DMR networks and any non networked DMR repeaters in your area.

They are not programmed with old computers running dos, they are programmed with modern software on modern OS computers.

As long as they have the band split of the ham band you want to operate in, these will be fine and they may even be fine if they don't. But be sure to ask someone who knows for certain.

Where you may encounter a problem however, is that some of the models of their radios require an entitlement ID to program wideband frequencies such as are normally used in analog in the ham bands. I don't know if they have exempted the ham bands from these models however as other manufacturers have done.

As for whether or not they are better than a ham toy ... These are value business radios. They are not public safety radios. You can probably bet they will have better receive and better intermod rejection than most ham radios.
These radios are certified for part 90 and might even be part 95 certified as their predecessor the cm300 was so that it can legally be used for work, GMRS and the ham band all in one radio.
They do not have VFOs and they are not field programmable like a ham radio.

As for the price, without knowing what they are charging for regular price, I'm going to assume that because TAANSTAFL, the "regular price" will be highly inflated to cover the discounted units. You can buy a new DMR mobile for around $300-350 on the low side and that's what I'd expect these to average out to once it's all said and done.

 

[John McVicker]

Good info 88,

Thanks for the clarification. Not certain of my Motorola model #, but it is old! My Ham buddy that programmed mine thinks late '80's maybe early '90's. And he did have to reprogram with dos.

Based on your new info mine is not the same unit as half k cruiser is talking about. Again, thanks for the clarification.

Thanks, John

 

[ih88hi10]

Good info 88,

Thanks for the clarification. Not certain of my Motorola model #, but it is old! My Ham buddy that programmed mine thinks late '80's maybe early '90's. And he did have to reprogram with dos.

Based on your new info mine is not the same unit as half k cruiser is talking about. Again, thanks for the clarification.

Thanks, John

There are some models with confusingly similar names such as the "GM300" (note the G and not the C). The GM, a fine radio in it's day, does require an old, SLOW computer running dos to program. That might be what you're thinking of.

The current production radios don't have much, if anything, in common with the old ones.
Whether or not a CM300-D would be a good radio for a HAM depends largely on their needs and desires to go digital.
The CM300 analog model, which I've owned briefly, does not have especially good cooling. So it's not meant for long hammy conversations. It's more for brief "I've him at gunpoint" type of transmissions.