10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
  
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Andrew, i'll bring a pair of XTN's next weekend so you can check the quality against the Kenwoods, VA managed to get some from ebay for £75 each, I got mine from an internet (not you JMC - sorry  ) reseller for £106 +vat
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 24th Mar 2006 11:23 am |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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Got any deals going on XTNs JMC? The End
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| 24th Mar 2006 11:25 am |
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AndrewS
Tarquin of the Desert
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Y...... because I can
Posts: 10439
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Slimer wrote:Okay forget my last post, didn't see TFCs, there's plenty of common channels
So why would they not talk to each other  In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded.
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| 24th Mar 2006 11:39 am |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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Coz we were trying to apply logic to the issue, now if we'd been basing our tests on the chaos theory we'd have been fine 
Make a note of what channels should match up and we'll have a play next weekend. If we can't get them to work then with all the details to hand then maybe you should return then and insert them where the sun don't shine The End
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| 24th Mar 2006 11:46 am |
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JMC
Member Since: 25 Feb 2006
Location: Aberdeen-Angus. Where the Bull* comes from!
Posts: 6417
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Quote:JMC
Have I been led up the garden path with reference to buying the Kenwoods
AndrewS - Not at all, but I haven't seen which ones you have. If they are Kenwood TK-3201 purchased from the UK then they are a bl**dy good PMR446 radio.
If OTOH they are from eBay Hong Kong, then you will probably have a dud. 
There are two types of PMR446 radio:
1. Toys
2. Proper Transceivers
If it comes in a blister pack from Argos then it's a toy!
The Motorola XTN, Kenwood TK3201, Icom F22SR and the new Submersible Entel HT446 are probably the cream of the licence free world. Needless to say, they are all well in excess of £100.
If your Kenwood is a TK-3201 then it comes pre-programmed with certain channels and sub-tones. You will simply need to read the manual to discover how to change them in line with everybody elses radios. I have to say that, since this isn't the simplest of tasks, the Kenwood isn't my personal favourite - that acolade goes to the submersible Entel HT446.
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| 24th Mar 2006 12:00 pm |
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JMC
Member Since: 25 Feb 2006
Location: Aberdeen-Angus. Where the Bull* comes from!
Posts: 6417
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Quote:Got any deals going on XTNs JMC?
Can't do any better than this I'm afraid:
Motorola XTN
Unlike Turbochips, we have fixed costs and the PMR446 world is fraught with <5% margins
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| 24th Mar 2006 12:04 pm |
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Mossy
Member Since: 01 Jul 2005
Location: Hollyoaks, UK
Posts: 2682
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Trying to follow this thread and I'm confused already.
What does everybody think of Yaesu? D3 HSE V8...
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| 24th Mar 2006 12:18 pm |
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JMC
Member Since: 25 Feb 2006
Location: Aberdeen-Angus. Where the Bull* comes from!
Posts: 6417
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Quote:Trying to follow this thread and I'm confused already. What does everybody think of Yaesu?
Hi Mossy. What are you having difficulty with in the thread? Yaesu make very good amateur (ham) radios. As for the rest of thier stuff - No thanks!
I have heard of Yaesu radios being thrown out of green Land Rovers (along with expletives) on a well known highland estate by workers who were there 'by appointment' 
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| 24th Mar 2006 12:25 pm |
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Mossy
Member Since: 01 Jul 2005
Location: Hollyoaks, UK
Posts: 2682
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It's the compatibility thing. If they are UK legal 446PMR and assuming the CTCSS tone and DCS code are all the same, then they should talk to each other.
Maybe I missed something, or the legislation has changed, but are some of the handsets [kenwood?] not UK spec? I just assumed there were 8 channels, with 12.5Khz shift expanded if you use the DCS code and CTCSS tone functionality?
RE. Yaesu, I have two handsets, but they would need re-programming to 446 - just wondered if anyone had.
Not important really, and s'pose I should mind my own business D3 HSE V8...
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| 24th Mar 2006 12:34 pm |
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AndrewS
Tarquin of the Desert
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Y...... because I can
Posts: 10439
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Mossy
Its not you its me being a dumb a**. I know nothing about programming things. Maybe I should have read the instructions.
JMC
The radios are from the UK and are the TK-3201 ProTalk.
I also use the licensed Entel HT720 submersible radios they are the dogs bo**ocks. Although you do have to turn the volume up quite a lot when you are under water. In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded.
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| 24th Mar 2006 1:07 pm |
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Sonic3d
Member Since: 22 Nov 2005
Location: Ross on Wye Herefordshire
Posts: 872
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AndrewS wrote:
Although you do have to turn the volume up quite a lot when you are under water.
Did Alex test that for you??  I can resist everything except TEMPTATION
Can Am Commander 1000XT
Seen the light and bought a 4Motion T5
Last edited by Sonic3d on 24th Mar 2006 1:40 pm. Edited 2 times in total
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| 24th Mar 2006 1:16 pm |
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JMC
Member Since: 25 Feb 2006
Location: Aberdeen-Angus. Where the Bull* comes from!
Posts: 6417
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OK everybody, here is a quick run-down on UK legal 446:
ALL UK PMR446 radio work on the same 8 frequencies:
CH.1 446.00625
CH.2 446.01875
CH.3 446.03125
CH.4 446.04375
CH.5 446.05625
CH.6 446.06875
CH.7 446.08125
CH.8 446.09375
All radios have a maximum output of 500mW (half a watt) with a non-removeable antenna. The reason that you get the 'same' type of radio costing from £5 to £150 is quality and capability. Don't expect too much if you pay less than £50 for a single radio.
They should ALL talk to eachother on the same channels. Best way to do it is to switch off all sub-tones / DCS tones all-together. Without getting too technical, it is actually possible to have 50 radios all on the same channel and yet no-one can hear anything from the other radios. If you think of sub-tones like D3 keys. You all have the same type of D3 and yet your key will only open your own car. The keys (sub-tones) must be the same to get into the car (or to speak to another radio). All the sub-tones switched off is like leaving the doors open!
Hope that analogy makes sense..............
Anybody needing specific help - PM me. 8)
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| 24th Mar 2006 1:35 pm |
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AndrewS
Tarquin of the Desert
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Y...... because I can
Posts: 10439
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Thanks JMC.  In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded.
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| 24th Mar 2006 1:47 pm |
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JMC
Member Since: 25 Feb 2006
Location: Aberdeen-Angus. Where the Bull* comes from!
Posts: 6417
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Quote:I got mine from an internet (not you JMC - sorry ) reseller for £106 +vat
There are lots of places selling 'refurbished' or customer returned XTN's at knock down prices. We buy them from Motorola and they cost us slightly more than £106 new. Go figure.....
At the end of the day, our business is not the retail end of the spectrum. We have supplied the US Army with radios in Afghanistan and look after large corporate customers like oil companies for the North Sea platforms.
Please don't loose sleep over buying an XTN elsewhere. It is sometimes more hassle to sell a single XTN to a retail customer for £116 than it is to do a £xx,000.00 deal on radios for an oil rig!!!
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| 24th Mar 2006 2:06 pm |
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