VHF, UHF, and ScanningEven before I got my ham radio license, I wascrazy about radios. Getting my ham license has just made myaddiction worse.While I've played around on the local repeaters, and done someAPRS-related stuff, most of the casual VHF/UHF activity in my areais centered around either drive-time or ARES work.

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While everyoneI've met on the air has been extremely friendly, there's just doesn'tseem to be a lot going on. I still feed my radio need, ona regular basis, with one of my long-time favorite pass-times:Scanning. ScanningOne of my favorite activities is listening to local public safetyagencies, such as police and fire. I've been a scanner enthusiastfor more than 20 years. You sure do learn a lot about what'shappening in your area when you listen to the public safety bands.And, I must say, I never much appreciated the police until afterI started listen to the local police department channels, and learnedwhat it is they have to deal with every day. Motorola Changed My (Scanning) LifeI live in Southern New Hampshire, where (with the exception ofthe trunked system in Nashua) just about all the police and firecommunications are conventional VHF and a lot of it is P25. Despiteowning (almost) every scanner variety known to humankind, I wasnever pleased with either the reception or the quality of P25 decoding.ThenI stumbled across a 'For Sale' ad (on radio reference) by Scott,webmaster of Scan New England (the best web site for definitiveinfo and pointers about scanning in the New England Area).

Scott was sellinga very simple (and thus, relatively inexpensive) Motorola AstroSaber VHF radio with P25 decoding capability. I figured I'd giveit a try. And it did such a great job, it revolutionized my scanningexperience.I've been a dedicated Motorola radio fan ever since, and nowI own several radios including (as of this minute) a pair of XTS-5000s,an XTS-2500, and two Astro Sabers.

Oh, and an XTL-5000. Not onlydo they do a great job for public safety monitoring, they work greaton the 2M (144MHz) and 70CM (440MHz) ham bands. Getting Started With Motorola RadiosIf you're interested in getting started using Motorola radios forham radio and/or public safety monitoring, here are 10 Tipsto Help You Get Started:. The radios are really awesome for monitoringconventional (thatis, not trunked) police and fire channels. The sensitivityand especially the selectivity are far better than any scannerI've used. The P25 decoding is particularly good.

Where I live(Southern NH) there are numerous 'mixed' P25/analog channels,some of which also combined transmissions MDT data on the samechannel. I've never heard a scanner that can properly handingcombined MDT/P25/Analog channels. All my Motorola radios handlesuch channels perfectly.Let me hasten to add here that these radios are no good at allfor casual users who want to monitor trunked radio systems (suchas the municipal system in Nashua, NH). Even if you buy a trunking-capableradio, programming it to monitor a trunked system requires a'system key' that's unique to the trunking system. This keyis the closely-guarded property of the trunking system administrator,and you won't be able to get a copy unless you're an authorizeduser on the system. But, don't worry. It's no big loss: Theradios basically suck as truking system monitors even if youcould get the system key, because you're typically limited tomonitoring no more than 10 talkgroups.

So, if your goal is tomonitor a trunked radio system, avoid disappointment and stickto a Uniden or GRE scanner. That's what I do. I use a 396tto listen to Nashua. And it works just fine most of the time. Study before you buy. You buy a Motorolaradio as a hobby item, so spend some time reading up on thevarious features and capabilities.

If you're at all like me,you'll be very surprised at how much there is to learn. Readup on what you'll need (both in terms of the radio and the software/accessoriesto program it), how to get it, and what it'll cost.

You alreadyhave a good start by reading this web page!These radios are a lot different than a scanner, or even you'retypical ham-radio HT. They come in many different models, andthe capabilities of each radio is determined by something calledthe radio's 'Flashcode.'

The Flashcode is a firmware programthat's put in the radio by Motorola that dictates what featuresthe radio has, and which can't be changed (legitimately) outsideof Motorola. So, before you blindly charge off and buy someuseless crap on EBay, figure out what features you need, whatquestions to ask, and what you can expect to pay for it. You'llbe surprised. There's lots of junk offered on EBay at ridiculousprices, waiting for unsuspecting fish.

To program the radios you'll need a copy of RSSor CPS software. RSS is no longer available from Motorola.CPS is readily available (see below). You'll need to licenseit from Motorola, and it costs about $300 for a 3-year 'subscription'that includes updates.There are numerous versions of CPS.

The version of CPS thatyou will need is based on the radio type(s) you need to program,and they are not upwardly compatible among different types ofradios. For example, the Astro Saber and XTS-3000 use the sameversion of CPS, which is order number RVN4182V (the 'V' is thecurrent revision number of this version of the software). Ifyou have an XTS-5000 that you want to program, you need a differentversion of CPS, and that version can't program XTS-3000s.

Fun,huh?There are lots of scary postings all over the internet abouthow hard (or how impossible) it is to buy CPS from Motorola.Perhaps they've changed their policy recently, but I hadno problem at all buying CPS and I've never heard of anybodyhaving any trouble buying CPS in the United States. At leastnot in the last couple of years. I was able to buy a copyfrom Motorola Online (MOL) and have it in my hands in abouta week. See below for how to signup for a MOL account.

Sign Up for a Motorola Online account.This is a pretty simple process: Simply sign-up for an accounton Motorola Online (MOL) at- If you do this, you'll need to indicate on the applicationwhy you want an account ('to purchase parts, accessories, andsoftware') and whether you're an end-user or business. Don'thesitate to say you're an end-user (assuming you are). Motoroladoesn't mind.Even though the application process says they'll phone you tocomplete the setup process, when I applied I received an emailthe morning after I applied with a few additional questionsto complete the setup process.

Neverwinter nights 2 cheats item codes. The questions included a physicaladdress (for shipping and software licensing) and whether I'dwant to purchase software (which I did).I replied to the email and the next day I received email thatmy MOL account was setup. Agree to the Motorola Software License.Once your MOL account is established, log in and go to the 'SoftwareSupport' section under 'Resource Center' - In that section,there will be a license to read and agree. Despite what you'llread in numerous forums, the license is no more unreasonableor 'scary' than the license for any high-end application software(have you ever read the license for something like AutoCad?).The license says that the software is Motorola's property, youcan only use the software at your location, or on a laptop youown, and that you can't sell, rent, or let somebody borrow itfrom you. No big deal, at least as far as I'm concerned.After submitting the license on line (no signatures or faxingrequied), after about a day you'll receive an email notice thatmy license had been accepted.

Ordering CPS is simple. On MOL, go to 'SearchCatalog' and enter the appropriate part number. 'RVN4182V' isthe part number for Astro Saber and XTS-3000 CPS. When it comesup, just enter the quantity and clicked 'add to cart.' Oh yeah:At the time of this writing (December 2007) the software cost$276 (plus shipping).

When I placed my order, I requested 2ndday delivery. I had CPS in my hands 3 days later. To program these radios, you'll need at least aspecial cable. To program XTS-3000 or Astro Saberradios, you'll need a Radio Interface Box (RIB) and a radiocable (or a so-called 'ribless cable'). To program an XTS-2500or XTS-5000, you'll need specific radio cable (which is, ofcourse, different from the cable you use for the Astro Saberor XTS-3000). The cable (and RIB, if necessary) don't typicallycome with the radio, so you'll have to buy it.

The options rangefrom cheap (to buy a Chinese-made knock off) to ridiculous (tobuy the real thing directly from Motorola).When I got my first Astro Saber, I bought a RIB and cable fromPolaris Industries at - I bought a PA-3 (a littlerechargeable RIB that's smaller than a deck of cards). Yes,their stuff is expensive. Note that there are made in ChinaRIBs and cables for sale on EBAY that cost less than 20% ofwhat the Polaris parts cost. Since this was my first experiencewith Motorola radio programming, I wanted something with a warrantyand somebody that I could call if I had any questions or problems,so I went with Polaris.

The folks at Polaris were incrediblynice and went out of their way to get me my order quickly. Iwould not hesitate to recommend them.On the other hand, I have not had good luck with 'after market'(read: made in China) cables for programming my XTS-5000 orXTS-2500 radios. I bought one off EBay, and bought another (forthree-times the cost) from a reputable dealer on the web. Bothlooked remarkably similar, and neither worked consistently withmy Astro25 radios. There are many stories, in fact, of peoplewho've ruined their expensive Moto radios using these junk cables.So, I had to bite the bullet and buy a real Motorola cable.Luckily, I was able to buy a used one for a friend.

Whichis what I should have done in the first place. The damncable costs a couple hundred bucks (which is ridiculous) ifyou buy it directly from Motorola. Actually using CPS is surprisingly complicated.After you hook-up your radio (and RIB if you need it) and runCPS, the first thing you should do is download the current programminginfo from your radio (which is called the 'codeplug') and saveit. That way, if you screw something up, you'll be able to getback to where you started.Fortunately, CPS has a bunch of tutorial information in it.Most of the options are pretty well explained. It just tookme some time to understand the various options that are availableand which work best for a particular channel.

Just about everything,from the role of the buttons on the radio to how the squelchis interpreted for each channel, is programmable. But that'ssupposed to be part of the fun, isn't it??. You can fool with the frequency ranges.The Motorola radios come in multiple frequency ranges. For example,the upper UHF split, also called the 'S Split', is 450-512MHz.You'll notice that this doesn't include the 70CM ham band. But,fear not! The radio works great down in the 440MHz range. You'lljust need to modify CPS to let you program your radio out ofband!

It's surprising easy, if you. And, yes, it is legal for a licensedham radio operation to use one of these radios on the ham bands.At least it is in the United States. If you don't live in theUnited States, you probably worry a lot less about legal minutiaein any case. There's lots of help available. These radiosare pretty popular in the hobby community.

The single most authoritativeplace to read, learn, and ask about the hobby use of these radiosis the. Spend some time time searching and reading thissite, and also surfing the web. Remember, Google is your friend.Even (or, perhaps, especially) after you've gotten your radioyou'll find BatLabs a terrific resource. Need somebody to tune,fix, update, or otherwise work on your radio? Need parts, accessories,or something else Motorola-related. Got a question about howto do something in CPS? You'll find folks on BatLabs ready tohelp.Note for the cynical among you (good for you!): K1PGV has noconnection with, and receives no consideration or compensation from,BatLabs or anyone associated with that web site.

I have, however,benefited greatly from what I've learned from the site and the peoplewho have done me numerous kindnesses that I've contacted throughthe site. I hope you have similar luck. Buying Your First RadioWhen it comes to buying your first Motorola radio or two, I suggestyou avoid EBAY like the plague and buy your radio from an establishedmember, with a good reputation as a seller, via the BatLabs website. You'll need to sign-up for an account just to be able to READthe For Sale section of the site. Check the sellers reputation inthe feedback forum on BatLabs before buying anything. Don't be afraidto email or PM the seller, tell him you're a noob, and ask all thequestions you want.

Most of the good folks on the site understandthe world of Motorola radios is a confusing one, and are patient,willing, and even eager to help out somebody that's new. After all,you're starting to share their passion for Motorola radios! If theseller doesn't seem helpful or willing to spend the time (not everyoneis), move on and buy a different radio.You won't be able to post a Want To Buy ad on BatLabs untilyou've established a reputation for yourself on the board. However,you might want to consider posting a Want To Buy ad on the. Many BatLab'ers are also active on Radio Reference.If you decide to go this route, be sure to check the seller's reputationon Radio Reference.

However, also ask the seller if they're a memberof BatLabs and what their username is there. PM them on BatLabsto make sure they're telling you the truth. Then check their reputationin the BatLabs feedback forum. If the seller claims they're nota BatLabs member, think twice before doing business with them. Justabout everyone who has a Motorola radio for hobby purposes has asked(or answered) a question on BatLabs at one time or another. If theseller isn't a member there, maybe he's a ham who works in the radiobusiness and doesn't need to ask questions online, or maybe he foundthe radio in a storm drain and wants to make a quick buck. Onlyyou know if you want to take that chance.

I'd suggest that you mightbe better off waiting for somebody who has a reputation you canthoroughly check.It might take you a few weeks to find somebody reputable offeringthe radio that you want, for a price you want to pay, but like Isaid above. This is a hobby.

Take your time, and you can get areally good deal on a radio that you'll enjoy for a long time. What About Scanners?I have a Pro-96, a Uniden BCD396t, and a PSR-500. They alldo an excellent job of scanning Trunked Radio Systems.

The PSR-500is easily the most sensitive of the scanners I own, so muchmore sensitive than the 396t that it's very obvious. But thePSR-500 also has a tendency to overload on really strong signals.I like the way the 396t is programmed much better than the 'objectoriented scanning' approach of the PSR-500, which I considercumbersome and silly. But the PSR-500 has much better P25 audio.So, you see, each unit has its own set of features to recommendit.

Remixlive for mac. Remixlive is a music & audio software for smartphones and tablets published by Mixvibes which allows you to play loops on pads.With the application Remixlive you will able to sync loops and sounds which in our opinion is very useful and entertaining at the same time.We at Freewareforpc love music and we highly recommend to all musicians or who want to try the app should definitely install it.In order to download Remixlive for Android devices you could easily do it from the Play Store, we will provide you.Now if you would like to use Remixlive on your PC you could use an Android emulator.

The Customer Programming Software required to configure a MOTOTRBO radio is only available to Motorola Channel Partners, who in terms of their agreement with Motorola Solutions, have access to. This is the case for all customers in Europe; the Middle-East and Africa (EMEA).I understand that in the USA and Canada, it is possible for end-customers to gain access to by purchasing a software subscription licence - this is not available in EMEA. I don't know about Latin America or Asia.End customers in EMEA can obtain the CPS from the same source as their radios. The radio supplier can, as a service, provide periodic updates for purchased CPS via their website or via Motorola Online. If you need to get the CPS and, for whatever reason, are unable to contact the company who supplied you the radios, then please.If you came here via a, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it is not possible to download the CPS from this site. Please to obtain a legal copy.