So what band can citizens use with the XTS5k vhf? A large portion of VHF is Ham which means no crypto, and seems like LEO/Fire has a chunk as well (obviously a no go). Obviously in SHTF ham bands won't be an issue, but what can people use in the mean time?

Edit to add, how hard is it/is it possible to swap in a vhf motherboard/chip to a model III 800mhz? I'm seeing the chips for $45, and 7/800mhz model IIIs for under $150. Does it involve soldering and a bunch of precision work? Reprogramming?

I'm completely in the dark what "programming" accomplishes. (use smol wurds, i'm slow)

TW should be able to tell you every little thing that can be programmed, and will probably correct and clarify the rest of this...

The main thing is programming the channels you want to use. On the top there is a 16 position selector. You want to program that so each 'channel' is set to a given frequency and whatever parameters you want associated with it

The basic models don't have keypads or screens because departments hand one to an officer and give them a rundown of channels 1, 2, 3 etc... The department programs it and doesn't what it messed with. The guys on the street using the radios have no idea what frequency they are on, just what number on the radio they turn that top knob to. My dad was a cop till the mid 90's and his radio was set up like that. He gave me a cheat sheet one time with all the codes and had a list of the different channels and what they used them for

Thank you. I knew they were made, just didn't know by who. Good catch.

If you don't need crypto, ie you want a simple radio with simple options, I'd probably go with a TYT MD-UV390. It has DMR capabilities, which are being implemented more and more, and it has basic waterproofing. It runs around $130. If you don't care about digital, then the Baofeng GT3WP is what I'd go with, which runs around $50...

The reason I suggest against super basic radios, is you will hit a brick wall. Virtually no way to learn more or move up to do something different. No new modes to try. Whereas if you get a better radio, you can learn all that it does, and start doing more with it.

Not encrypted.

It says it supports digital encryption. I'd have to see exactly how that's implemented, and if it's secure or just a digital squelch. There are quite a few radios that say they're encrypted, which disallow other radios from listening, but a scanner ignores the bit that says 'don't listen to this if the code doesn't match' and allows anyone to hear it.

and zero interoperability. You can't communicate or even listen to anyone who doesn't have one of these.

You can run crypto on ham bands, but there is a particular way it has to be done. It has to be a public protocol, ie AES-256 or DES, and you have to publish the key. This makes it just another digital mode.

MURS is what I would program the radios for. While encryption on MURS is legal, there are some restrictions based on bandwidth, but not a real issue. 2W is the legal maximum power, so, while the radio is capable of 5W, and programmed for 5W, just make sure you switch to low power before you transmit...



Very easy. Like 5 minute job. it's all press fit, don't even need a screwdriver... Then you create a new codeplug, and force it into the radio, which isn't as easy and requires special software that I won't give out. The hardware and software part is super easy.. Taking maybe 15 mins total. The bigger issue is aligning the radio after.. That's an hour long job, on service equipment costing tens of thousands of dollars, and must be perfect, in order for crypto to work.

You have to tell the radio what frequencies to operate on, what options to enable/disable, set up call lists, etc.

You can page radios, for example, send messages between radios, quite a few things.

there are radios on the market that do more, for about the same money, some of the basic DMR radios for example, but their security is kinda shit, and options for things like batteries are limited.

The community as a whole, would have to standardize on a single radio, to make things easier for everyone, without being advanced users. Being able to monitor other agencies in a disaster situation is paramount, and is something the XTS5K can do, that amateur or DMR radios can't.

Yup, but it's easier these days, since even the basic models with no display will announce what channel their on, so no more having to remember what 'channel 4' is by heart.

Further, things are separated into zones, so, while a model 1 radio supports 48 channels, there is actually an ABC switch on the top of the radio, which can switch between 3 banks (zones) of 16 channels each. You can also set a programmable button to go up/down zones, or even use the channel selector as a ZONE selector (16 zones) and program the side buttons to go up/down channels, leading to the same 1000 channel limit as the more advanced radios, but navigation is tougher.

Most large agencies name their zones with letter-number combinations... Ie Bravo-4 = zone B- Channel 4. Motorola even made special channel selector knobs with letters instead of numbers, for agencies that use the channel select knob as a zone select knob and use the programmable keys to change channel, as mentioned above.

The other downside to a radio with no front keypad, is you don't have the ability to add, delete, or modify frequencies on the fly, you'd have to use the computer.

....this is too much info. My head is spinning. I'm gonna have to read through this several times before it sinks in.

TW, you should have a training day. Radio 101 for dummies such as myself. Maybe at the WaGuns new years shoot?

If we’re going to do this as a group I think we need to settle on a range of frequencies then determine how we get everyone on those frequencies

I’m up for getting a ham license. It’s not that bad now that you don’t need to know Morse code


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That's where a comm plan comes in.

I think the main chunk needs to be focused on 2m and VHF like MURS. MURS has longer range than FRS, and allows more flexibility.

A lot of your federal interop is on VHF, as is WSP, weather radio, etc. UHF is mostly businesses.

Ham license is easy, you got kids taking the test and passing.... But that's a whole 'nother ball of wax.... and covers a bit more than just a secure radio.

This would help a lot. I’m radio knowledge deficient. FM to me stands for F*cking Magic.

Give me a base point to start, before I try and decide if I want to navigate around 3 letter agencies.

Lemme ask this....

You have a radio...

You carry it with you in your bag, every day.


Would you rather have a radio that....

A) Only has a couple channels, and that's to communicate with family or friends
B) A, Plus local stuff in your county
C) A and B plus stuff in your surrounding counties
D) The kitchen sink ( Federal interop, State Patrol, DNR, CBP, etc) divided into manageable zones.

Would you use it more if it had more capability? For example, the radio lives in your bag, but if it could listen to WSP, would you listen to it on the drive to and from work?