FHP HT radio question

w4ata · #1 02-25-2007, 01:45 PM

Does anyone know which hand held FHP used around the 1989 period? I have been unable to get a good answer on what they actually did use, motorola HT90, HT440, MT500 or MT1000's. They were all in use with various agencies around that time, along with MX series and sabers but judging from the pictures of the converta coms it looks like it could have been any one of the 4 I've listed.

emerveh · #2 02-25-2007, 02:09 PM

Guess what they all are the same vintage and could have been used. However I have seen the HT90 radios being used on some of the Real Stories programs. HT90 and 440 will use the same convertacom. However MT500 and MT1000 radios use their own individual ones.

w4ata · #3 02-25-2007, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emerveh

Guess what they all are the same vintage and could have been used. However I have seen the HT90 radios being used on some of the Real Stories programs. HT90 and 440 will use the same convertacom. However MT500 and MT1000 radios use their own individual ones.

The HT90 had 2 channel capabilities where as the HT440 had 4 channel capabilities and since they were used for their pac-rt's I can't see why they would need 4 ch capability unless different troops used different freq's and it would be usefull for mutual aide. In an earlier conversation with Mike, we were leaning toward the HT90 also.

ImEvil1 · #4 02-25-2007, 03:00 PM

I just looked through a bunch of the FHP footage. The units in Miami were all using the 800 Mhz radios, and the only other one I found that was actually wearing a portable (lots of reenactments without them on) was definitely not a HT440 or 90....looked like an HT600. The radios were also used without the repeaters, so not sure about the 2 channel v/s 4 (or more). I'll ask the retired FHP guys that have been helping out.

w4ata · #5 02-25-2007, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImEvil1

I just looked through a bunch of the FHP footage. The units in Miami were all using the 800 Mhz radios, and the only other one I found that was actually wearing a portable (lots of reenactments without them on) was definitely not a HT440 or 90....looked like an HT600. The radios were also used without the repeaters, so not sure about the 2 channel v/s 4 (or more). I'll ask the retired FHP guys that have been helping out.

Thanks Mike, The HT600 came out right around the 89-90 time period so that is possible.

ImEvil1 · #6 02-25-2007, 03:37 PM

No prob...

I just found some footage from West Palm (1994) that shows what I think is an MT500 (definitely has the metal switches, antenna on the right side). I can't get this DVC90 deal to work with Vista, so I can't post up a screen capture right now of it.

ImEvil1 · #7 02-25-2007, 02:17 PM

I'm going with either the HT440 (my first choice) or HT600. I actually found a broken piece of one in my FHP car, and it's definitely the lighter-colored case. I worked with a bunch of the guys, also, and I remember the portables being that color (at least in my area).

Here is a website with some good pictures of old Motorola portables:
http://metrocommnj.tripod.com/id9.html

I'll look through some of the "Real Stories" footage to see if I can confirm it (should be easy since the antennas are on opposite sides).