FHP HT radio question

[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.

[w4ata]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[w4ata]

Originally Posted by ImEvil1

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.

The MT500 was a tuff radio and is about the size of the opening on the converta coms I've seen. Very close in size to the HT90/HT440. I've got a vhf one here and they are readily available on ebay. I'm waiting on a call from another ret FHP trooper I know to see if he can shed some light on it.

[ImEvil1]

Low-tech pic, but you can definitely see the metal buttons.

I don't think there were many convertacoms in use. I'm sure that they were more prevalent in some areas as opposed to others, but a good portion of the footage from FHP shows the Troopers wearing lapel mics. Most of the Troopers I ever worked with had lapel mics also, and I never saw any of the units in use in my area (1991-on). Most of the officers in S. FL I saw with the convertacoms didn't use them with lapel mics, as they were constantly off and on of their duty belts as they got in and out of their cars. I can't see them leaving the lapel mics attached and putting the radio across their body (or behind them) to charge.

I'll put a few calls in and see what new info I can come up with.