Compatability of PMR radios?!? Motorola/Binatone/BT etc

[NickM]

Hi all,

I'm after someone with a bit of understanding of PMR radios.

Basically the team I've joined are running BT Freeway PMR radios, most of these are a bit old. I've found a good deal on a set of Binatone Terrain 750 radios and want to check how the ctcss codes work (subchannels).

Are all the radio manufacturers using the same settings for the various ctcss codes? Can someone using a Motorola or BT Freeway on Channel 4 subchannel 5 talk to someone on a Binatone with the same channel and subchannel or are some kind of conversion needed?

Finally has anyone had any experience with the Binatone T750, it says they take headsets, others say binatones are not set up for ptt buttons and external mic's?

Cheers,

Nick

 

[RR01]

I've got both Cobra & Binatone radios and they both talk to each other fine. So long as they are using the same channel & codes then there should be no difference. The sub-channels are actually nothing of the sort. They are just squelch codes that block out anyone transmitting on a different code. You can hear this if you have a radio set either to the basic channel (i.e. zero code) or one that doesn't have squelch codes at all. You will hear everything that anyone says on that channel, but they would not hear you because you are not transmitting with the relevant code.

For all PMR radios there are ONLY 8 channels permitted. All the fancy bits are just down to the electronics in the radio.

As for using a headset, my Binatone 850s will work with an earpiece / mic off of a Motorola mobile phone, but there is no provision on the radio to over-ride the PTT switch on the radio itself with a remote, so if I want to use my headset with remote PTT I use the Cobra.

 

[Sam_G]

I got some Binatones cheap. Then sold them as you cant get a military style headset for them and its a real mission to find a non phone style headset.

 

[Sneaky]

Kenwood tk-3301 radio works a treat, very solid. It ia a PMR radio with 16 channels..not 8..

 

[jcheeseright]

I'm a big fan of the intek mt5050, takes PTTs and is pretty much bomb proof.