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Re: RR Radio going narrow,,,,very soon?
Author: Shortline Sammie
Date: 03-11-2012 - 08:44
The narrow banding requirement affects ALL radios in the VHF (160) and UHF (450) bands currently in use by railroads and all other industrial users effective January 1, 2013.
If your radios are more than 15 years old (Motrac, Micor, all MOCOM , Spectra, all Maxar, Maxtrac, HT 200, MT 500, HT 600, HT 1000 to name a few common ones) they will need to be replaced or risk fines from the FCC since all existing licenses authorizing the wide band operation will be cancelled. You could then be cited and FINED for operating an UNAUTHORIZED station...get on it NOW and don't take the chance.
Quite unfortunate, especially the Maxtrac and Spectra (ASTRO Spectra is narrowbandable) since these are some of the finest and most dependable radios ever produced. Check with your radio shop or the Motorola website (Bearcom is a good dealer) who will have the complete list of what's in and what's OUT.
OPR is about half way through the process; fortunately our three repeaters are only a few years old and meet the new requirements; we are acquiring used Motorola equipment including several ASTRO Spectra clean cab units. We are including licensing for digital; however none of our Motorola equipment is compatible with the NXDN protocol and if we ever have to go digital, all existing equipment will be obsolete.
In a few months we will have about 25 - 30 perfectly good Spectras and Maxtracs to dispose of...such a WASTE when the 25 grand we're spending would buy a LOT of ties!
Dick Samuels
www.oregonpacificrr.com
If your radios are more than 15 years old (Motrac, Micor, all MOCOM , Spectra, all Maxar, Maxtrac, HT 200, MT 500, HT 600, HT 1000 to name a few common ones) they will need to be replaced or risk fines from the FCC since all existing licenses authorizing the wide band operation will be cancelled. You could then be cited and FINED for operating an UNAUTHORIZED station...get on it NOW and don't take the chance.
Quite unfortunate, especially the Maxtrac and Spectra (ASTRO Spectra is narrowbandable) since these are some of the finest and most dependable radios ever produced. Check with your radio shop or the Motorola website (Bearcom is a good dealer) who will have the complete list of what's in and what's OUT.
OPR is about half way through the process; fortunately our three repeaters are only a few years old and meet the new requirements; we are acquiring used Motorola equipment including several ASTRO Spectra clean cab units. We are including licensing for digital; however none of our Motorola equipment is compatible with the NXDN protocol and if we ever have to go digital, all existing equipment will be obsolete.
In a few months we will have about 25 - 30 perfectly good Spectras and Maxtracs to dispose of...such a WASTE when the 25 grand we're spending would buy a LOT of ties!
Dick Samuels
www.oregonpacificrr.com
