Eddy802
Guest
Thanks guys.
Cheaper PMR Radio - recommendations?
- Thread starter SilverFish
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CoolCarbon
Guest
Any further news regarding the Kenwood performance...?
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Eddy802
Guest
Tests
I did some testing with an Intaride A80 and a kenwood 3107 last night. The results were confusing... I'll explain why...
The format of the test was a basic transmit and receive between the two units with an increasing distance and obstacle range between them.
In a hand hel configuration, both units had clear reception of the other in an urban environment up to a 600m range with at least two streets of houses providing the obstacles.
Beyond that distance or with the introduction of another row of buildings the reception of both units deteriorated, although initally speech was still clear enough to understand there was intermitant "noise" in the back ground of each transmission.
Eventuall (at the 800m mark) the reception was poor enough to be difficult to make sense of the speech.
Confusing because the 3107 should have been transmitting at the advertised (but illegal) 4 watts, whilst the A80 was still on it's unlocked .5 watt setting.
I will carry out the tests again tonight, but this time, when reception deteriorates, I'll up the power output on the A80 and see if it can manage any increased distance/obstacle.
For interest the Intarides cost about £150 each including either battery or bike power and Autocom patch leads. The Kenwood work out at about £100 each for the same setup.....
I did some testing with an Intaride A80 and a kenwood 3107 last night. The results were confusing... I'll explain why...
The format of the test was a basic transmit and receive between the two units with an increasing distance and obstacle range between them.
In a hand hel configuration, both units had clear reception of the other in an urban environment up to a 600m range with at least two streets of houses providing the obstacles.
Beyond that distance or with the introduction of another row of buildings the reception of both units deteriorated, although initally speech was still clear enough to understand there was intermitant "noise" in the back ground of each transmission.
Eventuall (at the 800m mark) the reception was poor enough to be difficult to make sense of the speech.
Confusing because the 3107 should have been transmitting at the advertised (but illegal) 4 watts, whilst the A80 was still on it's unlocked .5 watt setting.
I will carry out the tests again tonight, but this time, when reception deteriorates, I'll up the power output on the A80 and see if it can manage any increased distance/obstacle.
For interest the Intarides cost about £150 each including either battery or bike power and Autocom patch leads. The Kenwood work out at about £100 each for the same setup.....
judge
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Doesn't sound like you are getting any more performance out of the Kenwood over and above the regular 0.5 outputting UK models.
I'd have expected your Intaride to receive the Kenwood TX but the Kenwood not to receive the other's TX
I'd have expected your Intaride to receive the Kenwood TX but the Kenwood not to receive the other's TX
Eddy802
Guest
Me too - hence the confusion.
I have emailed the Kenwood supplier to enquire whether a config change is necessary via their data cable to unleash the 4w power.
If the Intaride performs as expected when the power output is increased, and the expectation is for a reasonable increase in range, and teh Kenwood guys say that it's configured already to push out 4 (as advertised) then I may well hang onto the the A80s.......
I have emailed the Kenwood supplier to enquire whether a config change is necessary via their data cable to unleash the 4w power.
If the Intaride performs as expected when the power output is increased, and the expectation is for a reasonable increase in range, and teh Kenwood guys say that it's configured already to push out 4 (as advertised) then I may well hang onto the the A80s.......
SilverFish
Registered user
Infinity in Farnborough have three part 102 (Autocom to Kenwood Tk3101) leads in stock. I shall be picking one up soon as..
Anyone around Boxhill or the Ace cafe this weekend willing to do some field trials?
Cheers,
Mike
Anyone around Boxhill or the Ace cafe this weekend willing to do some field trials?
Cheers,
Mike
Eddy802
Guest
I typed up my second set of testing from last night, needed to edit a little but forgot to actually post it it seems!! It wouldn't be captured anywhere would it?
Summary is that I retested and when signal degraded in a 3107/A80 combination I switiched to a 2nd A80 and found that the A80/A80 was worse. I switched my A80 up to 1w with no perceiveable improvement, and so up to 2w upon which SWMBO reported the background noise dissapeared. SWMBO went to 2w too and I extended the distance a further 200m until the degradation was agian apparent.
At this point I switched the 3107 back on and noted that there had been no further degradation and that although there was back ground noise, the voice was clear enough to communicate. Not so with the A80/A80. In the next 100m the signal faded enough to make a mobile phone call to end testing.
Conclusion. A80 is feature rich but £50 saving (per set up) and a generally better quality of reception and transimission (either power or antenna related) means I'll likely go with Kenwood.
Bike testing tonight if Intaride manage to get the correct cables to me...
Summary is that I retested and when signal degraded in a 3107/A80 combination I switiched to a 2nd A80 and found that the A80/A80 was worse. I switched my A80 up to 1w with no perceiveable improvement, and so up to 2w upon which SWMBO reported the background noise dissapeared. SWMBO went to 2w too and I extended the distance a further 200m until the degradation was agian apparent.
At this point I switched the 3107 back on and noted that there had been no further degradation and that although there was back ground noise, the voice was clear enough to communicate. Not so with the A80/A80. In the next 100m the signal faded enough to make a mobile phone call to end testing.
Conclusion. A80 is feature rich but £50 saving (per set up) and a generally better quality of reception and transimission (either power or antenna related) means I'll likely go with Kenwood.
Bike testing tonight if Intaride manage to get the correct cables to me...
Any feedback on how the 3107's are doing on the bike? - looking for an alternative to the Motorolla T5422 i've been using with Autocom. (had a few problems with leads etc, and they don't seem to like to get damp!) 3107's seem to be appearing quite cheaply on fleabay regularly.
Does anyone know if its possible to get any of the Kenwood radios bike powered independantly from the autocom? I've got the Active 7 system that doesn't seem to support bike power.
Mark
Does anyone know if its possible to get any of the Kenwood radios bike powered independantly from the autocom? I've got the Active 7 system that doesn't seem to support bike power.
Mark
Eddy802
Guest
I've been absoluetly satisfied with the 3107's. Unfortunately SWMBO can't power hers from the bike and the 4w power eats batteries in half the expected time (about 4hours), but we have 3 so it's a logistics issue.
Hope this helps.
Eddy
Hope this helps.
Eddy
I've not actually got around to fitting my 3107 to the bike yet, so can't report.
However, I would now say to avoid the Hong Kong dealer. I had to return one of the pair that I bought. Six months later, it's not been sent back to me and he's not replying to e-mails. I've put the whole thing down to experience!
Greg
However, I would now say to avoid the Hong Kong dealer. I had to return one of the pair that I bought. Six months later, it's not been sent back to me and he's not replying to e-mails. I've put the whole thing down to experience!
Greg
