motorola

     While most often a scanner will work just fine, railfans who want good reception, loud audio and good audio clarity, can appreciate what a "real" two-way type radio (set for RX ONLY!) can do for them!

SHORT STORY:

      Living near the city, I had to live with either poor reception with my scanner's portable antenna, or get good reception with the drawback of hearing "overloading" or intermodulation caused by poor radio selectivity (no scanner works well in this category, even "triple conversion" models. When it got to the point that I was hearing more noise than railroad radio communications, I decided that I needed to get something much better. I decided to go for the best: The Motorola Radio.

    Since 1999 I've tested and owned about 10 different Motorola railroad receivers and have toyed with at least 10 more. The radios range from crystal controlled models to synthesized (programmable) models, portables, mobiles, and even a few locomotive radios.

   The model radios below will be discussed in their type specific pages.

Motorola Portables:
(Items in parenthesis are similar models under different names)

MT-500 (HT-220)
HT-1000 (JT-1000)
HT-90 ( HT-440)
HT-600 (MT-1000, P200)
Radius GP300 (GP350, P1225)
Radius SP50 (SP50+)

Motorola Mobiles

Radius GM300 (Maxtrac, Maratrac, "Radius")
Radius M1225
MCX-100
MCX-1000

Railroad radios

MBR33CUE1170AD (MCX-100 RAILROAD VERSION)
MBR33KME1170AD (Spectra Railroad edition)

I've either owned or simply "toyed" with all of the above units. The testimonials I give, should be set in the best interest of the consumer. These units are all outlined and explained in both features and availability. at their respective links above.