Yep BK Radio is the portable (and now mobile) radio of choice for wildland and the Cal-Fire standard. The new BKR900 is same form-factor, but is a multi-band 5000 channel APCO P25 VHF, UHF, 700/800 MHz. $$$$ For those not aware, there are also smaller rechargeable batteries available, but the clamshells and AA batts are default for wildland reliability, longevity and the ease to pack spares.
Small correction - the APXs will do FPP/Cloning with the right flash option and there is a cloning cable available - I am not sure why that is not discussed more by Motorola reps when competing in the USFS/CalFire space.
@@RANTStrategies Any time! The part that also confuses some is that there's an FCC FPP/Cloning, and a Federal FPP/Cloning. Both options accomplish the same goal with the FCC one just mandating a PIN lock to access the menu since Part 90 radios shouldn't be "field programmable by end user". I think that last bit of wording is why FPP/Cloning in general doesn't get talked about much.
That is awesome, I knew FPP was a thing because my 2500s have this capability and they require a password (didn’t know that was a the “federal” feature) but I’m still shocked to learn you can clone radio to radio…. Moto needs to get that info out there better!
I’d rather have anything but an APX for VHF work, especially simplex. The VHF receiver in the APX is atrocious when compared to Harris, BK, Tait, Kenwood, etc. Keep the BK.
Great rundown.. As a Comm tech deployed to wildfires in the comm unit, I love using my agency issued APX8000 for field radio troubleshooting purposes. But man is it so convoluted and a nuisance to update the comm plan every so often. Though I don't think they are ready for NIFC prime time yet, Getting close from what I heard. BK's in whatever flavor is still king, no pun intended. Motorola could of cornered that market if they square away the cloning feature among other features that come standard in the BK.
@@GUERRILLACOMM yea no idea why moto wouldn’t be more aggressive here, btw (we are back in CA currently on another roll if you happen to be out as well)
@@RANTStrategies In my experience Fire people tend to have some requirements that are really outside the norm compared to police users. Most Police depts get away with Over The Air Reprogramming (and rekeying), makes a lot of sense from a management perspective, they also usually have really deep installed infrastructure. Fire, especially wildland fire, is always going to be more ad-hoc and mobile. The differences in the size of the markets probably also plays a major factor, police usually get federal dollars for interoperability equipment, and tactical equipment. Fire, not as much.
Hello. I run the BK5000 with the rechargeable battery for fire season. The radio will last at least 12 hours with being charged. Also, 511 chest packs fits the BK5000 radio.
@@molliegumpert7715 hey Mollie, I would love if that were an option (I hate the mountain of dead AAs at the end of each fire) the issue is having charging banks big enough to handle all of the radios on these fires and then the accountability of them all……. How do you manage that?
Greeting from the Boise Fire in north cali. As you showed, UHF in the woods punches through smoke better than vhf, so I’m looking to bkr9000s being more common, even if just on tac channels. I don’t think a smaller radio would survive in a public safety environment. I used a XTS5000 for 10 years before. The alkaline clamshell batteries keeps the huge. If lithiums were more common they’d be smaller. USB-C would be ideal. I was pretty surprised how quick a comms plan could be pushed out. Enjoy your roll
The radio you had is typically called the command version which does not have the channel knob stop. The radio can be ordered with a 16 channel encoder switch so the user gets the stops. Same with the 9000. Former Moto APX engineers designed the 5000 and 9000. Nice radios but that clamshell…. needed for the power hungry mice inside spinning really fast. I think I still prefer my DPH. Enjoy your roll and stay safe.
Interesting. I was thinking the same about the encoder with no stop...yeah, it has the beep, but that tactile stop is just muscle memory for so many. Not to mention that unless everyone has a radio that can do more that 16ch/zn, everyone is going to keep programming them with a max 16, whether that limitation is needed or not. MAybe one day that legacy limitation will be moved past, but I think that time is still many years and incidents down the road.
@@kg4gav im planning on doing a video on how I like to program my radios and I’ll address my whole rational for preferring the fixed 16ch option on that one
Got this comment and I thought it was great, no idea why it wouldn’t show, so I wanted to share it - @baronedipiemonte3990 I like the idea of portables having a dry cell "AA" battery case to swap out with the normal lithium ion batteries. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of consistency with the availability of that option. At least not with Icom (the mfg I'm most familiar with... and able to afford). But all of the Icom commercial/public safety portables have the option of 12vdc vehicular charging (cigarette lighter or hard wired). The other Icom feature I love is that it's not only field-cable cloneable, but (w/the proper code) they're FPP (Front Panel Programmable). Now if Icom would introduce a commercial/PS grade U/V dual band portable...
Yep BK Radio is the portable (and now mobile) radio of choice for wildland and the Cal-Fire standard.
The new BKR900 is same form-factor, but is a multi-band 5000 channel APCO P25 VHF, UHF, 700/800 MHz. $$$$
For those not aware, there are also smaller rechargeable batteries available, but the clamshells and AA batts are default for wildland reliability, longevity and the ease to pack spares.
@@rickmaudlin2160 what’s your thoughts…..that is a lot of bang for your buck, but is that massive size needed? lol
Small correction - the APXs will do FPP/Cloning with the right flash option and there is a cloning cable available - I am not sure why that is not discussed more by Motorola reps when competing in the USFS/CalFire space.
I had no idea, definitely wish that was more common knowledge! Thanks for sharing
@@RANTStrategies Any time! The part that also confuses some is that there's an FCC FPP/Cloning, and a Federal FPP/Cloning. Both options accomplish the same goal with the FCC one just mandating a PIN lock to access the menu since Part 90 radios shouldn't be "field programmable by end user". I think that last bit of wording is why FPP/Cloning in general doesn't get talked about much.
That is awesome, I knew FPP was a thing because my 2500s have this capability and they require a password (didn’t know that was a the “federal” feature) but I’m still shocked to learn you can clone radio to radio…. Moto needs to get that info out there better!
I’d rather have anything but an APX for VHF work, especially simplex. The VHF receiver in the APX is atrocious when compared to Harris, BK, Tait, Kenwood, etc.
Keep the BK.
@@SIGINT007 have you seen my radio testing videos using the APX vs several other radio?! You are SPOT ON THE MONEY WITH THAT!
Great rundown.. As a Comm tech deployed to wildfires in the comm unit, I love using my agency issued APX8000 for field radio troubleshooting purposes. But man is it so convoluted and a nuisance to update the comm plan every so often. Though I don't think they are ready for NIFC prime time yet, Getting close from what I heard. BK's in whatever flavor is still king, no pun intended. Motorola could of cornered that market if they square away the cloning feature among other features that come standard in the BK.
@@GUERRILLACOMM yea no idea why moto wouldn’t be more aggressive here, btw (we are back in CA currently on another roll if you happen to be out as well)
@@RANTStrategies In my experience Fire people tend to have some requirements that are really outside the norm compared to police users. Most Police depts get away with Over The Air Reprogramming (and rekeying), makes a lot of sense from a management perspective, they also usually have really deep installed infrastructure. Fire, especially wildland fire, is always going to be more ad-hoc and mobile.
The differences in the size of the markets probably also plays a major factor, police usually get federal dollars for interoperability equipment, and tactical equipment. Fire, not as much.
@@highdesertdrew1844 absolutely, for better or for worse, I get to experience both sides of this, but it does make me well versed lol.
Hello. I run the BK5000 with the rechargeable battery for fire season. The radio will last at least 12 hours with being charged. Also, 511 chest packs fits the BK5000 radio.
@@molliegumpert7715 hey Mollie, I would love if that were an option (I hate the mountain of dead AAs at the end of each fire) the issue is having charging banks big enough to handle all of the radios on these fires and then the accountability of them all……. How do you manage that?
Greeting from the Boise Fire in north cali. As you showed, UHF in the woods punches through smoke better than vhf, so I’m looking to bkr9000s being more common, even if just on tac channels. I don’t think a smaller radio would survive in a public safety environment. I used a XTS5000 for 10 years before. The alkaline clamshell batteries keeps the huge. If lithiums were more common they’d be smaller. USB-C would be ideal. I was pretty surprised how quick a comms plan could be pushed out. Enjoy your roll
Very cool!!! Please keep us posted on this, that would be huge!
Good evening. Stay safe.
The radio you had is typically called the command version which does not have the channel knob stop. The radio can be ordered with a 16 channel encoder switch so the user gets the stops. Same with the 9000. Former Moto APX engineers designed the 5000 and 9000. Nice radios but that clamshell…. needed for the power hungry mice inside spinning really fast. I think I still prefer my DPH. Enjoy your roll and stay safe.
@@ScottW23 lots of insight there!! Thank you sir!
Interesting. I was thinking the same about the encoder with no stop...yeah, it has the beep, but that tactile stop is just muscle memory for so many. Not to mention that unless everyone has a radio that can do more that 16ch/zn, everyone is going to keep programming them with a max 16, whether that limitation is needed or not. MAybe one day that legacy limitation will be moved past, but I think that time is still many years and incidents down the road.
@@kg4gav im planning on doing a video on how I like to program my radios and I’ll address my whole rational for preferring the fixed 16ch option on that one
I like the programming that can be done on the radio without a computer.
@@phillipyazzie9634 yea it’s pretty awesome and very fast and efficient
Never used a “B-K” radio
Got this comment and I thought it was great, no idea why it wouldn’t show, so I wanted to share it -
@baronedipiemonte3990
I like the idea of portables having a dry cell "AA" battery case to swap out with the normal lithium ion batteries. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of consistency with the availability of that option. At least not with Icom (the mfg I'm most familiar with... and able to afford). But all of the Icom commercial/public safety portables have the option of 12vdc vehicular charging (cigarette lighter or hard wired). The other Icom feature I love is that it's not only field-cable cloneable, but (w/the proper code) they're FPP (Front Panel Programmable). Now if Icom would introduce a commercial/PS grade U/V dual band portable...