Thales wideband portable

[Pj]

Is there any way that a plain jane person pick up one of those nice 30-512MHz portables, or is it restricted to goverment contracts only?

[commtek]

Hello

You can order one at cowthief.com

[Pj]

Hi.

Thanks. That was helpful.

Land of the FPP Spectra.

[Ghostwriter]

Hello Pj,

Hey that's a nice looking Handheld Portable 2 Way Radio Model PRC-148 considering what it's capable of doing 30 to 512 MHz Frequency Coverage in one package with Type 1 COMSEC (DoD) Encryption / Decryption. The RACAL webpage states that you must have deep pocket assuming they mean $$$$$$$ and since the Encryption scheme is TYPE 1 COMSEC DoD. You've required to have a "current" NSA Top Secret Clearance too! The last time I inquired about a NSA Top Secret Clearance as it cost between $10.000.00 & $15,000.00 alone and you better have a dam good reason for the Clearance from our U.S. Federal Government as these are not just handed out on a whim. This PRC-148 will be something to ADD your wish list but I would be surprised if anyone will ever have the opportunity to own one or two besides our U.S. military.

[Cowthief]

Hello.

the radio I have is NOT the AN/PRC-148.
What I have is the non-NATO, non, US variant.
This radio does 25 MHz to 550 MHz.
It does the UN modes ONLY.
If it is super crispy critter classified mode of operation, this radio will not do it.
What it will do.
TETRA, yes, the european trunking format is supported.
Russian TacComm, the Soviets answer to SINCGARS.
SINCGARS 1 and 2, first level codes ONLY, (UN).
You could set the AN/PRC-148 and the UN model side by side, except for code loads the things are the same radio.
The Israeli military has a model of code build.
The French likewise have a code build just for them.
The British have an extended operations model in the works, the word on the street is that it will go to 900+ MHz, but can not be confirmed at this time.
Again, I do NOT have the AN/PRC model of this radio.
China wants to licence this radio ( Heartland ) for domestic production.
Where did I go to get this radio?
Canada.

[kmoose]

The French likewise have a code build just for them.

I wonder if it renders the radio inoperable, when it's owner drops it and runs?

[Cowthief]

Hello.

As expected, the AN/PRC 148 is now only a controlled item.
This means it can be exported, but it is in no way FCC approved for ANY service, including law enforcement, in the US.
https://secure.thalescomminc.com/datasheets/MBITR.pdf

[mancow]

I spoke with them about the clear model.

It is available to LEO's but as stated it's not type certified. I was told there are special licensing work arounds for it that are in place in certain areas with deep pockets.

Also, the clear model is the PRC-6809 not the PRC-148.

I was told they are in the 7 to 8 K range.

[rescue161]

We used the MBITRs at the unit I was stationed at in DC. I did not like them. They were huge and the antennas put a low-band MT500 whip to shame - Talk about long and inflexible.

They did what we needed them to do, but I always grabbed an Astro Saber (we had those too).

[mancow]

Really...! I figured they wouldn't be that much worse than a big saber.


I was watching the mil channel the other night and noticed everyone had them and they were using the tape antennas but they were all wadded up to about a foot in length. What good is that? Doesn't that kind of defeat the range and wouldn't the wideband whip even be better than a wadded up tape?

[evilbadperson]

The MBITR is available in a version without COMSEC or ECCM, as well as a version only capable of DES COMSEC. The DES COMSEC mode is compatible with non-XL SECURENET, if you run it at 12kbps instead of the default 16kbps. Interestingly enough, if you run two of them in back to back repeater mode with the right settings, they'll repeat SECURENET voice.

As a correction to what Cowthief said, there is no TETRA waveform available for that radio, though a P25 waveform is under development.

[evilbadperson]

We used the MBITRs at the unit I was stationed at in DC. I did not like them. They were huge and the antennas put a low-band MT500 whip to shame - Talk about long and inflexible.

They did what we needed them to do, but I always grabbed an Astro Saber (we had those too).

Our guys (Australian Defence Forces) prefer them to the alternative, which is a Plessey Raven-2V manpack

We generally deploy the MBITR at a squad/section level, with Marconi PRRs for intrasection communications.

[boomboy64]

Finally got to play with an MBITR a few weeks back for an exercise we had and while I liked the radio for its capabilities, the audio sucked. I don't know if it was a programming parameter or somesuch, but the audio out of the front speaker, regardless of what the manual said it should be, was pathetically low. The only way to get a decent volume was with the 'suction cup' to the side of the head, which was not really possible in our use.

Anyone else notice this?

Boomboy64

[rescue161]

I always thought the audio was comparable to that of a scanner.

[evilbadperson]

It sounds alright through a handset or headset, but yeah, the built in speaker is shit.