On the path to programming radios? Specifically EMS/PD/Fire Radios.
1. What do I need?
2. Where can I get books on it?
3. And any thing else I need to know.
For most radios (except the field programmable ones), you will need the following:
Computer
software
interface cable and maybe RIB (radio interface box)
knowledge of frequencies to be programmed
The software is pretty self explanatory, so there aren't a lot of books on the subject.
Without knowing which manufacturer and model of radio you're talking about, I can't get any more specific.
I would strongly recommend that you avoid purchasing the equipment from places like eBay because you do NOT receive licensed copies of the software. Some radio manufacturers have been know to go after the end user of their programming software for copyright violations.
every manufacturer has their own proprietary software and aforementioned cables. to really be "in the business" you'd need to have the software and cables for all the brands.
you get licensed copies from the manufacturer, after paying ridiculous fees(licensing fees and annual update fees).
is this a business your thinking of starting or for personal use? if its a business, you really need to look at whether theres going to be enough of a customer base to support your endeavor. if its just for personal use, i can tell you first hand its not worth it. there are certain brands that are user programmable without a whole lot of hassle. if you want to be able to change your freq's and configurations on the fly, stick with those.
every manufacturer has their own proprietary software and aforementioned cables. to really be "in the business" you'd need to have the software and cables for all the brands.
you get licensed copies from the manufacturer, after paying ridiculous fees(licensing fees and annual update fees).
is this a business your thinking of starting or for personal use? if its a business, you really need to look at whether theres going to be enough of a customer base to support your endeavor. if its just for personal use, i can tell you first hand its not worth it. there are certain brands that are user programmable without a whole lot of hassle. if you want to be able to change your freq's and configurations on the fly, stick with those.
My point about eBay wasn't that you couldn't find the required stuff, but I'm willing to be you can't find LEGAL copies of the software.
Bryan, here's another thing to consider. Just because you have a radio, and have it programmed to public safety frequencies, does not give you the ability to transmit on those frequencies. There are steps you can go through to get permission to do so, but it generally involves an agency giving you permission to operate on their license. Legally without this permission, the only thing you could do with it is turn it into an expensive scanner.
well its certaintly not the cheapest solution but its not my money your spending so have at it.
you'll need the cables(can be had on ebay) and the software(depending on manufacturer, might not be available at all). after that, id start saving money for your lawsuit and fines. as previously mentioned, big M will go after single end users.
