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Now that we have our VHF/UHF dual band digital transceiver for our OEM, our next goal will be 3 or 4 HT's.
Since our County OEM is really pushing D-Star, we will be getting D-Star HT's as well.
I'm recommending we go with the IC-92AD over the other two models for the following reasons....
Mil.Spec. and submersible construction.
The option of the GPS speaker/mic...(which I insist we also get)
the IC-91AD is not submersible, and there is no option for the GPS speaker/mic. The new IC-80AD is also not submersible. Since these radios will most likely see the worst of conditions, I strongly feel "submersible" is a deffinite feature we need.

I'm looking for opinions from those who have and use this model HT.
General ease of programming and use....
How well it works over all...
How well has it held up....(any serious problems)....
How well the Li-ion battery has held up....
How well the GPS works, and the speaker mic....(assuming you got that option)....

Pretty much anything you can offer.....I'm all ears....

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37OH - SSV - O773H

Well...

I use the 91AD which is the exact same radio as the 92AD less mil/water specs and the GPS mike..

However i know it works quite well..
I keep thinking of getting the 92AD as well for same reasons you are about to get it for..

the newer lower end model i would not consider (80AD)

as far as programming goes..
it is the same as the ID800 you have..

As far as battery life is...
Could be better...in DStar mode maybe 4.5 to 5 hours..
However in analogue mode about 5.5 to 6 hours..

Their batteries are good...However make sure you have at least one back up per 92AD you buy ( i always have 4 fully charged batteries as well as a special battery i got from W&W batteries in long island...so i know i easily have 30 hours of hand held DStar HT use if is needed)

The approach I was looking to take was getting the "AA" battery case for each radio. I would rather have a standard Li-Ion backup battery for each unit, but I'm also looking to cut cost per unit so I can get more units in the field. With the cost of the backup batteries being in the $100.00 range, and the "AA" battery case being in the $40.00 range, spread out over 4 units, it could be the difference between getting only 2 units compared to getting maybe 4.
Once the money has been budgeted for OEM, and I know what I can spend, I'll decide then if I can substitute the standard Li-Ion backup batteries for the "AA" battery case.
We're presently looking into a County grant to purchase amateur radio equipment, depending on how much money they grant us will determine which direction I go with this. I'm hoping they dump enough money in our direction to purchase at least 4 fully equipped IC-92AD's with a GPS speaker/mic, and Standard backup battery, then have enough money left over to buy an IC-718, with an AH-4 automatic antenna tuner, and a Heil PR-781 desk mic with foot switch. That is the plan anyway, but with the economy the way it is, we might not get enough money to pull it off.....

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37OH - SSV - O773H

FYI
Using the BP-257 battery pack lowers the output to 100mW maximum.

Page 12 of the 92 manual.

Thanks man, that piece of information changes everything......

__________________
37OH - SSV - O773H

The AA batteries are nearly useless...lol

I dispatched an inner city e-mail to the director informing him of that, and laid out the cost per unit with a standard Li-ion backup battery....

If our repeater is down and I establish simplex communications between the command center and any one of our fall out shelters, there's no way in hell I'll be able to hear them on 100 mili-watts. I was hoping to save the city taxpayers a few bucks, but sometimes that doesn't always pan out in the over all scheme of things....

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37OH - SSV - O773H

I have to look up the model..
However..

W&W batteries ( located on long island) sells a Great battery pack.
I forget..but cost be $60 or $70 each pack..
Anyways...it lasts a easy 12 hours in digital mode..

It comes with its own wall charger and can also be charged in car via cigarette lighter

If I was buying this radio myself for my own use I would seriously look into that KingCobra, but all this stuff for OEM has to be purchased through state approved contractors, and for us here in the Sorprano State, that means either KJI Electronics, or HRO, we deal with HRO.
Our other consideration is, if we use a non Icom aftermarket battery, and the radio suffers from moisture intrusion, will it void the warranty on the radio, and with these units costing well over $400.00 each, that's not a risk I'm willing to take. Again, if it was "my" radio then I would risk it because I would know to be a little more cautious about getting it wet with the aftermarket battery, but most of these radios will be distributed to what will more than likely be newly licensed hams, who will be taking them out into Nor'Easters and Hurricanes on assignments to our various fall out shelters, and search & rescue missions, these radios will get wet in a big way....
Having two fully charged standard Icom Li-ion batteries should be more than enough, plus they will be given the wall chargers if they are going to be deployed for a long stay at a fall out shelter, all these places have backup generators so the radios can be kept on charge while they use them.

I'm going to look up W&W though, if I get one of these IC-92AD's issued to me as my own radio to keep, I will look into an extended life battery for it....

Thanks for the info......

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37OH - SSV - O773H

Gene from KJI can get those W&W battery packs i am speaking of
as well as get other types..

It would not in any way void any Icom warranties..

Gene from KJI can confirm that