Motorola Saber and Systems Saber

Buying used Saber and Systems Saber radios can be tricky. Every radio is marked with a model number and an ID number. If the model number begins with: H9, you must refer to the ID number to know what radio you are dealing with. Even with the proper number, you still have to determine the band split to see if it's useful to amateur radio. This cannot be determined from the model number or the ID number. In order to determine the band split you MUST either read the radio with the radio software or physically disassemble the radio and look at internal part numbers.

Bands and Band Splits

The Saber comes in three bands. VHF High, VHF Mid-band and UHF.

Mid-Band

Splits:  66 - 84MHz and 74 - 88MHz

The VHF Mid-band radio is USELESS for Amateur Radio.

VHF High-Band

Splits:

136 -150.8MHz - Best for Amateur Radio, but hard to find.

146 - 174MHz - Works OK for Amatuer Radio  

146 - 162MHz - Works OK for Amateur Radio (I have one)

148 - 174MHz - Useless for Amateur Radio and it's model number will start with "H33" beware of "H33"

157 - 174MHz - Useless for Amateur Radio 

UHF

 Splits:

403 - 433MHz - Marginally* usable for Amateur Radio in the U.S., but are usable for repeaters in Europe. Beware of US Government surplus radios, they are usually this split. (I got 6 of 'em)

440 - 470MHz - PERFECT for use with U.S. Amateur Radio repeaters.

458 - 490MHz - USELESS for Amateur Radio

482 - 512MHz - USELESS for Amateur Radio

*403-433 or "Government Split" radios are almost always US Government surplus. This split is usable for several Amateur Radio uses, but not for U.S. repeaters. They can be "hacked" up to about 436MHz, but it is still no where near the repeater portion of the 70cm band. They do however have a number of uses for Amateur Radio in the U.S..

403-433 split radios are usable for European amateur repeaters. For instance: in Finland repeaters are within 434.600 - 434.975 with -1.6 or -2.0 MHz split for input frequency. And in Germany there's same output frequency band for repeaters but -7.6 MHz split. Thanks to Jussi OH2GLG of Finland for providing this additional insight.

1. Repeater links. --- The 10 meter (or 6 meter) repeater you've always wanted, but didn't have the "King's Ransom" to buy the duplexers with can be built as a Split-Site repeater and you can use 403-433 radio to link the sites. You can also do conventional repeater linking with these radios too.

2. Repeater Control. --- This is a way to deal with those pesky repeater hackers that transmit strings of DTMF tones until your repeater does something you don't want it to do. If you put the control link down around 425MHz, the hackers probably won't have a radio capable of going that low, nevermind finding the actual frequency if you don't give it out. To further frustrate the hackers, the Saber will also do DPL and Inverse DPL. Only a few ham radios will do DPL and non will do inverse DPL. You will need a Systems Saber III since you will have to be able to send free-form DTMF tones and this is the ONLY Saber that will let you do it.

3. Vehicular Repeater --- Since the 403-433 radios can easily get 25MHz away from most 440MHz repeater inputs, you can make an in-band PAC (or Extender in GE-speak). If you live in a place with a vast network of linked repeaters, you can also use two of these (in separate vehicles) to bridge a gap between repeaters should the link system go down during an emergency.

3. Special Events --- They make a great hand-out radio for simplex talking at special events. A gang charger helps keep everybody in fresh batteries and since the radios won't go into the repeater portion of the band, the chances of getting all your radios back at the end of the day is greatly increased. 

4. Amateur Television --- These radios cover the ATV band and are just fine for ATV audio.

5. Propagation Beacons --- These radios cover that band too.

6. DX --- They cover the calling channel 432.100MHz.

7. Tropo Scatter --- It could work?

8. Satellite --- It covers this band too! I'll bet you just chompin' at the bit to talk with someone who has been cooped-up in the International Space Station for a few months as well.

9. EME --- It could work?

10. Electronic Warfare --- Years ago, there was New York City cop in foot chase with some non-descript crook and the crook was getting away. In a fit of rage the cop threw his Saber at the fleeing suspect. The suspect was hit in the back of the head with Saber and was killed.

Happy Bidding!

73,

N2RDP