Siren Speaker Mounting Tip


If you are one to install equipment yourself or you work in an upfitting shop, you do need to keep some things in mind when going through the installation process.

In the case with some siren speakers, you need to pay attention to the markings and stickers that are on them. (They're not just there for decoration)

I only bring this up because we recently had to perform some re-work on a vehicle that was upfitted by another company. The vehicle had Code 3 C3900 Slim speakers mounted on it and the 'owner' was complaining that the siren no longer worked. After troubleshooting the problem, we quickly realized that the problem was with the speakers that were attached to the system and not the siren itself. Upon inspecting the speakers themselves, we also noticed that both speakers were mounted upside down.

These particular speakers state, in two places, the orientation in which they need to be mounted; one on the sticker located on top of the speaker and one located on the bottom front face of the speaker. In this case, orientation is important; since they were mounted upside-down, rainwater (and I'm also assuming water from car washes) was able to enter the speaker and was not able to drain. 

In a nutshell, not following the manufacturer's instructions was roughly a $260 mistake (and there is no telling how many other upfitted vehicles are suffering from the same mistake).


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ORM T-MARC cable FAQs


What is the T-MARC?


The ORM T-MARC stands for "Tactical Modular Antenna Relocation Cable". It is a cable that is specifically built to move a two-way radio antenna from on top of the radio to another location on the wearer's body.

Why would I need a T-MARC?

Often, when operators are using radio communications gear with VHF or Multi-Band radios, the antenna can measure between 6" and 16" tall. Depending on where the operator wishes to wear/place the two-way radio (usually when mounted on an exterior body armor carrier or plate carrier), the antenna can cause potential interference with visual line of sight, weapon manipulation, weapon placement, other gear, and dexterity; especially when transitioning from a standing position to a seated on (like when trying to sit in a vehicle). In order to alleviate these problems and offer a higher line of sight for radio communications, the T-MARC is routed through the exterior body armor carrier or plate carrier, one end of the cable is connected to the wearer's radio, and the antenna is connected to the other end (typically at a higher point on the body (i.e. shoulder area)). This provides a greater degree of freedom for the operator while helping eliminate interference and obstructions.


As seen on eBay? Want more options?

Chances are that you may have stumbled across one of our postings on eBay. Due to the "variation" restrictions that eBay imposes (due to their coding), we are not listing every option available on eBay. In order to get the full list of options available, you have to go to ORMOHIO.SHOP. We would much rather list them all on eBay but it's just not possible. 

If we end up selling on Amazon, it may be a similar situation.

How do I know what length T-MARC to buy?

The easiest way to measure for your T-MARC is to mount your radio in the position in which you wish to have it. Then take a piece of string or 550 cord (parachute cord) and run it from your radio, through the exterior body armor or plate carrier webbing, and up to one of your carrier's shoulders. Once the string is routed, mark the string and remove it from the carrier. Now you can measure the total length of string up to the mark that you made. That distance, in inches, is what you will place in the "cable length" box during ordering. 

You can also guesstimate on how much cable you will need. However, since the idea is to route the cable with as little exposed to prevent snagging, this method is not suggested.

What options are available for the T-MARC?

Options for different radio systems and colors are available to suit a wide variety of applications. Most of which are available at our store. If you do not see an option available, do not fret; just email us at sales@ormohio.com and we can make a custom cable for you.

Who is the T-MARC designed to be used by?

The T-MARC is primarily designed with law enforcement and military personnel in mind. With that said, the T-MARC can also be used by security and security contractor personnel, survivalists, as well as Airsoft, Paintball, and MilSim personnel. Basically, anyone that is using a radio communication system and is wearing gear that the antenna can attach to is able to use the T-MARC.

Is the T-MARC made with quality materials?

YES. We designed the T-MARC with emergency services personnel in mind and communications within that realm is crucial; in fact, their life depends on it. Because we want the T-MARC to operate flawlessly in adverse conditions and in high-stress environments, we only source high-quality, mil-spec materials from our vendors. We will never use cheap, counterfeit, or low-standard materials in our T-MARC cables.

Is the T-MARC made in the USA?

Yes. While some of our vendor components come from Germany or Japan, the T-MARC is 100% Made in the USA by skilled Americans that have a background in RF Communications.

Why is the T-MARC so cheap when compared to some of your competitors?

This is because of a couple of reasons.

First, we understand that we are operating in a niche market and our potential clientele is rather narrow compared to if we were selling a standard product to the masses. We also understand that, within this niche market, law enforcement or military personnel are often buying this type of gear out of their own pocket versus receiving it from their department or company. We would much rather be more available to our clientele and make a smaller profit than attempt to alienate our customer base and strive for larger profits.

Secondly, we employ a lean manufacturing process that offers us the ability to operate without a large overhead. While this means that it may take 3-5 days before your T-MARC ships, it also means that we can keep costs down since we are not buying components/equipment that is not required.

Finally, we are not spending a lot of money on advertising, marketing, and trade shows. All of these tactics allow us to produce a robust and quality product without having to charge an arm and a leg.

What radios will the T-MARC work with?

For the most part, if the radio has a removable antenna, a T-MARC will be able to be installed. Below is a partial list of applicable portable radios, if you have any questions about if a T-MARC will work with a particular radio that is not on this list, feel free to email us at sales@ormohio.com.

  • Motorola MT Series
  • Motorola Saber Series
  • Motorola XTS Series
  • Motorola APX Series
  • Harris AN/PRC 152
  • Harris XL Series
  • Thales AN/PRC 148
  • Kenwood TK Series
  • Kenwood NX Series
  • ICOM F4000 Series
  • ICOM F1000 Series
  • ICOM F3000 Series
  • ICOM F7000 Series
  • Vertex VX Series
  • Most BaoFeng portable radios
  • Most TYT portable radios
  • Retevis portable radios with removable antennae
  • TRI Tactical radio clones (TRI PRC 152, TRI PRC 148, etc)
We can also make custom cables for SINCGARS radios such as the RT-1439, RT-1523, RT-1523, AN/PRC-117, AN/PRC-119, and AN/PRC-154. Just email us with information concerning your particular application. 


Why do you ask for a Radio Model on the order form?

This is primarily set up as a fail-safe measure. With us knowing what radio you wish to use the T-MARC for, we can potentially catch an accidental connector option prior to building and shipping. 

For example, if you are wanting to get a T-MARC cable for a Motorola XTS5000, which uses an SMA-Female connector, and your selected option for the radio side connector is a TNC male, we can then email you to confirm your connector choice. Some people are not sure which connector to order (by the way, you can always as us before ordering) and we don't want you to open your T-MARC and then be disappointed because you can't use it due to the wrong connector being ordered/installed.

How long of a T-MARC cable can I order?

Typical T-MARC cables (that are physically worn) are between 12" and 48" in length. However, we technically have the ability to make custom cables up to 50 feet in length (orders for cables over 48" (4 feet) in length are custom and we must receive an email request since that length does change cable pricing). 

Keep in mind that we will contact you if you do order a T-MARC that is longer than 10 feet in length. We do this because we want to make sure that your order wasn't the result of a typo and we want to make sure that the requested length of cable is applicable to your end-use. After all, if you attempt to use a 5-watt radio with 50 feet of cable, the total signal loss involved basically cuts the radio output to 1.5 watts instead of the original 5w; you will not get the performance that you are wanting. 

Can I order a sleeving (braiding) color that is not on the list?

Yes. We have approximately 18 different color options that we can get from our vendor but we only listed and stock the 7 most common colors in our store. If you want a particular color from the following list (Airsofters and Paintballers), just email us and we can do a custom order for you.
  • ACU Digital
  • Acid Purple
  • Dayglow Yellow/Neon Green
  • Imperial Red
  • Multi Camo
  • Neon Green
  • Neon Orange
  • Neon Pink
  • Neon Turquoise
  • Neon Yellow
  • Royal Blue 


Is there a warranty on the T-MARC?

Due to the variable environments that the T-MARC can be deployed in, we offer a limited warranty on the T-MARC cable.

T-MARC cables are covered by a limited 12-month warranty. Warranty coverage is limited to defects in manufacturing or materials. Items physically damaged or when there is evidence of improper use are not covered under the product warranty. ORM does provide reasonable and discounted repair services for non-warranty repairs and do, on occasion and with prior approval, repair product manufactured by other companies as a courtesy to our customers.

Do you offer bulk T-MARC discounts?

Yes, we have a basic discount for 3 or more T-MARC cables available on our ORMOhio Store. If you are a government agency, police department, or military unit, contact us before submitting a bulk order and we may be able to grant you an additional discount for your order. 


Are the connectors available in black?

There are a couple 'black' connectors that we have found and we are currently testing them. So, while we may offer black connectors in the future, they are currently not available.





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AR-15 - The Facts and the Myths


Yet again, I find myself being pushed into a situation where I personally feel that I should address the elephants in the room. So far, I have seen tons of inaccurate and disingenuous information being spread on both sides of the fence and as I look through everything that I've come across, I personally feel that one of the biggest problems here is a lack of knowledge, lack of understanding and/or people being purposely misled.

Now, I consider this an open forum; if you wish to leave comments or questions below, please feel free to do so (I actually encourage it). This post and 'forum' is not for a political angle, I will not defame you, bully you, attempt to force you into agreeing with my views, I will not belittle you or anything of that nature for leaving comments or questions; that just not my nature and I believe that is one of the reasons why we are having this breakdown in communication. I will merely provide facts and personal experience here (from my time in the military, from being a law enforcement officer and from being in the private protective services field) and I do apologize if some parts may seem like a history lesson.


What is an Assault Rifle?

Personally, I do not care for this misnomer. Assault is a verb (or an action word) meaning to make a physical attack on someone or something. I understand that Merriam-Webster has it listed as a noun but I don't rightly understand how 'assault' could be a person, place or thing.
As far as the common vernacular, an assault rifle is a select-fire rifle (it features the ability to switch between functions such as semi-automatic, multiple round bursts, and fully automatic), that features an intermediate cartridge and detachable magazine, it is used by military personnel, select military contractors, and select law enforcement personnel.

Select Fire Information

When it comes to a select-fire weapon, the following information must be understood.

 - Semi-Automatic: One and only one round is fired every time the trigger is pulled.
 - Burst: (In the case of three round burst) three rounds are fired every time the trigger is pulled.
 - Fully Automatic: The firearm will fire for the duration that the trigger is depressed and will continue to fire until the trigger is released or the firearm runs out of ammunition.

Where did the term Assault Rifle come from?

I've seen where a lot of people attempt to blame modern day liberals for the 'designation' or introduction of the term "assault rifle" or "assault weapon" and this is really not true. The term 'assault rifle' actually comes from Nazi Germany during World War II with the creation of the Sturmgewehr Model 44. The word sturmgewehr actually translates to "assault rifle" and depending on which book you read, was given the name my Adolf Hitler himself. Whether it was Hitler, Goebbels or someone else within the Nazi party that named the Sturmgewehr 44, the basic naming convention and reasoning was due to propaganda; the Nazis had a habit of giving things names in order to try and instill fear in those who opposed them (i.e. Tiger, Storm Troopers (or Storm Detachment), Lightning War, Assault Rifle, etc.). 

Who can purchase an Assault Rifle?

The real question here should be, 'who can purchase a fully automatic weapon (or machine gun)?' and this is an easy question to ask, but a difficult question to answer. Technically, persons (private citizens) who are not disqualified by current laws, could theoretically purchase a fully automatic weapon. Now, since I've heard a collective gasp through the computer from the people that think this is absolutely absurd, it's not even close to being an easy task (not legally, black market sales is a completely different demon that we'll try to cover later).

Before I cover the disqualifiers and restrictions involved with purchasing a 'machine gun', if you believe that I am blowing smoke up your tailpipe on this, feel free to walk into your nearest firearm retailer and tell them that you wish to purchase a machine gun. I'm pretty sure that they will either laugh you out of the store, show you the door or possibly even call the police on you because it is not something that is commonly requested.

There are four big things that must be in place before ownership is even remotely possible.
  1. The purchaser cannot be a 'prohibited person'.
  2. The firearm in question must have been manufactured prior to 1986.
  3. The purchaser's state must allow the firearm in question.
  4. The purchaser better have a lot of time to wait and very deep pockets.

"Prohibited Persons"

If you wish to try and apply for a 'machine gun', none of the following can apply to you.
  • convicted felon
  • has been convicted of any crime punishable by more than a year in prison (whether or not they were ever sentenced to or served a day in prison)
  • is under indictment for any crime punishable by more than a year in prison
  • is a fugitive
  • is an unlawful user of any controlled substance
  • has been adjudicated as a mental defective
  • has been committed to a mental institution
  • is an illegal alien
  • has a dishonorable discharge from the military
  • has renounced their U.S. citizenship
  • is the subject of a restraining order restraining the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or the child of an intimate partner
  • who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence

Pre-1986 Manufacture Date

You can't just go down to the local gun shop and request a brand new SCAR-L that the military uses. Any person who wished to obtain a 'machine gun' must find one that was manufactured prior to 1986, anything after that date is not permitted. 

State Laws are still in effect

If the state in which you live prohibits the ownership of a particular 'machine gun', you won't be getting it, plain and simple.

Time and Money

We'll say for the sake of argument that you are not a 'prohibited person', you found a person or place that will sell you a pre-1986 automatic firearm and your particular state does not prohibit the ownership, you are still not finished. 

You will have to fill out a BATFE Form 4 application, you will also have to cough up $200 for your tax (to receive a tax stamp for the firearm), have your fingerprints taken, turn over a passport style photo of yourself, shell out the $12,000+ for a 30+ year old firearm (no that is not a typo, I did just write twevle thousand dollars plus) and wait almost a year, if not more to see if the BATFE approves your application (in which they can deny for any reason), then if all of that passes, then you can have your 'machine gun'.

Doesn't AR in AR-15 stand for Assault Rifle or Automatic Rifle?

No, the designation AR in AR-15 actually stands for Armalite Rifle, the company that originally designed the platform. 

Why are AR-15s so popular?

This is a 'to each their own' answer, but they are popular for many reasons. Some of these reasons are as follows:
  • They are easy to maintain.
  • They are easy to learn how to use.
  • The ammunition is relatively inexpensive when compared to some other rifle calibers
  • The recoil is relatively minimal.
  • They can be tailored to different styles of shooting (i.e. hunting, competition, home defense, etc).
  • They are not outrageously expensive.
  • They are reliable (providing that they are maintained).
  • Familiarity - Many veterans (myself included) go to the AR platform after leaving the military because the form and function are similar to what we are used to.

Aren't AR-15s extremely powerful?

Not exactly. The projectile that is fired from an AR-15 is only 0.001" larger in diameter when compared to a .22LR caliber projectile and it has similar recoil (kick). When compared to other rifle calibers (such as the 7.62 x 51mm (or .308 Winchester), the .300 Blackout, the .30-06 Springfield, the 6.8mm Remington, etc) the ballistic performance of the .223 (or 5.56 Nato) round that is fired from the AR-15 is not as powerful. 

Well isn't the AR-15 more dangerous than a handgun?

In my opinion, that is a yes and no answer. Yes, any carbine or rifle is potentially more 'dangerous' than a pistol. The speed of the projectile is faster and the energy is typically higher. However, an AR-15 is harder to conceal when compared to a pistol just because of the size. Moreover, any type of firearm is dangerous even small pocket-sized Derringers.

Why are we always seeing AR-15s used in shootings or in the news?

I can't give you an answer to this question without speculating. Personally, I feel that this is a combination of things coming together. The news is always going to capitalize on shootings like Parkland, Las Vegas, Sandy Hook, and Columbine because of the hard fact that death and destruction sells. It's the same reason why if you watch the news, out of a 35-minute news broadcast, maybe only 5-8 minutes of total time is 'positive' news; the rest is death, drugs, destruction, corruption, and violence...it's what sells and keeps the ratings up.

If you look at things from a statistical manner, the numbers say the complete opposite of what people have been saying as of late...that AR-15s are the problem.

Statistics

If we look at the 2013 Expanded Homicide Data Table from the FBI for example, there were 12,253 murders in the US and 8,454 were from firearms. Out of the 8,454 firearms that were used to commit murder, only 285 were listed as rifles and 123 were listed as 'other guns'. Unfortunately, 1,956 of those firearms are a mystery because they do not know what kind of firearm was used. However, we do know that at least 5,782 of the 8,454 murders were at the end of a pistol, not a rifle or an AR-15. 

Common Logic

According to the aforementioned stats, why are pistols predominantly used to commit a crime? It all comes down to common logic within the criminal community. A criminal (or person who is planning on committing a crime) is going to want something that they can easily conceal away from the people around them. Walking down the street with a shotgun or rifle will automatically draw attention from the public; this is something that most criminals do not want. After all, their end goal is to try to get away with their crime, not be sitting in lock-up waiting to go to court.

Doesn't an AR-15 shoot 700-800 rounds per minute?

No, and I really wish that Representative Alan Grayson would have at least talked to people who actually have experience with firearms before opening his mouth. The number that he decided to throw out there could have come from certain automatic rifle cyclic rating statistics but it is not close to being accurate for a semi-automatic firearm like the AR-15. For example, the cyclic rate of fire rating for an automatic M4 Carbine (military service rifle) is 700-950 rpm (rounds per minute), an AK-47 is 600 rpm, an H&K G3 is 500-600 rpm, and even an FN M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (which is belt fed) is only 800 rpm. The numbers that have been listed above are basically the maximum number of rounds that those weapons could fire if reloading was never a factor, the weapon was in perfect working condition, it was properly lubricated, it was free of dirt and gunk and the barrel didn't start to deform and distort from the heat generated from rapid fire. 

Well then, how many rounds per minute can someone shoot a firearm (AR-15)?

To be honest, this depends on many factors and there is no easy, concrete number(s). From personal experience around 40-45 rounds per minute for me, which is about the same number as when firing a pistol. Granted, this isn't a movie or a video game and I don't just try and spray crap all over the place hoping that you hit your target in the process. If you factor some idiot who is attempting the 'spray and pray' method, I'm guessing that the number could theoretically be in the 100-120 rounds per minute range. However, that is not factoring nerves, adrenaline, reloading time, magazine size, firearm control, stoppages, etc; all of which can greatly modify that number, by reducing it. 

Why do you even need an AR-15, you can't hunt with it...

Says who? I know several people that use the AR platform, chambered in different calibers, to hunt a variety of animals. I've seen them used to hunt vermin such as squirrels, rabbits, groundhogs, beavers, porcupines, possums, rats, coyotes, wild boars, feral dogs, wolves, badgers and even a snake. Additionally, because an AR platform can be chambered in different calibers, I've also seen it used to hunt deer and elk.

But AR-15s are easy to modify...

Well yes, that is part of the reason why they are popular. However, when most people (who are not familiar with firearms) hear this statement, they automatically assume that we are talking about modifying it to be some super gun and that simply isn't the case. With an AR-15, you have the ability to switch out the grips (furniture), you can add optics (such as a red dot, an ACOG, a telescopic scope) or you can take them off, you can get longer and/or heavier barrels, put a different buttstock on it and you can even change the caliber for some (.223/5.56mm to .22LR conversion for example). However, you can't attach a chainsaw to the front of it (thanks, CNN), you can't change out a little pin and make it fire 900 rounds per minute (that concept is much more involved and is also a felony to do so) and you can't make it shoot around corners. 

An AR-15 is basically what the military uses.

Yes, it is basically a semi-automatic version of our military's rifles, the M16, and the M4. 

The military went with the AR-15/M16 because it is a killing machine...

 This is a really misleading comment. First off, every weapon ever devised by man can be a killing machine; even the gallows, by definition is a form of killing machine. Aside from the poor wording used here, originally, the military didn't want the AR-10/AR-15/M16. Many generals within the government wanted to stick with the M14 and did everything they could to prevent the introduction of the AR-15/M16 to the forces within the military; including citing reliability concerns, under-penetration, maintenance requirements and lack of 'hitting' or 'knock down' power. In the end (and to make a long story short), between the cost savings and weight savings, the military did contract the M16 to be the primary service rifle. There are a couple good documentaries out there, about the M16, that explains all of this in much more detail...including a couple about the designer Eugene Stoner.

We should just ban AR-15s and we wouldn't have so many mass shootings...

This is nowhere even close to being factual or logical. Banning one style of firearm will not change anything but the delivery of the end result. For a very simple example, if you are out to lunch and no forks are available, chances are that you will improvise by using a different object to get the job done (whether it is a spoon, spork, chopsticks, fingers, whatever). The same problem arises when discussing the concept of mass shooting numbers will fall if a particular style of a firearm is banned. 

Additionally, I also see two very big problems with actually banning the AR-15; one is the dark web and the other is profiteers. The dark web is an extremely deep rabbit hole where, if most people knew what was on it, they would probably lose their minds. Firearms is one of the many different things that are available on that virtual black market. Keep in mind here, none of these are regulated, there are no background checks, there are no fingerprinting or ID checks, it is 100% anonymous and it is available to anyone that can find it and has the money. The other issue (profiteers) would be the influx of illegal weapons brought into the country from South America and abroad. I technically see cartels from Central and South America capitalizing on the gun trade if items were no longer available. My theory is basically the same as Canada and alcohol during prohibition, only now it would be Cartels and weapons.
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