[G2 and Desire Z Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] jashsu:
Here is a comparison of where our two radio logs diverge (I'm referencing your no-sim log):

http://gist.github.com/626698

Short snippets:

My successful radio association

D/RILJ ( 1549): [0004]< BASEBAND_VERSION 12.22.60.09bU_26.02.01.15_M2
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01\r\n0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)>> AT+CGSN\r
D/RILJ ( 1549): [0005]< GET_IMEI
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01\r\n0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)>> AT+CPMS="SM","SM","SM"\r
D/RILJ ( 1549): [0006]< GET_IMEISV
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)<< +CPMS: 11,30,11,30,11,30\r\n0\r
D/RILJ ( 1549): [0007]> OPERATOR
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)>> AT+CPIN?\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)<< +CPIN: READY\r\n0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_imsi():called
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_chk_pb_state_until_ready():called
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)>> AT+CIMI\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_curr_operator_name():called
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)<< 310260~~~~~~~~~\r\n0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_msisdn():called
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)>> AT+CRSM=192,28480,0,0,0\r
D/RILJ ( 1549): [0008]> GPRS_REGISTRATION_STATE
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_gprs_reg_state():called
D/RILJ ( 1549): [0009]> REGISTRATION_STATE
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_gsm_cdma_reg_state():called
D/RILJ ( 1549): [0010]> QUERY_NETWORK_SELECTION_MODE
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_network_select_mode():called
D/RILJ ( 1549): [0011]> GET_CURRENT_CALLS
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_call_list():called
D/GSM ( 1549): Baseband version: 12.22.60.09bU_26.02.01.15_M2
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)<< +CRSM: 144,0,000000786F40040011F5550102011E\r\n0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)>> AT+CRSM=178,28480,1,4,30\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)<< +CRSM: 144,0,4D736973646E31FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF078~~~~~~~~~~~F7FFFFFFFFFFFF\r\n0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)>> AT+CPBS="SM"\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)<< 0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)>> AT+CPBS?\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287044490)<< +CPBS: "SM",15,250\r\n0\r
E/HTC_RIL ( 1359): cust_table_create():failed to open customized operator name table
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_chk_eons():called
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_chk_cphs_ons():called
D/RILB ( 1549): Notifying: SIM ready
D/RILJ ( 1549): [UNSL]< UNSOL_RESPONSE_RADIO_STATE_CHANGED SIM_READY
D/RILJ ( 1549): [0012]> OPERATOR
D/RILJ ( 1549): [0013]> GPRS_REGISTRATION_STATE

Failed radio association

D/RILJ ( 1535): [0004]< BASEBAND_VERSION 12.22.60.09bU_26.02.01.15_M2
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01\r\n0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)>> AT+CGSN\r
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0005]< GET_IMEI
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01\r\n0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)>> AT+CPMS="SM","SM","SM"\r
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0006]< GET_IMEISV
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)<< +CMS ERROR: 500\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): req_rsp_pair_retry_default():(0, 0x00000000) 1-th retries
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)>> AT+CPIN?\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)<< +CPIN: READY\r\n0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_imsi():called
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_chk_pb_state_until_ready():called
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)>> AT+CIMI\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)<< +CME ERROR: 14\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): req_rsp_pair_retry_default():(0, 0x00000000) 1-th retries
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)>> AT+CPBS="SM"\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)<< 0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)>> AT+CPBS?\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)<< 0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): req_rsp_pair_retry_default():(0, 0x00000000) 1-th retries
D/STK ( 1535): StkService: ril message arrived
D/STK ( 1535): CommandParamsFactory: process SelectItem
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0007]> OPERATOR
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_curr_operator_name():called
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0007]< OPERATOR error: com.android.internal.telephony.CommandException: OP_NOT_ALLOWED_BEFORE_REG_NW
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0008]> GPRS_REGISTRATION_STATE
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_gprs_reg_state():called
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)>> AT+CGREG?\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)<< +CGREG: 1,0\r\n0\r
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0009]> REGISTRATION_STATE
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0008]< GPRS_REGISTRATION_STATE {0, null, null, 0}
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_gsm_cdma_reg_state():called
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)>> AT+CREG?\r
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0010]> QUERY_NETWORK_SELECTION_MODE
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)<< +CREG: 2,0\r\n0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_network_select_mode():called
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)>> AT+COPS=3,2;+COPS?\r
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0009]< REGISTRATION_STATE {0, null, null, 0, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null}
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)<< +CME ERROR: 30\r
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0011]> GET_CURRENT_CALLS
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): get_nwsel_mode_rsp_handler():fail to get network select mode!
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0010]< QUERY_NETWORK_SELECTION_MODE error: com.android.internal.telephony.CommandException: OP_NOT_ALLOWED_BEFORE_REG_NW
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_get_call_list():called
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)>> AT+CLCC\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)<< 0\r
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0011]< GET_CURRENT_CALLS
D/GSM ( 1535): Baseband version: 12.22.60.09bU_26.02.01.15_M2
D/STK ( 1535): StkService: SET_UP_MENU
D/STK ( 1535): StkService: TERMINAL RESPONSE: 810301250082028281830100
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0012]> REQUEST_STK_SEND_TERMINAL_RESPONSE
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): ril_func_stk_send_terminal_response():called
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)>> AT+GTKR=810301250082028281830100\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)<< 0\r
D/RILJ ( 1535): [0012]< REQUEST_STK_SEND_TERMINAL_RESPONSE
E/GSM ( 1535): Wrong network type: 0
E/GSM ( 1535): Wrong network type: 0
D/GSM ( 1535): Poll ServiceState done: oldSS=[3 home null null null Unknown CSS not supported -1 -1RoamInd: -1DefRoamInd: -1EmergOnly: false] newSS=[1 home null null null Unknown CSS not supported -1 -1RoamInd: -1DefRoamInd: -1EmergOnly: false] oldGprs=1 newGprs=1 oldType=unknown newType=unknown
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010699)%% +GTKI: \r\n
D/RILJ ( 1535): [UNSL]< UNSOL_STK_SESSION_END
D/STK ( 1535): StkService: ril message arrived
D/STK ( 1535): StkService: SESSION END
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010700)>> AT+CPMS="SM","SM","SM"\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010700)<< +CMS ERROR: 500\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): req_rsp_pair_retry_default():(0, 0x00000000) 2-th retries
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010700)>> AT+CIMI\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010700)<< +CME ERROR: 14\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): req_rsp_pair_retry_default():(0, 0x00000000) 2-th retries
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010700)>> AT+CPBS="SM"\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010700)<< 0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010700)>> AT+CPBS?\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010700)<< 0\r
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): req_rsp_pair_retry_default():(0, 0x00000000) 2-th retries
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010701)%% +CREG: 3\r\n
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010701)%% +CGREG: 3\r\n
D/HTC_RIL ( 1359): (t=1287010701)>> AT+UPSC\r
D/RILJ ( 1535): [UNSL]< UNSOL_RESPONSE_NETWORK_STATE_CHANGED

One thing I noticed is your log has a lot of STK (sim toolkit) entries, particularly unsolicited STK messages. Is this a brand new t-mo sim you are using? Was it ever activated on the t-mo network?