RadioReference on Facebook   RadioReference on Twitter   RadioReference Blog
 

Go Back   The RadioReference.com Forums > Commercial and Professional Radio > Motorola Forum


Motorola Forum For general discussion of Motorola land mobile radio equipment and their trunking technologies.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 02-19-2013, 12:13 AM
CommJunkie's Avatar
Member
  Premium Subscriber
Premium Subscriber
Amateur Radio Operator
Amateur Radio
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Delaware County, PA
Posts: 587
Default MCS2000 cable

Looking at picking up an MCS2000. Is the programming cable the same pinout as the Waris series? Or do I need to spend the 20 bucks for a new one?
__________________
Reply With Quote
Sponsored links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 02-19-2013, 3:37 AM
RodStrong's Avatar
Member
  Shack Photos
Shack photos
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 927
Default

I would recommend you buy this

Programming Rib Cable Motorola MCS2000 VHF UHF RKN4063A | eBay

Good luck.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 02-19-2013, 6:01 AM
KG4INW's Avatar
Member
  Premium Subscriber
Premium Subscriber
Amateur Radio Operator
Amateur Radio
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Midlothian, VA
Posts: 712
Default

You can very easily/cheaply make one http://www.batlabs.com/images/mcs2000.gif
__________________
How many radios can one man own? Don't ask stupid questions.
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 02-19-2013, 10:02 AM
Member
   
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
Posts: 673
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RodStrong View Post
I would recommend you buy this

Programming Rib Cable Motorola MCS2000 VHF UHF RKN4063A | eBay

Good luck.
I actually use this cable, & others from Kurt. They are well made, & reliable. However, I have 2 front mount MCS radios, & a 100 watt trunk mount. The cable works fine with the front mount radio, but for some strange reason, it won't work with the trunk mount radio. I had Kurt make me a special cable that programs through the acc jack instead of the mike jack. Works great. I believe the MCS uses it's own cable that doesn't work with other radios.
__________________
GARY N4KVE

Last edited by MOONBOOTS; 02-19-2013 at 10:17 AM..
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 02-19-2013, 11:16 AM
MTS2000des's Avatar
Member
  Amateur Radio Operator
Amateur Radio
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Atlanta, GA.
Posts: 1,380
Default

What Gary said, the CDM/GM300 cable will NOT work with the MCS2000.
I use an old Polaris cable myself, can't say it will work with the trunk mount MCS radios, I've only ever owned/programmed dash mount versions.

FWIW, the Polaris cable appears to use the pinouts of the Batlabs schematic from what I can see underneath the hood on the DB-25 connector.
__________________
All opinions, statements, posts, or information made public are those exclusively of the author, and not those of his employer, contractors or associates.
Reply With Quote
Sponsored links
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 02-19-2013, 11:57 AM
uniden278's Avatar
Member
  Premium Subscriber
Premium Subscriber
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Winthrop, MA
Posts: 65
Send a message via AIM to uniden278
Default

The Kawamall radio-RIB cable on eBay is what I'm using right now and it works flawlessly for both front mount and remote mount programming. I also use their aftermarket RIB with about 200 programming cycles and no issues whatsoever. Prices are quite reasonable. I'd link you but I'm limited on my work computer.
__________________
Too many radios to list!
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 02-19-2013, 12:43 PM
Member
   
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: In the 'patch
Posts: 1,413
Default

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; CPU OS 6_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/536.26 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0 Mobile/10A523 Safari/8536.25)

I recommend RFGuys out of Vancouver BC. Their prices are a bit higher, but their support is second to none. I will not buy another cable from any other source ever agin.
__________________
Interoperatablity is not a technology it is an attitude!!!
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 02-19-2013, 1:09 PM
Skypilot007's Avatar
Member
  Shack Photos
Shack photos
Audio Feed Provider
Audio Feed Provider
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Medford, NJ
Posts: 1,445
Default

I've been using the Kawamall cable with a motorola RIB box for my dash mounts for many years with no issues. Also if you're using a ribless cable for your waris series radios you will need a RIB for the MCS radios. There are no ribless cables that I'm aware of for MCS2000 radios.
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 02-19-2013, 6:14 PM
CommJunkie's Avatar
Member
  Premium Subscriber
Premium Subscriber
Amateur Radio Operator
Amateur Radio
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Delaware County, PA
Posts: 587
Default

Thanks everyone for the help.
__________________
Reply With Quote
Sponsored links
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 02-19-2013, 6:39 PM
Member
   
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Puget Sound
Posts: 511
Default

For what it is worth, the last couple of times I tryed rfguys, I did not get good service.

The first time took three weeks for cable to arrive and I am only a max three day mail service, and they do not answer your e-mails.

On the 5th of Feb I ordered a cable and now on the 19th it is still not here and after three email thru ebay and three more thu another address they still do not respond.

I will not use rfguys again, period...

I use kawamall, affordableradio, and empire_wireless for all my cables and they are all good responers.
Reply With Quote
  #11 (permalink)  
Old 02-19-2013, 7:54 PM
CommJunkie's Avatar
Member
  Premium Subscriber
Premium Subscriber
Amateur Radio Operator
Amateur Radio
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Delaware County, PA
Posts: 587
Default

Most of the cables I have came from kawamall. Never had any problems.
__________________
Reply With Quote
  #12 (permalink)  
Old 02-20-2013, 4:41 AM
RodStrong's Avatar
Member
  Shack Photos
Shack photos
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 927
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MOONBOOTS View Post
I actually use this cable, & others from Kurt. They are well made, & reliable. However, I have 2 front mount MCS radios, & a 100 watt trunk mount. The cable works fine with the front mount radio, but for some strange reason, it won't work with the trunk mount radio. I had Kurt make me a special cable that programs through the acc jack instead of the mike jack. Works great.
That's interesting. I deal with mostly model II high watt remote mounts, but do mess with several 25 watt model I's and some dash mount model II's. I guess I have been lucky as I have never had that issue.

I also have used several Kawa cables over the years, and they have worked well. Wouldn't hesitate to buy them again, and likely will at some point. Overall though, head to head, I think the MRE cables are more durable and are of a better quality.

Now, if someone out there would come out with a ribless MCS2000 cable (hint, hint radio nerds), my life would be much more complete. I've been waiting for years.
Reply With Quote
  #13 (permalink)  
Old 02-20-2013, 5:27 PM
cmdrwill's Avatar
Member
   
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: So Cali
Posts: 450
Default

The Spectra ribless cable is much the same, just need to change to the 25 pin connector.

Some RIB's do not work well with the MCS radios. Even the factory OEM Motorola ones.

MCS2000 RIB to 25 pin cable: http://batlabs.com/images/mcs2k25.gif
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 4:45 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2013, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
All information here is Copyright 2012 by RadioReference.com LLC and Lindsay C. Blanton III.Ad Management by RedTyger
Copyright 2011 by RadioReference.com LLC Privacy Policy  |  Terms and Conditions