Motorola Astro Spectra for ham use

[TMGRN901]

Hello all,
I have a Motorola Astro Spectra VHF that im wanting to use on the 138-144 band and well as the 148-174 band. is there any way to do this?

 

[jhal94]

You would have to hex edit the programming software to bump it down or up to what you want. A 146-174mhz model should be able to go down to at least 140. A 136-162mhz model should also be able to go up to 168-170. Anymore out of the threshold though and the radio wont work.

Look up "hex edit" on here for further info.

If you do this and read it on a different computer make sure that software is edited too or it will freak out.

 

[Skypilot007]

If you look on the ID# on the radio label it will tell you what exact band split you have. It will begin with an M for mobile radio. The 4 character will tell you the band split. If it is a J split (136-162MHz) you are in luck and no hex editing would be required to cover the ham band. If it is a K split (146-178 MHz) you may need to hex edit the programming software as mentioned to get it down to 144-145Mhz.

Here is a link to the chart with the break down of the radios ID#.
Astro Mobiles

 

[W0JJK]

With the last CPS I just enter the frequency like 145.43 and it takes it.

When I go to program, it warns me of out of band frequency. I click OK and it programs it.

 

[TMGRN901]

I've checked the model number and it is in the 146-178 band split. What exactly is a "Hex Edit"?

 

[zz0468]

What exactly is a "Hex Edit"?

It's using a special editor program to change the hexidecimal values inside a software program to change the frequency limits. There's a place in the program that defines the frequency limits that you're allowed to type in.

 

[CCHLLM]

If it's the 146-174 split, it will readily accept and operate normally down to at least 144.000 MHz and up to 174 MHz. However, if it has the famous Spectra leaking capacitor disease in the radio drawer and the control head, it is likely to exhibit some strange behavior that will be subtle at first, then get much worse as the disease progresses. Fortunately, there are some people on this board that are well respected Spectra experts who can solve that problem for a reasonable price, one of which is cmdrwill. He has refurbed Spectras for me and they always come back operating better than new.

 

[N4KVE]

there are some people on this board that are well respected Spectra experts who can solve that problem for a reasonable price, one of which is cmdrwill. He has refurbed Spectras for me and they always come back operating better than new.

He fixed 2 Spectras for me too. Every Spectra will have this problem.

 

[rfradioconsult]

An Astro Spectra will do the entire 2 Meter band in Analog FM with a little degradation below 146. P25 is another story without some serious hex editing a K split radio will not operate below 146. Look on P25.ca there is a discussion on this issue.

 

[N4DES]

If it is a K split (146-178 MHz) you may need to hex edit the programming software as mentioned to get it down to 144-145Mhz.

I have a K split that I use and the only thing that was required was a minor tweak to the deviation of the P25 level for the 144/145. The rest worked flawlessly and I did not have to hex edit the CPS. A warning box pops up when programming, but that can be ignored.