XPR4550 Programming Problem

[wb5nia]

I have a UHF XPR4550 that has me stumped. This radio has three analog simplex channels programmed. One of these channels shows 40 watts out, and the other two show 18 watts. All three are programmed for high power.

I have compared the programming, and the only difference I see, is that one channel uses DPL, and the other two use CSQ. The one with DPL shows 18 watts, along with one of the CSQ. The other CSQ shows 40 watts. There are several analog repeater channels in this radio, and they all xmit at 40 watts.

Has anyone ran into a problem like this, and if so how did you fix it?

 

[Forts]

Is the firmware up to date? Have you tried making a new codeplug from scratch and putting that in? Sounds pretty bizarre...

 

[wb5nia]

The radio shows firmware version R011211. I don't know if this is the latest. I am new to Motorola Online. I did manage to find where to download the 11.6 CPS, but don't know where to look for firmware.

 

[rescue161]

Are you sure that the two 18 Watt channels aren't in TDMA mode?

 

[Forts]

That's pretty recent firmware. I think 1.12.15 is current (or close to it). Tuning issue with the radio maybe? Are the 3 frequencies in question close to each other or far apart (ie 410 and 465).

I'm assuming the channels won't be digital if he says DPL is set.

 

[wb5nia]

I'm pretty sure they were programmed as analog, but I will check that out.

 

[Forts]

Quick rule of thumb... if you see the padlock icon on the top row of the display (either open or closed, doesn't matter) then the channel is digital.

 

[mikewazowski]

Yup, sounds like tdma channels.

 

[wb5nia]

The frequencies are 446.000, 445.825, and 447.150. I am going to check and see if the two might have somehow got switched to digital.

 

[wb5nia]

No "padlock" on any of the three channels. I'm going into the programming again, and see what I can find.

 

[mikewazowski]

The padlock denotes an encrypted channel only. The channel could still be digital.

 

[rescue161]

Strange. Try putting the DPL channels into CSQ and see what it outputs then. I assumed it was TDMA based on the output being about half of the high-power.

 

[Forts]

On 1st generation radios like the 4550 the padlock will show on any digital channel, in either the open or closed position depending on the privacy setting.

Edit.. The icon may NOT appear if security is set to 'None'. I've always used privacy so perhaps under certain settings maybe it may not appear... was pretty sure it did though.

Edit 2.. Ok.. so if Privacy is set to None, no padlock. Set it to Basic or Enhanced (even without assigning a key variable) the padlock then appears. So ignore my earlier statement about the padlock

 

[N4KVE]

I have no privacy set, but all my DMR freq's show an open padlock on both my 4550's.

 

[KG4INW]

I have no privacy set, but all my DMR freq's show an open padlock on both my 4550's.

Right, but you must still have privacy set to basic (under the Security branch of the tree) even if you don't have any key assigned or enabled. We have a bunch of 4550s here with a mix of Cap + talkgroups and IPSC channels but no padlock at all because we have privacy set to "none". The CPS defaults to "basic".

 

[N4KVE]

Right, but you must still have privacy set to basic (under the Security branch of the tree) even if you don't have any key assigned or enabled. We have a bunch of 4550s here with a mix of Cap + talkgroups and IPSC channels but no padlock at all because we have privacy set to "none". The CPS defaults to "basic".

I'll have to check. When I got my 4550's a friend gave me his codeplug which saved me hours of typing.
Follow up. I just read the radio, & changed basic to none. Open padlock is now gone. Thank you sir!

 

[TLF82]

What kind of VSWR's are you showing on the frequencies that have the low power output?
What are you using to test with?

 

[wb5nia]

The antenna system shows VSWR of 1.01 on all channels. I am using a Telewave Model 44A wattmeter to test power and VSWR.

I have a second XPR4550 in the mobile. I plan on pulling it out, and see what it does in the shack. Both radios are programmed the same.
If the mobile unit shows 40 watts on all channels, I will delete the two 18 watt channels in the shack radio, then reprogram them back into the radio.
If the mobile radio has the same problem as the shack radio, that tells me that it is a programming problem that I haven't been able to spot.

 

[wb5nia]

Got it pinned down to being the antenna system. Into a dummy load, 40 watts. Into the antenna system, 18 watts. The other channels are 40 watts in both the antenna, and the dummy load.

So....what do I have here? The antenna is a 6 element beam side mounted on the tower. It is fed with 1/2" hardline coax down to ground level, then changes to LMR400 coax for about ten feet to get into the shack, and to the radio. Do I need a longer piece of LMR400? I can't shorten it, unless I want to move outside, and operate from the backyard. Hi Hi

 

[KE5MC]

What are the frequencies that are 18 watts and what is the bandwidth of you antenna? I am expecting they (18w) are the highest or lowest frequencies you are using and are just outside the bandwidth of your antenna.