M7200 questions

ElroyJetson · Sep 6, 2013

I just picked up a complete M7200 remote mount radio system that will be my next glorified scanner.

I have experience with Orions and M7100s but M7200s are new to me.

Does anyone know what the minimum software version is that's needed to be compatible with an M7200?

I have RPM. I know it needs RPM. But what's the minimum version?

At the moment my version is version 1. I think I have the update for version 3 but I have to find it and install it.

Assuming that 3 is the highest version RPM I have access to, what's the highest version firmware the radio can have in it and stll let me be able to program it?

Of course I need a new programming cable. That's on the way.

snoopyII · Sep 7, 2013

Elroy,

I'm pretty sure its R2. Support for the 7300 platform came along in R3. Also, I had one of these in the past, I programmed it using the standard DB-9 serial on the back of the head. I didn't buy any special programming cable. Although, the fancy newer cable does allow you to program through the front connector. The current ECP firmware I believe is R16, or somewhere around there, R15G03 was released almost a year ago to the day (9/10/12) that's as far as my particular matrix goes. I have the service manual for these dated 6/12 so shoot me a message or email if you want it. Hope this provides some help.

ElroyJetson · Sep 7, 2013

What button press sequence is required to put a 7200 into program mode?

snoopyII · Sep 7, 2013

I dont think there is a sequence. I seem to recall just hitting program and it took care of itself. I think its more or less plug n play. Let me double check though.

ElroyJetson · Sep 7, 2013

I'm using a straight, known good RS232 cable from the PC to the serial port on the back of the 721 control head. The PC works perfectly with a P7100 set up for RPM. The cable is good.

The radio setup is NEW.

I'm not getting anything but a communications error. Even in radio maintenance.

My guess is that the firmware is just too new for RPM 2.

The programming in the radio is apparently factory default with a few test channels. No menus are enabled.

LMR_Dude · Sep 7, 2013

snoopyII said:
I programmed it using the standard DB-9 serial on the back of the head. I didn't buy any special programming cable. .

I highly recommend you DO NOT program the setup from the control head. Yes it works but I've bricked a radio and a control head that way. The DB-9 thru the octopus cable on the radio is the safest bet.

ElroyJetson · Sep 7, 2013

Can you give me the part number for that octopus cable, please?

After spending some time working with the radio today I realized, this is all too familiar. I've seen this before.

It has 16 test channels programmed into it that are an exact match for the 16 test channels in my useless P7200 ornament radio.

Both radios apparently have fabrication facility test firmware in them and they do not even appear visible to RPM. Nor to the radio maintenance tools.

Even via HyperTerminal, the radio doesn't respond to normal commands. Any key input I've tried yet returns "syntax error" and at that point the radio doesn't return anything else until I power it down and back up and try another key.

I think it'll have to get initialized with the factory init tools. I may have to send it to Harris, that is, if they'll even DO it.

It appears that this radio is from yet another lot that got lost in shipping and was bought by a freight salvage company.

Oddly, the radio comes as a complete kit. Everything is there including the antenna and all cables, brackets, and hardware. Just connect it up and add power and it works. But only on test frequencies.

If someone is looking for a ready to program radio, these aren't it. But they might be worth the 500 dollar price as parts units for some components of the system. I can't know that for sure.

LMR_Dude · Sep 8, 2013

FULL-DATA I/O OPTION CABLE 1000022242-0001
PROGRAMMING OPTION CABLE 1000022242-0002

MM20117, Rev. B, pg 86

timkilbride · Sep 9, 2013

ElroyJetson said:
Can you give me the part number for that octopus cable, please?

After spending some time working with the radio today I realized, this is all too familiar. I've seen this before.

It has 16 test channels programmed into it that are an exact match for the 16 test channels in my useless P7200 ornament radio.

Both radios apparently have fabrication facility test firmware in them and they do not even appear visible to RPM. Nor to the radio maintenance tools.

Even via HyperTerminal, the radio doesn't respond to normal commands. Any key input I've tried yet returns "syntax error" and at that point the radio doesn't return anything else until I power it down and back up and try another key.

I think it'll have to get initialized with the factory init tools. I may have to send it to Harris, that is, if they'll even DO it.

It appears that this radio is from yet another lot that got lost in shipping and was bought by a freight salvage company.

Oddly, the radio comes as a complete kit. Everything is there including the antenna and all cables, brackets, and hardware. Just connect it up and add power and it works. But only on test frequencies.

If someone is looking for a ready to program radio, these aren't it. But they might be worth the 500 dollar price as parts units for some components of the system. I can't know that for sure.

Are these the same M7200's that have eBay flooded right now?

Tim

ElroyJetson · Sep 9, 2013

Yes.

I will advise as to the resolution to this problem, assuming that it DOES get resolved and I end up with a working radio.

There are also some P7200s but they appear to be OK based on the pics shown of them operating. I think they will have no such issues but of course require RPM for programming. ProGrammer doesn't support any x200 or higher series radio.

ElroyJetson · Sep 9, 2013

Via hyperterminal, I did find a mode which apparently a control head test mode. By pressing the A and C buttons on the control head and holding them down while turning on the head, and holding them down until the display stops changing, the head is now in a mode where any change of state of any button on the head is described in hyperterminal. "Button A pressed. Button A released. Button 7 pressed. Button 7 released." Etc...

That is the only USEFUL thing I have yet found other than being able to check out the radio on the programmed and displayed tesf frequencies.

low3oh · Sep 10, 2013

if you're using the CH721 head, i believe holding A and C during boot will put it into prog mode

ElroyJetson · Sep 10, 2013

Yes, I found that out and tried it. No difference except that if you do the long press A and C button startup, you go into control head test mode. In this mode any button press is enunciated in hyperterminal as I described above.

But neither program mode or CH test mode makes any difference when it comes to trying to actually read the radio with RPM. The radio is invisible to RPM in any mode because the firmware is NOT standard firmware that RPM can communicate with.

Which is what I've been trying to say all along.

I may end up having to get another (working or at least partially working) M7200 just to copy the eprom contents from its eproms to this one.

greenthumb · Sep 10, 2013

There are four pieces of code that you need to get a hold of: BurnApp, BootApp and ECP (compatible versions) for the main radio unit (MRU) and then CH-721 firmware for the control head. Once you have all of those installed, you should have a working radio.

Hopefully this points you in the direction that you need to go

ElroyJetson · Sep 11, 2013

Good information, thanks.

What would be the order that these would be installed in?
I see that they are called up in RPM.

Yes, I have a version of these apps to work with.

If the control head has the wrong code (as in, none that is recognizable as per my case) then would this keep me from accessing the radio for programming?

The thought has crossed my mind that it could be ONLY the control head that has weird firmware,
and is blocking my attempts to access the radio.

LMR_Dude · Sep 11, 2013

ElroyJetson said:
Good information, thanks.

What would be the order that these would be installed in?
I see that they are called up in RPM.

Yes, I have a version of these apps to work with.

If the control head has the wrong code (as in, none that is recognizable as per my case) then would this keep me from accessing the radio for programming?

The thought has crossed my mind that it could be ONLY the control head that has weird firmware,
and is blocking my attempts to access the radio.

Load order is:

Burn app, Boot app, ECP and CH721.

The versions Ive been loading are: Burn App, R10A04, Boot App R12A00 and ECP R15B06.

M7200's are tricky buggers when loading code, be sure that you load software in that order and ensure the MRU is done processing the current operation before moving on to the next step.

Pro tip for M72/7300s; tie the MRU and CH721 to the same 12VDC point. If the MRU and CH721 shut down at different times wierd things happen. Example, the next time the radio is turned on it can be on a different channel or system.

ElroyJetson · Sep 11, 2013

Does this information also apply to a P7200? Clearly there'd be no need for a control head file.

Whatever "fixes" this M7200 should also be able to fix my P7200, which is in substantially the same state, unreadable, not loaded with any standard firmware, and containing the same 16 test channels as the M7200.

ElroyJetson · Sep 11, 2013

I was actually able to get some data from the radio by using the burn app to query the radio.
This came from my P7200.

At least it was able to communicate with the radio. This implies...SOMETHING. Not sure what.

Later I'll do the same thing with the M7200

Results:
BurnApp not applicable
BOOTAPP not applicable
ECP not applicable
OTP/VRM not applicable
MCU none
VRB not applicable
CH721 main app not applicable
RHHC not applicable
AES load module not applicable
DES load module not applicable

LMR_Dude · Sep 11, 2013

The current vers for the P7200 are: Burn app R11A04, Boot app R12A00 and ECP R16B08.

There are different Burn and Boot apps for the mobiles/portables. The burn app file names start with an "m" or "p" so you can distingush them even tho the version numbers are the same. If you try to load the wrong one it will kick back an error and stop the process.

ElroyJetson · Sep 11, 2013

I have the burn app for mobiles and got the results above when trying it with the P7200 portable.

I'd like to get the burn app for portables.

The burn app never connected at all with the M7200. I let it try for about an hour.

Funny that the software doesn't even have the smarts to figure out that nobody's home and quit trying and then say, "Sorry, dude. Nobody's home.".

I'm preparing for "last resort" repair operations if needed. This consists of yanking eproms from another M7200 that has RF issues but good firmware, reading those eproms in a reader, copying the contents over to another chip, and putting that chip in the target radio.

Or, maybe, just swapping all the chips over and be done with it. But for that much effort, copying the data for future usage might be
a pretty wise idea if I end up having to repeat this dance.

Unfortunately, you'd have to swap multiple chips to preserve a valid feature string as the later radios don't rely on the relatively simple
DS2401 silicon serial number. It's more sophisticated than that.

Some of the devices are BGA devices so I'll have to reball the devices after pulling and before reinstallation, and use the BGA soldering devices required.

I have a connection who can do this for me. But it's a last resort that will only be used if I can't
get help from any capable source.

I have many avenues to explore before I start yanking and cloning individual chips.

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