Motorola Spectra Clean Cab Help?
- Thread starter jason453
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mmckenna
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Did you try this:
Railroad Spectra
Railroad Spectra
You need a 19 pin cable from the remote head (which you have in your picture) to the main unit which has a corresponding 19 pin receptacle. Don't know if they are even available anymore but as I recall when they were they were megabucks.
You can convert this remote unit into a stand alone unit. Here you go...
Get a 3mm torx bit and unscrew the four screws from the bottom of the main unit. Separate the unit into two pieces. Remove the filer plate from the front of the main unit. It may be jammed in so you will have to wiggle and pull on it to get it out. Now get a T-20 torx bit. Take the four silver screws out of the back of the control head. Remove the bracket and remove the two plugs from the back board to the control head. Plug in the grey ribbon cable from the main unit to the control head (note the orientation of the plug). Slide the control head onto the main unit, put on the top half of the main unit, using your 3mm Torx bit re-attach the four screws to the bottom of the main unit. Plug it into a power supply and you have a functioning radio.
Disclaimer: I cannot guarantee your expertise on this modification. Attempt at your own risk. I assume no responsibility.
Get a 3mm torx bit and unscrew the four screws from the bottom of the main unit. Separate the unit into two pieces. Remove the filer plate from the front of the main unit. It may be jammed in so you will have to wiggle and pull on it to get it out. Now get a T-20 torx bit. Take the four silver screws out of the back of the control head. Remove the bracket and remove the two plugs from the back board to the control head. Plug in the grey ribbon cable from the main unit to the control head (note the orientation of the plug). Slide the control head onto the main unit, put on the top half of the main unit, using your 3mm Torx bit re-attach the four screws to the bottom of the main unit. Plug it into a power supply and you have a functioning radio.
Disclaimer: I cannot guarantee your expertise on this modification. Attempt at your own risk. I assume no responsibility.
Thank you for the info I appreciate it! You mean as in the main unit as the box thing that goes behind the control head? like this Motorola Spectra MBR43KME1170AD VHF Railroad Clean Cab Radio Unit Module 1 | eBay
Thanks
Thanks
Yes but...
Using a "2135" key remove the main unit whatever it is mounted in.
Not familiar with what it is mounted in. Appears to be some type of power supply.
Using a "2135" key remove the main unit whatever it is mounted in.
Not familiar with what it is mounted in. Appears to be some type of power supply.
CSBrown
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What you have is just a control head (no radio). It needs to be interfaced with a railroad spectra radio like on the ebay auction. The control head will Not interface with any other type of spectra. If you where to buy the radio on ebay you would still have to find a cable as it is out of production.
radioman2001
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The radios listed on E-bay are Coach versions of the clean cab Spectra. they require any AAR compliant control head, the box that the radio is mounted in converts the display head to an analog head. We have several hundred of these radios ready for the scrapper. Also one of the radios listed has the AAR radio tray for interface into the cabs wiring harness.
BTW the OP head shown is actually a remote head for a clean cab Spectra, not a coach version. It does use those funky connectors which If I remember correctly are an AAR standard too. As stated no longer supported or available from M at least. You might try repeater builder dot com for diagrams.
AAR compliant heads will work with ANY AAR compliant radio, I brought in a Motran RR I picked up in Dayton a few years ago from a guy using it as ballast for his tent and put it on the test bench and it work just fine. As far as taking the head and placing it on a coach chassis, you need to do more than what was listed above including changing jumpers on the control board and reprogramming with a CC codeplug.
BTW the OP head shown is actually a remote head for a clean cab Spectra, not a coach version. It does use those funky connectors which If I remember correctly are an AAR standard too. As stated no longer supported or available from M at least. You might try repeater builder dot com for diagrams.
AAR compliant heads will work with ANY AAR compliant radio, I brought in a Motran RR I picked up in Dayton a few years ago from a guy using it as ballast for his tent and put it on the test bench and it work just fine. As far as taking the head and placing it on a coach chassis, you need to do more than what was listed above including changing jumpers on the control board and reprogramming with a CC codeplug.
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radioman2001
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OP here is the correct radio deck you need to go with your head: Motorola Spectra MBR43KME1170AD VHF Railroad Clean Cab Radio Unit Module 3 | eBay
The 19-pin cable mates the head to the radio deck. You can use either connector on the radio deck, or run two heads off the same radio. The 6-pin connector goes to the telephone-style handset, which you can also connect to one or both heads, or the head and the radio deck at the same time. The big 4-pin connector is for power, 12 or 72V.
Railroad Spectra has pinouts for every connector EXCEPT the 19-pin control head connector, but it should be a straight-through 1-1, 2-2, etc. cable. They are Amphenol mil-spec connectors and IDK where to tell you to look for them, aside from hamfests.
The 19-pin cable mates the head to the radio deck. You can use either connector on the radio deck, or run two heads off the same radio. The 6-pin connector goes to the telephone-style handset, which you can also connect to one or both heads, or the head and the radio deck at the same time. The big 4-pin connector is for power, 12 or 72V.
Railroad Spectra has pinouts for every connector EXCEPT the 19-pin control head connector, but it should be a straight-through 1-1, 2-2, etc. cable. They are Amphenol mil-spec connectors and IDK where to tell you to look for them, aside from hamfests.
Okay thanks, but I am still confused how does that connect into my head? I see what you are talking about with the handset, power etc. Don't I need to take apart to radio to connect the head I see some pins on the back side of the radio is that what you are referring to connecting the head?
Thanks,
Jason
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Long story short - you bought one of the eBay radios that have been floating around. The cable that comes in the box (if any) is not the proper cable for the application.
Simple fix - get a 2135 key, remove the faceplate on the radio itself, remove the rear housing from the control head and hook the control head into the radio.
Its that simple.
Takes about 5min to do and its plug/play.
Do realize, that its wideband only, no scan or squelch adjustments.
What you are at least showing is a remote control head with the PA/Intercom option. Unless you have the radio part - what you have is useless.
Simple fix - get a 2135 key, remove the faceplate on the radio itself, remove the rear housing from the control head and hook the control head into the radio.
Its that simple.
Takes about 5min to do and its plug/play.
Do realize, that its wideband only, no scan or squelch adjustments.
What you are at least showing is a remote control head with the PA/Intercom option. Unless you have the radio part - what you have is useless.
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