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Radio New - XPR 6550 question

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Hello, I was just given two XPR 6550 motorola radios. They are both model number AAH55TDH9LA1AN and I was told they came from a company that upgraded and sold off their old stock. I'd like to apply for my GMRS license and use these for my family on hikes, as well as use them to scan FRS and emergency bands.
Would that be as easy as purchasing a motorola programming cable and then running CPS? The radios currently both have firmware version R01.09.00 on them, and CP version 11.00.10. Scrolling through the settings it looks like they were first activated about 5 years ago. Does it matter what version of CPS? I have a Windows 10 and a Windows 7 computer. Or should I just go to a two way store and ask them to do it. I've always been more of a hands on guy, and liked helping fill freqs on my unit's radios in the military.

Thank you for any help! I wish that my grandfather had lived past my childhood, he was huge into radios, and I'm only now getting interested.
 

K2NEC

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As for programming I am going to let someone else answer that question. It is recommended that the latest version of CPS is used if you decide to buy it. The firmware and CP are a little behind but nothing to be concerned with. I think the cps will work on both windows 7 and 10.
 

natedawg1604

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You need to either acquire MotoTrbo CPS yourself, or else get help from someone who already has it. For example, you could join a local Ham club and you just might meet somebody who already has MotoTrbo CPS and would be happy to program the XPR for you.
 
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Thank you both for your quick replies! I've got a line on CPS 15 and a friend that is familiar with CHIRP, I'm optimistic that a few beers and an afternoon may get me squared away, but if any of you have advice about CPS, or a link to a manual, that would be excellent! Thank you again
 

N4KVE

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Your FW is about 5 years old. 1.12.17 is the newest for the Gen 1 radios. Also those radios are hi split. 450-520 MHz. Decent radios, & if you're going to use them in analog, I wouldn't worry about a FW upgrade. But if you were going to use them in digital, I would upgrade the FW. Enjoy.
 

Project25_MASTR

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Your FW is about 5 years old. 1.12.17 is the newest for the Gen 1 radios. Also those radios are hi split. 450-520 MHz. Decent radios, & if you're going to use them in analog, I wouldn't worry about a FW upgrade. But if you were going to use them in digital, I would upgrade the FW. Enjoy.



I had a XPR4550 last week with R1.10.x and CPS 15.5 would not read the radio. You get to a point where you almost have to upgrade the firmware just to program. Had a big problem with that using the MTR3000 upgrade kits with CPS 13.0 a few years back. Ended up having to depot equipment Motorola manufactured and then shelved for several years just so they could upgrade the firmware to something current.


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IAmSixNine

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Dont forget that by default they are 12.5khz on analog channels.
You need to make sure the person programming them has the entitlement key to enable 25khz programming as GMRS is still wideband.
 

N4KVE

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I had a XPR4550 last week with R1.10.x and CPS 15.5 would not read the radio. You get to a point where you almost have to upgrade the firmware just to program.
While it's not necessary to upgrade the FW every time you use newer CPS, when the gap becomes too much, this is what happens. The newest CPS offers new features, but being 6 FW's behind the CPS causes problems. So the choice is to upgrade the FW, or use older CPS to match the FW version. With my radios, if the newest FW does not improve my radio for my needs, I do not upgrade. Right now, I believe CPS 15.5 is the newest, with FW 2.8. I'm still using CPS 13.5, with FW 2.6, because anything newer will do nothing to improve my radio for DMR amateur use. I'm sure if I was using my radio on a commercial trunking system, The newer CPS, & FW would be beneficial.
 

Anderegg

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Yes, the final f/w for the XPR6550 includes the AGC improvements, a big deal IMOH. Also, to program the radios in 25KHz for TX, you need to have an entitlement ID key provided by Motorola, which you can only obtain through buying the software on Motorola Online and taking a e-course, or applying one of those hacks floating around the itnerweb.

If you read a radio with wideband in it, and try to simply program that same codeplug back into the radio without changes, the CPS will refuse, flip you the bird, and tell you to change them to 12.5KHz.

Paul
 

Project25_MASTR

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While it's not necessary to upgrade the FW every time you use newer CPS, when the gap becomes too much, this is what happens. The newest CPS offers new features, but being 6 FW's behind the CPS causes problems. So the choice is to upgrade the FW, or use older CPS to match the FW version. With my radios, if the newest FW does not improve my radio for my needs, I do not upgrade. Right now, I believe CPS 15.5 is the newest, with FW 2.8. I'm still using CPS 13.5, with FW 2.6, because anything newer will do nothing to improve my radio for DMR amateur use. I'm sure if I was using my radio on a commercial trunking system, The newer CPS, & FW would be beneficial.

Unfortunately, I do not have that luxury. Anytime Motorola sends a new radio or returns a radio from depot...it will typically always have the latest firmware on it, sometimes requiring a CPS upgrade (especially if written by a newer version of CPS).
 
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Hello everyone - you've all been incredibly helpful so far, and I really don't have the words to show my appreciation! I was able to get CPS v15.5 (build 797) and a programming cable for the radios, however when I start CPS, plug the radio in and turn it on, and then try to read the radio, I get error 1687 - unable to connect to device.

I was expecting the radio to show up as a network connection when I turned it on, but is has shown up as USB serial device (COM4). I have checked, and I don't have the driver for the programming cable. Does anyone have any suggestions, or know where I can get the driver?

Thanks in advance.
 

Anderegg

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What cable are you using? OEM? For TRBO CPS installs, I believe the installer puts 1 wire drivers or such for the cable, assuming it is OEM. There is an A revision and B revision cable. The A revision works on the 6550, the B revision is required for the 2nd Gen 7000 series devices though.

Paul
 

N4KVE

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What cable are you using? There is an A revision and B revision cable. The A revision works on the 6550, the B revision is required for the 2nd Gen 7000 series devices though.

Paul
Negative. I used an "A" cable on my 7550, & APX for several years. But when I bought a 7550e, that's when the "A" cable would not work. But it was a 5 minute mod to convert it to a "B" cable.
 

com501

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The error is because the Gen I radios can't be read with 15.5 unless the firmware is newer. Revert to CPS 13.5, read and update the radio to a newer version and then use 15.5 to get to the latest. For the XPR6xxx series 1.17.08 is newest.

You will need to pick the older version of CPS from the archive section of MOL. The newest firmware is by request only. Current on MOL is the version mentioned earlier.
 

Anderegg

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The error is because the Gen I radios can't be read with 15.5 unless the firmware is newer. Revert to CPS 13.5, read and update the radio to a newer version and then use 15.5 to get to the latest. For the XPR6xxx series 1.17.08 is newest.

You will need to pick the older version of CPS from the archive section of MOL. The newest firmware is by request only. Current on MOL is the version mentioned earlier.

Can CPS R13.5 bump in R1.12.17 firmware directly?

This just saved me from an inevitable headache sometime in the future when I have to bump up 8 year old f/w fleet of XPR4550/6550's! Thank you.

Paul
 
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K2NEC

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No it is not. It is the most recent version available on MOL, but it is NOT the most recent version available to Solutions Partners.
Ok but chances are the OP ISNT a Solutions Partner so 1.12.17 IS the newest firmware that the OP has access to.
 
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