Astro Spectra keyload fail

[Vintovka]

Hello everyone;

(I posted this already as a reply to another user's similair problem, but I think that thread had already died out so I am posting here as an original thread now.)

Working on some Astro Spectras here, two of them with encryption installed, and having a problem keyloading the secure ones.

I'll try to walk you through what I've done. I have the 3011DX KVL, KVL Cable, and DES-XL modules, all known good as they were used with Astro Sabers until the other day. I did not have, and could not find, the 7414 Spectra KVL adapter, but Batlabs to the rescue; using the pinouts there I was able to make up an adaptor using a hirose connector and some tiny push terminals I could manually slide onto the keyloader port pins in the Astro Spectra. Believe me, I checked my wiring three times. There's only four wires anyway.

So once everything's connected, the control head will momentarily display "KEYLOAD". But when I press the love button, the KVL just says "fail". I re-verified that the KVL/hi-rose cable/encryption modules all worked in an Astro Saber. But switch everything to the Astro Spectra, and it's no-go. The only wildcard here is my homemade Spectra mic-to-KVL cable adaptor, but like I said I checked the wiring and continuity all the way through, three times.

Oh, and yes, just as you do with the Astro Saber, I went into the CPS and checked secure-equipped and all that. Done it a hundred times on Astro Sabers, and didn't see anything really different in the Astro Spectra CPS. So... I dunno.

Anyone know anything I am missing here? Something about the Astro Spectras that i wouldn't already know from dealing with the Astro Sabers (encryption wise)? Internet search turns up nothing I don't know already, so hoping someone here can turn on a little lightbulb for me.

Regards and thanks!
Brian.

 

[rescue161]

What did you use in place of the Spectra adapter? You probably already know this, but a mic cable doesn't have pins 1, 2, 9, or 10. I had a cable that I made before I got the little adapter that had loose wires that were color coded with heat-shrink over the pins. I'd have to plug each individual wire onto the 4 pins on the Spectra...lol It's MUCH easier now.

From Batlabs.com:

KVL		DESCRIPTION		SPECTRA Mic
9		GND			1
8		Key 			10
7		/WE 			2
6		KID 			9

Also, the picture is of the radios plug, not the plug itself.

Image from www.batlabs.com/images/specmic.gif

Maybe you have an open in your wiring somewhere? I would imagine if your radio displays KEYLOAD, then at least some of the pins are correct.

 

[Vintovka]

I did the same thing, I made a cable to go from the KVL's cable to the Spectra mic connector; I used a hirose on one end and on the other, it's just little push-connectors the slip over the pins on the mic connector. I used the pinout you have there, from batlabs, and yes, keeping in mind that the picture is facing the radio, not the cable end of the connector. So I dunno... Man I always find the hard ones!

 

[K8TEK]

Enable PID in the codeplug under the secure settings, disable CKR. The 3011DX cannot load in CKR mode.

 

[Vintovka]

K8TEK - Thanks for the info, however, It doesn't seem to apply to my radios. I'm looking at the Secure Configuration window right now (in Astro Spectra CPS 5.3.0), and there is no mention of either PID or CKR. Looking in the help files, I see that CKR only becomes available when OTAR is enabled, but these radios are not flashed for OTAR. (At least, I seem to recall OTAR being an option you only got by having it flashed into the radio).

Do the secure modules have "firmware" as such, that must be within a certain range to work with a certain range of radio firmware/dsp? If so, perhaps I have really old modules. I forget the part number, but I recall finding a list on the internet where they were listed as being cmopatible with Astro Spectra/Saber.

 

[K8TEK]

It is under the multikey tab. Check Migrate from securenet. That enables PID mode.

 

[Vintovka]

Ah - no multikey in this flashcode. However.... I have found the problem. Now to be honest, I should just slink away and never let this be known, but I am honest to a fault and just in case anyone else ever has to look this thread up, I would like the information to be there for them. So here's what was wrong; The diagram(s) for the mic/keyload port that are available on batlabs, etc....... is upside down from how it is on the radio! Yes, I should have paid attention, but some part of my mind just assumed that this diagram, like every other I can ever recall looking at in my life, would be represented as it is encountered on the actual hardware... i.e., right-side up.

So that was it, I reversed my wiring to the mic/kl port, and bam, radios keyloaded. And me embarrassed.

Thanks guys for trying to help me out with this, I do appreciate it!
Brian.