M/P7200 Radios On P-25 Phase-2 (Receive Only)

[kb4cvn]

I have stumbled across a unforeseen benefit to installing the new XGP R02A26 firmware in my M7200 and P7200 radios.

I can now monitor the new local Phase-2 trunked system. And does not require the special Phase-2 feature bit (# 47) being enabled, or later XGP R05 firmware, which is what Harris has announced as being the ‘official’ supported migration path for the 7200’s last December.


In a review over the past weekend of the Software Release Notes (SRN) for the new XGP R02A26 firmware. It is the required code to get the M/P7300’s onto Phase-2, with RPM R10B07 revision of the RPM programming software.

According to the SRN (14221-1100-8140_Rev-C.pdf), XGP R02A26 also supports the M/P7200, but with no mention of Phase-2 operation.


I tried it Monday, and it does indeed receive Phase-2 digital format communications, which I verified by listening to the Phase-2 County system in my area.

(Their Phase-2 Trunked system has all talkgroups in P-25 Phase-2 format, except for the Fire Dispatch group that is Phase-1. This was done specifically to allow the volunteers to monitor the dispatch traffic on the less expensive Phase-1 scanners. All other traffic: Law Enforcement, Fireground, EMS, etc. is Phase-2.)

What is really weird is that it does NOT require the Phase-2 operation feature bit (Bit 47) to be enabled. No clue why it works, but it does. Monitoring a radio without the new XGP firmware, but having R15D05 firmware at the same time did not receive the Phase-2 traffic, and rebooted when a Phase-2 group call was received.

Most likely would not work for correctly for TX operation on Phase-2, at lease without the Feature Bit enabled. But who cares. I only ever wanted receive.

FYI

 

[rescue161]

What features are enabled in your radio? There were a lot of cheap 7200 series radios on Ebay not too long ago.

 

[kb4cvn]

Feature Bits 01 to 40 are enabled.

39 which is the P-25 Phase-1 trunking bit IS enabled.

47 which is the P-25 Phase-2 trunking bit IS NOT enabled.

Two identical P7200's, programmed with the same personality file, using RPM R10b07 software.
One radio has R15d05 ECP firmware.
Other radio has R02a26 XGP firmware.

The radio with XGP firmware receives the Phase-2 group calls as expected.

The other radio with the ECP firmware when it receives a Phase-2 group call displays an error message and reboots.


I hope this helps...

 

[ElroyJetson]

It has all 40 features enabled, so it's an engineering radio and theoretically NOBODY should have ever gotten one of those.

Being a 40 feature radio, it has NO software switches turned off in it that would limit its capabilities.

It can do whatever the firmware in it is capable of in that hardware platform, period.

 

[DisasterGuy]

A bit outside of this post but I can confirm that with the newest version of XGP and Phase 2 feature enabled, the P7200 does operate correctly (transmit and receive) in Phase 2 TDMA. I currently have one officially featured from TAC that I have been testing.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[ElroyJetson]

Maybe that's the reason why there isn't currently a single p7200 radio on ebay?

You guys been buying them all up?

 

[DisasterGuy]

No, these have been around for a long time.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[rodfarva]

do you know where I can get that firmware? I have loaded R16D07 in the P7200 and it is now a door stop

 

[DisasterGuy]

With the OMAP processors (such as the 7200) there are dependencies between BootApp, Burn App and XGP. Do you have a Priority TechLink account?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Radioman96p71]

Definitely a downside of the OMAP platform, paperweight a-plenty. Not matching the various code versions correctly (or sometimes even done exactly right) can lead to a crashed radio.

 

[DisasterGuy]

Even when having that happen (when forgetting to read the SRN) it has always been easy to do a recovery and then load current BootApp, Burn App and ECP/XGP.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[rodfarva]

I cant find recovery in my RPM for th P7200 I can find the button for the P7100 and jag... I might be in the wrong place? and no on the Techlink account

 

[DisasterGuy]

It would be in Radio Maintenance but you will need new code versions anyway.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[kb4cvn]

do you know where I can get that firmware? I have loaded R16D07 in the P7200 and it is now a door stop

What revision of RPM are you using on this radio?

 

[kb4cvn]

In the OMAP model radios, the 'Recovery' function was replaced with Hyperterminal commands.

BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN USING HYPERTERMINAL COMMANDS ON A RADIO, YOU CAN BRICK A RADIO IN HEARTBEAT IF NOT CAREFUL. Trust me on this...


When upgrading an older OpenSky capable radio, that also has ECP code in it, you need to be careful to not upgrade the ECP (or XGP) firmware until you remove the older OTP code from the radio. This alone will brick a radio due to old-vs.-new firmware incompatibility issues.

What I have done successfully is to erase/remove the OTP code and programming completely from a radio via Hypertermial, thereby preventing any potential lock-up:


In Hypertermial, have your COM Port Settings configured for the follow parameters:

19,200
NONE
8
NONE
NO FLOW CONTROL

Then:
Type "ATZ-1" to get the radio into BurnApp mode.

Type "ATZ1" to get access to the different available software modes (ECP and/or OTP) in the radio. (Disregard any error about "1" not existing.)

9 = OTP Mode
15 = ECP & XGP Modes

Type

**ERASECODEMODE9 and press ENTER

then type

**ERASERECORDMODE9 and press ENTER


The above two commands will remove any OTP firmware and programming in the radio. This works for any OMAP radio.





Type "ATZ15" to reboot into ECP/XGP Mode.


Now you can safely upgrade the BurnApp, BootApp and ECP or XGP firmware in the radio, without fear of a firmware incompatibility lockup.


One last item: Always read the Software Release Notes (SRN) on any firmware before you attempt to use it.



Merry Christmas.

 

[rodfarva]

I have RPM 10 of I can find the version of firmware and bootcode for R09xxxx thats what was in it before

 

[kb4cvn]

16d ECP code uses the following SRN: MS-010366-001 [RevAK], which is attached.

2.1.1 P7200/P5200/P7300/P5500/XG-75/P5300 (IQ) Compatibility Matrix


EQUIPMENT.........................SOFTWARE VERSION.................
================================================================
Radio Personality Manager (RPM)...R09A (or later)
DES Load Module...................des_module_R02B08.dsp (V02.08)
AES Load Module...................HALM_Module_R03A06.ess (V03.06)
BootApp...........................SK-011365-001 R12A00 (or later)
BurnApp...........................SK-011364-001 R11A04 (or later)
Loadapp...........................R12B (or later)
VIDA Device Manager...............R6A (or later)
Key Manager/Key Admin.............R04B02 (or later)


I went back and looked at the SRN for ECP R09. MS-010366-001 [Rev. R]
At that time, the BootApp was R12a00, the same.
But the BurnApp was R08D09, which is at least three revisions back.


My humble guess is the BurnApp is simply too old to be compatible.

Let me know...

 

[rodfarva]

Thanks for the info, if I could get the files I need it would be great. It is possible the burn app is the wrong one causing it to stay in self test mode. If anyone can email me the files I need I would be greatly appreciated... Thanks... Being new to Harris radios is like it was when I became a Motorola Technician 30 years ago....