Motorola MT2000 RSS Programming

[BlueDevil]

I am doing some radio programming for my local Fire Department. I have a Motorola MT2000 VHF Portable Radio.

I am trying to program this radio and have had no success. I cannot read or write the radio. I have been using an old Windows 2000 laptop and booting it up in DOS with a DOS Boot-up Disc. I am also using a serial programming cable that I have successfully used with the Motorola HT1000 radio.

I have tried several RSS versions. The files are large enough that I am having trouble putting the RSS program onto the discs. I am not sure which files are needed and which are not. I think I have tried the MTSX 6.4 and 6.7, does this sound right?

Any suggestions or advice?

 

[mmckenna]

MTSX is the correct software.

 

[WA9TED]

I've ran into this same problem in the past. First off yes, you typically need all the files to run the RSS, the batch alone won't do it. You should boot the computer into windows and save the files into a easy location like on the c drive itself in a folder name you can remember. Assuming that your c drive is formatted as a fat32 (which if your running windows 2000 it should be) you can reboot into DOS and run the software from the folder you created in windows. You want to look for MTSX.exe for loading the RSS. Hopefully this should do it. Also make sure that your serial port is configured correctly in the RSS (off the top of my head I think the computer setup is like f9 or something) also make sure you have a rib attached with a good battery. If your running a ribless cable, it should work too, but that may be a problem too if the RSS isn't reading the radio. Best of luck, keep us updated!

Les

 

[cmdrwill]

MTSX only runs in DOS. Will not work in a DOS prompt or DOS box.

 

[BlueDevil]

I cannot find how to boot up the computer into dos without the use of a boot disc. Does anyone have a suggestion? I think that this may help to solve my problem since I am having difficulty putting the large MTSX files onto 3.5" floppy discs.

 

[WA9TED]

I cannot find how to boot up the computer into dos without the use of a boot disc. Does anyone have a suggestion? I think that this may help to solve my problem since I am having difficulty putting the large MTSX files onto 3.5" floppy discs.

Your bootdisk should work just fine, Just change your directory to the C drive by hitting "C+:+Enter" Then type in you root (which should be whatever you saved the RSS under in windows)

 

[cabletech]

Say what ever you wish, but I run MTSX and a few other programs thru DOSBOX without any problems.

Brandon, go to your 'c' drive, make directory for Motorola, then make a directory for MTSX, then copy all the files into that directory.

Boot computer to DOS, go to 'C:\motorola\mtsx and click on the .exe file, should open.

 

[BlueDevil]

I can't boot my computer to dos without the boot disc and when I do that I cannot seem to access the C: drive...

 

[BlueDevil]

Where is the best place to download a DOS Boot Disc? The boot disc I created will not let me access my C drive.

 

[fire28firefighter]

programming

I get a Motorola mt2000 and don't know how or what to do to program it.it came from California.but I live in Pennsylvania..any help will appericate

 

[W2NJS]

DOS 6.22 is available from several sources on the Internet. Google "DOS 6.22" and you'll come up with several sources, and most if not all of them are free.

 

[BlueDevil]

Solved my problem by making a Boot CD with DOS on it. The Boot CD will allow you to access NTFS formatted Hard Drives. I put the RSS Software on my C Drive and it worked great. All this on a relatively newer Panasonic Toughbook running Windows XP!

 

[MTS2000des]

that's the only way to do it: boot to PURE DOS.
I created a DOS FAT 16 partition of some 240MB just for radio programming software. Boot to MS-DOS 6.22 from a CD-R and never had a problem.

 

[laythrom]

I know that this post is old as dirt (just like the MT radios) however, after needing to reprogram a VHF MT2000, I figured that I'd add my two cents and possibly assist others. The method that I used is an older Windows XP machine (that I also use for XTS3000s).

1. Grab a thumb drive that you are not going to use (a little 1gb drive will work).
2. Download Rufus portable at Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way Then run Rufus.
3. In Rufus, select FAT32, default cluster size, check "Quick Format", "Create a bootable disk using Free-DOS", "create extended label..." and click the "Start" button.
4. After Rufus is finished, open your thumb drive and copy all of the MTSX Lab files to the thumb drive. DO NOT delete the few files that are in there.
5. Restart the PC and Boot from the USB (you may have to play with your boot order.

If done correctly, you should be able to find yourself at a DOS prompt.

6. At the DOS prompt type "RUNTIME.exe"

[The "C" drive is technically the flash/thumb drive, hence why you will need to copy the MTSX Lab files to the thumb drive before rebooting.]

7. MTSX Lab should start up and you should be able to read/write to the old dinosaurs.

If someone stumbles across this and tries this method and has issues, let me know and I'll try to help you.

 

[mmckenna]

I've had good luck with "Rufus" for this, too. After my old DOS only PC bit the dust, I use this on a laptop I had laying around. So far it's worked.
Been using it with HT-1000's, GM-300's, etc.

 

[BlueDevil]

I have also created a USB Boot Disk/Drive using an old SanDisk (1GB) Cruizer. I think I am using FreeDOS or something along those lines, essentially the same setup. DOS is DOS, right?

The issue I am running into now is the serial ports on my computers failing. If it's not one thing it's another.

 

[mmckenna]

The issue I am running into now is the serial ports on my computers failing. If it's not one thing it's another.

Yeah, the fan is going on mine. I've been grabbing old laptops as I see them go by. Usually people just want to dump them.
I've still got one that's running Windows 3.1 sitting at work, just to piss people off.

 

[nokones]

I was successful in downgrading a Sony Laptop from XP to DOS 6.00. I loaded my RSS MTX software version 6.0 and the laptop does communicate with the MT2000 radio. When the read radio completes reading the codeplug, the status indicates the codeplug is too new for the application. When I try to view the codeplug file, the status indicates there is no codeplug file in memory, read the codeplug.

I am using the same version RSS that I used on a Windows 98 desktop and I didn't have this problem and I am trying to program the same radio that was last programmed with the old desktop and RSS.

My question is snce it is essentially impossible to acquire a newer version program for the MT2000 radios, am I out of luck in programming my MT2000 radios?

 

[nokones]

I just had a thought. If I can get someone to send the appropriate codeplug files that were written with a RSS Version 6.00 or earlier version, I can load the codeplug files on the laptop, append the files, and than Clone the radio and that might get around my issue.

Does anyone have any codeplug files that were created with version 6.00 or older for a MT2000 UHF "S" freq range for an A4 and A7 radios, and for a MTS2000 UHF "R" freq range W1 radio?

Any help would be most appreciated.

 

[radicalbill]

I just purchased several handheld mts2000 900 megahertz radios and reading it says they do transmit on 902 megahertz and in the 9:30 to 9:40 megahertz range

And receive in the 9:30 to 9:40 range

I'm wondering what version of RSS I need to program these handhelds I have worked with Max track and Max tracks 4 Spectras and Astros before as well as remote mounted high power VHF specters but I don't think I've ever worked with handhelds and I'm not sure which program to use

If anyone can tell me what RSS is needed I would really appreciate it