Motorola Spirit HP UHF (need some info)

[bobhud]

Today I picked 2 Motorola Spirit HP UHF radios, 2 hand mikes, 5 batteries at an Estate Sales. The radios look brand new and hardly used.
Doing research on these radio indicates these a business type radio they I may have to apply for a license to use them.
It has 10 channels and/or frequencies on the knob, and I believe I found what the possible frequencies they are, but need to confirm.
What I would like to have is the owners manual in .pdf format if possible. I checked the Motorola website but I could not find any info on this model.
On the face plate it has: TX light which I assume indicates Transmit, OPT light which I have no idea what this is for?
It also has a Red MON button and a Red OPT button, not sure how these function with the radio.
I think these radio were manufactured in 2003.
Any info is appreciated. Thank you.
Bob

 

[mmckenna]

OPT = OPTION It's a function that can be programmed to that button based on the needs of the users.

I used the SP-50 (similar radio) at a job for many years. Not bad radios. Not great, either, but a good basic radio. I think the Spirit HP was just a pre-loaded SP-50 radio, likely loaded with some of the UHF Itinerant channels and sold to retail/contractor type users.

There's a place I found that claimed they had a manual for it, but they wanted me to sign up.

They will require a license. There are no license free channels that those UHF radios can legally work on.

 

[mbnv992]

Yep as was said - basically an SP50 pre-programmed for the business band ( UHF “DOT” frequencies ) . MON usually if you press it once disables PL tones ( and will light up orange after you transmit ). If you press and hold it, it opens squelch. OPT as was said, is user programmable. On all my SP50’s - it’s set to scan.

Unless you have a lisence as stated above, those radios are essentially useless. ( unless you want to monitor local businesses in your area that may or may not be on those frequencies ).

 

[KG4INW]

Hopefully this BatLabs page will help you out a little, while not being a full owner's manual: Motorola Spirit, Sport, and SP10 Frequency and "PL" DIP Switches

 

[com501]

That old a radio is probably not narrow band compliant either. Not sure, we never dealt with low end radios.

 

[a417]

That old a radio is probably not narrow band compliant either. Not sure, we never dealt with low end radios.

I have to agree, I don't think the one or two I ever saw were.

 

[bobhud]

OPT = OPTION It's a function that can be programmed to that button based on the needs of the users.

I used the SP-50 (similar radio) at a job for many years. Not bad radios. Not great, either, but a good basic radio. I think the Spirit HP was just a pre-loaded SP-50 radio, likely loaded with some of the UHF Itinerant channels and sold to retail/contractor type users.

There's a place I found that claimed they had a manual for it, but they wanted me to sign up.

They will require a license. There are no license free channels that those UHF radios can legally work on.

mmckenna and KG4INW, both of you Thank You for the Batlab link. I wasn't aware of that webpage. It helped in that, I determined that these radio's do not have the Frequency and PL Dip switches underneath the battery tray. I may have to crack open the case in order to look at the circuit board. I've never done this on a Motorola radio and I think I read somewhere, that all you have to do is take a flathead screwdriver and pry it open, but I'm not see a really good spot to do that. Anybody, have any tips on that?
In the unlikely event I have to transmit with these radio's from my home, I don't think anyone will hear me. I live in a rural area approximately, 7-10miles from the nearest businesses and none of them use the frequencies that appear to be programmed in this radio, and compared to the Radio Reference Database for my area. Max range on this radio I think is 5 miles or less.

 

[mmckenna]

Those are based off the SP50, so there won't be DIP switches on the inside. Not sure what programming software would touch these, but likely starting with the SP50 software/cable would be a good idea. Likely you'll find that software needs a slow/dumb DOS machine with a real serial port. Would be a fun challenge, but you may quickly find that the money, time and effort you spend on these radios will quickly outpace the cost of just buying some suitable new(er) radios.

Opening the case won't do much for you, everything you need is external.
If you do want to open it, use a very wide blade screwdriver. Ideally you want something more like a plastic prying tool to prevent damaging the case. Motorola sold a fancy prying tool, but you can find something cheaper that will work.

 

[DeeEx]

Not sure about that model, but if there are switches, they will be under a paper-thin slip of plastic underneath the battery. The plastic is held on by adhesive and will come off easily.

 

[KG4INW]

Ah, I somehow missed the HP suffix. Motorola made numerous different Spirit models so that link I shared isn't exactly relevant. Sorry! I'm not able to find a manual but the brochure is out there and these models are capable of narrowband. I'd follow mmckenna's suggestion and try the SP50 RSS first since these radios look physically identical to them (but knowing Motorola, it might use totally different software).

 

[mmckenna]

Ah, I somehow missed the HP suffix. Motorola made numerous different Spirit models so that link I shared isn't exactly relevant.

I did the same thing, originally. I was kind of surprised BatLabs didn't have more info on them. RepeaterBuilder was pretty mum on them also.
There were a ton of different Spirit models out there, and they still show up from time to time. Used to be (before FRS), they were sold in big chain hardware stores for contractors. One of the reasons there's a ton of people on 464.500/464.550

I used SP-50's at a job I was at for a few years. They were decent radios at the time, considering the price.

 

[KevinC]

I’d put the SP-50 towards the bottom of the list of the portable I repaired the most back in the day.

GE MPI and Ritron JobCom were at the top of the list. JobCom just because of the shear numbers of them that were sold, MPI because it was a piece of crap.

 

[mmckenna]

I’d put the SP-50 towards the bottom of the list of the portable I repaired the most back in the day.

GE MPI and Ritron JobCom were at the top of the list. JobCom just because of the shear numbers of them that were sold, MPI because it was a piece of crap.

I had a couple of JobComs at one of my jobs. Not impressive at all.

We had the SP50's only because the owner wanted something cheaper than the P110's that we already had. The SP50's worked, but since I was a supervisor, I made sure I had a P110.

 

[R8000]

I had a couple of JobComs at one of my jobs. Not impressive at all.

If I recall, the Jobcom's used the speaker as the mic. We had some on lowband for fire and their transmit audio was worse than what china poops out these days.

 

[bobhud]

Ah, I somehow missed the HP suffix. Motorola made numerous different Spirit models so that link I shared isn't exactly relevant. Sorry! I'm not able to find a manual but the brochure is out there and these models are capable of narrowband. I'd follow mmckenna's suggestion and try the SP50 RSS first since these radios look physically identical to them (but knowing Motorola, it might use totally different software).View attachment 125164

I didn't think about it but I probably should have included the model number which is P94YQS20G2AS. These Specs line up with the UHF model number. Thank You.