Programming of Spectra VHF and UHF...??

[LZ1CBK_bobby]

Hello everybody !

not long ago I get one UHF and VHF Spectra radios ( dash type- A4 control head ) , which both seem to work well.
What I need now is to re-program them on amateur frequencies on 2m and 70 cm bands .
I have RIB ( RLN 4008) , and proper cable prepared, running DOS 6.22 , and using r.05.01.00
( RVN 4001L) .
Unfortunately this RVN 4001 L allows me only to set up different parameters on radio, such as :
SQL level, TX Power, Deviation, etc,.., but I can't read the codeplug .
May somebody help ? do I use wrong program ?

Thanks in advance !

Best Regards,

Bobby, Lz1CBK
Sofia, Bulgaria

Lz1cbk@yahoo.com

 

[KM4WLV]

I may be wrong but if you can get in via the RSS to change your SQL parameters, TX power & such you should be able to get to everything else, but I may be wrong. Are you running the RSS in true DOS mode, or are you running it in a shell (Windows DOS prompt)? Also are you sure you're using the correct version of RSS for your radios? Reason I'm asking is there are many different versions out there & it would help if you knew what the last version used was (meaning do you know what the last version RSS they were programmed with?).

Any more light you can shed on this for us?

 

[ElroyJetson]

You may have serious problems trying to put a UHF Spectra on 70 cm, too. The VCOs contain laser-trimmed stripline circuits which are very, very difficult to retune without destroying the board.

 

[LZ1CBK_bobby]

Hello everybody !

FD5722:
Thanks for yor fast reply ! Yes, I run the RSS program in real DOS ( 6.22) , though I dedicated one old PC for this purpose, on which I installed Win-98, which is running over DOS in fact . Unfortunately I received both radios from E-bay from USA, so I don't know which version of RSS have been used lastly .How to check this- may you propose some way ? I may send you the SN of both radios, if this can help.I use RVN 4001-L, as RVN 4001-N I don't have. I try to read radio with :
R05.03.00-doesn't work
R06.01.00 ( RVN 4019)-doesn't work
R04.03.00 (RVN 4023)-also doesn't work

If somebody can send me a codeplug for both UHF and VHF radios, which work on RVN 4001-L, I may try do upload into radio, than to continue playing (bitbanging- in order to change freq.split, etc..) hopefully it may work.

Elroy Jetson :

Yes,I know hardware changes for tunning in order to get the PLL lock, and RX Sens to be good, may need, just I need to start once the radios working ( to read and write on them) where so far I don't have success.
May you please help with codeplugs for UHF and VHF ( with one channel programmed for instance) ?

Best Regards to All

Boris
Lz1cbk@yahoo.com

 

[RKG]

I suspect you have installed the Spectra Tuner application, not the RSS application.

 

[zz0468]

...
Unfortunately this RVN 4001 L allows me only to set up different parameters on radio, such as :
SQL level, TX Power, Deviation, etc,.., but I can't read the codeplug .
May somebody help ? do I use wrong program ?

Right program, wrong version, probably. The last version was RVN4001N, R06.00.05. The only way to get around that is to locate RVN4001n, R06.00.05. It's "out there" if you look hard enough. What exactly does the software have to say when it refuses to read the codeplug?

How to check this- may you propose some way ? I may send you the SN of both radios, if this can help.

Send the model number and the serial number. Maybe someone can make some sense of it.

R06.01.00 ( RVN 4019)-doesn't work

That's Maxtrac RSS.

R04.03.00 (RVN 4023)-also doesn't work

That's for the Maratrac.

If somebody can send me a codeplug for both UHF and VHF radios, which work on RVN 4001-L, I may try do upload into radio, than to continue playing (bitbanging- in order to change freq.split, etc..) hopefully it may work.

A different codeplug won't work unless it was created with the same, or later, version of RSS that your radios have.

Bit banging!? Do you have Lab software? Is that the 05.03.00 you mentioned? Bit banging into a different split may or may not work. I have seen some specific cases where changing the range has cause the radio to fail. A better approach is to leave the radio alone, and hack the bandlimits in the RSS itself. The process is well documented.

You may have serious problems trying to put a UHF Spectra on 70 cm, too. The VCOs contain laser-trimmed stripline circuits which are very, very difficult to retune without destroying the board.

It's not nearly so difficult as you make it seem. The process is well documented. The microstrip can be shortened with a diamond tip dremmel, or lengthened with conductive ink.

 

[LZ1CBK_bobby]

Hello, Everybody !

I am happy to see here in this forum people don't sleep unlike many other forums. This is somehow very good !
ZZ0468 :

1) I am still trying to search for this version ( R 06.00.05 ) RVN 4001N, so far- unsuccessfull. What the RSS says is : Your type of radio is not supported by this program. Please contact dealer .
2) I will send the model number and SN of both VHF and UHF radios, hopefully somebody may help
3), 4)- Yes, I mentioned this RSS is for Maxtrac and maratrac, just was obliged to try, but without success
5)Yes, I was advised the same- bandlimits to be hacked in the RSS itself, so I am planning to do with some support, as I am not very experienced in this. The BitBanger ( Lab RSS ) I have, it is exactly what you say- R 05.03.00- The reason I mentioned hacking the codeplug from radio was because I red some article in batlabs regarding this. Which fiel has to be modified in RSS exactly- I suppose *.cfg, or maybe I am wrong ?
6) Let's read /write the radio first, playing with the hardware will be next step. I have experience in this, should be successfully modified. Still I can't pass step-1, and here is the problem.

If somebody can help with R06.00.05, I will deeply appreciate.

Best Regards from Lz1cbk

Boofia, Bulgaria

 

[tonyclark]

Are you looking for software?

 

[LZ1CBK_bobby]

Hello, again !

RKG :

Actually I didn't install anything, I use this RSS R 05.01.00 ( RVN 4001L) by only starting application named "spectra.exe" in directory where the RSS was copied . There are another two *.exe files : spectra1 and spectra2, one of them is for tunning, other for codeplug read/write, I tried starting them separately- result is the same- only the one for tunning is OK. Do I need to install this RSS somehow ? I downloaded and just unzip and copy to my C: /
Is there any procedure for installing/configuration, except port number ?

ZZ0468 :

1) I am still trying to search for this version ( R 06.00.05 ) RVN 4001N, so far- unsuccessfull. What the RSS says is : " Your radio is not supported by this service software release. Contact Motorola National parts "

2) I will send the model number and SN of both VHF and UHF radios, hopefully somebody may help

UHF:
model N: DA4KX+068W
ID N: D44KXA7JA4AK
S/N: 624AWG0310
FCC N: ABZ89FT4376

VHF :
model N: AXD43KMA7JA4AK
S/N: 617ASY1491-5
APPR: 109 193 485I
KMHA- Motorola- canada

tony clark :

I wish to test the radio with RVN 4001 N, this type of radio is already very old and out of service, software for it is available in internet for free, which is normal, and is not a secret for anybody, just I can't find exactly this version. Is there any problem trying to find it ?

Best Regards from Lz1cbk

Sofia, Bulgaria

 

[zz0468]

Actually I didn't install anything, I use this RSS R 05.01.00 ( RVN 4001L) by only starting application named "spectra.exe" in directory where the RSS was copied . There are another two *.exe files : spectra1 and spectra2, one of them is for tunning, other for codeplug read/write, I tried starting them separately- result is the same- only the one for tunning is OK. Do I need to install this RSS somehow ? I downloaded and just unzip and copy to my C: /
Is there any procedure for installing/configuration, except port number ?

The only file you should execute is spectra.exe. When I try to run spectra1.exe or spectra2.exe, it doesn't really do anything, so I'm seriously wondering what you have. In addition to those, there should also be a number (like 9) .ovl files, and several other files. They must all be in the same directory, but it should run with no special installation. The required files merely need to exist together.

1) I am still trying to search for this version ( R 06.00.05 ) RVN 4001N, so far- unsuccessfull. What the RSS says is : " Your radio is not supported by this service software release. Contact Motorola National parts "

That's the message one gets when using the completely wrong software, not merely the wrong version. Something is not making sense to me.

2) I wish to test the radio with RVN 4001 N, this type of radio is already very old and out of service, software for it is available in internet for free, which is normal, and is not a secret for anybody, just I can't find exactly this version. Is there any problem trying to find it ?

Asking to buy or "borrow" Motorola software is frowned upon at this site, and at Batlabs. Motorola takes a dim view, and has been known to be a bit obnoxious about it, even with obsolete radios and software. That said, Spectra software is still available from Motorola if you know what to look for, but probably not to an non-U.S. customer that they don't know. They can also be a bit obnoxious about who they sell stuff to.

Google some of the specific file names, sort through the muck, and one can find it "out there".

I'm seriously wondering what version you really have. No DOS version of Spectra that I have will run "tuner" by itself. That's something that came later with CPS.

 

[LZ1CBK_bobby]

Hello, ZZ 0468 !

Yes, in the folder of RSS there is spectra.exe, and I start this aplication. There are also spectra1.exe and spectra2.exe , which I tested, just for curiosity...
Yes, *.ovl files are present in folder.

I wonder- if the RSS is totally wrong, then how I can adjust parameters like Squelch level, deviation, TS Power, etc..

I wonder -do some of the files inside directory of RSS ( like *.cfg file) need some modification ?

I will try to google for different RVN, and will return back to report about progress

 

[radioman2001]

Spectra programming basics

First a few basics, the Spectra WILL work just fine on the ham frequencies. There is enough information out there to do it. Check repeaterbuilder. com, with the addition of a simple resistor, placed on the VCO board you can get it working, that's if the radio even goes out of lock, and gives you a Fail 001 on the display.
Next RVN-4001n IS Spectra version 6.05 and should work on any Spectra. Back in the RSS days there was no "code plug too new problem". Now you say you run the Spectra software by starting spectra1.exe? Well that's probably part of the problem. You need start SPECTRA.EXE. The other spectra files, ( there should be roughly 18 programs in the spectra folder, less if you don't have the help, and notes files), are for use by the program when running. Also there is no separate tuning software for Spectra.
I suspect that you are not running the program properly, or you are missing components of the program, or you are invoking the wrong commands to read the radio. If you can provide a list of the subprograms in the folder, we might be able to help you. If it is an operator error, the proper way to run the program is to run Spectra.exe. When the program loads, and depending on the speed and memory of your computer, it could take up to a minuit to load. The program should give you a screen with options using the F keys. The first thing you need to do is set up the software to work with your computer hit the F9 key and set your com ports and archive file locations. To read a radio you must hit F3,(not F2 which is the service screen), then F2 which should read the radio. If you still get errors, please post them, and I'm sure we can walk you through them.
One big thing with me is to read the radio and save the information on a floppy in case you make a mistake, you can reload the original file.

 

[LZ1CBK_bobby]

Hello everybody !

Thanks a lot again for your will for help !

radioman2001 :

Just found yesterday the RVN 4001 N ( R06.00.05) , and now I am very happy I can read/write radio without problems. Even the program runs well in Win 98 mode, though I work with it only in DOS, to be 100 % sure and avoid any failure during write to radio...
VHF radio accepts frequencies below 146,000 MHz, which is fantastic. I will play this weekend to check the RX sens. and TX Power, and fine tune if neds
UHF radio- doesn't wish to accept frequencies below 450,000 MHz. I suppose the config file from RSS folder has to be hacked with HexEditor.
Information regarding this, available on Batwing Laboratories, or Welcome to Repeater Builder Dot Com is very good, just I am not very experienced in this, especially the check sums calculating and adjusting .
Regarding VCO- yes, there is good info for it'd retuning as well, I will try do my best to make it lock below 450,000 MHz.

Is there any chance to hack the RSS in order to memorize frequencies on more that 40 channels
( I red somewhere the spectra shoul work with 128 channels )

Do I need to hack anything in the codeplug ( after I download it from radio and save on hard drive), except modify teh frequencies and other personnal info ?

Best Regards and Happy Weekend to all of you ( and sorry for stuppied questions) !

Borislav,

Lz1cbk