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Resurrecting an old Radius.
- Thread starter merlin
- Start date
- Status
The radio:
model - D51LRA9734BK
tanapa- HUB3301A
Firmware revision 20.00
Software:
Maxtrac R.07.20.00 running on Win XP dos box.
Maybe wishful thinking that some 3rd party software is out there.
OEM calls for a RIB, I do have 3rd party rib with no cables.
Found a RIBless cable, but the software won't communicate not seeing the RIB.
A lost post, an OP stated the ribless cable works fine but software is unknown.
The radio is old, been around a bit but works fine, hate to scrap it for unable to program.
Bought dirt cheap not working, Yep, the seller knew nothing of the accessory plug.
model - D51LRA9734BK
tanapa- HUB3301A
Firmware revision 20.00
Software:
Maxtrac R.07.20.00 running on Win XP dos box.
Maybe wishful thinking that some 3rd party software is out there.
OEM calls for a RIB, I do have 3rd party rib with no cables.
Found a RIBless cable, but the software won't communicate not seeing the RIB.
A lost post, an OP stated the ribless cable works fine but software is unknown.
The radio is old, been around a bit but works fine, hate to scrap it for unable to program.
Bought dirt cheap not working, Yep, the seller knew nothing of the accessory plug.
I have never seen windows software for that radio. DOS OEM works well. I run the RIB and cable. Never been an issue.
MTS2000des
5B2_BEE00 Czar
Stop wasting time with XP, Dos Box, etc. Grab a real DOS boot disk off bootdisk.com, use a REAL serial port, and preferably an older single core Pentium or 486 and you'll be fine.
These radios were in production when Bush Sr was in his presidency. Really, they are THAT OLD. What was the fastest PC in 1989? Pentium 60 had just been announced. That's what the RSS was designed to run on.
These radios were in production when Bush Sr was in his presidency. Really, they are THAT OLD. What was the fastest PC in 1989? Pentium 60 had just been announced. That's what the RSS was designed to run on.
WPXS472
Member
While I fully agree with the above comment, I have had good luck with RSS using a 120 MHz Pentium, 32 bit laptop running DOS 7.0. If memory serves, it did have a real serial port. I did manage to get DOS to recognize a USB dongle that housed both DOS and the RSS. There are a lot of different "fixes" that will let you use things other that what is normal, but you have to be willing to do a lot of tinkering to get them to work. The best solution is, as stated above, an old 486 PC running some flavor of DOS.
To start with, Maxtrac RSS will not program that model radio. You need to find Radmbl RSS.
ElroyJetson
Getting tired of all the stupidity.
Getting a good running 486 laptop is getting harder and harder these days.
About ten years ago I decided I'm done with continuing to expend effort to support obsolete radio types that depend on increasingly scarce
hardware for programming. And it's one of the best decisions I ever made. It's nice to be free of the hassles of trying to support a 40 year old radio. I don't have to find a stone tablet or bearskin rug to program the darned things.
But yet it's also kind of a shame because some of the most fantastic radios ever made fall into that obsolete category. The GE EDACS Rangr with S850 Playskool control head was as reliable as anything the commercial radio industry ever made. And the conventional versions, too.
Just as impressive, the old Syntor X mobiles. A good 110 watt VHF drawer unit could push out 150 watts no problem and at 18 volts input power to the PA, 225 watts was well within the realm of practicality. But I hated having to program the drawer unit and the 9000 control head separately.
And then there's the SABER portable. Which, I think, was the best analog portable radio ever made. If they supported narrowband I'd probably make the effort to support them today. But for only 2M/70CM/Marine VHF usage, it's not worth it to me.
About ten years ago I decided I'm done with continuing to expend effort to support obsolete radio types that depend on increasingly scarce
hardware for programming. And it's one of the best decisions I ever made. It's nice to be free of the hassles of trying to support a 40 year old radio. I don't have to find a stone tablet or bearskin rug to program the darned things.
But yet it's also kind of a shame because some of the most fantastic radios ever made fall into that obsolete category. The GE EDACS Rangr with S850 Playskool control head was as reliable as anything the commercial radio industry ever made. And the conventional versions, too.
Just as impressive, the old Syntor X mobiles. A good 110 watt VHF drawer unit could push out 150 watts no problem and at 18 volts input power to the PA, 225 watts was well within the realm of practicality. But I hated having to program the drawer unit and the 9000 control head separately.
And then there's the SABER portable. Which, I think, was the best analog portable radio ever made. If they supported narrowband I'd probably make the effort to support them today. But for only 2M/70CM/Marine VHF usage, it's not worth it to me.
I have had good luck grabbing the Toshiba Toughbook CF-25 for DOS stuff. I actually just grabbed a second one recently for a work project (Zetron) for $50 on ebay. They are out there and work great for DOS programing. I just loaded DOS 6.0 and my program. Biggest issue was finding a floppy to get my software on it 
That's a 6 meter range lowband. Those tend to hold a bit more value. I use a Toughbook CF-18 with a DOS boot USB.
I used to scoff at those USB Floppy drives.I have had good luck grabbing the Toshiba Toughbook CF-25 for DOS stuff. I actually just grabbed a second one recently for a work project (Zetron) for $50 on ebay. They are out there and work great for DOS programing. I just loaded DOS 6.0 and my program. Biggest issue was finding a floppy to get my software on it
...used to.
Had to order both the USB floppy drive and floppy disks online. No one local had floppy disks. Went to best buy and the kid looked at me like i was asking for a 9600 baud modem
OK, a lot of input here, but where I now stand. 'NO MORE COMPUTERS< NO MORE RADIOS'.
I have the RadMbl and runs fine on my XP dos command.
The RS232 cable I bought is NOT the right cable for the radio. (Claimed it was)
I can make my own interface with a MAX232, OR, wire some CAT/RJ45 to my simple RIB.
Not the first time going this route.
The radio is dated 1987 so the newer radius. Not pretty but functionally very good. (The mic is nice)
I have some serious future mods for this radio, but other priorities first.
73s all
I have the RadMbl and runs fine on my XP dos command.
The RS232 cable I bought is NOT the right cable for the radio. (Claimed it was)
I can make my own interface with a MAX232, OR, wire some CAT/RJ45 to my simple RIB.
Not the first time going this route.
The radio is dated 1987 so the newer radius. Not pretty but functionally very good. (The mic is nice)
I have some serious future mods for this radio, but other priorities first.
73s all
MTS2000des
5B2_BEE00 Czar
My thoughts after servicing hundreds of these in the mid 1990s: they are JUNK for amateur use. Here's why: they are NOT, I repeat, NOT designed for typical hamateur "Gas bag" duty cycle. The heat sink is just enough for the rated 5/5/90 duty cycle. On top of that, they would incinerate themselves because they didn't fold back PA drive fast enough. Turning down the biasing just makes them put out weird Boaturd like spurs.
We stocked PA's for these and Radius M2xxx/GM300s as cab companies kept our bench busy and burned them up from drivers using them the way hams ragchew on simplex. Back in those days, cellular phones were expensive and airtime was per minute. I swapped out at least 5 a week.
Much better radios out there with far superior performance, easier to program (no museum computers required), and alot more tolerant of higher duty cycles. Kenwood TK-7180 runs circles around one of these turdboxes for RX sensitivity, has way more channel capacity, and runs cooler even at high power.
We stocked PA's for these and Radius M2xxx/GM300s as cab companies kept our bench busy and burned them up from drivers using them the way hams ragchew on simplex. Back in those days, cellular phones were expensive and airtime was per minute. I swapped out at least 5 a week.
Much better radios out there with far superior performance, easier to program (no museum computers required), and alot more tolerant of higher duty cycles. Kenwood TK-7180 runs circles around one of these turdboxes for RX sensitivity, has way more channel capacity, and runs cooler even at high power.
These have been used on ham frequencies for decades and so easy to work on it isn't worth mentioning.
Nothing wrong with old, I have a bunch of Deltas and rangers here holding down carpet. Some Micor and Mocom stuff in storage.
My printer is 45 years old, far from being retired.
It isn't about power, I have 250 watts if I need it.
I bought this for parts, just connected it and works so maybe wind up a monitor radio.
I finished my RIB/cable, in testing now. Next is software that will run on my DOS boot stick. I have 30 more Radius files to sift through so ??
PS: I have a Delta SX with ALL the channels 136 to 174 Mhz. Maybe mod this the same for low band range.
Nothing wrong with old, I have a bunch of Deltas and rangers here holding down carpet. Some Micor and Mocom stuff in storage.
My printer is 45 years old, far from being retired.
It isn't about power, I have 250 watts if I need it.
I bought this for parts, just connected it and works so maybe wind up a monitor radio.
I finished my RIB/cable, in testing now. Next is software that will run on my DOS boot stick. I have 30 more Radius files to sift through so ??
PS: I have a Delta SX with ALL the channels 136 to 174 Mhz. Maybe mod this the same for low band range.
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