Syntor x9000 programming issue

[airboss1634]

I have a Syntor x9000 that i am trying to program. I made a programming cable out of one ot the T cables used to connect a rear control head that is connected to my RIB. When trying to read the radio or head I get an error message that says there is a power fault. The radio powers fine without error codes, and I have a fresh battery on the RIB. Any Ideas?

 

[kb0nly]

Got an OLD computer?? Your gonna need an ANCIENT laptop or desktop. I found anything over 50Mhz won't reliably program X9000's. If you can find a 486 of the 25/33Mhz vintage that works great for me.

I know it would spit random bus and power errors when i tried anything faster.

 

[wcu02mpa]

Computer will fix that

Assuming your cable is correct and RIB is correct, KB0NLY is correct. I am able to use an aftermarket RIB, but when I tried a pentium-1 computer I got the power fault message. I use a Toshiba T5200 laptap and it works great. I have programmed many of those X9000's and have had no other programming issue. What band are you trying to program? Low, VHF or UHF? I keep a lowband in my vehicle and it works both 6 and 10 meters great.

 

[airboss1634]

I am trying to program a T74 (100 watt UHF). I aquired an old i486sx 25Mhz, and have tried that. I am no longer getting the power fault message, but when I start to read the radio or head eeprom it displays "Reading Radio EEProm" and hangs. I thought these old dinos might be a little slow on the data x-fer, so I left it there for a while, which turned into a couple of hours. I thought it was the computer that froze, but when I turned the radio off, the RSS returned to the menu screen.

 

[rfradioconsult]

Try building a new personality that meets your requirements and try dumping it into the radio, don't bother trying to read the radio first, same for the CH build a new program and dump it in. The radios are pretty much goof proof, you can play around with the programming. If you haven't checked out Mike's site try this link.

Motorola SYNTOR, SYNTOR X, SYNTOR X 9000, SYNTOR X 9000E and SPECTRA Mobile Radio Information

 

[kb0nly]

I second that, build new codeplug from scratch and dump into radio. I hardly if ever read an X9000 unless i don't have a backup saved for that radio and the owner just needs a few things changed on the existing programming.

 

[airboss1634]

Partial success

OK, I have been able to program one successfully! However, I have another identical unit that I tried following the same procedure with. It starts to program, then throws a protocol error after block 1. I even built a new personality for the head and radio instead of using the saved ones from the other radio. Ideas?

Thanks for everyones help btw.

 

[rfradioconsult]

Check the ROM size, if I remember correctly a X9000 could have 2K or an 8K, there is a pin chumper that you move from one position to the other depending on the ROM size. Could be you have a 8K and a 2K radio. You need to read up at Mike's website.

Back several years ago I had a pair VHF and UHF with the dual radio cable and the SP dual radio head installed, but pulled them when I sold the vehicle.

 

[kb0nly]

Yep, both and 8k and 2k radio. So if you tried programming an 8k codeplug into a 2k radio you would get that error.

If you have a 2k radio you can update to an 8k radio by tossing in a larger EEprom, did that a lot on these.

 

[airboss1634]

Ok, tried the 2k and 8k codeplug, both give me a protocol error. this is the only radio that has given me this error. I have done 3 other x9000s with no issue, Think the prom is fried?

 

[rfradioconsult]

Your X9000 may have the firware for a dual-radio setup the chip should have a paper label with the Motorola pn on it, compare that pn with what you have on a known good radio. I don't remember the industry number but you can find them and take a known good one read it with your PROM programmer and save it as a .bin file then put a new chip in and write the bin file to it and have a duplicate chip. If you can find a used chip you can peel the label off and put it in your UV eraser and then reprogram it.