Throwing it Back to the 80s - Radius M216

[03msc]

So, as a ham I have developed an interest and appreciation for "vintage" radios. Maybe not as vintage as some are, but in this case I'm talking about the Motorola Radius M216 (and GM300). I have a few GM300 radios and can program them fine. I'm still working on getting the M216 to program (seems to be a cable issue; same one that works fine on the GM300 radios isn't working on the M216 but that's a different issue).

My question is the model...the model is shown as D44LRA7PA5CK. The online 'model decoders' I've seen show either an A or B in the next to last character spot but not a C. Anyone know what the C means? I've searched the web quite a bit over a few days and so far the ones I've found don't show a C option there so I'm stumped. Maybe someone knows or will have better luck than I in searching. This particular Radius was new-old-stock in original box. Hoping to get it working for 70cm and GMRS monitoring, at least.

I guess while we're at it, I assume the cable issue I'm having for programming is that I am using a RIBless cable and the Mxxx radios must have a RIB? Like I said, the cable works fine on the GM300 radios but I realize they are different despite looking very similar.

 

[jeepsandradios]

You need Radius Mobile software. Cable and Rib is the same. I've never used a "rib less" cable on my DOS stuff. Always use the MSI RIB.

 

[03msc]

You need Radius Mobile software. Cable and Rib is the same. I've never used a "rib less" cable on my DOS stuff. Always use the MSI RIB.

I do have Radius RSS (RADMBL) and it opens/loads up fine. Just won't read/write. I have had it say successful a couple of times on a comm test within RSS, though. Other times it errors on that, as well.

Edit to add: The cable I have is db9 on one end and mic/RJ45 on the other. I then have a sub to serial adapter that I use with several different cables for different brands that works fine. Like I said, that cable combination works great on the GM300 but it may just be a difference in the radios that is causing the issue. I'll look at getting a RIB and try that route. I have an old Panasonic Toughbook that runs DOS that I program HT1000/JT1000 with that I can use, too, if I can get the RSS over on a floppy. lol

 

[Project25_MASTR]

M216 requires the Maxtrac RSS IIRC. Generally, LRAs are Radius mobiles but some of the 5 pin Maxtracs are also LRAs.

Ribless should would fine as long as you are running the software in DOS with a real PCI based serial port.

 

[03msc]

M216 requires the Maxtrac RSS

I'm not arguing as you likely know much more than I, but I know I read in more than one place to use Radius RSS with the Mxxx radios, including the M216. But, again, that could be wrong info or I could have misread. I'll see if I can find the Maxtrac RSS and give it a go.

 

[03msc]

Just found again where it states that the M216 needs Radius RSS (RADMBL) for programming. I may try the Maxtrac anyway if I can find it but my research is telling me I have the one I need.

Still curious about the C in the model number, though. Anybody know?

Edit: Tried the Maxtrac software and it errors out as wrong radio.

 

[mmckenna]

Still curious about the C in the model number, though. Anybody know?

Pretty sure that was just a model revision indicator.

 

[03msc]

Cool. This is (obviously) more a project/hobby radio but I'd like to get it going. Kind of a novelty type thing since it was NOS/BNIB.

 

[mmckenna]

I've got a few GM300's still. VHF. Good for 2 meter use. I've still got one mounted in my son's UTV. Always meant to snag a UHF model for GMRS, but I never got around to it.

 

[03msc]

I've got a few GM300's still. VHF. Good for 2 meter use. I've still got one mounted in my son's UTV. Always meant to snag a UHF model for GMRS, but I never got around to it.

Yeah they’re solid little radios for basic use. The three GM300 ones I have perform well on ham and GMRS, yeah.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Pretty sure that was just a model revision indicator.

Yes. An C model may have many design revisions vs an A model. The software would have to be current to that revision as would the service manual.

 

[03msc]

Yes. An C model may have many design revisions vs an A model. The software would have to be current to that revision as would the service manual.

Maybe that’s why it isn’t reading; I may have an earlier version of the RSS. Makes sense.

 

[N5XPM]

I do have Radius RSS (RADMBL) and it opens/loads up fine. Just won't read/write. I have had it say successful a couple of times on a comm test within RSS, though. Other times it errors on that, as well.

Edit to add: The cable I have is db9 on one end and mic/RJ45 on the other. I then have a sub to serial adapter that I use with several different cables for different brands that works fine. Like I said, that cable combination works great on the GM300 but it may just be a difference in the radios that is causing the issue. I'll look at getting a RIB and try that route. I have an old Panasonic Toughbook that runs DOS that I program HT1000/JT1000 with that I can use, too, if I can get the RSS over on a floppy. lol

I don’t recall the exact names, but there is a Motorola DOS based programming software for the M208/ M 216 models, a different one for the GM300 series and another one for conventional Maxtrac series. To go out of the normal frequency band, I believe you press and hold shift while you type the frequency number.

 

[03msc]

I don’t recall the exact names, but there is a Motorola DOS based programming software for the M208/ M 216 models, a different one for the GM300 series and another one for conventional Maxtrac series. To go out of the normal frequency band, I believe you press and hold shift while you type the frequency number.

Correct. That’s what I understand, as well.

 

[davidgcet]

RADMBL as written to hard grab the serial port. In my experience it will NOT run properly in a DOS emulator, you have to be down in hard DOS and using a real built in serial port using standard I/O address and IRQ. bac when it came out Moto's programmers did not really understand how to share the bus so their software would only work in environments where it had complete control of the resources. Windows/Linux/etc... of any kind did not quite give it the control it wanted.

it has been several years since i did one, even before narrow banding, but we used to keep an old 286 laptop just for programming them. i never had much success with a ribless cable and RADMBL, even ones that worked fine for a GM series.

 

[kayn1n32008]

I don’t recall the exact names, but there is a Motorola DOS based programming software for the M208/ M 216 models, a different one for the GM300 series and another one for conventional Maxtrac series. To go out of the normal frequency band, I believe you press and hold shift while you type the frequency number.

It's been years since I messed with the radius stuff(Maxtrqc/M216/M208/GM300) I remeber seeing something about avoiding the LRA models for going out of band. Power output went wonky or something.

 

[12dbsinad]

Good ol' Radius line... a good smack with a hammer to reset the header pins and she'd be good for another month!

 

[stmills]

If I recall correctly it was possible via lab to make a radius M216 into a maxtrac. I am pretty sure it was a radius that had been labbed to a maxtrac to increase the channels that I bought many radios ago.

 

[mmckenna]

Good ol' Radius line... a good smack with a hammer to reset the header pins and she'd be good for another month!

Had one in a UTV. It got wet. I shook the water out, cleaned said pins, and it's still running 10 years later.

 

[03msc]

Good ol' Radius line... a good smack with a hammer to reset the header pins and she'd be good for another month!

All I know about them is I know a guy who had one in his railroad maintenance/service truck back in the mid-90s that saw all sorts of rough roads and dust, etc., and it worked flawlessly for years. I'm sure some can have issues, though, I don't doubt that.