Want to get my XG checked out to see if it has drifted some. Anyone in the Yuma, AZ area ?
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XG 100P Tuning.
- Thread starter northstarfire0693
- Start date
Very shocked that no one here can help on getting an alignment done on my radio. I've reached out to NLT, Rick Thompson and one other. No luck. I know there are shops that can do this. Any help would be greatly appreciated
With my limited experience I only see a little frequency drift on these radios which is very easy to correct with a special mission plan and the front panel keypad. I can send you the alignment mission plan. The modulation and receiver seem to meet specs just fine. Do you have access to a service monitor or very accurate frequency counter? Or do you ever get to So Cal?
I have access to a frequency counter. No service monitor. I'm close to So Cal. In Yuma, AZ. If you can send me that mission plan, that would be awesome
If you don't have anything other than a frequency counter, you should be able to tweak the TCXO alignment from the front panel and get it on frequency. Without a service monitor I wouldn't recommend trying anything else.
Like @prcguy, I've seen very little drift on these radios, so unless your radio is way out of whack you probably don't really need to do anything. I tweaked mine just a tad, and it's been spot-on ever since.
As I understand it, the XG100P was designed by the "Green Team" at Harris as a multi-band intra-squad tactical radio and pushed out into the public safety sphere as well. Alignment facilities were few and far between, supposedly limited to Harris itself. When the radio was discontinued all of the alignment stuff was disposed of (ie stashed in the basement at Harris somewhere). Don't know if I believe all that or not.
The XG100P is listed in the RPM Radio Maintenance program, so if I could lay my hands on the proper cables and interfaces I suspect I could do a pretty respectable alignment if necessary. Fortunately I have an HP 8920 analyzer (and access to a Viavi 8800SX), as I wouldn't want to try anything other than the basic front panel stuff without one.
@prcguy - I'd love to have a copy of that alignment mission plan also....
Like @prcguy, I've seen very little drift on these radios, so unless your radio is way out of whack you probably don't really need to do anything. I tweaked mine just a tad, and it's been spot-on ever since.
As I understand it, the XG100P was designed by the "Green Team" at Harris as a multi-band intra-squad tactical radio and pushed out into the public safety sphere as well. Alignment facilities were few and far between, supposedly limited to Harris itself. When the radio was discontinued all of the alignment stuff was disposed of (ie stashed in the basement at Harris somewhere). Don't know if I believe all that or not.
The XG100P is listed in the RPM Radio Maintenance program, so if I could lay my hands on the proper cables and interfaces I suspect I could do a pretty respectable alignment if necessary. Fortunately I have an HP 8920 analyzer (and access to a Viavi 8800SX), as I wouldn't want to try anything other than the basic front panel stuff without one.
@prcguy - I'd love to have a copy of that alignment mission plan also....
I've only tested a couple of 100Ps but I did get a 100M that was 3KHz off at VHF and many times that at 800. It was so bad that P25 would not decode. The 100P is easy to put on freq but the 100M is much more involved having to use a terminal emulator and send it commands. In the end the 100M turned out perfect at about 30Hz high at 800MHz and its very stable.
Now if the TCXO is off. would that effect reception ? The radio has no issue decoding a P25 TG monitoring a trunk system.
If its off far enough it will get fuzzy sounding in analog and P25 will become unreliable like your getting out of range.
There is no alignment from Radio Maintenance for the 100p, only functions available are for feature string alteration. Harris always sent the radios back to the plant for full alignment outside of the TCXO.
Ill do the TCXO tomorrow, see what that does. Seems like a simple procedure
BMDaug
I am licensed…
If you have a CH100 head for 100M, you get the same TCXO menu you get on the 100P. It’s really nice to be able to do some rough tuning from the front panel. My 100P has been stable since I got it. I’ve never had to adjust anything!
-B
-B
So here is an update. Tested the radio on a freq counter. It was way off on all bands. I thought the counter was messing up, so we tested a few other radios on the same equipment just to rule it out. The other radios showed up on the counter and tested out just fine. So the counter was not an issue. I had to be within inches of the counter for it to pick up the XG. I thought that was weird. Could not get VHF to line up at all. It was bouncing from 136-170. Was able to get 800 to come in and adjusted TCXO to bring it into specs per the Harris book. Still did not improve the VHF or UHF side. After an hour, we just called it. No improvement on reception at all.
I used both the 6" and 9" antennas to see if that would make a difference. None. So I am convinced it was not an antenna issue.
Unless someone knows something different, I believe the radio has some type of internal issues going on. Also noticed it did not take much for the radio to heat up quickly when transmitting. Yes, I know radios will do that, but this was hotter than I expected.
Good thing is I worked with the guy who sold it and was able to return it and get a full refund.
I used both the 6" and 9" antennas to see if that would make a difference. None. So I am convinced it was not an antenna issue.
Unless someone knows something different, I believe the radio has some type of internal issues going on. Also noticed it did not take much for the radio to heat up quickly when transmitting. Yes, I know radios will do that, but this was hotter than I expected.
Good thing is I worked with the guy who sold it and was able to return it and get a full refund.
I was able to pick up another XG. That one works like a boss. I did get with the seller on the problem radio and let him know what the problems were and what remedies were tried. Hopefully he will be able to get it worked on.
BMDaug
I am licensed…
Glad you were able to work it out! I wouldn’t hold my breath while trying to get work done on a 100P… Since this was designed by the green division, they didn’t really release any service manuals or spare parts except for knob caps and removable parts like batteries, antennas, belt clips, and accessory port covers.
-B
Thats my understanding. I think that radio is done. Fortunately, I was able to get a full refund and shipped it back to the seller. Its up to him to figure it out now. I did check the alignment and adjustments on the TCXO. That thing was way off from the specs in the Harris book. You could only get 800 to come into specs. V/UHF were way off and drifting. TX was weak and reception was very poor. That was before adjusting TCXO and it didnt improve. My guess is some type of internal failure.
I hope the guy gets it worked out. I would hate to see him lose a decent radio.
HA! There may be life in the old girl yet....
I managed to get a look at an XG100P maintenance manual when I was visiting a shop. The alignment procedure is contained within, necessary hardware as follows:
RF Communications test set (Aeroflex 3920 or equivalent)
RF Power Meter (Agilent 4316 or equivalent)
RF Power Head (Agilent E4412A or equivalent)
10W 40dB RF power attenuator
RF adapter, SMA Male-Female
RF cable, SMA male to N-male
Battery eliminator
Adjustable power supply, 6-9vdc @ 3A minimum
Digital multimeter with probes
Radio programming software (RPM R7A or later) and computer
USB programming cable
Audio test box (Harris TS-011826-001 or MATQ-03424)
Audio test cable (Harris 12082-0435-A1)
BNC male to BNC male coax cable, 36" long
*The last 3 items are not required to perform the following tests/alignments: Transmitter Frequency Test, Transmitter Frequency Alignment, Transmitter Power Levels Test, Transmitter P25 (C4FM) Modulation Pattern Test, and Receiver (C4FM BER) Sensitivity Test.
I'm guessing what got locked in the double-secret vault at Harris when they discontinued support is the auto-test and align hardware.
I managed to get a look at an XG100P maintenance manual when I was visiting a shop. The alignment procedure is contained within, necessary hardware as follows:
RF Communications test set (Aeroflex 3920 or equivalent)
RF Power Meter (Agilent 4316 or equivalent)
RF Power Head (Agilent E4412A or equivalent)
10W 40dB RF power attenuator
RF adapter, SMA Male-Female
RF cable, SMA male to N-male
Battery eliminator
Adjustable power supply, 6-9vdc @ 3A minimum
Digital multimeter with probes
Radio programming software (RPM R7A or later) and computer
USB programming cable
Audio test box (Harris TS-011826-001 or MATQ-03424)
Audio test cable (Harris 12082-0435-A1)
BNC male to BNC male coax cable, 36" long
*The last 3 items are not required to perform the following tests/alignments: Transmitter Frequency Test, Transmitter Frequency Alignment, Transmitter Power Levels Test, Transmitter P25 (C4FM) Modulation Pattern Test, and Receiver (C4FM BER) Sensitivity Test.
I'm guessing what got locked in the double-secret vault at Harris when they discontinued support is the auto-test and align hardware.
Ill forward that information to him. Thank You
Sorry if I mess this up, it's my first post. Is there any way to get the alignment mission plan, I have a XG-100P shop radio that is off frequency by 1.4KHz on 440.
I have this manual; and yes it does. However, 90% of the tests, if they fail, state "return to Harris". The only procedure in the manual that can be followed without returning to Harris is TCXO.
I need to adjust the TCXO. I read in this thread that I need a mission plan to put into the radio that will let me adjust it from the front panel. It said you need the "alignment mission plan" to put into the radio. I was looking to get the special mission plan to try and get the radio on frequency.
Thanks,
Jim
Thanks,
Jim
