XTL/XTS5000 XTL5000 FL issues

[jcmt]

All,

I have searched through the boards looking for a solution, and so far I am still having difficulty--

I recently acquired a couple of XTL5000 units at auction from a local municipality. The one in question is a remote set up with O5 control head. The control head and radio body were both removed from active service, working at the time of removal (supposedly). The remote cable and control head power cable were not included, so I purchased these new, OEM. When everything on the body and control head is connected and powered up, (including ignition circuit) the control head displays FL 01-90, cycles off/on and displays the same fail code before lighting up in Maintenance Mode Remote Device display. I can read, edit, and write to the radio without difficulty from CPS, so the brains seem to be fine.

From my reading on the forums, this type of issue seems to be a connectivity issue between the radio and control head, which makes sense. I of course have tried unplugging/replugging everything. Interestingly, I can use the power key on the control head to actually turn the radio on and off (evidenced by the radio connecting and disconnecting from my computer with the programming cable attached to the rear port). I have already unseated/reseated the flex cables in the remote kit on both ends per recommendation of previous fixes in my research. This has not fixed it. Additionally, the radio actually did completely power up and display just one time during my testing before immediately going back into this cycle of failing. (Which certainly made me suspicious for a poorly seated connector.)

Suggestions? I'm not sure if a "control head sync" would be helpful in this instance; I do not have the front control panel attachment programming cable, so I have been unable to attempt this. Thanks in advance for any expertise thrown this way!

 

[RKG]

Both deck and head need their own power connections, and deck must be powered before head is powered on. Typical install is deck tied to continuous battery power with head connected to ignition sense switched power.

 

[Giddyuptd]

Try to read the radio from the brick not head.

Flash rather sync the head to the unit.

Rewrite original codeplug if possible.

Check connections in the head ribbons inside.

If all fails attempt a firmware upgrade, reflash. Try several times from the brick itself not the head mic port.

If the head won't sync try another head.

If all fails the standard would have been to send it into depot. Common issue the xtl 2500s, 5000s had on a firmware version somewhere between 16 and 18.

There's the garage man's attempts to restore it but those cannot be mentioned here.

 

[jcmt]

Thanks for the replies.

The control head is appropriately powered with its own continuous and ignition sense wire. The main brick has its own continuous supply. I've been using the power up process described in the first reply.

It appears that the department wrote a generic codeplug to the radio prior to auctioning them; there was no residual channel/zone data. I was able to successfully change parameters (for instance, ignition sense for the brick) and add a couple of simplex channels and rewrite successfully. I am already using the rear, brick, cable for this.

I may try the firmware upgrade; I don't have it in front of me right now but it seems that it was an older version as I recall. Last I had looked, it didn't appear that MOL had these listed online in the subscription portal for download...does anyone know if they are in there and I just overlooked them, perhaps?

 

[MTS2000des]

Firmware was removed and was only given to customers with support cases open. Being that the XTL5000 is now past the EOL for depot support, sending it to the depot will result in a "return/non-repairable" and I doubt support will do anything to even send you the firmware files, and you'd need a valid refresh key to properly load the firmware.

 

[radioman2001]

First things first, when you read the radio does it show for an O5 head, also what firmware versions can you pull from either reading the radio or in test mode, as I understand it they must match or be somehwere close. After that if no joy head over to austech.info join and you should be able to get whatever firmware/software you desire to update and then sync head to radio. As far as how you do the upgrade I will leave it you since there are so many radio police on this site.
If you intend to stay with an O5 or other "O" heads upgrade to the latest, if you intend at anytime in the future to use any "W" series stay away from the last version. There were issues of intermittant power off.

 

[jcmt]

The brick itself is R12.00.17 firmware. My CPS is latest version. The codeplug does show O5/O3 head.

I obtained a cable to connect via the front connection on the control head, and I did a control head sync. I was able to get it to successfully do so (per the CPS screen), but it has not changed anything. I'm still getting the Maintenance Mode Remote Device screen on the control head.

The best thing I can figure is that something got screwed up when they were removing it (e.g. brick power taken off and control head still on, as this seems to be .) I've taken apart the control head end and the brick portion and checked the flex cables and connectors; they're well seated.

I am going to try to bring the FW up from the dark ages step-wise to avoid bricking it, and we will see what that does I suppose.

 

[com501]

Sub your remote cable, they are easily damaged. If you have a Brick to Control Head flex, try mating the control head to the brink which bypasses all the shenanigan with cables, etc.

 

[jcmt]

I purchased a new OEM remote cable as the original wasn't included in the box of goodies. I am thinking that I may try to do like you mentioned and get a flex to just try the non remote config...

 

[jcmt]

I tried the dash config with a new OEM flex....same behavior. I was able to perform a "successful" control head sync via CPS, no change. It's a back burner project, but I'm going to work on digging up some old firmware next to try.