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ASTRO Spectra Flash

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steele_lpd

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I'm looking at buying an ASTRO Spectra VHF. I have the ability to program the radio but not to flash it. The one I'm looking at has a flash code of 0000010020005.

This flashcode breaks down to:
Conventional Operation
ASTRO Ready (Analog Operation ONLY)


I want to add P25 and digital ID display. How much would it cost for the flash?

Thanks!
 

Dorf411

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Western S. Dak
Around $400 plus any shop labor.

Probably more than that, if it is a plain old Spectra and not a Spectra Plus it will probably need a hardware upgrade to support P25 plus the firmware flash. I was told my M that it would be about $1,500 by the time it was done for hardware and firmware.
 

N4DES

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Probably more than that, if it is a plain old Spectra and not a Spectra Plus it will probably need a hardware upgrade to support P25 plus the firmware flash. I was told my M that it would be about $1,500 by the time it was done for hardware and firmware.


He was pretty specific that he has an ASTRO Spectra. Also I'm speaking from experience as I did exactly the same for my VHF ASTRO Spectra about 2 years ago, the difference being that I have access to a Smart RIB and was able to do the flash myself.
 

Dorf411

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He was pretty specific that he has an ASTRO Spectra. Also I'm speaking from experience as I did exactly the same for my VHF ASTRO Spectra about 2 years ago, the difference being that I have access to a Smart RIB and was able to do the flash myself.

I was speaking directly to M support when I was told that an Astro Spectra would need hardware upgrade in addition to firmware at a cost of approx $1,400-$1,500. He specifically said the spectra did not have enough memory to support the P25. This is on a radio that is already operating on a digital trunked radio system which is not full P25. It is a type 2 trunking 3600 baud.
 

Josh

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You probably had a radio that was either analog only or VSELP with a 512k controller. While IMBE can work on that, Moto will lie and tell you it cannot because the "newest" Host/DSP is from around 1996 and anything newer requires the 1-Meg size VOCON.
 

steele_lpd

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He was pretty specific that he has an ASTRO Spectra. Also I'm speaking from experience as I did exactly the same for my VHF ASTRO Spectra about 2 years ago, the difference being that I have access to a Smart RIB and was able to do the flash myself.

I have access to the CPS and to a SmartRIB... Is the only thing I'm going to save by doing it myself the shop labor?
 

N4DES

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I have access to the CPS and to a SmartRIB... Is the only thing I'm going to save by doing it myself the shop labor?

Yes that would be correct. It ran me around $400 to purchase the required flashkey and firmware CD. It went very smooth once I had all the items in hand. :D
 

immelmen

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I was speaking directly to M support when I was told that an Astro Spectra would need hardware upgrade in addition to firmware at a cost of approx $1,400-$1,500. He specifically said the spectra did not have enough memory to support the P25. This is on a radio that is already operating on a digital trunked radio system which is not full P25. It is a type 2 trunking 3600 baud.

I think what the OP meant when he said he wanted to upgrade to P25 was "Astro Digital Voice" or IMBE, not P25 trunking. If this is the case, and no trunking is required, then he will only need to buy the $400 IMBE flash upgrade...Digital ID is another $75.

You only need to upgrade an Astro Spectra to a Plus if you want to do full feature 9600 baud trunking. It is possible to Flashport upgrade a non-plus Astro Spectra for Astro25 trunking, however you will lose some trunking features such as select call and reduce the total number of personalities due to the 1 Meg vocon.
 

N4DES

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I think what the OP meant when he said he wanted to upgrade to P25 was "Astro Digital Voice" or IMBE, not P25 trunking. If this is the case, and no trunking is required, then he will only need to buy the $400 IMBE flash upgrade...Digital ID is another $75.

You only need to upgrade an Astro Spectra to a Plus if you want to do full feature 9600 baud trunking. It is possible to Flashport upgrade a non-plus Astro Spectra for Astro25 trunking, however you will lose some trunking features such as select call and reduce the total number of personalities due to the 1 Meg vocon.

Excellent clarification....thanks for your input.
 

wa6ylb

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Sep 18, 2009
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Location
Central California
I'm looking at buying an ASTRO Spectra VHF. I have the ability to program the radio but not to flash it. The one I'm looking at has a flash code of 0000010020005.

This flashcode breaks down to:
Conventional Operation
ASTRO Ready (Analog Operation ONLY)


I want to add P25 and digital ID display. How much would it cost for the flash?

Thanks!


You don't want to know. ;-)

Adding P25 is $515, and the ID display is $75. Much cheaper to find
a radio with this in it already. Motorola gets $515 for radios that never had CAI P25 in them, at the time
of ordering (minus discount overall) or after the fact its full price.
B.
 
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