Thanks, not looking forward to removing the battery leads every time I want to change the operator scan (it only erases the operator scan when the power is removed from the large red lead), and it sounds like fixed scan will not work with ham frequencies..
I did not say the fixed scan will not work with ham frequencies. I said the ham software doesn't allow you to change the scan lists. If you want to have fixed scan, you have to set the channels (modes) up ahead of time using in band channels. Then you use the ham software to set the frequencies to what you need them to be. It's a real pain in the rear, but it works.
So what I do is to make up an Excel spread sheet with all the channels I want in the ham band. This way you know what positions you want grouped and in what scan list. If you change out the EEPROM to a larger one like is in the Mike B web site, it will allow you to have up to 255 channels in the radio. Under normal conditions, only a total of 64 channels can be in the scan lists. If your lucky enough to have the modified firmware, there is a 128 channel scan ability.
The original Motorola software has an option to copy channels. So I program an in band channel and then copy it x number of times to get to the total channels I want for scanning and then some. This now gives you the needed channels in the radio to work with. Now you can go in and start setting up the scan lists as you want them. The scan list is on a per mode basis and doesn't give a hoot what the frequency is as long as it is in the normal band limits. This is where the Excel spread sheet keeps you on track of each channel (mode) as you set things up.
It has been a long time since I have done this scan lists, so can't remember if each list limits you to the 16 channel limit like most of the other Motorola radios or not.
The ham software will also allow you to make up a multi PL table list with 32 tones. It takes a little getting use to in doing it because the screen gets messy and it's hard to tell just where you are. But it does work. I have a number of radios set up with the multi PL operation using the 9000 series heads (w9).
You might run into a problem if you have a head that originally was set up for trunking or some other odd ball configuration. Generally it shows up as an error truing to write to the control head. A trick that can be used is to put the head on a Spectra and program it there. Then go back to the Syntor X9000 and program it on that radio. You will need a working Spectra with the W9 head on it. Read the Spectra radio. Shut the radio off. Then put the bad head on, turn the radio on and write back to it. Now take the head you thought was bad and you should be good to go put it on the Syntor X9000. Go through the process of reading a good head on the X9000 first. Shut it off and put on the head you just fixed on the Spectra. Write back to the head on the X9000 and you should be good to go. You might want to put a tag on the different heads so you don't get them confused. You will be playing with 3 different heads in this musical chair routine.