XTL2500 question

[firetaz834]

I purchased a XTL2500 off of ebay, and when I got it, I noted the the model number did not match that of and XTL2500 but was a PM1500. I questions the seller and this is what his reply was.

The radio has been reflashed as an xtl2500. All of those radios are the same internally. I can make them whatever I want them to be along with whatever flash I want it to be. Th Radio has been tested and aligned. It meets all specs as an XTL2500

Should, I request a refund and head for the hills, or is he speaking the truth as to what can be done.

When, I bid on the radio, was under assumption that it was a true XTL2500 not a reflashed unit. Also, the seller promised a enhanced mike but got a standard mike. Getting a very uneasy feeling on this.

Any help appriciated

 

[KevinC]

My opinion...

If you paid fair market value for it get a refund. If you paid a ridiculously low price you should have expected something was fishy.

 

[rn1nduk1]

I suspect fishy. Not the motorola GURU, but according to motorola website, if all inclusive, you lost alot. No trunking, not sure about any encryption. Someone is welcomed to correct me, but seems you got a skinny down XLT2500, meaning just basic stuff to talk with . Your best bet is to read the flash code and see. Drawback, is it a "hacked" radio

https://www.motorolasolutions.com/c...0/_documents/static_files/pm1500_brochure.pdf

https://www.motorolasolutions.com/c...documents/static_files/r3-1-2028d_xtl2500.pdf

I have an XTL 5000 HP W-9 config, and it has more than 255 channel capability. The 1500 and 2500 should be simular. Good news is, I believe they use the same CPS.

 

[N4KVE]

They are electronically the same. He could have flashed to be a 5000, with all the 5000 features if he wanted. If you are using this as a hobby, or ham radio, it’s all good. If you are using this radio as a cop, or a firefighter, maybe not. The first XTL5000 I bought turned out to be an upgraded 1500, but it was for ham freq’s only. It was properly upgraded, tuned on an Aeroflex 3920, & priced fairly. I didn’t give it a second thought.

 

[firetaz834]

Gentlemen:

Thank you for the comments and items to ponder.

I paid fair marked price for what was to be a XTL2500, remote mount with enhanced mike. I looked at what simular XTL5000 were going for and determined a lower price being it a XTL2500. Right now the radio is going to be used for just ham, but it might be used for a different use later on.

I did send the seller a email with my concerns and he wrote back that indeed he sent me the incorrect trunk unit, but, he now doesn't have any other trunk units available.

I get more frustrated with every minute. considering asking for a refund. Working on a project and this is just throwing things off big time. But, I believe I paid a fair price for what I though I was getting, but the seller hasn't even offered to refund any money for his mistakes.

Again, thanks for the responses, this is something to consider

 

[wardaddy]

I paid fair marked price for what was to be a XTL2500, remote mount with enhanced mike.

Get a refund. If the seller pushes back, open a PayPal dispute for him selling counterfeit merchandise.

 

[SCPD]

The value should not exceed a used pm1500 on your unit. While the hardware is same, it has been jacked with.

I will go onto say it is a laugh when a obsolete model is selling for new price tag when one can get a equivalent non motorola p25 radio new for same price, and in some cases a new low tier APX fpr what many ask for used whack flashed XTS/XTL units.

One thing to watch is there has been a group, some on youtube, ebay and here running around with hacked flash keys jerking the flash codes with un named software then using the hacked flash key to make it appear legit. A few scolding others at times for asking non affiliate questions, to anything involving the fleabay gang garage jerking mod sales.

Unfortunately these days unless the legit real tags match the internal data, you can bank on it being jacked with with said illegal items and even then I hear there is way they been jerking around with that internally on them.

Ham use, private business knock your socks off I'm sure it works. Mission cCritical I wouldn't allow it to touch anything knowing parts been switcheroo'd, messed with poor reflow work. Many have had good use of them kind of units but mission critical, no wouldn't even consider it.

 

[mmckenna]

Something to think about….

You have a PM-1500. You were told it was an XTL-2500.
If something happens to that radio and you need to send it in for repair what do you think Motorola is going to do?

My answer: "I don't know."
But I certainly wouldn't want to send a PM-1500 that's been flashed to be an XTL-2500 into Depot (if they still service them?) and expect to get a working XTL-2500 back. You might find a local shop that will help you, or you might not get any help at all.
Or it might not ever break and work just fine for eternity.

I agree, if you paid a used PM-1500 price and got something that looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, be happy with your new goose.

 

[rn1nduk1]

Motorola won’t fix I am sure without exorbitantly high fee. Especially flashed with depot considering new batches of 8500 with firmware 18 I understand had a change where cannot flash anymore without logging into their server. I do like the goose thing though. There are a lot of risks Prolly should have asked for pic of model and serial on unit first. My best guess if hack job the serial in cps wont match what is on unit tag.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Motorola won’t fix I am sure without exorbitantly high fee. Especially flashed with depot considering new batches of 8500 with firmware 18 I understand had a change where cannot flash anymore without logging into their server. I do like the goose thing though. There are a lot of risks Prolly should have asked for pic of model and serial on unit first. My best guess if hack job the serial in cps wont match what is on unit tag.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Most have the common sense to make the serial numbers match. Depot will allow for it but it will change the model numbers when going from one model to the other and at that point it will no longer match the tag.

To the OP, my opinion on the matter, you were sold an XTL2500 but received a whored out PM1500. Why anyone would whore out a PM1500 to an XTL2500 and not a XTL5000 is beyond me. General rule of thumb for those who have access to Depot software…you do not sell radios with mismatched tags. You sell the radio as the tag shows it should be configured. So if you modify one when you get it, restore it to match when you get rid of it.

Simple way to do that, read the radio when you get it and if you ever need to reconfigure it you simply write it back in with the software that allowed you to change it.

 

[firetaz834]

To all who have posted, let me say that I value the wisdom of all who have posted. As I go along I'm learning and concerns I have had are being confirmed by those who have responded.

I bid and paid what I thought was a reasonable price for a XTL2500. The seller had sent out a modified PM1500 (and is that the same as a XTL1500) I'm still at a loss to understand this. I checked the photos that the seller had provided in the add and the model number was that of a XTL2500 and when I sent back a photo of the tag with the model number of the radio I got he said it was his mistake and he had sent out the wrong transmitter, also he sent me out the wrong mike (2 mistakes have me really worried).

Currently, I plan on using it on the Ham bands, but at a future date hope to have it on some mission critical sites and also my other concern is what if the radio needed service, what would the repair shop say when I told them it was a XTL2500 and the model number comes back to a PM1500 (big worry).

In all the years that I have had Motorola equipment, I have had all original equipment and not of it had been modified to other than factory specs for the type of radio it is.

The seller did offer me my money back (since he no longer has a XTL remote unit), or $100 back and will send me out the enhanced mike. That is the long and short of it. Little disappointed because a project I'm working on is now delayed a couple weeks while I try to get another radio.

Any additional comments are welcomed and I thank all that have responded so far. Don't have many experts to ask and again I value the wisdom of the group for the responses.

 

[N4KVE]

Seriously, the only difference electronically between the 1500, & 2500 is the decal. Since the radio is no longer supported by the factory, a mom,& pop 2 way shop couldn’t care less. It’s a 2500 now, & that’s what they’ll be working on. Keep the radio, & take the $100. It’s not like the program to “upgrade” the radio was created by Russian hackers. It was created by Motorola engineers to be a shortcut for upgrades in the factory. It was never meant to leave the building, but it did. The problem is some people who try to use it have no idea what they are doing, & bork a radio. But in the hands of a skilled radio tech, it works great. Case closed.