Astro Spectra won’t TX P25

[Will001]

Hey guys,
I have a UHF Astro Spectra with flashcode 500008-000000-1. The radio has a major problem with the P25 digital; when I transmit in digital mode, it will not get past the preamble. When I transmit using my portable in P25 mode, the Spectra won’t show that it’s receiving anything. Anyone know what is wrong here?


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[crazyboy]

Hey guys,
I have a UHF Astro Spectra with flashcode 500008-000000-1. The radio has a major problem with the P25 digital; when I transmit in digital mode, it will not get past the preamble. When I transmit using my portable in P25 mode, the Spectra won’t show that it’s receiving anything. Anyone know what is wrong here?


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When is the last time it had a full alignment?

 

[Will001]

Probably never. Where would I get it aligned? At a radio shop?


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[Mr_Boh]

Probably never. Where would I get it aligned? At a radio shop?


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There are some places that will do send in service too. I’m sure there are people hanging around here that offer it as a service. If you can get your hands on the right equipment (such as surfing through government surplus auctions) its a skill worth learning that will help sharpen your RF skills. Or find someone like in a local ham club who can teach you.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

What’s the firmware?

Astro’s were available with analog only firmware. That is firmware that would only support analog operation regardless of flash.


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[12dbsinad]

Do you have one of the older Astro's with VSELP modulation? I've run into a few of those... people bought them because they did "digital" but were disappointed as it ain't the same as IMBE P25.

 

[Will001]

I think it’s 11.70.00. It could also be 08.03.03, because when I put the radio into service mode, it just has the numbers and doesn’t tell me if it’s firmware or not. It’s a P25 model, because when I key up the radio I’m receiving on (XTS3000) will have some white noise on receive, but no voice will come through.


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[Anderegg]

There should be a LETTER in front of those numbers...the letter denotes if the firmware is analog or analog+digital. If some one hacked the flashcode, but left the analog firmware in it, it will program as digital, but when the signal passes through the firmware, it won't decode. If you set a digital channel up in a hacked radio with analog firmware, it will receive digital white noise.

Paul

 

[Will001]

When I transmit using P25 in another radio, the receive light won’t come on, and the radio will just sit there like no one is on the channel. When I transmit, my other radio unsquelches, but no voice comes through.


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[Anderegg]

Set the problem radio to MIXED RX, and see if it will receive analog. When you do self test, what is the letter preceding the firmware version? I believe an A designates analog only firmware.

Paul

 

[Will001]

The first one says “R117000”, and the next one says “A080303”.


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[Will001]

I think the first one is the firmware and the second is the DSP. I set it to mixed receive, and it will receive the digital data stream from the other radio, so it’s not decoding the P25 for some reason. When I transmit, my receive radio unsquelches but no audio comes through.


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[Anderegg]

CONFIRMED you have ANALOG ONLY firmware. Your second number should be N080303. N denotes a digital capable firmware flash. Someone hacked (whoreflashed) your radio's codeplug, but neglected to update the firmware, probably because they didn't have a SmartRib.

Paul

 

[Will001]

CONFIRMED you have ANALOG ONLY firmware. Your second number should be N080303. N denotes a digital capable firmware flash. Someone hacked (whoreflashed) your radio's codeplug, but neglected to update the firmware, probably because they didn't have a SmartRib.



Paul

Thanks for telling me. It kinda sucks that the radio isn’t digital-capable, but you live and learn, I guess...


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[Anderegg]

You could always find some old working or non working Astro Spectra on eBay with a legit digital flash (it would have the digital firmware, doesn't matter if it's VHF UHF or 800) and swap out the module...assuming you know someone who could copy the radios srec from the old radio module. The firmware (kind of like the radios operating system) and codeplug (flashcode and programming, the radios app) live in the same little plug and play module, so you would suck out the srec (srec contains the codeplug and associated flashcode), swap the module, then squirt the srec back into the radio. Probably need to align if the P25 is off....might be cheaper to buy a used one that works and sell yours on eBay as an analog only Astro Spectra for HAM use or something.

Paul

 

[rescue161]

If you have a SmartRIB, an iButton and the correct firmware, you could flash the radio for P25.

 

[davidzimmerman]

just buy another radio and sell that one