Programming maxtrac,ht1000 and Astro saber

[WX5812]

I have the three radios mentioned in the title and the rss to go with them. But I do not have a computer that will run it. All I have is a vista laptop. The software loads up on the vista but I don’t have a serial port. I was looking on eBay for older computers and my goodness when did they get so high?? What specifically do I need?

 

[W3AWF]

Anywhere between 286 and a 386 processor system. I prefer laptops for ease of use if something is installed in a vehicle. Specifically a DOS system “DOS 3.5”, somewhere before windows 95 or so. They all have serial ports to do the job. Trying to run the software in DOS box on Vista is more hassle than it’s really worth playing with. If any of this is above your head either consult a good radio shop or sell all three of them and buy one new radio that you can interface with CPS, as many radio shops don’t have an RSS computer playing around anymore.


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[mmckenna]

I've got an old HP laptop, circa probably 2005 or so. It's old enough to have a "real" RS-232 port. I downloaded a program called Rufus that allows me to run in pure dos mode.

I've successfully programmed HT-1000's, JT-1000's and Maxtracs, GM-300's and a few others with it.

 

[WX5812]

Is Rufus similar to DOSBox?

 

[mmckenna]

Yes.

 

[FFPM571]

A DOS box will not work with RSS.. it can not find a serial port I actually keep a Win95 dinosaur around for all my RSS based stuff.. though I rarely use it

 

[WX5812]

Ok so a machine with win 95 and a serial port should work then?
What about 98?

 

[mmckenna]

I'm running Rufus from a Windows XP laptop.

 

[6079smithw]

Ok so a machine with win 95 and a serial port should work then?
What about 98?

I run a couple of wood-burner towers with 98 SE; a K6 350 and a PII clocked down to 300. Boots up in DOS (F8) and handles all the early RSS. Win mode does CPS for 1225s and the like, never have had a problem using both genuine Moto RIB and aftermkt Chinee serial 3-in-1 off eBay. YMMV

 

[rescue161]

I use a CF-30 Toughbook that is set up to dual boot to DOS and Windows 7. When I need to do old Systems Sabers, Maxtrac or Desktrac radios, I choose DOS and it works great. It doesn't need to be a 386 for RSS to work, it just needs to be in pure DOS. Plus the CF-30 has a real serial port and they can take a beating.

 

[WX5812]

Where can I find original dos software?

 

[DGTL_MSTR]

Here is a step by step for programming a maxtrac with a newer computer and dosbox:

 

[wuping]

Ok so a machine with win 95 and a serial port should work then?
What about 98?

I'm currently running Win2000 to program my Astro Saber III using CPS 05.03.00

 

[zz0468]

I use a CF-30 Toughbook that is set up to dual boot to DOS and Windows 7.

This is exactly what I have, except it's XP, not 7.

Older laptops are cheap and plentiful. Several versions of DOS are out there for free. Older versions of Windows are available new on eBay for reasonable prices, and even XP can still be activated by phone. Install DOS first, and XP just knows to make it dual boot.

People tend to overcomplicate the process of putting together a programming computer. It's actually super easy, and super cheap.

If you need APX, use a modern computer. It's not unreasonable to collect a few laptops for programming various vintages of radios.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

In the past I had a CF-28 setup for dual boot (FreeDOS and XP) however, most of what I do these days it’s far easier to to have the CF-28 as a stand-alone XP box.

As far as the shop goes, won’t touch a DOS based radio for work. I’ll play with them on my own time so I just keep a Dell Latitude with a Pentium 3 running 98SE for that application. Batteries are all shot but it’ll run the Comtegra RSS (since I have a few laying around). Anytime I have to pull out the CF-28 a “Legacy Equipment” charge is incurred.


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[rescue161]

Not too long ago, we still had some UHF trunking X9000 110 Watt radios that did require an older platform to program. Once our new system went in, we gave them the sledge hammer treatment as the old PC had died and we couldn't wipe the programming. Newer platforms just would not work.

 

[WX5812]

I'm currently running Win2000 to program my Astro Saber III using CPS 05.03.00

So you don’t have to run the rss in dos for the ASTRO saber? Because that’s the exact radio have the Astro saber III uhf......... and also is there anything special to enter in 70cm ham frequencies like there is on the maxtrac?

 

[rescue161]

CPS uses Windows, not DOS. The ancient RSS for the Astro Saber was DOS only, but that changed to CPS back in the 90s.

 

[FFPM571]

I currently use an old Sony Vaio with win95 for anything DOS RSS I have both a CF30 and CF19 running XP just for anything Astro and Astro25 and some CPS for HT1250 and CM300 that I would need in the field. All my APX work is done at the bench where I have a dedicated Win 7 desktop. so far there hasn't been anything I can't program or service with these

 

[WX5812]

For the Astro software on xp does it prefer 32 or 64 bit?