Dual-brick XTL5000, O5 head

[knockoffham]

First, to address the inevitable:
- “You can only do this with a W3 head”: Just because that’s the only official support doesn’t mean it won’t work otherwise. For example, even though you’re supposed to only give an Astro Spectra the control head listed in its model number, I’ve found in some cases you can just throw on the wrong control head and it works just fine.
- “Why not just use an APX7500/8500?” I don’t want to. And there’s some things that I can do with 2 XTL5000s that can’t be done with as easily with an APX. Also I like these kinds of experiments.

Now onto the main course: has anyone tried a dual brick setup with a non-W3 head and did it work? Or any indications that it would work, or know how to make it work? I am guessing with some certainty that it would probably work with zero or little modification needed with other W-series heads, but what about an O5 head? Also, could I still have VRS functionality with 2 bricks? My plan for the wiring is: primary brick goes to control head through GCAI cable. Accessory port goes through DB25 splitter to VRS and secondary brick. My bricks have the multi radio flashcode. What the heck does a codeplug for a dual radio setup look like? How does zone/channel assignment work? How integrated are the codeplugs between the 2 bricks?

Just figured I’d ask some questions before stuffing yet another radio into my car. I will probably try it regardless and report back on if it works or not and anything interesting.

 

[knockoffham]

One more thing- how do I enable multi-radio system? My XTL5000 is flashed for it, but the option is grayed out.
I thought it may be incompatible with VRS, but disabling the VRS still did not enable the multi radio field.

 

[knockoffham]

Update: grayed-out because of the control head set to O3/O5. Might have to do some hex editing or something
Edit: Checked multi-radio field using a cool windows forms tool and set to primary. Shows up in modification log but upon saving and re-opening codeplug it is once again unchecked.

Update 2: Aux (menu item/button assignment needed to switch which 'brick' is currently active) does not show up in the menu field or O5 button definition field. It does however show up in the O3 button definition field.

According to some Motorola documents, dual radio and VRS are mutually exclusive but I also know that they frequently have incorrect stuff in Astro 25 literature so we will see.

 

[knockoffham]

What is hot red receiver? Seems like a half-baked feature that was never fully implemented?

 

[knockoffham]

Update: I can set a keypad button to serve as the switch-radio button. The save/load lack of persistence issue is still present. VIP cannot be used to switch selected radio.

 

[nhfirefighter]

What is hot red receiver? Seems like a half-baked feature that was never fully implemented?

It was a special design for Orange County California. It enabled a second “hot red receiver” to monitor just one talk group on their trunking system. It was a receive only radio used in a dual radio setup. It carried over from Astro spectra. I believe OC only used Astro spectra’s then transitioned to APX mobiles with the HRR function never purchasing any XTL radios. I maybe wrong on this part though.

 

[marcotor]

I maybe wrong on this part though.

Not exactly wrong, the HRR goes back even farther to the 460 MHz conventional system days . Think Micor. Then Spectra, Astro-Spectra, XTL (some with the A-S W9 control head), and now APX. The HRR isn't used as it was, current vehicles have two 6500's fully on the system, which may be why some posters insist a HRR configured radio must affiliate (it won't if configured as such).

 

[knockoffham]

Thanks. The official help files and docs just say you can't select it. So not sure why they left it as an option.

 

[jnecco]

Have you made any progress with this project? very interested

 

[knockoffham]

Waiting on some cables to arrive, couldn’t find them locally.

 

[jnecco]

Waiting on some cables to arrive, couldn’t find them locally.

Awesome, please follow up with an update thank you!

 

[knockoffham]

Will do.

 

[nokones]

It is my understanding that the O5 controlhead will not control multiple radios. You will need to use a W series controlhead and change the TIB and control canle. As for using an "O" series controlhead with multiple radios, you will at least an O7 controlhead, but the O7 is not compatible with the XTL series radios. Only the APX series radios will accept the O7 controlhead.

I have seen various flashcode features listed in some of my XTS5000 and XTL5000 radios and I was unable to enable those features.

Now, if my response is inaccurate information, I am standing by to accept my error.

 

[dmlwbd]

Waiting follow up with update

 

[knockoffham]

It is my understanding that the O5 controlhead will not control multiple radios. You will need to use a W series controlhead and change the TIB and control canle. As for using an "O" series controlhead with multiple radios, you will at least an O7 controlhead, but the O7 is not compatible with the XTL series radios. Only the APX series radios will accept the O7 controlhead.

I have seen various flashcode features listed in some of my XTS5000 and XTL5000 radios and I was unable to enable those features.

Now, if my response is inaccurate information, I am standing by to accept my error.

As far as I can tell that is true, however I am still going to try it out. I’ve had luck with weird stuff that isn’t officially supported before. If it doesn’t work, I’ll just make a solid state relay or something that switches all the control head connections between one brick and the other.

 

[N4KVE]

As far as I can tell that is true, however I am still going to try it out. I’ve had luck with weird stuff that isn’t officially supported before. If it doesn’t work, I’ll just make a solid state relay or something that switches all the control head connections between one brick and the other.

What is “officially supported” & what works are two different things. I have a 900 MHz APX4500. According to M, it only supports the 02 head. When I got it, an 03 was plugged in, but I preferred the 05 head, & that’s what’s on it now. And the radio model number was never changed. Still shows as an APX4500. And it works perfectly in the 902/927 ISM band. None of these features are “officially supported”, but yet they work, & no “D was used.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

What is “officially supported” & what works are two different things. I have a 900 MHz APX4500. According to M, it only supports the 02 head. When I got it, an 03 was plugged in, but I preferred the 05 head, & that’s what’s on it now. And the radio model number was never changed. Still shows as an APX4500. And it works perfectly in the 902/927 ISM band. None of these features are “officially supported”, but yet they work, & no “D was used.

The 900 4500 was expanded to support more than the O2. Officially it supports the O2, O5, O7 and E5 heads. That said, the O3 is not supported and even if it "works" there is no way to assign buttons to anything in CPS.

 

[N4KVE]

Here’s that same list from my CPS 32, FW 27.03. The buttons worked on my 03.
• Radio Ergonomics Configuration
Radio Ergonomics Wide
Action Consolidation
4 Controls
Control Head - 02
Control Head - 03
Control Head - 05
Control Head - 07
Control Head - E5
Menu Items
Keypad Mic And Accessori
Keypad
DEK
Radio VIPs
Display
Noise Reduction Configuratio

 

[Echo4Thirty]

Interesting. I made that screenshot from CPS 34... the radio is a FW 32 radio though.

EDIT: I opened the same codeplug in CPS 32 and didnt have O3 either... what in the batwings is going on here??

 

[knockoffham]

So turns out the XTL5000s I got to be the secondary radios were set up for trunking and were locked down with an advanced system key (codeplug cannot be modified at all without hardware). So it will be a little while as I defeat that.