Harris / MA/COM P5450 - a few questions using RPM

[g8tzl2004]

I have a UHF P5450 comprising:

Firmware v07.29
PERS 54.00
Personality P7100APC
Flash P53U0729
Build 21 May 2009
DSP 07.28
H/W Rev B
Features 01, 04, 07, 08, 09, 10, 12, 23, 33, 39

I am looking to program the P5450 on P25 conventional (not trunking) and analog.

I have a serial programming cable for the P5450....not a USB cable.

My "serial port" programming laptop only runs XP. My Win 7 programming laptop is only USB...and I prefer not to use a serial to USB adapter as they can be unreliable!!

I have checked "official" documentation which only mentions the RPM software as being compatible with Win7/8/10.

But I read that somebody was using RPM12 on Windows XP and it worked OK.

So will I be able to install and run RPM R14C05 on a Windows XP laptop?

Is there any reason NOT to use RPM R14 vs an earlier version of RPM ie any wideband restrictions?

Are there any issues with matching early firmware (like on my P5450) with later RPM software...the radio has probably not been programmed for 10 years...or does the RPM software automatically update the firmware to match the RPM software version when you run the software?

Thanks

 

[EliVonChonk]

So will I be able to install and run RPM R14C05 on a Windows XP laptop?

Yes. I have used RPM14 on a WinXP machine.

Is there any reason NOT to use RPM R14 vs an earlier version of RPM ie any wideband restrictions?

No. RPM14 is the latest revision before they went to RPM2. Wideband is controlled by feature options in the radio, but with yours being so vintage, you shouldn't have an issue.

Are there any issues with matching early firmware (like on my P5450) with later RPM software...the radio has probably not been programmed for 10 years...or does the RPM software automatically update the firmware to match the RPM software version when you run the software?

I have never run into an issue with this. Going the other way, new to old would cause issues, but you should be fine. The firmware is updated manually through another process. Not automatic.

Just remember that whichever computer you install the license on will be your RPM computer for a while. Getting licenses disabled on old computers to put on news ones is a major pain.

 

[g8tzl2004]

Thanks very much for the info.

I have another question about alignment. With my other radio stuff (mainly Motorola), I often need to warp a UHF radio so that it is spot on frequency. I also usually lower the squelch threshold so that the radio opens on a really weak but still copyable signal..the minimum "user squelch" setting is usually still too high for weak signal working.

I think alignment is done using "maintenance" software. Is this built into the R14C05 software? Or do you need to install separate "tuner" software...and if so, what is it called?

Thanks

 

[EliVonChonk]

I believe it is built in, but its been a while since I used RPM. Ill try to dust off my computer and let you know.

 

[g8tzl2004]

Thanks

 

[g8tzl2004]

Just so I'm clear :

I will be using RPM14 to program a P5400.

The P5400 was last programmed with RPM4 (I think) ie PERS is 54.00

The F/W in the radio is v7.29

Can I use RPM14 without updating the firmware OR will RPM14 force me to update the firmware before it will read/write the radio?

Thanks

 

[apco25]

I wouldn't touch the alignment section of ANY Harris radio. They are factory set and I've yet to encounter a single one that wasn't correctly aligned.

14 Won't force you to upgrade firmware but it will force you to read the radio only with 14 later on.

 

[P25Tech]

Never mind my original comment, I read to quickly and since there doesn't appear to be an option to actually delete a post, consider this one scrubbed.