Help needed with Programming ASTRO Spectra

[MatthiasTHM]

Hello! I am having troubles being able to program my Motorola ASTRO Spectra high power radio.

I had bought the necessary equipment for the radio. When I have it connected and powered to read the codeplug, the CPS software says it cannot communicate with the radio. I looked at the RIB box and it is not flashing the data light. My computer is a Windows 7 64-bit system.

Am I missing something or doing something wrong?

 

[mbnv992]

That’s your problem right there. You need a 32BIT system in order to program something that old.

My programming laptop is an old Thinkpad T61 with Windows Vista and it’s 32 bit. Does my xts5000, 3000, MTS2000, etc etc just fine.

 

[kayn1n32008]

That’s your problem right there. You need a 32BIT system in order to program something that old.

My programming laptop is an old Thinkpad T61 with Windows Vista and it’s 32 bit. Does my xts5000, 3000, MTS2000, etc etc just fine.

XTS5000 will program fine with modern 64bit O/S

 

[ME801]

XTS/XTL 5000 and (2500) will program just fine with a 64 bit machine. Spectra's require at 32 bit machine or you will run into the problem the OP has.

 

[mbnv992]

I guess I misspoke. The xts5000 is a newer radio and therefore definitely can be programmed with a 64bit system. I was just lumping all the radios that I personally program with my programming laptop.

But yep - anything older than an xts5000, ( Astro Spectra, MTS2000, XTS3000 etc ) you’ll need a 32bit windows computer for.

Older radios ( MT1000, Saber, etc ) your talking green screen DOS.

 

[MatthiasTHM]

Okay. If I format my laptop to a 32-bit if possible, will I still be able to run ASTRO25 CPS Portable and Mobile?

 

[brndnstffrd]

Okay. If I format my laptop to a 32-bit if possible, will I still be able to run ASTRO25 CPS Portable and Mobile?

For clarification, Astro25 will work on 64 and 32 bit systems.
An Astro Spectra doesn't use Astro25, it uses regular Astro Mobile software. This will only run on 32 bit*.

*Technically it will run on a 64 bit machine, if you use a virtual machine running Windows XP, which is how I have my CF-30 Toughbook set up. Also of note, the software wull run on a 64 bit machine, but it wont be able to write to the radio. I have used 64 bit machines for editing codeplugs that I already had saved, then switch to an old 32 bit to read/write to the actual radio.

 

[MTS2000des]

Then to further muddy up things, an Astro Spectra Plus uses Astro25 Mobile CPS, not Astro Spectra CPS, and thus can be programmed on "modern" 64 bit versions of Win7/10/11.

 

[Asunakiyori]

Okay. If I format my laptop to a 32-bit if possible, will I still be able to run ASTRO25 CPS Portable and Mobile?

You can't just change from 64bit to 32 bit in a snap....

 

[jmfirefighter]

Download Oracle VirtualBox and find a Windows XP VDI file.......that's how I do it with a new machine.

 

[MatthiasTHM]

For clarification, Astro25 will work on 64 and 32 bit systems.
An Astro Spectra doesn't use Astro25, it uses regular Astro Mobile software. This will only run on 32 bit*.

*Technically it will run on a 64 bit machine, if you use a virtual machine running Windows XP, which is how I have my CF-30 Toughbook set up. Also of note, the software wull run on a 64 bit machine, but it wont be able to write to the radio. I have used 64 bit machines for editing codeplugs that I already had saved, then switch to an old 32 bit to read/write to the actual radio.

Would you know how to set up the Virtue Machine? I downloaded a Windows XP mode and the Virtue PC files, but I’m not sure how to set it up.

 

[brndnstffrd]

How far have you gotten with setting this up? Windows XP mode should be pretty straightforward, just run the installer.

The only real hang-up I encountered was that initially my ports weren't working when using XP mode. Once I figured out that you need to point the virtual Windows XP ports towards whichever actual physical ports you want them to point to I was all set.

 

[MatthiasTHM]

Okay. Now I have been able to find a Windows XP 32 bit system, but now I’m running into more issues. When I try to read the data, the RIB box blinks the data light 4 times and the radio immediately enters into the service mode’s RF test. Then, Astro Spectra CPS is throwing me an error telling me it cannot communicate with the radio.

 

[nokones]

Okay. Now I have been able to find a Windows XP 32 bit system, but now I’m running into more issues. When I try to read the data, the RIB box blinks the data light 4 times and the radio immediately enters into the service mode’s RF test. Then, Astro Spectra CPS is throwing me an error telling me it cannot communicate with the radio.

Wasn't there a different CPS version for the mid-power Astro Spectra and one for the high power Astro Spectra? I don't have a whole lot of experience with the Astro Spectra mobiles and my memory is lacking on this subject.

My last company car had 3 maybe 4 Astro Spectras (I don't remember if I had an 800 MHz radio or not and that would have been the 4th radio) which I only had for a couple of years until I retired in summer 2005 and of course I had to turn the car back in..

 

[mikewazowski]

Wasn't there a different CPS version for the mid-power Astro Spectra and one for the high power Astro Spectra? I don't have a whole lot of experience with the Astro Spectra mobiles and my memory is lacking on this subject.

No.

 

[Asunakiyori]

If I remember right.. there technically are 3 versions... one for the Railroad variant, one for the non astro and one for the astro... I could be wrong

 

[nokones]

No.

Maybe I'm thinking of the programming cables being different between the two radios. I just never dived into the Astro Spectra series mobiles. I kinda skipped the Astro Spectra series and went into the XTL mobiles and XTS portables series.

 

[mbnv992]

There IS two programming cables for the Astro Spectra. There’s the High Power programming cable, then there’s the mid-power programming cable.
Both use the same CPS.

 

[nokones]

Ok, thank you.