I hope this is the right place for this. So, I am having problems with HT1000 RSS. Shocking, I know. I have a customer who frequently brings me old Motorola radios, and I align them and program them to his system. Well, he just brought me some Visars and one will not program up. I was able to get one to program up running under NTDVM in Windows 2000 after several tries using a cheap ribless adaptor, by just adjusting the voltage to the ribless adaptor and retrying like 50 times. But since then, 0 communication from the RSS. I have tried DOSbox in Windows 11. DOS on a 1997 desktop. NTDVM in Windows 2000 in a 1997 desktop. DOSbox in a 1997 desktop. The computer has 2 serial ports, I have tried both. I have tried multiple ribless adaptors just to get any indication of attempted communication, but there is nothing. The computer above the recommended 50 MHz (something like 400 MHz Pentium 2, I don’t remember), but it runs all the other RSS I have ever thrown at it just fine in DOS, even some programs older than the HT1000 RSS. I believe it is a problem with poor coding (shocking)- the RSS immediately says communication failed without any communication indicators on the serial port adaptor/RIB lighting. The computer has 2 serial ports that work fine with all other RSS/CPS and I have tried both. To run RSS that fails to communicate in Windows’ DOS emulator I just boot into a Windows 98 setup CD’s DOS and put the RSS on a floppy disk. The problem is specific to the HT1000 RSS- it does not even attempt to communicate with the serial port, just immediately fails. Once again, this is not something that happens with any other old Motorola RSS I have. Any pointers? I have tried 2 versions of the RSS, one is the newest release to my knowledge. Thank you.
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HT1000 programming woes
- Thread starter knockoffham
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2011
- Messages
- 1,414
I've never had any luck with HT1000's on anything except true dos on an old-ish machine. I've run in to the same immediate com error every time I've tried a dos box or anything similar. I've always booted from a dos usb and used one of those cheap serial ribless cables. I've never had problems with my MK5 CF-18 ToughBook but my MK3 CF-19 would never cooperate.
Try with a RIB with a good battery in the RIB and on the radio
I’ve tried in real DOS with the same issue. This is a PC from 1997. I’m worried I might have to go and find a 286 or something.
I used a power supply on the RIB and radio. Even when I hook up a rib it doesn’t light the communication indicators on the RIB or even attempt to (even if there’s nothing on the other end of the rib it usually briefly lights up on other programs, so it at least tries to communicate.)
Yep. Tried a 9v battery too and no dice.
TampaTyron
Beep Boop, Beep Boop
Radio is bad. TT
I use an old toshiba toughbook (CF-25) with DOS 6.0 and still program HT1000 and Visars all the time with no issues. Real MSI Rib. Ral MSI programming cables.
I converted a Windows XP Pendium I to a DOS 6.2 only and my RSS does fine with Motorola serial cable and RIB with my HT1000 and VISARs and MT2000. The processor clock speed is too fast for the Sabers, P110, and GP300 radios. It will go through the motions of reading the codeplug but when you try to view the file, there is no file.
tell him to get some newer radios. problem solved
If you're able to program all the other Visars ok then most likely it's a bad radio. Bin it and tell him to find another one.
It was only 2 Visars and some old Radius HTs. The first Visar took several attempts to program. It’s not a radio issue because no matter what I hook to the serial port it doesn’t attempt to communicate. It’s horrible software
In a sick way I like working on this old junk.
The HT1000 and radios of that era need true DOS on a computer with a serial port I have a win98 machine that I can boot to DOS and run the software fine.. Its more of a computer problem than a software problem
It is a computer made in 1997 with a real serial port. I tried it in DOS from a Windows 98 setup CD and it didn’t work. The 10+ other RSS programs I’ve had to run in DOS with this thing have worked fine.
Last edited:
chrismol1
P25 TruCking!
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2008
- Messages
- 1,290
Thats strange. I have a 1998 PC with Win98 booted into DOS for HT1000's. Theres something wrong with the cable, RIB or radio connection or finally the radio itself.. I used a cheap cable with built in RIB for my old HT1000s. I would take apart the HT1000 to make sure the side connector is snug and the connectors to the rest of the radio are not loose before ruling out the radio is crap.
The original poster is having a problem with a Visar. His/her problem could be with the connector connection. The visors have kind of a weird method of keeping the programming cable connector tight against the radio connector. I'm not saying that this may be the cause but at least a contributing factor.
The poster also stated that he is using a ribless adapter. I don't recall that Motorola ever had a ribless adapter and these radios are compatible with ribless adapters. Maybe the vintage of the codeplug in question is of the vintage that only wants to see the RSS operate truly in a DOS environment without windows in the background. This could also be a contributing factor.
In order to identify the true problem in this matter, the programmer need to run th RSS in a true DOS environment without windows in the background with real genuine Motorola serial computer cable to RIB and a true Motorola cable from the RIB to the radio and a genuine Motorola RIB in order to accurately pin-point the problem to the radio. Just because the non-Motorola stuff worked with other radios in the past doesn't mean anything in this case.
Back in those days, Motorola went to great lengths to protect their products from non-Motorola parts and components being used with their products especially with the programming of their radios.
The poster also stated that he is using a ribless adapter. I don't recall that Motorola ever had a ribless adapter and these radios are compatible with ribless adapters. Maybe the vintage of the codeplug in question is of the vintage that only wants to see the RSS operate truly in a DOS environment without windows in the background. This could also be a contributing factor.
In order to identify the true problem in this matter, the programmer need to run th RSS in a true DOS environment without windows in the background with real genuine Motorola serial computer cable to RIB and a true Motorola cable from the RIB to the radio and a genuine Motorola RIB in order to accurately pin-point the problem to the radio. Just because the non-Motorola stuff worked with other radios in the past doesn't mean anything in this case.
Back in those days, Motorola went to great lengths to protect their products from non-Motorola parts and components being used with their products especially with the programming of their radios.
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ElroyJetson
Getting tired of all the stupidity.
This may be too blunt/truthful for the room but tell your customer that he's wasting his time and yours on trying to keep 30+ year old radios alive. I'd just tell him that I can't and won't support them anymore because it has obviously become inconvenient and difficult to do so. And then move on.
Life is too short to spend it doing radio archaeology.
Life is too short to spend it doing radio archaeology.
