• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

Issue with xts3000 CPS

Status
Not open for further replies.

jcpse

Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
22
Location
New England
I have resolved my software issues... I was making a stupid mistake.

So I am now having issues with my radio communicating with the CPS. I am using a RIB-less programming cable that terminates in a DB-9 connector. Attached to that is a female DB-9 - to - USB adapter. This goes into COM5 in my laptop (which is a windows 7 computer)

The CPS detects COM 5, but when I click read device, it immediately says that it failed.

Radio is on, cables are securely fastened... any ideas?

Thank you folks.
 
Last edited:

com501

Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2003
Messages
1,617
Location
127.0.0.1
Astro software was never intended for Windows 7 or any computer that fast. You have a couple of strikes against you starting out.

You don't have a factory cable.
You don't have a factory RIB
You don't have a physical serial port the RIB would be looking for. (8250 or 16550 UART)
You are running an OS that is technically not supported by your CPS. Windows XP would be about the limit.
You are PROBABLY running a machine that is way too fast for the software, so the interrupts and timing are going to be whacked.
 

jcpse

Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
22
Location
New England
Astro software was never intended for Windows 7 or any computer that fast. You have a couple of strikes against you starting out.

You don't have a factory cable.
You don't have a factory RIB
You don't have a physical serial port the RIB would be looking for. (8250 or 16550 UART)
You are running an OS that is technically not supported by your CPS. Windows XP would be about the limit.
You are PROBABLY running a machine that is way too fast for the software, so the interrupts and timing are going to be whacked.


I appreciate your feedback! I am not discounting what you are saying, but let me pick at your brain (doesn't seem like your first rodeo) : I have seen people who use the identical OS and RIB-less aftermarket cable flawlessly program these. Why is that?

Any tips? I have an older computer that has an older OS I could give it a try on if need be, but If I could get it to work for this one it would be ideal. Any way of "slowing it down" ?

Thanks in advance and I appreciate your helpful feedback!
 

jhal94

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 26, 2011
Messages
296
Location
Pinellas County, Florida
While you will have no problem with using an aftermarket rib-less cable (I do it all the time) the fact that you are using a USB to Serial adapter is the real problem. USB speeds are too fast for the cable (created for a serial port) to keep up with. Use a computer with a real serial port or that will take a dock for one, like an older thinkpad or something.

There is no way to slow down your computer unless you try to underclock it (turn the voltage going to the CPU down in BIOS) which will possibly cause the computer to blue screen or take damage.

What is the older computer you have? Does it have a real serial port? What OS?
 

jaspence

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
3,041
Location
Michigan
I have been experimenting with the various versions of Windows and a XTS3000R. I am using a ribless com cable, and nohting above XP has been successful. I have real com ports on all of the test computers, but this has not made any difference. Using a USB to serial adapter (3 different brands) has not been successful.
 

SCPD

QRT
Joined
Feb 24, 2001
Messages
0
Location
Virginia
the fact that you are using a USB to Serial adapter is the real problem. USB speeds are too fast for the cable (created for a serial port) to keep up with. Use a computer with a real serial port or that will take a dock for one, like an older thinkpad or something.

Sorry, but that's just not accurate. CPS works just fine with a serial USB adapter. It works fine with Astro 25 CPS in Windows 7 and works fine with MTS2000 CPS in a VM running XP. It works fine with Saber/XTS3K CPS in a VM running XP.

The whole line of thinking about Motorola CPS must be run on old, slow *** computers hasn't been true since before HT1000 RSS - maybe prior to that.

The fact is Motorola actually recommends a particular USB/Serial adapter for use with Astro 25 CPS. That adapter is the IOGEAR GUC232A.

If I were the OP, I would do the following:

1) The USB/Serial adapter uses the same chipset as the IOGEAR GUC232A (FTDI) If not, get rid of it and replace with the IOGEAR adapter.

2) The port settings are set correctly in Windows Device Manager. 9600 bps, 8N1,None. Click on Advanced and set the Rx/Tx bytes to 4,096 or lower. See the screenshot below.

3) Failing the above, stick the CPS in a VM running Windows XP. Windows Vista was officially supported in Astro/Saber CPS R05.03.00 according to the release notes. W7 should be adequate, but who knows.

USBSerial1.jpg
 

jhal94

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 26, 2011
Messages
296
Location
Pinellas County, Florida
I have been experimenting with the various versions of Windows and a XTS3000R. I am using a ribless com cable, and nohting above XP has been successful. I have real com ports on all of the test computers, but this has not made any difference. Using a USB to serial adapter (3 different brands) has not been successful.

Interesting, i'm currently using a Thinkpad T61 1.8 Ghz, with an advanced MiniDock (which has a real serial) and windows vista x64 for programming. I can currently program all of my XTS3000's and My two XTS2500's with ribless cabes and have no problem. Even the MTS2000's from work are able to be programmed on it.

Mileage varies I guess.

Are the contacts on the radio itself "jacked up"? It might be the radio not making a connection to the cable.
 
Last edited:

jcpse

Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
22
Location
New England
just wanted to update: I was able to successfully read and write the radio yesterday ! I installed the software on my old computer and inserted the db9 programming cable directly into the computer's com port and low and behold...it worked!

That computer is an HP compaq and still a windows XP, but it's slow as all hell.

Thanks for the help folks
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top