MCS2000 - Controller Board Initialization

[g8tzl2004]

I recently acquired a VHF model 3 MCS2000 - M01KHN9PW5AN.

When I tried to read the radio I got "You cannot read, program or tune a CBI radio until you initialize it".

Why do I need to initialize the controller board?

Apparently initializing a controller board just involves using service mode to add the radios serial number.

Is this because a new board has been installed by the previous owner?

Is the initialization a once only process ie you can only do it one time when installing a new board....so you can't swap controller boards?

I was using DOS RSS and got "Codeplug too new" when I went into service mode..so I will need to use Windows CPS.

 

[DieterBohlen]

I would say,you have a radio with a replaced mainboard or someone used the labtool and programmed a default codeplug.
Do the initializion process and it will not pop up again.Check the tuning of your radio.
If someone programmed it with the labtool,it is possible,that you have to retune the radio

 

[g8tzl2004]

Thanks.

The MCS2000 came with a Model 2 head on a Model 3 body...so maybe the original owner was trying to use labtool to install a Model 2 codeplug...and failed

The Model 2 head (on the Model 3 body) only showed a flashing black "square"...which seemed to be flashing on a "3 flashes" continuous cycle? When I installed a Model 3 head the radio immediately powered up and I though everything was OK...but then I notice some RX instability. Sometimes I need to inject a 10KHz low carrier to open the SQ...so I think its a mixer/IF issue which I have had a few times with my MTS2000 portables but this is the first time I have had the problem with an MCS2000 mobile. I think its a dry joint on a BGA device so impossible to fix easily

Or maybe the seller attached a faulty Model 2 head on a faulty Model 3 body and then sold it to me

 

[DieterBohlen]

I think the firmware is not the right one.The limited head (small head with speaker) use a different firmware.
If you had this head on the body,it doesn´t work with the big head!
You can only change the big heads and dump a new codeplug in the radio.
I had the same problem with the limited GM1200.MC2100 firmware for the limited version was never made and so it is not possible to flash the limited GM1200 into a MC2100.

 

[g8tzl2004]

The model 2 head is a "big head" with a rotary encoder while the Model 3 head is a "big head" with a keypad and up/down keys instead of the rotary encoder....both are the same size.

So if you can swap "big heads", then maybe the model 2 head (with the flashing screen cursor) is faulty

If you put a model 2 head on a model 3 body, do you need to use labtool to dump in a new codeplug or can you just upload a new default codeplug using standard RSS/CPS?

Thanks

 

[DieterBohlen]

The big heads can be changed without any problems,but you must dump a new codeplug with the labtool into the radio.
The codeplug must match to your bandsplit,power and the new head.

 

[g8tzl2004]

OK many thanks