• 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.

Microphone cord deterioration

otobmark

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 19, 2003
Messages
389
Location
NC
For years now I’ve noticed the rapid breakdown of microphone cords. The outer jackets just disintegrate. Anyone know why? Ones in storage I suspected mold as a factor. More importantly is there a way to prolong the life of the cords? Maybe rubber is changing since I notice I have to replace windshield wipers quite often as well. One more—- I found a 10yr old pair of rocky books new in the box that I had forgotten about that looked pristine but when I picked them up the soles disintegrated in my hands.
 

RFI-EMI-GUY

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Messages
7,112
Yes it seems that either the rubber will become extremely sticky or it will become bone hard and crack. I have a couple projects here stalled while I waited for compatible cords. Ozone and UV light in the environment will break down rubber as well. Tires for vehicles are good for perhaps 6 years.
 

TampaTyron

Beep Boop, Beep Boop
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Messages
1,126
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Moto moved to an environmentally friendly mix to please the folks who don't use the radios. SO, now we all suffer (I have had thousands of cords turned in for warranty across MOTOTRBO and APX lines). TT
 

N4KVE

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2003
Messages
4,183
Location
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
Agreed. Many older radio knobs are white after a year of a radio being buried in a drawer. ArmorAll cleans them up, but the white returns. A few antennas turn slimy when I take the radio to the pool. Bring them back inside, & in an hour they’re fine. Other identical antennas do not get slimy. Where I really notice it is on the microphone strain relief. They are long gone while the mike cords are fine. But yet, a few older Icom radios I still own have perfect knobs.
As for wiper blades, thats the pollution in the sky dropping on the car every night as dew. A few times a week before getting in my car, I’ll lift up both blades, & wipe them with a moist wet nap. Amazing how much filth comes off after just a few days. But by doing this, I’m still using the same blades for two years. And they’re still soft, not crispy.
 
Last edited:

Ensnared

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 24, 2004
Messages
4,486
Location
Waco, Texas
For years now I’ve noticed the rapid breakdown of microphone cords. The outer jackets just disintegrate. Anyone know why? Ones in storage I suspected mold as a factor. More importantly is there a way to prolong the life of the cords? Maybe rubber is changing since I notice I have to replace windshield wipers quite often as well. One more—- I found a 10yr old pair of rocky books new in the box that I had forgotten about that looked pristine but when I picked them up the soles disintegrated in my hands.
I once tried to hang a microphone from the mirror in the Texas heat. The jacket melted off. So, I had the radio technician install a metal cable like you used to see on pay phones. It worked great.
 

KE4ZNR

Radio Geek
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Messages
7,303
Location
Raleigh, NC
Moto moved to an environmentally friendly mix to please the folks who don't use the radios. SO, now we all suffer (I have had thousands of cords turned in for warranty across MOTOTRBO and APX lines). TT

Above is accurate. We have a mix of APX 6000XEs (FD) and regular 6000s (PD) and most if not all of the FD RSM cables have been replaced as well as a good number of PD RSM cables.
In this case I *believe* Moto was forced to make this change and had no choice in the matter.
Still did not make it any easier to have to swap a ton of RSM cables.
 

MTS2000des

5B2_BEE00 Czar
Joined
Jul 12, 2008
Messages
5,449
Location
Cobb County, GA Stadium Crime Zone
Yet Kenwood and Harris RSMs and palm mikes don't dry rot like that, so why do MSI mikes fall apart in less than 5 years when their competitors don't? If MSI was "forced" by some environmental compliance nut to change their dielectric formulation, their competitors must be non-compliant. Right.
 

mbnv992

Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
599
Location
AZ
Funny I just came upon this thread. I can confirm that everything stated is accurate. I have a 15+ year old Astro Spectra that has a perfect mic strain relief. Yet - I have a less than 2 year old APX mic bought brand new and the strain relief already cracked in multiple spots.
 
Top