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Motorola astro spectra digital programming help

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SCPD

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I have a 110w high power trunk mounted digital spectra. I have the oem flash cable and own rib box for it. Which cable is preferred on these to program freqs etc? I never did one of these before. Also would my newer motorola mobile cps program it or it need the actual spectra rss or windows version cps I believe it was r5 or around there. Any special programming info? Thanks. It has a a9 head. Did many radios but my first digital spectra. Thanks for any help anyone offers.
 

SCPD

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On that cable I have the flash one that plugs into the drawer unit and the serial cable with the rib box and other end oem.
 

CCHLLM

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If by digital Spectra you mean an Astro Spectra, the A9 head will not work with it and RSS will not program it. If it is an Astro, you will need a W9 head and the Windows based CPS. CPS 5.03 was the last version, but 5.02 should work just fine for you also.

If by "flash" you mean programming cables, the cables and rib should be good to go either way if you have the 25 pin cable that goes between the RIB and the second 25 pin receptacle located in the drawer handle opening. It's not likely that you would be flashing the radio.

Analog Spectras use the DOS based RSS and A series heads and don't do narrowband. Not to confuse things here, but there were B model heads that went with the corresponding radio models, too. Give us a model number, ID number, and Mfg code (flash code) on the radio unit along with the model number on the head and we can tell you pretty quickly if you have the right combo and what you need to make it work.

If what you have is an Astro 1MEG 2.5 kHz model, you have the best of the choices and it will do narrow band. If it is VHF but not a 2.5 kHz model, it won't do the 7.5 MHz narrow band frequency spacing without protest, even though you may be able to program those frequencies into the radio.

There is also the ubiquitous leaking capacitor problem in all Spectras that must be dealt with, preferably sooner than later, and there are contributors here who can handle that for you if you are not proficient at bench level surface mount component and board repair work.
 
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SCPD

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It's a 1 meg vhf astro digital. I'll get model number later today. The heads prob a w9 but lab led on box as a9. It's a new head. It powers up fine and flash read out digital I recall. The programming I have both cables the other one and the one with rib. When I read it with the rib it says radio failed to acknowledge. If I used the flash cable the head goes dark then just the rx/tx light yellow and red stay on the rest of the display goes out when connected that way. I tried the rib cable it gave a error something like 00000389 or so and another. When I get to it later I'll post model and info. Is there any special method to get it to program I don't think it is but not sure what last cps was used.
 

CCHLLM

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If what you have is a 1 MEG unit and CPS 5.02 or 5.03, it probably was last programmed with one of those. The proper cables and rib combo or a ribless programming cable are necessary. They cannot be mixed.

I'm not sure what you are referring to as a "flash" cable since you wouldn't likely be reflashing the unit. Are you using a usb-to-serial adapter or does the computer have a serial port? A usb serial adapter can sometimes cause a comm problem between the radio and the computer.

What operating system are you working with? Anything newer than Windows XP isn't compatible with Spectra CPS.

There are ways to get around all those problems, and the leaking capacitor problems can create gremlins, too, so give us an idea what we're working with here and we'll try to eliminate things one at a time. The error code(s) would be helpful in determining what the radio sees as a problem, too.
 
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SCPD

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On side note I haven't opened the case except for top access. There is motorola depot tags so I been wondering about the capacitor of it Been serviced before. I know the radio powers up fine with the large w9 head it's possible it was just in a old box it looks brand new. I been familiar of hearing about the capacitor issue a ticking time bomb one of the reasons I steered clear. But had a good deal and figured why not. Have the wiring installed and everything good to go mounted just had issue with programming. I believe I have three different versions of the cps for it one being the older rss. 2 the astro I know one says xts5000 and astro spectra plus in the about. I'll get the version and see if I can't post pics of the errors and connection at brick. On side note I plugged in the programing cable into the first main port and it showed on display fail 01/90 but I believe it's bc I had it wrong slot. The control head plugged into that one under power it works fine. Just learning as I go. But I'll get home tonight and get the information and go from there. Windows x with latest or last service pack is what I'm using. Oh I noticed in the cps I clicked read and it said reading com port 1 but nothing. Not sure if it was a bad install. The error codes cone up when I tried to use cps r 17 which would be wrong by what you said. So just matter of getting the cps to go right.
 

rescue161

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You are trying to use Astro25 CPS, which is wrong. You need Astro mobile CPS.

The Flash cable is not for programming. You can make a 25-pin to 25-pin radio to RIB cable. They are one of the easiest cables to make. Then plug it into the other 25-pin front port of the radio as the other one will be occupied by the control head.
 

SCPD

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Ok so far the head is a systems 9000 HCN1078J. The Spectra tag is as follows, 1 meg, 2.5 khz, model T99DX+O88W__ASTRO. mfg code: 540008-000400-3. I'd number T04KLH9PW9AN-UCM
 

SCPD

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It was my understanding it did digital p25. Now it may have been flashed as previous owner was a radio shop. Would seem they had them sent off to /\/\ as it has a depot tag from some service at one point but guaranteed non doa. It works. I figured I needed the astro mobile. The last one I tried was mobile cps and in it it says xts 5000 and astro spectra plus r5. Only thing I noticed was clicking read the bottom said reading com port 1 then nothing. I may have been connected to the wrong side of the drawer by the power plugs the 25 pin with rib to serial. I do have allot spare serial pin cables laying around so building one wouldn't be issue. I imagine bat board had a schematic.
 

rescue161

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Yep, just use a standard High-Power Spectra cable to program it. Plans for building are on Batlabs.

spechi.gif
 

rescue161

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If the CPS said XTS5000 or XTL5000, you are using the WRONG CPS. You need the CPS for ASTRO mobiles, NOT Astro25 mobiles.
 

SCPD

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Ok I'll have to dig in my cd drawer for the cps. I'm sure I have it. Once I get it installed I'll go from there see what arises. I'll post back later in evening when I get a chance to work on it. The k you for the info so far. I did tons of xtl units and others but never a spectra. So far I seem to like it.
 

rescue161

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We have a metric ton of them (Astro Spectras) at work that are not going to be compatible with our new system, so they'll go away.
 

CCHLLM

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OK, let's start over. According to the info posted, you have an Astro Spectra HiPower, VHF, and according to the flash code you posted it has Astro IMBE, Enhanced Digital Display, Hardware Multikey Operations, Smartzone Operation, and Smartzone Omnilink Multizone Operations. What that essentially means is that it has P25 and trunking capabilities.

The left 25 pin port on the radio is for the control cable. The center 25 pin port in the drawer handle slot is for the accessory options and for programming.

As for software, stop trying different software versions and clicking on buttons hoping for a lucky guess. You could brick the radio and end up with nothing more than a 20 pound boat anchor.

You cannot use XTL/XTS anything software or analog Spectra or Astro Spectra Plus software on an Astro Spectra. If the software doesn't show you a screen label that says it is Astro Spectra CPS version 5.02 or 5.03 when you click on "Read Device" or when you select a codeplug from the "File" section, it is NOT for an Astro Spectra such as the one in question. After you select "Read Device" or select a codeplug from the "File", look in the lower left corner of the display for a display of the progress. Give it a moment or two and it will open the file after the file opening process is completed.

Windows XP SP3 is great for this software and is telling you the right codes. Fail 01/90 error code is most likely because you had it connected wrong, and/or the radio is looking for an accessory to be plugged into the center port. If the radio is looking for something to be plugged into the center port, it will still allow you to read the radio and change the accessory options for the reprogramming and will eliminate the Fail 01/90 error code.

Very important: read the radio and save the ORIGINAL codeplug as a separate file under a file name before you do anything else! Then save it again under a NEW SEPARATE name and use the NEW named file to make your changes. If you don't do this, you won't have any way to recover the original codeplug if you screw up while trying to make changes.
 
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rescue161

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I'm sure they will be on the government liquidators site before too long. We have to DRMO these radios. Trust me when I say that you don't want any of these. They are treated extremely bad and are FAR beyond their years. I am shocked that they still work.

We're still using the old analog Spectras, but they are barely hanging on.
 

SCPD

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Yeah the only version I tried was r 17 as someone said it would work ha but then only tried spectra plus. Since its my first spectra I wasn't sure but did find in my storage the proper cps. Now that I have it in there spectra cps 5.03 I went to read radio I get radio failed to communicate message.
 
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