Motorola CDM Programming

[t1spice]

I have googled and searched, read many forms on this site but still can not resolve my issue with programming. I have had open heart surgery a few weeks ago and getting my radio equipment back out after many years is something I have had on my list for a long time and one of the few things I am "allowed" to do at this point of recovery. I have used my old dell laptop with windows XP for nothing but radio programming. I have all my cables for various radios, I have with a Motorola rib box with a fresh battery (verified good). Now the part I have had trouble with in the past and resolved and had working perfect after was the serial to USB adapter for the RIB box. I am still using an older version of CPS - Professional Radio R06.07.04. and used it right up till I put it away years ago. I can pull up from my laptop any of my older code plugs and review and modify them, but for some reason with no changes to any of the software or hardware it will not read or write. I get comport errors or device not recognized. I switched to an old desktop and loaded all the CPS for all my radios including the GE Ericsson Orion stuff to ensure it was all the same set up (as my DELL)with the exception it has the proper serial on the back to eliminate the requirement for the the adapter. no luck either but after reading i am running windows 10 64 bit so it seams like that may be the issue with that computer and my version of software. Does anyone have some advice to help me get this figured out. Staring at the same 4 walls day and night while recovering is bad enough but being stumped like this is not making it any better ... lol... anyways on a positive note this site is great - I love looking though all the forms and reading and learning.

 

[P25Radio]

Maybe look for bent pins on the rib or cables, also try try plugging the rib into a power supply for 9v.

 

[cmdrwill]

First and most important READ the radio FIRST and save that "code plug" to an archive. Before making ANY CHANGES.

If the radio does not read you know there IS a problem

The dammed RIB box has known problems with RS232 levels. The USB to Serial adapters do not work well.

Not really sure WIN 10 works well with the "older" radio software.

 

[ten13]

I had the same problem with a CDM 1250 a few years back. Programming the radio with an after-market cable always worked well, but, at one point, I had to do some re-programming, and got the notorious com port rejection.

I did everything people suggested, from working in the computer's system, changing the com port in the Device Manager, to actually buying another second-hand laptop with different OS on eBay and a RIB, and then another RIB, as well as another after-market cable. All N.G.

Finally, I finally broke down and bought an OEM Mot. RIBless programming cable on eBay (it may have cost about $90 or so...maybe more), AARKN4081B.

Since then, no problems

If you can find one, it may be well worth the investment.

This one is labeled as the AARKN4081...with no 'B' at the end. The 'B' model is the RIBless one. Although the picture shows the wrapper saying "RIBless."

OEM Motorola Ribless Programming Cable AARKN4081 W DB25 To DB9 Com port Adaptor | eBay

<p>OEM Motorola Ribless Programming Cable . Part number AARKN4081. Works on all pro series radios with a RJ45 type microphone connector. There are new cables but without factory packaging. Shipped with USPS First Class.</p>

www.ebay.com

 

[cmdrwill]

First thing is you have saved "codeplugs'. Then you have something to go back to. The First rule for programming.

 

[Floridarailfanning]

As @cmdrwill mentioned the USB to Serial adapters can be a pain and often don't work, however, in my experience, a regular RJ45 to RS232 cable connected to a USB to Serial adapter works flawlessly. It just seems to be the cables with the built-in conversion from serial to USB that are trouble.

 

[K2NEC]

I've programmed close to 100 CDM's with a USB to RJ45 cable with no problems (so far *knock on wood*). If you have the option, toss the rib box and just go with a USB cable.

 

[a417]

<snip> I have used my old dell laptop with windows XP for nothing but radio programming. I have all my cables for various radios, I have with a Motorola rib box with a fresh battery (verified good). Now the part I have had trouble with in the past and resolved and had working perfect after was the serial to USB adapter for the RIB box. I am still using an older version of CPS - Professional Radio R06.07.04. and used it right up till I put it away years ago. I can pull up from my laptop any of my older code plugs and review and modify them, but for some reason with no changes to any of the software or hardware it will not read or write. I get comport errors or device not recognized. I switched to an old desktop and loaded all the CPS for all my radios including the GE Ericsson Orion stuff to ensure it was all the same set up (as my DELL)with the exception it has the proper serial on the back to eliminate the requirement for the the adapter. no luck either but after reading i am running windows 10 64 bit so it seams like that may be the issue with that computer and my version of software.<snip>

That's an ancient CPS release, 2007ish IIRC. Most recent I can think of is 06.12.(something) You used to run it on XP (which was unless you really cutting edge) is most likely 32bit, does 06.07.04 support a modern 64 bit OS like you say you are currently running?

 

[K2NEC]

Most recent I can think of is 06.12.(something)

06.12.07

 

[dispatch235]

I have a few Motorola radios that the older software will only run on windows xp and previous versions... Micorosoft released an update that even in xp caused problems with the serial to usb adapters causing the device to no longer work. If you go to device manager and look under ports it will have an exclamation mark i believe and a msg something to the effect it is unrecognized device....I had this problem and the serial/usb adapter had the prolific chipset which was highly counterfeited even among reputable brands.
My solution was to buy a serial/usb adapter with the FTDI chipset, and has worked flawlessly ever since.
There is a workaround to get the prolific adapter to work as long as it is a genuine prolific, it requires rolling back your driver for it, but in my case each time i rebooted my computer it reset the driver.
Also if your device shows as properly installed in the device manager check to see which comport it is using...sometimes this can be set to whatever port the software is showing.
Hope some of this helps
Dave

 

[SteveC0625]

06.12.07

Uh, no. R06.12.09 was the final revision before EOL.

 

[t1spice]

Maybe look for bent pins on the rib or cables, also try try plugging the rib into a power supply for 9v.

Thanks for all the feedback folks! I do have a copy of the codeplug and always read and save a copy before ever making changes.. that's great advice though - learnt that the hard way many years ago. No bent pins and the cable tested good. Now the part of the USB adapter, I will need to dig into this more today and see if that's the issue or as suggested the software is just to old and I need to look at getting an updated versions. I am leaning myself to one of these two being the issue. Got to love the frustration, I have the new codeplug all modified and fine tuned just the way I've always wanted it, but was always to busy to spend the time required to sit and make it just perfect ... it's all done now, but can't get it into the radio... work in progress I guess...

 

[t1spice]

Steve - looking at posts all over the place and would love your opinion, I see some people saying they were not happy with or were having issues with R06.12.09 and liked R06.12.07 more. You're thoughts before I start looking at updating my software would be more than appreciated.

 

[SteveC0625]

Steve - looking at posts all over the place and would love your opinion, I see some people saying they were not happy with or were having issues with R06.12.09 and liked R06.12.07 more. You're thoughts before I start looking at updating my software would be more than appreciated.

Here are the updates per the Release Notes:

R06.12.09: Enhancements
Item #1
Allow CPS sharing of same Entitlement ID for 20/25 KHz programming
Item #2
Support of Windows 8

R06.12.08: Enhancements
Item #1: Support FCC Narrowband Mandate (12.5 KHz channel spacing only) in the United States (Requires EID from Motorola to program WB frequencies.)

R06.12.07: No Release Notes

R06.12.06: No Release Notes

R06.12.05: Enhancements
Item #1: Windows 7 64-bit Operating System Support The Professional Series CPS now fully supports 64-bit versions of the Windows 7 operating system.

R06.12.04: Enhancements
Item #1: Mic Audio Routing
The point of audio input can now be set to internal or external for Professional Series mobile radios with an installed option board.

Many users on here will stop at R06.12.05, being happy with the Win7 64-bit support, but not wanting the restrictions of the NB mandate requiring a WB EID from Motorola. I generally agree with that thinking although I am fully upgraded to R06.12.09. Since we had a paid subscription, and the EID was free, it made good sense to keep our fleet at the most recent version and to give us the ability to program any Pro Series radio we encounter.

So, to directly answer your question, if you don't want to tangle with the NB mandate, stick to R06.12.05. Just realize that if you acquire a CDM or HT that is programmed with a newer version, you may not be able to program it. I would guess that there are ways around that, but I have not had to deal with that problem having the latest and final version of the CPS.

 

[a417]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+1

 

[K2NEC]

Uh, no. R06.12.09 was the final revision before EOL.

My mistake

 

[n3obl]

You can read a 6.12.09 radio with 6.12.05... motorola never changed the codeplug version so most people just use 6.12.05

 

[t1spice]

You guys are awesome... Thanks... Little midmorning update... So I installed 6.12.05 on my windows 10 64bit that has the serial output on the back so the converter is not required. The first time after I installed .05 and hit read, it read the 750 I had hooked up. This was not the radio I wanted to program, so I shut it all down and placed the 1250 in spot and hit read - back to com error or rib issues... tried several more times no luck on the 1250 or 750 now.... so I installed 6.12.05 on my dell laptop with XP and put everything in spot (with converter this time as the laptop needs it) and no luck same error. I then upgraded to 6.12.09 on both computer and neither will work. sooooooo I'm pretty confident now it's not Motorola software issue now, seams like its a computer or cable issue unless I'm missing something... ordered a usb cable last night to be not so happily surprised that after I paid and confirmed payment they sent me a delivery notice for Feb 10th 2021....

 

[K2NEC]

ordered a usb cable last night to be not so happily surprised that after I paid and confirmed payment they sent me a delivery notice for Feb 10th 2021....

Geez where did you buy it from?
With Prime shipping, have it by Thursday morning

 

[SigIntel8600]

First and most important READ the radio FIRST and save that "code plug" to an archive. Before making ANY CHANGES.

If the radio does not read you know there IS a problem

The dammed RIB box has known problems with RS232 levels. The USB to Serial adapters do not work well.

Not really sure WIN 10 works well with the "older" radio software.

+1000