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MT2000 RSS Programming

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gdstrokes

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Joined
Apr 19, 2014
Messages
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Hi Folks. I am new to this site but found this thread interesting. I have a MT2000 that used to work until it was bricked by a local radio shop. I am looking to reprogram the radio and I now have a FAIL 01/82 message on the screen. I don't believe the radio is dead, just needs to the firmware flashed/reloaded on it.

Any help would be appreciated. This is the best HT I've ever owned and I'd hate to throw it away.

Thanks.
 

MTS2000des

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Your "radio shop" should be able to load a working S-record using "shop tools" that MAY get the radio working again. It will still need a full alignment after this is done.

There is no "firmware/flashing" to be done on an MT2000. The MT2000 has firmware on a masked ROM, and is not "flash upgradeable" like the MTS2000.

The problem is not firmware related at all, it is a CODEPLUG problem that can be fixed provided a good CODEPLUG is loaded into the radio's EEPROM, provided no hardware failure caused the CODEPLUG corruption.

One thing we are starting to see on 20 year old radios like this is the subject of "EEPROM wearout" which can cause FAIL 01/82s and other issues. All Motorola radios of this era (MT2000s, MTS2000, JT1000, Astro Saber, Astro Spectra, etc) rely on Atmel EEPROMs to store the codeplug (both internal and external) and the EEPROMS, like any solid state memory, do have a finite number of write cycles.

In these radios EVEN WHEN YOU ARE NOT PROGRAMMING THEM, background writing occurs to the EEPROM of things like last used channel, user programmable scan lists, MPL, etc, and on trunking radios things like CC lists, last affiliated zone/channels, etc. Over time the cells in the EEPROM chip itself literally wears out, when this happens and the radio's operating system can no longer use the EEPROM, you wind up with a FAIL code or weird problems.

The EEPROM chips are cheap and it's a simple fix, BUT it requires the ability to solder/desolder TSOP and BGA chips properly.

Just something to ponder when potentially spending real money on a 15-20 year old radio. While well made, these age related problems are just now starting to show up. And they require advanced surgery by trained persons to bring back.
 

gdstrokes

Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2014
Messages
7
Thank you all for your quick responses!

Well, it started when I wanted to get the radio reprogrammed for local simplex and amateur repeater operation. Last time it was programmed was around 1999. In the efforts to "read" the radio (this is what I was told) an error came up and was not able to be read again. Then received 01/82 errors. I honestly do not want to go back to them since they didn't seem to know what they were doing and were "trying" things at that point.

I do have the programming cables and have connected to the radio before but have an outdated (DOS-based) software version that states: “codeplug too new for this software."
 
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MTS2000des

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if you search around you can find a newer version of MTSX that will read. If you have the SAVED codeplug for THAT radio, you should be able to open it with the newer version of RSS, and write it to the radio. I should also mention that you should ONLY be running the RSS in a true MS-DOS environment, not a DOS shell, under ANY version of Windows, etc. Any interruption during the write process WILL result in codeplug corruption.

This SHOULD recover it provided that there is not a hardware problem with the controller. If loading a new codeplug or S-record does not get rid of the error, it is most likely a bad EEPROM and that means controller board repair/replacement, which, quite frankly given these radios are selling for under $75, finding a replacement radio may be a more cost effective option.
 

gdstrokes

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Joined
Apr 19, 2014
Messages
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Hi Folks - Good news.

I was able to read the radio (its an MTX8000 looking at the back of the device) with the CPS application R02.03.00. (when I tried the DOS-based application, it told me that this radio needed to be programmed with R01.13.00 or higher) The radio still shows the fail 01/82 message however does show me the channels that were there before the error - cannot write to the device.

Any advice you can offer here? Many thanks for the help so far, I am further now than I've ever been with this radio! :)
 

gdstrokes

Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2014
Messages
7
Hi Guys - a few other comments:

So it appears I have an MTX 8000 in an MT2000 case (full DTMF keyboard). The MTX 8000 also appears to be "re-banded" (term I've found) to be used on the 403-470mhz range as that is where I was using it before all this happened.

Reading the radio using CPS R02.03.00 has displayed the error: Block checksum failed for Vector for External Radio Blk Block. Continue to unpack anyway?

After I proceed I can see the following in Radio Information:(and I think all other radio data)

Model Number: H01RDH9PW1BN (different from what's on the radio back: H01UCF6DB5AN NX)
Codeplug 000A
Firmware 01.37
System Package H38
FLASHCode 000008-000000-2

I've looked on the internet for codeplugs for both of these models to no avail.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

-Best
Mark
 

SteveC0625

Order of the Golden Dino since 1972
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I've looked on the internet for codeplugs for both of these models to no avail.
Many of the RSS/CPS packages from Motorola include sample codeplugs of every possible model number for that radio series. They are automatically placed on your computer when you install the software. Can't be sure about this one, but it's worth a look. Use Windows Explorer and look down in My Computer --> C:// --> Program Files and see if you can find the Motorola folder. Look in there and find the folder for your RSS/CPS. If there are sample codeplugs, they'll be in there in a sub-folder.
 

gdstrokes

Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2014
Messages
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Hi Steve. Thanks for your reply.

I have MTS 2000 Radio CPS version R02.03.00 - I did not find any sample codeplugs. Do you know which version would have for my radio?

Best
-Mark
 

mkewman

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Sacramento County, California
Go back to that radio shop, ask them for the saved codeplug they pulled off the repeater before they wrote to it. Any radio shop worth anything will have saved that original code plug. If they didn't save it, don't ever use them for anything ever again. If they did save it, have them give it to you for reloading back onto the repeater.

Just because they were "Trying" things doesn't necessarily mean they didn't know what they were doing, it's an older piece of equipment and kind of finicky. Motorola stuff from that generation requires a little bit of patience and trying different things.
 

gdstrokes

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Apr 19, 2014
Messages
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I'll give that a try as well but not holding my breath. Is it possible to edit the current codeplug to make it as close to "default" as possible?
 

MTS2000des

5B2_BEE00 Czar
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from the model number it appears someone forced a MTS2000 UHF codeplug in the radio using LAB/DEPOT RSS. the firmware version 1.37 is indicative of a non-Flashport controller, which is why MTS2000 CPS cannot deal with the radio.

Most likely someone "built" an "MTSX2000" from parts using an MTX8000 controller board (hence the 1.37 F/W and rear tags) and swapped a UHF RF board in.
 

gdstrokes

Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2014
Messages
7
That's what I am now thinking also. Am I out of luck? Would a good code plug from the mts2000 (model # above pulled from the radio codeplug) allow me to write to the radio again? Other code plugs I've tried have displayed some errors (radio and codeplug don't match - or something like that). I have not gotten my hands on one of that model number (yet, but I am trying!)

Thanks everyone for your continued help !!!!
 

Elfnetdesigns

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
63
I have around 80 of the MT / MTS2000 model 3 UHF radios and the legally obtained software and ability to restore a "bricked" MTXS class radio. The program requires the usual hardware, radio cable, rib and a old DOS computer, pre pentium class.
The radio in question you wanted programmed to HAM radio frequencies. I do not know about your radio shop but I have dealt with Motorola shops in the past and some purposely sabotage radios from a customer that wants HAM frequencies in it and say "Well it's not a good radio and has problems though you still have to pay us and we can sell you a new one"
It sounds like the radio technician force pushed the wrong codeplug or S records into the radio like a VHF version into a UHF and the VCO goes crazy and cannot lock thus the radios cpu throws a fail code up. General rule is If the radio boots up (comes on and beeps) and your seeing a fail code then the radio has a software issue and can be revived.
I have bought "bricked" MT, MTS 2000 radios and revived them to normal working condition with labtool rss.

What I would do in your case is take the radio back to the shop and demand they fix it or buy it since they obviously broke it. But that's me and I tend to become quite nasty in my attitude when people break my radios.
 

Elfnetdesigns

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
63
re mt2000?

Hi Guys - a few other comments:

So it appears I have an MTX 8000 in an MT2000 case (full DTMF keyboard). The MTX 8000 also appears to be "re-banded" (term I've found) to be used on the 403-470mhz range as that is where I was using it before all this happened.

Reading the radio using CPS R02.03.00 has displayed the error: Block checksum failed for Vector for External Radio Blk Block. Continue to unpack anyway?

After I proceed I can see the following in Radio Information:(and I think all other radio data)

Model Number: H01RDH9PW1BN (different from what's on the radio back: H01UCF6DB5AN NX)
Codeplug 000A
Firmware 01.37
System Package H38
FLASHCode 000008-000000-2

I've looked on the internet for codeplugs for both of these models to no avail.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

-Best
Mark

Thats a Frankenstein radio. They used the back plate of an MTX8000 which is an 800 MHz analog radio, and put the front and guts of an MT2000 UHF radio in it.

In all seriousness you would come out better to get on ebay and buy Baofeng UV-B5 dual band radio for your ham needs. They cost like what? $40
 

k1zxx

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
40
Location
Connecticut
Your "radio shop" should be able to load a working S-record using "shop tools" that MAY get the radio working again. It will still need a full alignment after this is done.

There is no "firmware/flashing" to be done on an MT2000. The MT2000 has firmware on a masked ROM, and is not "flash upgradeable" like the MTS2000.

The problem is not firmware related at all, it is a CODEPLUG problem that can be fixed provided a good CODEPLUG is loaded into the radio's EEPROM, provided no hardware failure caused the CODEPLUG corruption.

One thing we are starting to see on 20 year old radios like this is the subject of "EEPROM wearout" which can cause FAIL 01/82s and other issues. All Motorola radios of this era (MT2000s, MTS2000, JT1000, Astro Saber, Astro Spectra, etc) rely on Atmel EEPROMs to store the codeplug (both internal and external) and the EEPROMS, like any solid state memory, do have a finite number of write cycles.

In these radios EVEN WHEN YOU ARE NOT PROGRAMMING THEM, background writing occurs to the EEPROM of things like last used channel, user programmable scan lists, MPL, etc, and on trunking radios things like CC lists, last affiliated zone/channels, etc. Over time the cells in the EEPROM chip itself literally wears out, when this happens and the radio's operating system can no longer use the EEPROM, you wind up with a FAIL code or weird problems.

The EEPROM chips are cheap and it's a simple fix, BUT it requires the ability to solder/desolder TSOP and BGA chips properly.

Just something to ponder when potentially spending real money on a 15-20 year old radio. While well made, these age related problems are just now starting to show up. And they require advanced surgery by trained persons to bring back.

I have the same problem with a astro uhf 1mg 450-482 loc#14c29 wheni read the unit i get the FL 01/82 as well, i tried to set it up with rss 05.03 no dice just get the bad checksum failed for radio, any one have a usable flash plug i can borrow and try injecting this to see if it takes? if not can you supply a link for the EEPROM chips???
 
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