MTX 8000 after rebanding

[scanfan03]

Does anyone know if the MTX 8000 B3 will work after rebanding?

The Spectras won't work for sure right?


If the MTXs will work than I will be stocking up in those.

 

[bsavery]

Does anyone know if the MTX 8000 B3 will work after rebanding?

The Spectras won't work for sure right?


If the MTXs will work than I will be stocking up in those.

While someone else may know for sure... I would think in general, any radio that can have it's firmware re-flashed has a good chance of still being useable afterwards.

Bob

 

[mward1]

If you have MTX8000 working in 1-120 channel range only AND have no need for NSPSAQ freqs, it appears Motorola can retune them. If you need the NSPSAQ freqs, then that is where it gets fuzzy. Remember that if these are being used on a Public Safety network, they are not type accepted for those networks. they have a lower IM Class (B) than an MTS, XTS series radio

 

[scanfan03]

If you have MTX8000 working in 1-120 channel range only AND have no need for NSPSAQ freqs, it appears Motorola can retune them. If you need the NSPSAQ freqs, then that is where it gets fuzzy. Remember that if these are being used on a Public Safety network, they are not type accepted for those networks. they have a lower IM Class (B) than an MTS, XTS series radio

HUH?!? Not type accepted for Public Safety?? I guess my local PD is breaking the law, because they have tons of MTX 8000 B7s. Anyways, anything accepted for Business is accepted for PS too.

My MTX 8000 is a B3, so I doubt it will be able to be reflashed, I will probably have to sell it.

 

[FuelForFire]

HUH?!? Not type accepted for Public Safety?? I guess my local PD is breaking the law, because they have tons of MTX 8000 B7s. Anyways, anything accepted for Business is accepted for PS too.

Regardless of whether or not it is type accepted for PS (which I have heard several times that it is not) its intended purpose was not public safety. Your dept's sales rep probably thought he found a great way to lower the bottoms line and drum up more business by going with the mtx instead of the mts2000.

Last year my dept was looking at replacing some older portables and one the members was arguing to get the CP200 for $300 instead of the HT1000 for more than twice that. Sure, it will work. But the radio's inteaded purpose is not public safety and therefore it should not be assumed that it is built to the same quality as radios that are.

Mike

 

[wavetar]

First off, the MTX8000 is not a FLASHport capable radio, so it can't have it's firmware updated like it's MTS2000 counterpart.

If you follow the link below, you'll see that the MTX8000 is ok after rebanding only in the first 120 channels. It will not work for the NPSPAC channels, nor will any MTS2000 with the 256k eprom (the very earliest units), which is shared with the MTX8000.

http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.php?t=47698

The "Public Safety" designation for the MTS2000 simply means it can be programmed to 'Public Safety' 866-869MHz range by default, whereas the MTX8000 won't. It'll also do any required Apco-16 SmartNet features, whereas the MTX8000 won't. The build quality between the two models are identical, so the MTX8000 is certainly "Public Safety" grade in that respect.

Todd

 

[kb5udf]

MTX8000 Frequencies

While the previous poster is right that most won't go over 866, some will.
I don't know if they left the factory that way or if this is a mod.

But I can definately confirm some mtx8000's will do the whole band, just most do not.

 

[wavetar]

Re: MTX8000 Frequencies

While the previous poster is right that most won't go over 866, some will.
I don't know if they left the factory that way or if this is a mod.

But I can definately confirm some mtx8000's will do the whole band, just most do not.

No factory MTX8000 will go above 866. They can however be made to do above 866 with LAB RSS (it's a setting in the options), and there are plenty of those LAB-hacked units floating around.

The 'regular RSS' will not allow the MTX8000 to program above 866, but is easily modified to allow it, the instructions are on Batlabs. Then you don't even need the LAB RSS to do it.

Todd

 

[kb5udf]

Clarification

Thanks for the info Wavetar.

Just so understand, are you saying that in order for the freq. range of the MTX8000 it takes a setting in LAB RSS, and a mod of the regular RSS?

 

[K4APR]

MTX8000s are SOL with rebanding. Luckily, here in Roanoke, Va. the portables are 90% MTS2000s which are Flashport capable. So they can be upgraded for the new band plan.

The Maxtracs, Spectras and GTX mobiles will all go bye bye.

 

[n4voxgill]

after rebanding there will not be any public safety frequencies above 860. The problem is going to be below 860 where the 866 frequeancies are being moved to. If it is an agency owned radio and it can't be reflashed then Nextel will pay to replace the radio at no cost. If is personal owned, then you have a problem.

 

[wavetar]

Re: Clarification

Thanks for the info Wavetar.

Just so understand, are you saying that in order for the freq. range of the MTX8000 it takes a setting in LAB RSS, and a mod of the regular RSS?

No, I'm saying there are two ways to accomplish it.

If you have LAB RSS, there is a setting you can choose to allow the MTX8000 to program above 866. It changes a bit in the codeplug of the radio. You can then program the radio above 866 even with regular, unmodified RSS. I believe you can even clone this radio into others & they will also program above 866, though I'm not positive on that.

The second way is to modify regular RSS to allow the MTX8000 to go above 866. This works just as well, except you will always need the modified RSS to program the radio in the future. If you read it with someone else's unmodified RSS later on, it'll complain about the frequencies being out of band and default them to something else if you view them on the screen. If you always use your own modified RSS to program your own radios, this isn't really an issue.

Todd

 

[scanfan03]

Thanks for all of the replies, although I am still not clear, some people say it is ok while others say it won't be ok.

 

[Seadoo]

I dont know what mtx8000 you guys are talking about, but I have a b7 and it goes all the way up into the 870 frequencies as it is programed at 868.1750 now. They have a band split of 806 - 870. Just thought I let you guys know that. Maybe b3's dont but I know b7's do, and that is without any modification to the standard RSS. Mtx8000's are also flash upgradable as the mtsx s/w required to program them specifically states it.

 

[greenthumb]

Okay - the problem is twofold:

*Lower Frequencies
*New Channel Plan

The lower frequencies being used requires the radio to have a new set of code put into the radio to allow the radio to go that low, as well as change some of the other operating parameters related to the receiver and transmitter.

There will be a new NPSPAC channel plan released, which must be flashed into the radio so that the radio changes to the correct new NPSPAC frequency.

If the radio can't be flashed, it can't perform these updates and therefore will be useless after rebanding. MTX-8000s are *not* FlashPort radios. It doesn't matter what you can do in lab, unless you can change the channel plan, you're SOL. Period.

I would also be willing to bet a lot of money that Motorola won't do a rebanding flash for anyone other than a PS agency......

Of course, this is all a moot point if your system does not require rebanding.

 

[wavetar]

I dont know what mtx8000 you guys are talking about, but I have a b7 and it goes all the way up into the 870 frequencies as it is programed at 868.1750 now. They have a band split of 806 - 870. Just thought I let you guys know that. Maybe b3's dont but I know b7's do, and that is without any modification to the standard RSS. Mtx8000's are also flash upgradable as the mtsx s/w required to program them specifically states it.

I work for an MSS, and can assure you, FACTORY MTX8000 radios cannot program above 866MHz. This of course may not apply to anything bought off ebay or from a second party.
Also, they are not FLASHport upgradeable. Look at the serial# sticker on the back of the radio...does it say "FLASHport" on it anywhere? Does it list a 13-digit FLASHcode anywhere? The answer for both is 'no'. The RSS for them is the same RSS as the MTS2000, so what you see in the help files in the RSS regarding upgrading applies to the MTS2000 only.

Todd

 

[WayneH]

I work for an MSS, and can assure you, FACTORY MTX8000 radios cannot program above 866MHz.

The City of San Diego (CA) used MTX8000s which had some special package provided by Motorola that allowed 866 operation. There was some indication via Programming or on the back label which indicated it but I've forggoten the specifics.

Some are privately owned now.

-Wayne

 

[Seadoo]

I was going to say the same thing Wayne because my mtx8000 is currently set to listen to a system that operates using a control channel frequency at 868.7875. Thats just one of the 4 control channels on the system. Now i will admit i was wrong on the Flashport part as i did get confused with the mcs2000.

 

[wavetar]

The City of San Diego (CA) used MTX8000s which had some special package provided by Motorola that allowed 866 operation. There was some indication via Programming or on the back label which indicated it but I've forggoten the specifics.

Some are privately owned now.

-Wayne

Yes, Motorola will make "SP" radios for customers who have enough pull to get it done. This is actually what LAB RSS would legitimately be used for...Motorola can charge a large sum of money to 'enable' the 866+ band in the radios. So, they are 'factory' in one respect, but it was ultimately done with LAB. As you say, either the label or the RSS should give some sort of 'SP' designation for those radios.

Todd

 

[Seadoo]

Todd, I wonder where the SP information would be in Standard RSS version 6.07.00. As that is what i used to program my mtx8000 radios in the 868.7875 range. Just curious.