Seeking Saber Programming Cable

[GraniteScanner]

Hi Everyone,
I am looking for a programming cable for a Motorola M2 Saber (Model H04RDF9PW7AN) this is the one with 6 blue buttons on the front. I have a RIB unit and the proper CPS but lack the correct cable. I have purchased this cable off ebay but I heard it was the incorrect one for this model of saber. I have heard that this cable can be modified by moving a wire to a different pin but I would rather just purchase the correct cable as my skill with soldering on these types of connectors leaves a lot to be desired. Searching on eBay for other cables is proving difficult. As something simple as the word saber just brings you to cables for Jedi and XTS lines. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[mbnv992]

You need an Astro Saber programming cable not a Saber programming cable.

 

[doctordialtone]

Like this one?

Astro saber cable

 

[mbnv992]

You’ll need a RIB box as well with that programming cable

 

[wa8pyr]

Had the same problem myself once upon a time. If I recall correctly the only difference between the two is two reversed pins in the RIB connector; I simply built myself a "gender changer" to go between the cable and the RIB which took care of the problem.

 

[jeepsandradios]

Astro Saber

Saber

Difference is pin 6 and 8.

 

[GraniteScanner]

Does the RIB Box have to be specific to the Astro saber?

 

[a417]

Does the RIB Box have to be specific to the Astro saber?

No. RIBs aren't specific to the radio model, they are interfaces for that generation (and similar ones) so the computer could talk to the radio.

You're going to want to save yourself the trouble and make sure it's atleast a moto authentic RIB. I've had success with exactly one other RIB (Sandy's), and seen two other knockoffs flop when trying to read the older moto radios. You will see tons of "USB RIBs" and ribless cables on the intertubes purporting to work with older radios...but the only tried and true way with the classics is with a serial cable - an authentic Moto RIB - and the correct RIB-to-Radio cabling.

 

[wa8pyr]

You're going to want to save yourself the trouble and make sure it's atleast a moto authentic RIB. I've had success with exactly one other RIB (Sandy's), and seen two other knockoffs flop when trying to read the older moto radios. You will see tons of "USB RIBs" and ribless cables on the intertubes purporting to work with older radios...but the only tried and true way with the classics is with a serial cable - an authentic Moto RIB - and the correct RIB-to-Radio cabling.

Authentic Motorola RIBs are hard to come by. Those of us who have them tend to hang on to them.

I agree that the "USB RIBs" and ribless cables are going to be a crapshoot; however, there are several knockoff RIBs on eBay right now for around $30 which purport to be the same circuitry as the actual RLN4008 which would probably work OK.

Radio Interface BOX Programming RIB for Motorola Portable Radios as RLN4008 | eBay

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I bought one years ago off eBay which works like a charm; the ones currently on eBay appear to be basically the same. Even though I scored an authentic Motorola RIB a few years after I got the knockoff, I keep both of them; the knockoff is at home on the bench connected to a power supply so I don't need a battery, while the genuine article is in my laptop bag for field work.

One thing I never understood about the genuine article is why /\/\ororola chose to use that DB15 connector on the computer side of the RIB and a DB25 on the programming cable side; seems like it would have been far less confusing the other way around (can't begin to count how many times I've seen people assume that because the programming cable has a DB25 on it, it must therefore connect directly to an RS232 port).

 

[GraniteScanner]

I believe I purchased the same one. I think what I have matches the pinout but its probably just a bad cable.

I bought one years ago off eBay which works like a charm; the ones currently on eBay appear to be basically the same. Even though I scored an authentic Motorola RIB a few years after I got the knockoff, I keep both of them; the knockoff is at home on the bench connected to a power supply so I don't need a battery, while the genuine article is in my laptop bag for field work.

 

[N4KVE]

Been looking for years for an Astro Saber ribless cable that plugs into the serial port. Have one for the MTS2000, & XTS3000. But it’s impossible to find one for my Astro Saber. I still use a RIB for that radio. With the factory M RIB, or the other one mentioned, I’ve never had a problem. And I avoid the USB adapters like the plague.

 

[wa8pyr]

And I avoid the USB adapters like the plague.

So do I. USB to serial adapters are another crapshoot, so I keep a couple of laptops (CF30 and CF53 Toughbooks) around for my programming needs. They have a genuine RS232 port as well as several USB ports, so I can do pretty much anything I need to do.

 

[N4KVE]

So do I. USB to serial adapters are another crapshoot, so I keep a couple of laptops (CF30 and CF53 Toughbooks) around for my programming needs. They have a genuine RS232 port as well as several USB ports, so I can do pretty much anything I need to do.

I do the same, but I have a few older Dell laptops running Windows XP, with real serial ports for my older radios. I even keep a Toshiba Satellite DOS laptop for a few radios that still need RSS.

 

[GraniteScanner]

I have found luck with cables from BlueMax49ers USB/Serial Cables but for the radios that use DOS instead of windows I just go straight serial.

So do I. USB to serial adapters are another crapshoot, so I keep a couple of laptops (CF30 and CF53 Toughbooks) around for my programming needs. They have a genuine RS232 port as well as several USB ports, so I can do pretty much anything I need to do.

 

[a417]

but for the radios that use DOS instead of windows I just go straight serial.

You usually don't have much of an option.