XTL/XTS5000 XTS-5000 antenna receptacle variations

[Chris-KH2PM]

I've been trying to find the right antenna for an XTS-5000 7/800mhz with a deeply inset center conductor pin.

Here's a picture of the 800 on the left, and my UHF XTS-5000 on the right. I don't have any antennas that will
thread down far enough for the pin to contact the center conductor of the antenna, and all of the internet searches
and EBAY ads show the same design as the UHF antennas I already have.
The antennas I've tried will start to screw in, but once snug, there's still a gap between the rubber antenna base and
the radio, and the pin won't make contact so no RF gets to the radio.

What do your 7/800 RF Deck antenna ports look like? I don't know the history of this radio, such as where it was in service etc.

 

[Firebuff66]

That's exactly what my XTS looks like and my Motorola supplied antenna works great. Its an SMA connector and you can get the stock Motorola antennas 100s of places on the net. Here is 1

Motorola 8505241U11 Dual Band, 764-870 MHz, Antenna

Motorola 8505241U11 Whip Antenna for 800 MHz Radios

www.magnumelectronics.com

Motorola 8505241U05 Heliflex UHF Whip

Motorola 8505241U05 UHF flexible whip antenna compatible with XTS5000, XTS3000, XTS2500, XTS1500, MT1500, HT1000, PR1500, MTS2000

www.magnumelectronics.com

 

[kf8yk]

The connectors on Motorola antennas don't conform to standardized SMA connector dimensions. The center pin on an OEM Motorola antenna is nearly flush with the end of the connector, whereas the standard SMA has a recessed center pin. Using non OEM antennas on Motorola portables often results in poor center pin engagement. Many off brand replacement antennas listed as compatible with Motorola don't have the proper connector.

For comparison the OEM antenna is on the top (green) & a non Moto antenna with a standard SMA is below (red)

 

[Chris-KH2PM]

That's what I have, an OEM Motorola antenna with a green end. It won't screw all the way down. It goes down as far as the white plastic
down inside, but won't go any further. Once it's snug on the radio, there's a visible gap between the antenna and the radio.
The threads are not damaged. The antenna will screw down to the white plastic, and leaves thread marks in the plastic. I tried tightening it
more but I don't want to damage it.

 

[GTR8000]

Something doesn't look quite right with the 800 radio's SMA connector...the threads clearly do not go down far enough, preventing the antenna from seating properly. Not sure why it's like that, but every XTS 5000 I've owned or seen has the threads go all the way down as it does with your UHF model. Until you somehow rectify that, no antenna is going to thread in properly.

 

[wgbecks]

I've never seen this particular connector on any XTS500's and the RF connectors on my VHF, UHF, 700/800 XTS5000's are all identical to the OP's UHF model whereby the threads and Teflon insulator extend downward allowing full engagement of the antenna with the center pin.

According to the service manual, the Coaxial PAD (RF Connector) for all XTS5000 models carries Motorola P/N 7505487Z01 that appear to be in stock at a few on-line parts outlets. It would be interesting to see the casting removed from the case to see what's lurking under the hood.

 

[MITTYCPD]

In looking at the photos you provided and the mention of the Teflon insulator I'm thinking that this particular radio radio may have had a public safety mic on it at one time and the white spacer is a left over from the RF adaptor that was used with the PS mics. The adaptor had a female pin set up similar to the antenna which had a white spacer (for lack of better word) that screwed down with a nut that used a special spanner wrench to tighten down. The adaptor rose above that radio and the spot to transfer RF to the PS mic was raised above the radio. I'm thinking that's where the spacer came from. Tweezers, used carefully should get it out and the antenna screw down all the way. Good Luck.

 

[MITTYCPD]

There's an NTN8327 RF Adaptor on that auction site and the photo clearly shows what I believe is the offending white Teflon part on the end of it. This happened to me years ago.

 

[chrismol1]

Bingo, it looks like a piece is left in the connector, none of my radios have any white plastic inside the connector

 

[MITTYCPD]

Hopefully that will fix it for you.

 

[wgbecks]

Hopefully that will fix it for you.

Now that I look closer at the photo it does appear that the treads continue on and that this piece is just a spacer as you've stated.
Good catch!

 

[Chris-KH2PM]

I've never seen this particular connector on any XTS500's and the RF connectors on my VHF, UHF, 700/800 XTS5000's are all identical to the OP's UHF model whereby the threads and Teflon insulator extend downward allowing full engagement of the antenna with the center pin.

According to the service manual, the Coaxial PAD (RF Connector) for all XTS5000 models carries Motorola P/N 7505487Z01 that appear to be in stock at a few on-line parts outlets. It would be interesting to see the casting removed from the case to see what's lurking under the hood.

The saga continues. There's nothing in regards to a teflon adapter spacer that can be removed.

Here are pics of the chassis RF pad, and the model ID tag for reference. I've spent a lot of time online trying to see if there is a specific
application that would require a different antenna connection, but to no avail. I don't see any signs of modifications to the OEM hardware.

 

[vagrant]

I have a 5000 and an XTVA, so I use that NTN8327 adapter for the external antenna connection. I took mine off with the wrench to have a look and that thin white bit is very pliable. I pulled mine off of the adapter to feel the flexibility. I'm wondering if for some odd reason that white tube came off the adapter and then someone screwed a regular Moto antenna into the well. That white tube would easily deform and fill in the threads not allowing the antenna to fully seat.

Is that white bit on the threads in there a hard nylon, or can you easily pick it out with tweezers as suggested?

UPDATE: That must be it. I just took my adapter off again and the white bit stuck in the well this time. If I were to screw an antenna in there, I bet it would deform and be the same as yours. Whomever did it probably didn't even realize it.

 

[Chris-KH2PM]

Is that white bit on the threads in there a hard nylon, or can you easily pick it out with tweezers as suggested?
UPDATE: That must be it. I just took my adapter off again and the white bit stuck in the well this time. If I were to screw an antenna in there, I bet it would deform and be the same as yours. Whomever did it probably didn't even realize it.

I wish it were that easy. I probed around inside there with a very small screwdriver. It's hard nylon all the way down to the bottom, and around
the pin. Definitely nothing in there that could be picked out.

Thanks for everyone's input and taking the time to check your radios and reply. I guess eventually this mystery will be revealed.

I'm able to use it while monitoring stationary at the desk by using this cheap junkbox mod until I find an antenna that fits.

 

[Giddyuptd]

Out of curiosity, just wondering if it is either a Chinese "like new part", the xtva deal mentioned above overtime that hardened, or custom or special order deal some prior entity ordered?

 

[wgbecks]

I've personally never attempted or have had the need to remove/replace the Coaxial PAD but the part is still listed as a stock item when doing a quick search and perhaps the final solution is to replace it? Of course it would depend on how it's fastened in the casting and if it can be easily removed and replaced?

Good luck with this and please post your ultimate solution to remedy the problem.

 

[MITTYCPD]

I'm thinking vagrant is correct in that someone screwed an antenna in and it forced the plastic insert to adhere to the threads making it difficult to remove.

 

[vagrant]

I would think a tool like a dental pick and some effort would be needed to pick it off the side threads. At this point would it really hurt to try?

I also looked at my other 5000 and it is missing that white plastic tube/spacer on the adapter. The inner black tube bit is still on though and it works fine. It may have come off in another radio that used it before my purchase.

 

[wgbecks]

I'm thinking vagrant is correct in that someone screwed an antenna in and it forced the plastic insert to adhere to the threads making it difficult to remove.

This will sound a little unusual but I don't suppose you could try drilling a very small hole into the insert to facilitate using a pic to try and spin it out of the threads? Just a thought!

 

[Chris-KH2PM]

I've personally never attempted or have had the need to remove/replace the Coaxial PAD but the part is still listed as a stock item when doing a quick search and perhaps the final solution is to replace it? Of course it would depend on how it's fastened in the casting and if it can be easily removed and replaced?

Good luck with this and please post your ultimate solution to remedy the problem.

There's a roll pin pressed into the casting to hold the coaxial pad in place. It's visible in one of the pics I posted above. There's no way to drive it out from the opposite end. I suppose if the correct replacement Coaxial Pad could be obtained, I could drill the casting opposite the roll pin and drive it out.

Nothing is down in the well of the radio's socket around the pin. No foreign objects jammed in there. Nothing to remove with tweezers. The white nylon portion down in the well of the antenna socket is about the same diameter as the threads above it. I plan on grinding a couple of the lowest threads off the antenna base to try and get the center pin of the antenna to contact the center pin inside the radio's antenna connector. Need to find a resonant antenna with enough threads first. The one I have only has three threads. (pic in post #4 above) so that wouldn't leave enough metal, only one thread, to secure the antenna if that worked.

I'll definitely post the final solution once I figure this out.