Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

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mogman
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 2:25 pm

Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by mogman »

I just acquired a high power Astro W3 radio, it did not come with the standard Y cable but a PLMN4959A that has an acc. connector that looks like the connector on the XTL1500, it was in a sealed bag so I have no idea if this will work with the Astro but I tried it anyway, with no cable attached to the drawer unit (but yes a dummy load) pulls about 1/2A and this actually wanders a little bit, with the PLMN cable and control head (mic) connected and pin 14-15 (Emergency/ground) connected there is no more current flow to the drawer unit, but even with power applied to pin 25 (IGN.) I cannot get it to come alive.
Thanks
Craig
mogman
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 2:25 pm

Re: Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by mogman »

Went by the local "shop" and he lent me a cable and we have power now, he also told me I could plug the control head directly into the radio if I provided IGN on the other D25 connector, now to figure out which RSS will talk to this radio.
Thanks
mogman
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 2:25 pm

Re: Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by mogman »

For some reason I cannot get it to power up when applying 12v to pin 3 of the remote control plug J5 ether with or without the Y cable installed, according to my manual pin 3 is IGN and this makes no sense as it does power up when applying 12v to pin 5 of the Y cable D15 connector., I would like to return the Y cable tomorrow otherwise it will be next week, also I have not been able to connect with any RSS, I am using the same radio to rib cable I use for the low/mid power units(D15 custom applies 12V to pin 5 and has speaker connections), I know that is not normal but the manual says the same (bus+/ bus- etc.) are there. There is a B+ reset (pin4) on J5 that is not on the other control head connector and I am wondering if I need to apply power there also......
jmr061
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Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by jmr061 »

Its is either Pin 20 or 22 if I recall correctly.
Jim202
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Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by Jim202 »

jmr061 wrote:Its is either Pin 20 or 22 if I recall correctly.



It's not a good idea to just randomly start putting +12 volts on connector pins without knowing exactly what it's function is.

There is a good supply of information around to go blindly into something like this. Between batlabs.com and repeater builder's site, you should be able to find what your looking for or from one of the links they provide.

Jim
jmr061
was KB9KST
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Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by jmr061 »

Jim202 wrote:
jmr061 wrote:Its is either Pin 20 or 22 if I recall correctly.



It's not a good idea to just randomly start putting +12 volts on connector pins without knowing exactly what it's function is.

There is a good supply of information around to go blindly into something like this. Between batlabs.com and repeater builder's site, you should be able to find what your looking for or from one of the links they provide.

Jim
I was leading him in the right direction. He can look at a service manual to figure out which one of those it is
mogman
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 2:25 pm

Re: Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by mogman »

I did look in the service manual, pin 3 is IGN on both P25 connectors, I was also going on advice from a Moto shop service manager that said I should be able the put the control head directly on the drawer unit and get the speaker and power the IGN on the other connector, I did build the 25P/25P high power programming cable and am able to read/write to the radio, I was not able to bring up the radio with the control head connected directly to the drawer unit with B+ on pin 3 of the other connector, one thing I did not try is grounding the emergency pin as is done automatically with the Y cable because I am using the same D15 plug that I use on my "standard" Spectra radios for IGN power and speaker, but that does not make any sense because I still have that plug connected to the Y connector when I tried only to move IGN power from the D15 connector to the other D25 connector pin 3 (should have worked). I have not had any time to Do-si-do through the RSS, I wonder if I can program it to not need IGN as one can in the CDM-750? Anyway I did program in a repeater about 50 miles away and nailed it so the radio seems to be fine despite all my "ignorant" attempts to do as I was told to by the Moto service manager.....
jmr061
was KB9KST
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Re: Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by jmr061 »

Ugh....power pin 22 on the 2nd DB25 connector. That is switched B+ from the control head. Thats how you get drawers to power up with no heads, jumper pin 20 (A+) to pin 22 (switched B+)
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Astro Spectra
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Re: Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by Astro Spectra »

If the W3 HHCH is plugged directly into the centre J6 connector then you need to have +12 on the IGN pin 3 and of course tie the EMER pin 13 to DIG GND pin 8 on the left hand side J5 connector. That way you can remove the HHCH if you want and the radio will power up on whatever the last mode it was set to.

If you want a monitor speaker it hooks to pins 25 and 24.
mogman
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 2:25 pm

Re: Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by mogman »

I connected the HHCH to the center connector and on the left I put B+ on pin 3 shorted 13-8 and it still would not power up, not that big of a deal, I have been a component level tech for 35 years, cut my teeth on Motracs and 1/4Ks, have had quite a bit of experience lately modifying Maratracs,Maxtracs and Syntor 9000 series radios to Amateur use, we have gone to CDM-750s at work but only have 2 analog frequencies SO my experience with CPS is limited and digital is nil.
I have a few questions. The S.M. says I can boot this drawer unit to a W9 control head and cable and it will automatically recognize it, it this true? Also the sole reason for getting the P25 capable radio is my wife lives to monitor the police channels (we live out in the country with not much else to do) so the Syntor 9000 in my wife's truck was pulling double duty acting as a scanner for her and a 2M radio for me, well the county went digital rendering the Syntor obsolete overnight. a couple used RS scanners took care of the house and I hope to install this Astro in the truck so the question I have is how to program a personality as P25? Also I assume I can program 2 zones, 1 for her and 1 for me and program hers as "home" so all she needs to do if I leave it in my zone is to hit the home button as she would do on the Syntor....
Craig
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Astro Spectra
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Re: Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by Astro Spectra »

Did you turn it on?

In the config I gave you you need to turn on the radio by pressing the top left button on the HHCH and press again to turn it off. The drawer remembers how you set it last if you unplug the HHCH. The ignition function works if programmed but the HHCH needs to be turned on.
mogman
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 2:25 pm

Re: Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by mogman »

Yes I did try the power button, I will play with it some more, and try JMR's suggestion
I did try it in "mixed" mode and of course RX only on the public frequencies and the digital is coming through fine, way cool!
mogman
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 2:25 pm

Re: Spectra Astro W3 cannot power up

Post by mogman »

Can someone tell me where the default volume and squelch settings are in the CPS?
Thanks
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