Astro / Coventional Saber Spkr Mic Compatibility

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HumHead
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Post by HumHead »

Simple "better safe than sorry" question:

Can I use the (non public safety) speaker mic from an older analog Saber safely on an Astro Saber, or would I run the risk of trying my luck with //'s flat rate repairs?

Thanks!
chiefops
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astro saber speaker mics

Post by chiefops »

a regular (non-public safety) speaker mic will work on both saber and astro saber; only an astro public safety mic will work on an astro. 2 pins are reversed from the saber pin config.
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Elroy Jetson
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Post by Elroy Jetson »

There is almost NOTHING you can do to harm the radio via its accessory connector unless you start inputting various voltages at random. Connecting any passive device should never be any cause for concern.

You can safely short out EVERY pin on the accessory connector to every other one and the radio would not be harmed and would probably still even work normally.

Elroy
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HumHead
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Post by HumHead »

Wow, I forgot I had even posted that!

I had since given up and tried the standard mic, and it does, in fact, work.

BUT- the Astro and analog Sabers use different antenna connectors. I bet I would be one unhappy camper if I screwed the 1/420 stud down onto the SMA pin on the Astro's antenna connector! (Assuming that it would fit anyhow.)

Does anyone know if the captive threaded insert for the retainer is available as a seperate part (to replace the 1/4- 20 stud with an SMA)? I could just cut the whole thing off and just use the screw on the connector, but I'm guessing that they put those on there for a reason.

I actually have a strong preference for the old Saber / Genesis mics with the shielded PTT buttons. I seem to have the perfect collection of mannerisms to accidentally key the prominent buttons on the Waris / Jedi / Astro mics.
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Elroy Jetson
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Post by Elroy Jetson »

The pass-thru adapter that's part of any Saber mic or any Astro Saber mic is available separately and certainly they're available on scrapped speaker-mics that have damaged cords. They CAN be interchanged with a little effort.

All Saber and Astro Saber speaker mics are pin for pin compatible (except for the antenna switching scheme) IF they're both made after September 30, 1994 and the radio's housing (either radio series) was also made after that date. Before that date, the Saber housings were made with a different pinout spec, and after that date they were made with the Astro Saber pinout spec so one AVA console could be easily manufactured in two different configurations...one for Sabers and one for Astro Sabers, with a minimum of parts changes for cost reasons.

I have tested newer Saber speaker-mics on Astros and they do in fact work.

Elroy
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