This forum is dedicated to discussions pertaining specifically to the Motorola ASTRO line of radios (those that use VSELP/IMBE/AMBE), including using digital modulation, digital programming, FlashPort upgrades, etc. If you have general questions please use the General or Programming forums.
I have recently aquired a VHF Astro W9 110 watt Spectra. It has the model number of: T04KLH9PW9AN and a flashcode of: 000001-002000-5
I know that it has a limited flashcode...no IMBE/VOCON and no real ASTRO usage. I only really want to use it for analog operation, but want to know about a few features. If these questions have been addressed in another thread--just point me to it. I am familiar with regular spectras, just not these.
I assume it will do 255 modes, but does it have zones??? Did they make ASTRO spectras without zones???
What (if any) are any other differences between this and a regular A9 high power spectra??
Any other tips are appreciated for this spectra.
Thanks!!!!
Mike
Brian Griffin: Ah, if my memory serves me, this is the physics department.
Chris Griffin: That would explain all the gravity.
.
Lois: Peter, you're drunk again.
Peter: No, I'm just exhausted because I've been up all night drinking.
Differences? Err, it's an Astro? Apart from the obvious physical differences, more channels, different programming software, a few more features here and there (although your radio is pretty featureless.)
Tips? The first digit of the flashcode should've been odd! Gotta have that IMBE goodness...
I know that IMBE would be nice, but only for resale value. I like have 255 modes, zones and 100 plus watts for VHF. I also like looking at this blue ASTRO imprinted on the control head
Mike
Brian Griffin: Ah, if my memory serves me, this is the physics department.
Chris Griffin: That would explain all the gravity.
.
Lois: Peter, you're drunk again.
Peter: No, I'm just exhausted because I've been up all night drinking.
The advantages an "Astro Ready" flashed Astro Spectra has over an analog Spectra that I can think of are:
-255 modes (instead of 128)
-2.5 kHz deviation narrowband FM
-a high/low power button
-if you have a newer RF board, 6.25 kHz channel spacing (freqs like 155.62125 MHz).
-some additional button assignment flexibility
-Astro's seem to respond to some other manufacturer's PL reverse burst better
The disadvantages of an Astro Spectra compared to an analog Spectra are:
-zone/channel display partitioning sucks (I prefer the temporary zone display)
-if you want a separate scan list for each zone, you can't re-use the same channel in multiple zones (because scan lists are strapped to the mode)
-no MPL (multi-Private Line)
-no non-standard PL tones
The biggest thing I don't like about all Astro radios is the stupid zone/channel display partitioning--especially if you have an 8 character display (W4, W5, or W7) It's only useful if you have short zone and channel names...
With the Astro portables, I always end up setting the zone display text size to 0, and just manually enter the zone number as the first character of the first channel in each zone. So I basically end up not having zone names--just a number--and you have to be on the first channel to see what it is. The temporary zone display the analog Spectras had was way more useful... At least with the Astro mobiles, you aren't forced to 16 channels per zone because of the knob, so I'd consider just having one large zone.
On the Spectra's (and sabers) you can adjust the zone text size from 0-10.
My astro portables and mobiles are programmed the same way. On the sabers I use a 3 digit zone name and 11 character channel name so that the channel names will always be the same on both radios (I don't use zone digits on the spectras). Worse case, you can always label your first channel differently to "mark" a zone.
Other than that, for the most part you should be able to figure out what zone you are in by looking at the display...you have 11 characters to play with.
I do agree that the lack of zone naming sucks, I thought that was an awesome feature.
Lowband radio. The original and non-complicated wide area interoperable communications system
batdude wrote:better way is to make the zone name 2-3 chars like this:
zone name channel name
CAM DEN FIRE
CAM DEN SO 1
CAM DEN EMS
NAS SAU FIRE
NAS SAU SO 1
in the display, you get
CAMDEN FIRE
CAMDEN SO 1
CAMDEN EMS
NASSAU FIRE
NASSAU SO 1
etc.
i used this on all my astro sabers and W9 spectras....works great.
doug
I thought I was the only one doing this. It does work great. Not as great as the regular Spectras, but better than trying come up with short names for everything.
There is one other advantage to Astro Spectras in conventional operation over A models: channel marking. The problem arises where you have a priority channel in the scan list that has co-channel activity on it. The A models will park on the priority channel and the yellow light will light; since the PL is wrong, the audio doesn't open, but the radio doesn't resume scanning until the co-channel activity drops.
Back in the days of clear channels, this idiosyncrasy wasn't so much of a problem, at least in public safety. Nowadays, though, it can be a major hassle.
For the MTSX metaphor (which is that the programming structure of Astro Spectras is based on), Motorola came up with "channel marking," which eliminates this problem.
Someone mentioned "newer RF boards" that will do smaller step sizes. I'm starting to look for an Astro Spectra - is there something in the model# or anything that I can look at to determine if it has this newer board? I would like something to do a 7.5 kHz spacing. Will the older boards do this? I have a friend with a AS and he said something about it not wanting to accept some narrowband stuff. If you do have a narrowband specta, is it still backwards compatible with the regular 12.5/15k spacing channels?
The Astro Spectra requires a 2.5KHz RF board. The only ways top tell are:
The label on the side with have 2.5 on it (as long as the internal parts haven't been swapped)
The RSS lets you program in 156.3925 or something odd like that. Otherwise it will complain and not let you program it, thus you have an old board.
Or the surefire why of checking is the part #HRN6014x. That x needs to be C or later. (At least according to MOL)
If you do have one of the old boards, is it easy (and relatively cheap) to change to the 2.5 board? Is that #HRN6014x part easy to find/buy? Basically, is that the only part that matters for the 2.5k steps?
$680+ from Motorola, and I've never seen them come up on eBay...and I've looked HARD.
And they are not upgradable. That is, if you have an A or B board they can't be upgraded (even at the Depot) for the newer ones. The C and above have some different layouts on the boards - subtle, but they are different.
I am familiar with regular spectras, just not these.
