M1225 Out of Band Programming??

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Fri May 27, 2005 9:25 pm

Ok, here is a question that should have a quick answer, but maybe not!

Is there anyway to take the M1225 out of band with the version 4.0 2k/XP software?

I tried it today after using it to recover the radio from a corrupt codeplug. Unfortunately it won't work. If i use the shift method to enter the frequency it will go into the box, but as soon as you try to jump to another entry a warning pops up about it being out of band and won't allow it to remain. You have to click ok on the warning, then it will undo the change.

For example, i put in 447.925, get the warning and click ok, and it changes it to 450.925, making it back within the bandsplit. This is a real bummer, because before with a corrupt codeplug, it would transmit and receive fine on the ham band, but it didn't have any frequencies in it that i needed locally. So after battling it the only way i was able to get the radio to write was by going up to the newer software version.

The radio is working nicely again, but no dice for the ham band.

This also brings up an interesting question, because if you were to buy one of these radios you need to be very careful if you plan on using it in the ham bands. If the radio has been programmed with anything newer than version 3.1 your potentially screwed. I have a VHF version and it can be programmed into the ham band using version 3.1, which means i can't go with the newer version of the software for that radio otherwise i can no longer use it on the ham bands! No big deal, but i was going to buy another one of these in VHF for a friend, but now i'm not sure, it might be hit or miss getting one with an old enough version of the codeplug to assure ham band use.

Anyone know a way around this? Can the board be blanked somehow to get back to an older version? There is an option to initialize a blank board in the service menu, but nothing about blanking it of course. Maybe a lab version was made by Moto, but nobody can confirm it's existence.

Seems like a nice model of Moto radio though, would be a shame if it can't be made useful by hams! I know i like the VHF i have!

kcbooboo · Post by **kcbooboo** » Sat May 28, 2005 3:02 am

Now that you've got it reading and writing code plugs again, can't you just go back a few versions in RSS and use one that WILL let it go out of band? Or aren't the codeplugs compatible? Perhaps you can now program the radio with any version.

Bob M.

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sat May 28, 2005 9:20 am

Nope, it seems once its been upgraded with the latest version of software it won't go back. If it try to read it with version 3.1 it will read, but when i try to write it give me the codeplug version mismatch error.

It will write fine with the 4.0 version, and the radio is working better than ever, all its quirks went away. But you just can't go out of band anymore!

kcbooboo · Post by **kcbooboo** » Sat May 28, 2005 9:41 am

I wonder if a previous owner did exactly what you did - wrote it with newer software, so now no one can go back until they blank the board.

Good luck !

Bob M.

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sat May 28, 2005 9:49 am

Possibly. But as of yet there does not appear to be any way to blank the board!

Not like a Maxtrac unfortunately.

Post by **wavetar** » Sat May 28, 2005 12:54 pm

You *should* be able to load a known identical 3.1 codeplug into the radio to revert it back to the earlier RSS version. What year does your serial number indicate the unit was made? Try to find a codeplug with the same model number and as close to the year as possible, as there are some which won't clone depending on when the radio was made, even though the model numbers match up.

Todd

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sat May 28, 2005 1:54 pm

The date on the serial label is 00/11/12

So i would guess Nov 12th 2000, year month day?

I tried the codeplug dance with 3.1 for a couple days before posting about the original problem with recovering it. The only way to recover it was by using the version 4.0, but now i can't get it to write with any other version because it give the codeplug version mismatch error.

Motmot · Post by **Motmot** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:19 am

All you have to do is modify the software. I did it with the 95 and XP version. I only have tested it with saved codeplugs in my computer, not reading or writing the radio. It worked with the old version perfectly. All you have to do is modify the file “1225rss.dll”, look for the range in “Intel Unsigned Long” and change it to your wish.
Oh, don’t forget to made a backup of this file first !

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:11 am

What did you use to modify the file?

You got my interest peaked on this!

Post by **wavetar** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:37 am

kb0nly wrote:What did you use to modify the file?

You got my interest peaked on this!

Any Hex editor will do, he likely used Hex Workshop if he follows the Batlabs instructions for most radios. This is the first time I've seen someone post they've modified the 1225 RSS, so it's good news if it works.

Motmot, was there any checksum to worry about?

Todd

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 11:09 am

Motmot wrote:All you have to do is modify the software. I did it with the 95 and XP version. I only have tested it with saved codeplugs in my computer, not reading or writing the radio. It worked with the old version perfectly. All you have to do is modify the file “1225rss.dll”, look for the range in “Intel Unsigned Long” and change it to your wish.
Oh, don’t forget to made a backup of this file first !

I can't find the range anywhere, maybe i'm looking in the wrong place, but i can't find anything, let alone how to change it once i find it. The info on the batlabs site doesn't show anything about modifying this version, or any version for the M1225 for that matter.

Motmot · Post by **Motmot** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 11:42 am

I use Hexworkshop but you can use any other Hex editor. You need to find the frequency range for all models or the model that you need. For example, P1225 Portable UHF, the low range is 450.000Mhz you need to change it to 400.000Mhz, all you have to do is convert 450000000 to “Intel Unsigned long” using the Base converter and you will get 8074D21A. Use the replace option under “Edit” Menu, put 8074D21A in the “Fin” Field and 0084D717 in the “Replace” field and the software will look and replace automatly. In that way, you can replace the others ranger on the deferent radios models.