Astro Saber I with a Bonus...

RESCUE161 · Post by **RESCUE161** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:05 am

Well, I bought a cheap model one on Ebay that ended up having IMBE firmware. I was happy about that, so I ordered a display for it and a model III case. The display got here the same day as the radio, so I thought I'd wait to put in the display until the case got here. Well, it got here today and when I opened the model I case, to my surprise, it already had a display!

So, I basically got a model III radio in a model I case for $220.00, with IMBE!

This is my second model I as all of the others were model II's and III's, so my question is:

How many of you guys have ever bought model I radios that had displays in them?

So now I have an extra display to spare, so I guess I'll be on the lookout for another cheap Astro Saber...

Post by **VE9MP** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:34 am

Got a sellers name?, if you don't mind giving it out....

Conundrum · Post by **Conundrum** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:18 am

I've seen these before, Moto must have been feeling generous when they boxed up the radios.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:57 am

hopefully it was the people who are selling VHF and UHF Astro Sabers right now, some rugged some not. I guess I'll let you know what I get, even though I'm sure I'm setting myself up for a let-down.

-Josh

RESCUE161 · Post by **RESCUE161** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 7:52 pm

The sellers name was mindset4.

motorola_otaku · Post by **motorola_otaku** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:00 am

Yep, I got a R-split radio like that from Bro-Comm. The radio itself had issues, but the display found a home in another radio.

redbeard · Post by **redbeard** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:46 am

Josh wrote:hopefully it was the people who are selling VHF and UHF Astro Sabers right now, some rugged some not. I guess I'll let you know what I get, even though I'm sure I'm setting myself up for a let-down.

-Josh

Are you getting yours from Audiowrx? Did they arrive yet? Mine should be here by Friday. I got two AS1s from him. Almost got a rugged model 'til I saw how much batteries were. Ouch. Guess it doesn't matter if I was going to recase it anyway to make an AS3.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:44 am

Yeah, and it got delivered yesterday, but I won't see it until tomorrow.

I should have an R battery coming too.... $65 sucks..... I'm going to recase it though, maybe someone in dayton with have a model II/R housing so I don't have to get rid of the battery... actually I don't care... Regular batteries are cheap cheap cheap-- in comparison.

At any rate, my hopes are somewhat high that it'll have a display for some reason, but then again.... in thinking that I'm just setting myself up for a letdown.

-Josh

redbeard · Post by **redbeard** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 11:45 am

Josh wrote:Yeah, and it got delivered yesterday, but I won't see it until tomorrow.

I should have an R battery coming too.... $65 sucks..... I'm going to recase it though, maybe someone in dayton with have a model II/R housing so I don't have to get rid of the battery... actually I don't care... Regular batteries are cheap cheap cheap-- in comparison.

At any rate, my hopes are somewhat high that it'll have a display for some reason, but then again.... in thinking that I'm just setting myself up for a letdown.

-Josh

What is a good source for cheap batteries? Cheap by price of course, not quality.

Save the R case and battery, i'm sure someone will want it.

I am hopeful too (damn you Rescue161!) but trying to be realistic. I hope there is one in there but I am trying to track down a cheap one anyway.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 5:23 pm

I couldn't wait any longer, so I went home and picked up the radio.

I've opened it up........ no display module.

My radio's date code comes back to 2002, with flash-code 100001-000000-7, per the auction BUT, opening it to put in my DES-XL module revealed a DES-XL module with DES-OFB already in there!

So, I'm in the market for a display board now. and case, BUT I have DES-OFB operation capability now.

I'll post the specs on Host and the actual flash-code (since the factory one doesn't have encryption capability).

-Josh

redbeard · Post by **redbeard** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:12 pm

Josh wrote:I couldn't wait any longer, so I went home and picked up the radio.

I've opened it up........ no display module.

My radio's date code comes back to 2002, with flash-code 100001-000000-7, per the auction BUT, opening it to put in my DES-XL module revealed a DES-XL module with DES-OFB already in there!

So, I'm in the market for a display board now. and case, BUT I have DES-OFB operation capability now.

I'll post the specs on Host and the actual flash-code (since the factory one doesn't have encryption capability).

-Josh

Sweet! Let us know what you find.

I think these came from the 12th Logistical at Randolph AFB in TX FYI.

Anyone watch 'The Unit' ? They're cover story was that they were a logistical unit...Why do admin types need Saber/R radios? Hmm...

Post by **batdude** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:28 pm

why do logisticians need /r radios?

ever moved milions of pounds of crap in the desert?

question is - why the hell did they get rid of them????

(answer is: because something newer was available)

YOUR TAX $ at work!

doug

Mindset4 · Post by **Mindset4** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:35 pm

RESCUE161 wrote:The sellers name was mindset4.

I sold the radio to Scott and I am glad he is pleased with it. I purchased the radio from Bro-Comm in Canada. As I am not a tech, I didn't think to open the radio before I sold it.

Frankly, I sold the radio because Florida is about to dump several thousand AS on the market. Additionally, the M rep I spoke to this afternoon stated that the LAPD is going to replace all of their AS 3 and that would put another 10,000 out there. So... I figured it might be time to pass a good deal along before the value dropped more.

Kevin

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:25 pm

ok I've got the data...

I was able to read the radio with DOS 9.05, which is good for me, since I hate the CPS.

The information on the tags matches what is programmed... ie the radio isn't tampered with (yet)

Host 7.06.01.00
DSPN 07.03.19

Not bad... DSP7... obviously 1 meg vocon, digital works great, I tested it out already.

"Out of the box" though, the 4 pre-programmed channels were all strapped for DES or whatever (volitile key was erased). therefore the radio wouldn't transmit at all. The four frequencies were in the 138-141 area oddly all analog.

... now to whore this thing out and model II/III-ize it.

-Josh

redbeard · Post by **redbeard** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:00 am

Josh wrote:ok I've got the data...

I was able to read the radio with DOS 9.05, which is good for me, since I hate the CPS.

The information on the tags matches what is programmed... ie the radio isn't tampered with (yet)

Host 7.06.01.00
DSPN 07.03.19

Not bad... DSP7... obviously 1 meg vocon, digital works great, I tested it out already.

"Out of the box" though, the 4 pre-programmed channels were all strapped for DES or whatever (volitile key was erased). therefore the radio wouldn't transmit at all. The four frequencies were in the 138-141 area oddly all analog.

... now to whore this thing out and model II/III-ize it.

-Josh

Was the flashcode updated from what the auction listed?

motorola_otaku · Post by **motorola_otaku** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:19 am

Mindset4 wrote:Additionally, the M rep I spoke to this afternoon stated that the LAPD is going to replace all of their AS 3 and that would put another 10,000 out there.

You mean they're not sending them to the crusher for a change? Excellent.

I say let the prices keep falling. It's about time the Astro market went from a seller's market to a buyer's market.

Splat · Post by **Splat** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:22 am

Unless Motorola buys them all up to keep them out of our "dangerous" hands.

livelongandgrumpy · Post by **livelongandgrumpy** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:39 pm

I purchased some astro/r's from Audiowrks as well, just picked up some cheap as 1 cases on ebay and changed out the r's. They are much more useful this way.

bwigg · Post by **bwigg** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:55 am

Did you get the same host/DSP/Flash as Josh? I would like to use one to upgrade my old VSELP ASIII unit to IMBE.

K8TEK · Post by **K8TEK** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 3:22 am

I got 4 from that jerk audiowrx guy. He claimed right in the auction they had 1meg vocons. Turned out they were all 512kb VSELP garbage and had no display.

CTAMontrose · Post by **CTAMontrose** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 6:49 am

got it today, here are the specs:

host: 07.06.01.00
DSP: N07.03.19
FC: 100001-000000-7

and it has a secure board: NTN8967B des-xl and des-ofb

and it is indeed IMBE, just tested it out.

i wonder what happened with yours Tim, this one works as advertised

Tom in D.C. · Post by **Tom in D.C.** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:20 am

Watch his flashcodes. My experience has been that his AS1s are
non-IMBE and often analog only, and his AS1Rs are pretty up-do-date units, obviously from
different sites/users. Also, he is NOT very good or prompt at
answering questions about individual units, but his shipping is
very fast and efficient.

I still wonder why he doesn't post the flashcode for all the Astro
Sabers he's selling.

CTAMontrose · Post by **CTAMontrose** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:49 am

correct, i did notice his Non-R models were Astro READY, while is Rs are IMBE

i got an R model and simply recased it, to avoid having to buy that overpriced battery.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 1:23 pm

Mine is totally up and in operation now.... I bought an antenna, replaced the speaker (something was wrong with the original, it sounded poor) and my battery came today, yes an 'R' battery... it was $65 unfortunately, but it's up and running anyway!

So far so good, IMBE even with DSP 7 sounds alright..

as for the eBay seller, I got exactly what was advertised... my radio doesn't have the "ASTRO/R" sticker on the front though, which is a bummer.

-Josh

KB1JHU · Post by **KB1JHU** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 2:49 pm

I'm pretty sure the guy doesn't know a whole lot about what he's selling. Looks like he's got his hands on a ton of surplus and is trying to make some $$$. Based on the the sheer volume of his sales, he's probably responding to questions as fast as he can. I get the feeling that his EBay sales are an extension of another business. Too bad he's not clueless enough to be putting these radios up for $20 each! I'm waiting on two of the Saber/R's myself. Then I need to get them programmed and whatnot.

redbeard · Post by **redbeard** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 10:47 pm

KB1JHU wrote:I'm pretty sure the guy doesn't know a whole lot about what he's selling. Looks like he's got his hands on a ton of surplus and is trying to make some $$$. Based on the the sheer volume of his sales, he's probably responding to questions as fast as he can. I get the feeling that his EBay sales are an extension of another business. Too bad he's not clueless enough to be putting these radios up for $20 each! I'm waiting on two of the Saber/R's myself. Then I need to get them programmed and whatnot.

Hell yeah $20 Buy it Now would have been great LOL.

I have my 2 non-R AS1s and they were IMBE according to the flashcode. I can't read them to see what else is going on because the best I have is r09.03 and it is too old for the codeplug. I used lab to make an s-rec but that's about all I can do until something newer falls in my lap.

Astro Saber I with a Bonus...

Astro Saber I with a Bonus...

..

ASTRO Saber I with a Bonus

Re: ASTRO Saber I with a Bonus

Audiowrx