Newbie AS3 Questions: ASTRO-Ready, and 1MB Vocons

fogster · Post by **fogster** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 3:41 pm

Hello,

I've gotten bitten by the /\/\ bug, and want to move up to ASTRO now, but I'd like to learn a little more before I buy a radio.

Two questions:

- I'm aware that the radios with flashcodes containing Q241, "ASTRO Ready," need the flash upgrade. I know I can't buy one of them and use ASTRO. But does this mean that the radio has all the requisite hardware, and only needs a flash upgrade?

- I've read a lot about 512KB vs. 1MB vocons. I'm a little confused, though: can a 512KB radio do ASTRO at all? I thought that you needed the 1MB to do P25 voice at all, but the newbie guide here suggests that the 512KB one would work fine for me. (I'm interested in P25 conventional, no trunking or encryption.)

Thanks!

MattSR · Post by **MattSR** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 4:00 pm

1) Yes this is correct - there is a firmware upgrade the is required with the flash upgrade too. Your MSS will do both for a price.

2) both 512 and 1 meg vocons can do astro, however the 512kb are limited to OLD firmware (circa 1998) which is a :o. Also no P25 trunking either.

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 4:00 pm

A radio flashed ASTRO Ready has all the hardware. As part of the upgrade to IMBE, you're paying the license for the DVSI codec... thus, it's a ~$600 flash option.

512KB radios can do ASTRO, but they do not support the latest DSP. I believe R06 was the latest DSP that they could handle (not enough room in the vocon), and R06 sucks (the audio recovery *sucks* compared to the latest R08).

In short, make sure whatever you buy is 1MB and ASTRO-capable, not just -ready.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:08 pm

If you buy a radio that is newer (newer Host/DSP) even if it is flashed for "astro ready" odds are it can be flashed up for astro, point and case: an astro spectra I recently received could be set up that way.

I don't think Motorola has analog only DSPs anymore.

-Josh

fogster · Post by **fogster** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 12:56 pm

Well, I ended up buying a cheap AS3 with a very basic flashcode. (I didn't need IMBE anyway on UHF, though.) It'll be a few days before it arrives, so I thought I'd ask s few more 'noobie' questions until I can find all this out on my own:

- The radio's flashcode breaks down to Conventional operation and ASTRO Ready. Are these actual 'features' that are flashed in, or are they standard on every ASTRO radio? Could you get a radio flashed without them? (Not that it would make much sense, just wondering if it's possible.)

- What does a 'basic' AS3 support? Is MDC1200/scanning standard? How about QCII? Data Operated Squelch?

- I've read a bit about 'frankenflashing' radios. Is this something that's kosher to discuss here?

- There are lots of AS3s and AS1s on eBay, but I've never seen an AS2. I know they exist. Are they really rare or something?

- I've seen a lot about the "Digital ID" and "Soft ID" display. Do these refer to the ID on ASTRO, or MDC1200? (Or both?) Is display of MDC1200 PTT-ID standard, or is that a flash feature?

- While I understand /\/\ doesn't flash second-hand equipment, will an MSS do it?

- Is it practical/realistic to upgrade a radio from 512KB to 1MB?