Programming using PC card on laptop

firepoint76 · Post by **firepoint76** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 1:30 pm

As recommended on this site, I purchased a serial PC card by SIIG to program on my laptop.

Seems to work however when I read/write the units keep turning on and off and I'm worried that I will have a paperweight.

This is true for my MTS2000,XTS3000,Spectra digital Astro. Infact on my last read on the spectra it displayed Fail 01/90 while reading.

I'm using Windows ME and CPS software.

I have to use the card becasue I have no built in serial port.

Is there something I can do to stabilize this or is this normal?

Please help and thanks.

jim · Post by **jim** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 3:41 pm

What turns on/off, the radio or the SIIG card?

firepoint76 · Post by **firepoint76** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 4:04 pm

Jim,

The Siig goes into a sleep mode untill it senses activity.

My concern was the Radios. The Spectra said 1 CSQ, then powered off, Powered on blank, Powered on again and said Fail 01/90. When the read was complete it reset.

The xts3000 said "service" then powered off, powwered back on w/ a blank screen until it reset when done.

My fear is that if I try to program it will interupt and crash.

Thanks,

commtek · Post by **commtek** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 6:26 pm

The SIIG card works well for windows based CPS. I never tried it with the DOS based RSS, but for most of the Batwing stuff, you need a slow computer running pure DOS. I have not checked to see if a DOS driver was provided or is available for the SIIG card.

DO NOT try the DOS stuff with XP as there is not a real DOS component in it.

Your best bet is to buy a $50 386 or 486 laptop and dedicate it to Batwing programming. I have an old Thinkpad 486/100 that works great for everything from cranky Sabers up.....

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 6:56 pm

If he's using CPS, he doesn't need a slow dos computer...

See if maybe the card has some kind of power saving settings. It might be messing with the card and screwing up your programming. It is rather normal for a radio to turn off and back on after you write it depending on the radio.

RKG · Post by **RKG** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 8:02 pm

Another possibility:

At least under the RSS, the software took direct control of the UART and wrote to the radio on a bit basis. (Since Windows does not permit this, even under a DOS Window, that is the reason why RSS cannot be run under Windows.) I frankly don't know how the CPS handles this aspect of writing, but it may well be that the CPS wishes to control the UART in a manner that the add-on card never anticipated and therefore cannot handle.

ricciticcitembo · Post by **ricciticcitembo** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 11:04 pm

And since you are getting a Fail 01/90 on a read, then do NOT try and write a codeplug until you get this SIIG Serial card problem resolved.

As Matt already said, turning on and off during programming is normal. Errors like you reported are Not normal, and writing could very well Brick the Radio.

Unfortuneately I know nothing about serial port PCMCIA cards, so I'm no help there. I don't use them for this very reason.

jim · Post by **jim** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 8:26 pm

I would make sure that you don't have any power saving features enabled on this laptop. Since you are using CPS, it's Windows driven, so we don't need to worry about DOS.

I wouldn't even use this card on any DOS RSS.

Also, make sure that the power/battery is near maximum. If too low, some cards or other accessories may shut down.

videonerd · Post by **videonerd** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:39 pm

(bringing back a thread from the dead)

.. does anyone successfully use a PCMCIA serial card under Windows' and CPS?

I seem to get a mix of successes and failures. The most common error is "80040401: Couldn't CreateStream [sic] on the device."

Using Windows XP SP2 Tablet edition. (FWIW, Tablet is an add-on of a few programs and device drivers. The OS itself is still entirely XP.)

Leadenwah · Post by **Leadenwah** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 8:26 pm

Windows ME crashes far more frequently than any other version of Windows to date. It may work well with some programs and very badly with others. If you have another and newer version of Windows it would be worth a try.

videonerd · Post by **videonerd** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 8:32 pm

Oops, I've edited my post... I'm using Windows XP SP2 (Tablet edition)

WinME is a mistake by Microsoft. They'll never admit it, but they sure stopped supporting and updating that "OS" quickly! Not to mention not very computers came with ME installed. You're be better off using Win98SE, 2000 or WinXP.

That said, anyone use CPS with Vista?

Post by **wavetar** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:41 am

videonerd wrote:(bringing back a thread from the dead)

.. does anyone successfully use a PCMCIA serial card under Windows' and CPS?

I seem to get a mix of successes and failures. The most common error is "80040401: Couldn't CreateStream [sic] on the device."

Using Windows XP SP2 Tablet edition. (FWIW, Tablet is an add-on of a few programs and device drivers. The OS itself is still entirely XP.)

We've used the SSP-100 from Quatech, as well as the CB2S650 from Startech, both with great success in Windows. The SSP-100 can be made to work in DOS, which is fantastic. In fact, the PCMCIA route is regarded by many as more stable & successful than using a USB-to-Serial converter.

I think if you called Motorola, they'd tell you the Tablet edition isn't supported. Even though MS says Tablet is "XP with extras", the fact you need "Tablet" versions of Office & some other softwares tells me it isn't quite the same.

mr.syntrx · Post by **mr.syntrx** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:22 am

You don't need tablet editions of office etc - those editions just provide extra functionality for the touch screen etc. Standard Windows apps still run fine on the tablet version of Windows.

kj7xe · Post by **kj7xe** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 11:39 am

wavetar wrote:We've used the SSP-100 from Quatech, as well as the CB2S650 from Startech, both with great success in Windows. The SSP-100 can be made to work in DOS, which is fantastic. In fact, the PCMCIA route is regarded by many as more stable & successful than using a USB-to-Serial converter.

I think if you called Motorola, they'd tell you the Tablet edition isn't supported. Even though MS says Tablet is "XP with extras", the fact you need "Tablet" versions of Office & some other softwares tells me it isn't quite the same.

The Quatech SSP-100 has been confirmed to work here for all XTS/XTL/Quantar CPS and most DOS RSS with the exception of MT-1000 service mode, Desktrac, and Comtegra console RSS (from what I found so far). However getting the DOS driver to work takes a little knowhow (as discussed in other posts), but it works...

videonerd · Post by **videonerd** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:53 pm

Thanks for the help. I guess it's my serial port PCMCIA card that's giving problems, then. It's an SKD QU2NCB 32-bit RS-232 card. Windows drivers only, no DOS, but chokes periodically that I don't trust it to write a radio.

I'll check on some Canadian dealers, unless someone can recommend one to me?

mr.syntrx · Post by **mr.syntrx** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:02 pm

I use a Socket SL0700-004 PCMCIA serial card. It works under DOS, Windows, Linux and anything else, and I can program Jedis, ASTRO portables and Sabers with it fine. The DOS driver installation is really easy.