Need Help with a Motorola Saber II Programming

[RPFD41]

Hello All,

I recently Broke down and bought a motorola Saber II vhf, The Price was right and I figured why not try one out and yes it was off EBAY.

My problem is I have the cable and a I guess old version of software which will not work. Is there anyone who would be willing to give me a hand in trying to figure out for a $$$ Fee to try and program a few channels into it and bring this thing to life for me. We have a local M Dealer around here and They do not have a big demand for Saber Programming so they do not carry software. I really can not afford spending big money with other Motorola Dealers so I have come her for some Help. PLease PM me with any further information or any help that could be arranged.

RPFD41

[HLA]

is it a saber or system saber? and what version of rss are you using that wouldn't work? you can create an new codeplug from scratch for that radio and you should be able to write it to the radio.

[FireCpt809]

Since its a II i doubt its a systems unless someone swapped the case.. He may have a too fast of a computer to run the RSS or is trying to run it from a DOS shell.

[bilat]

From what I understand it does not matter what version of the software you have. You should be able to read and program with whatever version you have. You may have a problem with the cable or rib box. More likely the case you probably have a computer that is too fast. The older software requires a VERY VERY slow computer. I am using a 386!

[fogster]

I recently Broke down and bought a motorola Saber II vhf, The Price was right and I figured why not try one out

Careful, it's a disease. Soon you'll have about ten Motorola radios, and show no signs of stopping.

My problem is I have the cable and a I guess old version of software which will not work.

Can you elaborate? Do you get an error message?

FWIW, the program needs to be run in "real DOS," not from within Windows. Newer versions of Saber RSS will run fine on modern computers, but many, many older versions used 'timing loops' in the code and thus will try to write too quickly to the radio if you run them on much newer than a 486.

What exactly are you running for software?

And, probably a stupid question, but you never mentioned it, so.... You are using a RIB, right?

[AEC]

You can easily tell a Systems model from standard....The Systems model has 16 channels on the controls top, the standard model has but 12.

Do not try to read or program the radio with Systems Saber RSS, it will not communicate with a standard Saber.
The same goes in reverse for Systems Sabers read with Standard Saber RSS...

You can't tell by looking at model numbers, the best indication is looking at the controls.

How many channel positions are there?

Systems sabers are labeled like this: 1 * 3 * 4 * 5 * 6 * .. and so on.

Standard Sabers are labeled: 1 2 3 ....all the way to 12.

If it is a non secure Saber, it'll be a standard model, so plain jane RSS for that radio will work.

The battery plate and the contacts must be tight and clean, loose battery contacts will cause erratic errors, as will a loose plate.

Clean the accy. connections on the back of the radio with an eraser, as I'll bet it's missing the port cover, so there's probably a light coating of oxide on the contacts, which will cause problems as well.

The case spanner nuts on the bottom do NOT need to be locked down...6 INCH pounds only.

If you have a good battery and the radio fails to power up, it's a safe bet that the fuse on the main board is blown.

It is a 4 amp PICO FUSE and is normally seated vertically next to the frame interconnect on the bottom of the radio(the fuse is green in color and probably has clear shrink wrap around it).

Since you have the case opened and the front shield off, check the keypad interconnect just to the left of the reference oscillator, it should be firmly seated against the main board.

The next connection is just above the receiver module, it's oriented horizontally on the board, and should also be seated firmly against the board.

If you get a power up condition, but still can't get the radio to read or program..check the reference oscillator, as it may have been put in backwards..but be careful with those pins..they bend super easy!
There should also be a thin foam rubber pad on the bottom of the ref. oscillator, it's a shock absorber of sorts, as is the rubber cover that slips over the top.
If it's missing, the ref. osc. can fall out(far enough to no longer be operating that is).

If a secure capable model, is there a silver or solid plastic dummy module at the bottom of the main board?
If there is, and it's metal, you can pull it and count the pins....if only a couple, you have the bypass installed.
The number on the module tells you what type of encrytion it is...

NTN5833: DES<--Will work in Systems Sabers
NTN5835: DES-XL(smartnet) <---Will work in Systems Sabers
NTN4714B: DES-XL (non smartnet) <---Will NOT work in Systems Sabers, radio will not even power up.

[RPFD41]

Okay from that I have in front of me Let me shre this mabey it will help a little more.

It has a 12 channel rotery Knob.
It hs three orange Button under the diaplay screen, MENU - SELECT - ENTER
The model # is H99SA + 059H
Factory ID # H43SAJ7139CN
SER # 471ARS0065 "Which Was Checked"

I am told this was a VHF Band, I am interested in the 150 to 170 Band For use around this area local fire and police

As far as the unit it powers up scans channels already programmed in it from last owner, Has a Brand new Battery I purchased.

Now for the Software. I am using a Old Old 486 Laptop that boots in DOS. When the program tries to load it ginving me a password Protected and will not even work. Now I have the rib connected along with the rib box all checked twice and functions perfectly even when I change programs to make sure it works on other Radios. I have pretty much checked all my P's & Q's twice over and nothing. I was About a Year ago able to open the program without a password or anything and now Its asking me for this stuff and I Basicly Have a PAPER WEIGHT for the last 5 months.


RPFD

[HLA]

you are saying your rss wants a password? or the radio wants a password? regardless of that you should still be able to create a new codeplug from scratch and just write that to the radio. don't worry about reading what's in it already. i use a pentium 233 for sabers all day long and don't have any problems with it, the only ones that give me problems are p200's and mt1000's.

[FireCpt809]

IVe never seen Saber RSS with a password . Sounds like a computer problem .

[RPFD41]

Okay I for some reson worked on this most of the day and have been able to get the program to run i have version 5.0 software. now that i am in the program to read i get an error comming up.

A SERIAL BUS I/O ERROR WAS DETECTED CHECK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE RADIO AND THE COMPUTER, AND MAKE SURE THAT THE RADIO IS ON. THIS IS A FATAL ERROR AND THEREFORE THE CURRENT BUILD WILL BE ABORTED.

Okay so now that i have the program to i guess run I get this message, I also ran this on a dos shell on a New Computer with XP. " I know I should not have" but the program opened. Could this be the reason for the problem or should I go back and start from the rib box on to the computer which checked ok prior. I AM HOPING I AM MAKING SOME PROGRESS ?????

DID THE FOLLOWING:
RADIO WAS ON
CHECKED THE CONNECTION ON THE RIB BOX GREEN LIGHT !

JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS IN ADVANCE, YOU SO FAR HAVE BEEN A BIG HELP !

RPFD41

[HLA]

it will absolutely NEVER run on that xp machine, you will never get it to open a port correctly. you need an older computer with dos. no way around that.

[AEC]

XPs command prompt rarely works, that's why you are having trouble.
Use Win98SE, and from there, you CAN use the DOS prompt that that version has, and it works.


Your THREE button radio indicates it is a 48 channel model II ONLY!

Program the radio as a model II, and select this: OMIT MEMORY-2K OPTION <-------

This MUST be selected for ALL 2K memory optioned boards.

Try checking comms with the RSS and radio from the PC setup menu, where you select the COM port your computer is using.

The command prompt in XP does not, and can not take control of the UART the RSS needs to control communications with the radio, it's just no longer handled the same way as DOS or a DOS prompt in windows handled it previously.

As for the version of RSS....your ver. 5 may be too old to actually program the radio, as additional features were added on the newer versions, such as R07.00.01 and later.

Your version may not be capable of MPL, or specific PL tones either, OR this particular radio is a 2K optioned model and therefore, can not be programmed with the full 120 channels, selectable PL, or user selectable scan and more.

Look at the display/memory board and count the chips...if there are 4, you have the 2K board, and ONLY 48 channels, or 36 with scan.

If that board has 5 chips, it's an 8K or later versioned board and IS capable of 120 channels, selectabel scan as well as manual tel. interconnect...and also MPL.

Most 2K memory optioned radio has just a 3-button front shield, but this is not always the case for used radios...it may have been swapped with a full keypad front, but still retains the older 2K memory board.

Just to be sure, you do not have a memory board that has a silver shield around it, do you?

If it does, then it's a Systems Saber memory board and will NOT work at all with ANY standard Saber.

I doubt only the memory/display board would be swapped into a standard Saber, but it is possible, it just will never function.

Try corrupting the radio's codeplug data, by reprogramming it, and during the process, you see the progressive 'dots' appear on the screen....turn OFF the radio or RIB after TWO appear, that will corrupt the internal codeplug so you can create a new codeplug from scratch.
It should look somethign like this when programming begins...

CORE 5D * * * * * * * and so on...STOP the process after no more than TWO 'dots' show on screen....rebuild the codeplug data using the options menu once the proper model, band split and frequency range has been selected.

[FireCpt809]

I have 2 3 button II's that are a CN's that is a full 8K board. I acutually took it out of the case to verify it a true II not a III in a II case. One is an R and the other is a standard.

Im betting that his biggest problem is too fast of a compter and he is using 5.0 .. 7.01 was a little more forgving about using a faster computer

[RPFD41]

GOOD NEW AND BAD NEWS ON THE SABER II,

WELL I FINALLY GOT THE PRGRAM TO RUN AND READ THE RADIO, THE BAND SPLIT IS WHAT I WANTED 146-174 PERFECT. TRIED TO CHANGE THE CURRENT INFO INTHE RADIO AND WHEN I GO TO RELOAD THE NEW INFO ITS GIVING ME THAT BUS ERROR I DESCRIBED ABOVE IN A EALIER POST. NOW IS THIS DUE TO MY VERSION SOFTWARE IS NO GOOD OR SHOULD I DO THE ABOVE IN ANOTHER POST AND CRASH THE CODEPLUG AND CREATE A NEW ONE FROM SCRATCH, OR TRY ANOTHER COMPUTER BECAUSE MY 486 AFTER 6 YEARS IS SHOT AND I AM USING A WIN98SE LAPTOP. FROM WHAT I READ ON THE RADIO IT HAS A 5D CORE I BELIVE IF THIS HELPS ANY.

IF ANYONE NEEDS ANY FURTHER INFO ON THE RADIO LET ME KNOW TO NARROW THINGS DOWN SINCE I CAN READ IT NOW.

RPFD41

[RPFD41]

I AM BEGINNING TO THINK THAT I HAVE OLD SOFTWARE AND A NEW PAPERWEIGHT ! I DO NOW HAVE TO MANY OPTIONS BUT ALL I AM LOOKING TO DO IS JUST PROGRAM 2 CHANNELS IN ON RX ONLY TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS MY PD AND FD.

[Tom in D.C.]

Common problem. Radio can be read but computer can't
write a new program to the radio. Usually means that
the serial port isn't working right, a common failing under
all GUI programs. If you boot from DOS the problem will
probably go away and you'll be able to write to the
radio. Your RSS, RIB, cables, etc. are all working right,
as shown by the fact that you can read the radio.

[RPFD41]

Well I first off want to extend my thanks again to those who replied and assisted me with this new project of mine.
I have since upgraded from software V5.0 to V7.0 and what a difference in reading and writting. Now that I have all the proper information I ask once again here is what I have via my new radio information page when read.


MODEL CATEGORY: SABER II (SECURE) POWER LEVEL : HIGH
MODEL # H43QXJ7139CN NUMBER ZONES: 1 / 10
CORE VERSION: 5D NUMBER CHANNELS: 12 / 120
COPE VERSION : 5C NUMBER PLs : 3 / 32
DVP VERSION: 0 CORE PATCH ID: 05
FREQUENCY RANGE: 146-162 Mhz COPE PATCH ID: 01

Now that I have this new information can anyone advise me if what I have here is any good and a KEEPER. This pretty much my first encounter with a Saber II and so far I am impressed but still not sure what I have in front of me as far a a programming project and overall radio. I did try to program a few frequencies into the radio and overwrite some channels. When it did program I turned it off and noticed the radio gave me an error of " ERR 0 C1. Is this something I can overcome easly or a big problem. I am greatful for all the help once again.....

RPFD41

Owner Of:
6 ht-1000
9 Cdm1550
7 Ht-750
1 Visar
4 Pro-7150
2 Cdm1250
"Mabey a Saber II"

[FireCpt809]

That is a good radio.. I have about 6 of those right now. I use one as a everyday radio with a SVA in the Jeep. I also have a Saber IIR that I carry when Im at the firehouse. I have the same in UHF 460-490 I use for monitoring the police with that same CORE.

as far as the Error If it reads the radio and when you go to program it it has to be too fast of a computer or your using a DOS shell when you are running the program. I had the same issue once. I dug out the old beater Toshiba 386 laptop and used that and it went away.

[RPFD41]

Can anyone explain this error I keep getting I was able to write to the radio once but then had a constant tone on radio channels. Mind you the radio was programmed with no error message when this happended. Now every time I go to try to change and correct the problem the error comes up on the screen.

Now if I have to write a new code plug I looked at the option but in certian catagories my model number will not come up on one of the options in the V7 Software. Help Again I really want to get this thing Up and running.



RPFD 41

[FireCpt809]

constant tone may be VCO out of lock. maybe some of the freqs you have programmed in there are not in the range, or the modules have been changed and the codeplug does not match

[AEC]

Sounds like the reference oscillator has been removed and inserted in the wrong direction.

That's the #1 cause of a constant tone...the radio has no reference for setting transmit or receive frequencies.

Remove the oscillator and turn it around...watch for bent pins though!

[RPFD41]

Mind you I may have forgot to say the radio was already programmed with channels in it that did RX/TX . All I did was read the current code plug and overwrite frequencies and I am not sre if I changes a setting But then dumped that info back into the radio. It now comes up with the error

RPFD41