Trouble cloning a Maxtrac...help?

[Elroy Jetson]

After all this time, I'm finally programming Maxtracs. I've got about a hundred of them to check out and clone with test data.


The cloning procedure in the DOS RSS DOES NOT WORK.

The help file isn't very helpful. It clearly is missing steps.

Would someone care to clarify the procedure for me?

I have one radio that contains the master codeplug. I've saved its file, of course. When I select that file and load it,
whether from the radio or from the archive, I can't find any way to get it into another radio via the clone menu. It just
keeps saying "serial number does not match" and that's that.


Maxtracs are SLOW to read and program. This is going to take a while. :/


Elroy

[Max-trac]

You need to save BOTH radios to files.
Then F3 load in the Master codeplug (with the channels etc you want).
Then F5 clone (before doing ANYTHING else).
Pick the target radio codeplug (this will overlay the serial number and tuning data ONTO the work area).
Then F8 write the target radio...
Yes, it is different than other clone proceedures and the help file in poor.
Note, both radios must be of the same model number....

[Elroy Jetson]

Oh, great...so I'm going to have to READ all 100-odd radios and save their files FIRST????


Brilliant. :/


That's it, I'm jacking up my price for this job!


Elroy

[Max-trac]

Yea, it is tediously slow on a 16 pin board.....
What are you selling??? I may be interested in a lot.

[Elroy Jetson]

I'm not selling them, I'm just the guy who's checking them out, programming them, and aligning them.

Several dozen each, two types:

1: UHF 2 channel Maxtracs, model D34MJA7304BK

2: UHF 32 channel Maxtracs, model D34MJA7JA5AK.

3: VHF 32 channel Maxtracs, model D33MJA7DA5AK.

4: VHF 32 channel Maxtracs, model D43MJA7JA5AK.

5: UHF 32 channel Maxtracs, model D44MJA7JA5AK.

Most of these radios look like they've never been used.
The worst of them is in very good to excellent condition.


Note: Three of the VHF D43s are new in the box.

I'm not authorized to sell any of them, but I can put you in touch with the owner,
who will be selling them.

[wavetar]

Yes, Maxtrac cloning is a huge PITA! I had to write up the procedure & save it as a document because none of us could ever remember the proper steps to take & wasted lots of time whenever we tried to do it. The GM300 was a huge improvement, using what I'd consider the "regular" cloning procedure...one good reason to choose them over the Maxtrac...as well as the wider bandsplits.

[camsdad]

If they are of the same model there should be no problem at all cloning. With the correct software.
The only thing that may come up is a code plug mismatch. Then you would have to reprogram all the data. Been there done that many times with many various archived files saved as needed.
I have a older slower comp I use for 133mhz I think, and never really had a problem with those old dos software programming radios myself.

[camsdad]

I missed this in your 1st post.
(serial number does not match).
You should be able to type the serial number of the radio in question to be programmed and clone away.

[Elroy Jetson]

After CONSIDERABLE trial and error, I have established the PRECISE sequence of events necessary to clone a Maxtrac.

I won't bother to identify the name of every keystroke. It's not really necessary. Just follow this sequence like a robot and you will succeed.

1: Read the radio that's going to be designated as the "master" radio for cloning. Save its file. Make changes to the file as necessary,
and resave it. The customer name for the file should be something that clearly indicates its master status.

Now, connect up a radio that is to be cloned.

Hit the following sequence of keys, starting from the MAIN MENU in the Maxtrac RSS.

F3
F2
F7
F8
F10 (if you don't desire to backup the file you just read from the radio and saved to disk.)
F3
Now, navigate to the master file you saved earlier.
F8
F5
Now, navigate to the file you just saved out of the radio that you want to receive the clone personality.
F8
F8
F2

You're done. The radio is cloned.


Nice and simple.

Yeah, right.


As a point of reference, here's how you clone a M/A-Com radio.

Connect source radio. Select the appropriate radio type from the menu. Read the radio.

Connect the destination radio. Select the appropriate radio type from the menu. Write to the radio.

Done.

You don't have to do ANYTHING else. NOTHING. Different feature packages, different
radio types, it just doesn't matter. Orion mobile, P1700 portable, M-RK portable,
M-PA portable, 725M mobile, M7100 mobile, whatever else is supported by the software.
It just doesn't matter AT ALL.

I believe Motorola makes better radios overall, but man, Motorola could sure take a lesson
from how the GE family handles programming!




Elroy

[wb6ymh]

I bought a stack of 900Mhz Maxtracs (D37MWA5GB7AK) from ebay and have finally succeeded in programming the
conventional channels for the first radio for the ham band. Now I want to clone it. The posted procedure doesn't work
for the Trunking version of RSS (the F5 key isn't defined in the GET/SAVE menu) and the non-trunking version won't talk
to my radios. I can't figure out how to clone, I've even tried copying the radio file behind RSS's back, but the SN is in the
file and RSS won't let me program a different radio with it. Anyone have any hints? This combination trunking/conventional
firmware has been a compete pain in the rear!

73's Skip WB6YMH

[Jim202]

The program should allow you to put the correct serial number of the radio your trying to clone the
code plug into. At least that is the way it lets me do it here. When running the clone selection, it
stops and informs me the serial is wrong and at that point I can enter the correct number.

Jim

I bought a stack of 900Mhz Maxtracs (D37MWA5GB7AK) from ebay and have finally succeeded in programming the
conventional channels for the first radio for the ham band. Now I want to clone it. The posted procedure doesn't work
for the Trunking version of RSS (the F5 key isn't defined in the GET/SAVE menu) and the non-trunking version won't talk
to my radios. I can't figure out how to clone, I've even tried copying the radio file behind RSS's back, but the SN is in the
file and RSS won't let me program a different radio with it. Anyone have any hints? This combination trunking/conventional
firmware has been a compete pain in the rear!

73's Skip WB6YMH

[wb6ymh]

"When running the clone selection..." That's the problem, I don't have a clone selection. Interestingly enough I looked at both
the help file and binaries and "clone" appears in both, but I'll be darned if I can figure out how to get into it.

73's Skip WB6YMH