SYSTEMS SABER recover from corrupt codeplug?

[saberjerk]

I have 2 systems saber vhf radios with corrupt codeplugs. One will read a bit then says can't find busy line.
When I make a new plug I get the same error.

The other reads fully then says codeplug has many errors. When I try to reprogram that one I get invalid field.
Says it's a con-7. My version of rss doesn't have con-7? When I make a new plug with con-6 it won't accept it.
Well any help here would be appreciated.
thanks

[DJP126]

The other reads fully then says codeplug has many errors. When I try to reprogram that one I get invalid field.
Says it's a con-7. My version of rss doesn't have con-7? When I make a new plug with con-6 it won't accept it.
Well any help here would be appreciated.
thanks

For this one, you definitely need the latest version of RSS.

[oh2glg]

Few things to work on:
Saberjerk did now reveal if he has ever had successful read/write with these radios at all. Has he?

Another thing is, if his PC is working on REAL DOS, not on Windows virtual dos window. Windows does not allow direct control to serial port.

Third thing, mayby a bit too fast PC? Usually a slow PC (like 386 or 486) is more than recommended choice.

Then last thing: On cases where RSS is whining about not being able to find busy line, one should check is the serial cable between PC serial port and RIB is EXACTLY like drawn on batlabs.com. Most commercial cheap serial cables do not have a wire between pin 9 on D9-connector and on pin22 on D25-connector. More of this subject can be found here.

Nowadays it seems to be almost impossible to find old computer with 486 cpu anymore. There might be another way with modern computers too: I've found that there is nice piece of software that works really well even with Win XP, it is called DOSBOX. Worth of try.

[saberjerk]

First off let me clear up a few things. I am running dos 6 in an old 486 laptop. ok?
Now I have been programming sabers and systems sabers with this setup for years.
Lastly I have 2 identical radios that I can read and program with no problems.

Let me ask what is the latest version of systems saber RSS? My version is R03.00.2

I guess my version of RSS won't program a con-7 radio. If in fact a con-7 exsists???
Shouldn't I be able to construct any codeplug required by the radio within the RSS?

Also there seems to be very little info on the systems saber in the model specific area.
Is there somewhere I can get more information on systems saber problems?
thanks

[akardam]

Going off memory here...

The latest version of Systems Saber RSS that I am aware of is R04.00.00, dated Oct 22, 1993, and it is aware of CON-7 radios. If memory serves, you need to program a radio with a version of CPS that supports the CON version.

If you hold down the three red keys at the top of the keypad, all at once (takes some finger gymnastics to accomplish), and turn on the power, the LCD should display the CON and (I think) COPE and CORE versions. If the first two digits are 06, for example, then you should have a CON-6 radio. I think the codeplug CON version needs to match the hardware CON version to allow a successfull program.

Have you been able to successfully program these specific radios in the past? Have they always exhibited this particular failure, or did this occur after an attempt to program them?

[saberjerk]

Hello akardam we haven't spoke in a while
No I have never had problems programming systems sabers. The one that supposedly is a con-7 will only read and then it says too many errors. (guess you would expect that is the RSS doesn't support the radio) I could not program that radio.

The second radio will not finish the read. It starts but errors out with the busy line error. No clue what con it is.

I have 2 other radios that are physically identical but I think they are con-6 and they program with no problem.

I would guess I need to find rss to support con-7
thanks

[DJP126]

Hello akardam we haven't spoke in a while
No I have never had problems programming systems sabers. The one that supposedly is a con-7 will only read and then it says too many errors. (guess you would expect that is the RSS doesn't support the radio) I could not program that radio.

The second radio will not finish the read. It starts but errors out with the busy line error. No clue what con it is.

I have 2 other radios that are physically identical but I think they are con-6 and they program with no problem.

I would guess I need to find rss to support con-7
thanks

Or a spare con-6 controller board.

[saberjerk]

Success At least with the con-7 radio. Was able to read the radio and re-program it with rss r04 and that fixed it.
Unfortunately the other radio still won't read. It gets to around 25% and then errors out. This is a con-5 radio so the other rss should handle it. This version is a lab version. Is there something I can do with lab to hack this thing back to life?
thanks

[DJP126]

This is a con-5 radio so the other rss should handle it. This version is a lab version. Is there something I can do with lab to hack this thing back to life?
thanks

Your problem is the controller board. At the depot, we automatically replaced con-5 controllers (whether they worked or not) because they were so unreliable.

[saberjerk]

Yes that would be great except I don't have a spare controller board. I did notice that the radio seems to
be cycling or reseting all the time. The display reads error 01 which I think is an internal eeprom error.
If I remember correctly the old spectra series radios would do this if they had a corrupt codeplug.
AS I recall there was some way to stop the spectra from resetting long enough to reprogram it. I don't have a clue what to do to the saber though.
Guess this is the end of the road for this one.
thanks everyone