MCS2000 UHF - a few questions

[g8tzl2004]

I have just acquired a mint condition MCS2000. Details are as follows:

M01RFM9PW5AN
Type MR503AB
S/N 623IVW04**
Made in EU

I've checked on Batlabs and established that my MCS2000 is UHF , 10W , 160 channels , Type 2 head. I have a few questions - answers to any one not necessarily all questions will be welcome

- Batlabs mentions that attempting to use older RSS than was originally used to program the radio corrupts the codeplug. Is this actually the case?? Do you not just get a "Codeplug too new" message or something? Can I establish which was the last version used by just "reading" the codeplug and checking the "info" screen - does this mention the last version of RSS used??

- which RSS to use is complicated by the introduction of Windows CPS as well as DOS RSS. I came across a mention that "DOS RSS will not work with a radio programmed with CPS R01.13.00 (dated 2005) or later". This suggests that IF an earlier version of CPS was used ie. R01.10.00 , then you can still revert to an older DOS RSS version. Is this correct?

- the serial number 623IVW04** suggests that my MCS2000 was manufactured in Nov 1995. I'm surprized that its 13 years old!! Were they making MCS2000's 13 years ago?

- My MCS2000 was "Made in Europe". While the model number fits the "MCS2000" models, I always assumed MCS2000's were for the American market while the GM1200 was for Europe?? Maybe the GM1200 was just for MPT1327 trunking stuff? Does the Type number MR503AB definately confirm that its a real MCS2000 and NOT a GM1200 with an MCS2000 head?

- I have a 25W UHF GM900 16 channel radio. The "body" looks identical to the MCS2000 body. Is it possible to just swap heads thereby getting 25W rather than the current 10W's ie is all the MCS2000 control stuff in the head ?

Thanks

[Jim202]

It is not possible to change the power rating or output by just changing the control
head. The TX output power is determined by the PA circuit in the radio. If it was
built with a 10 watt PA, that's all she wrote.

It is best to have current RSS programming available for the radios you have to service.
If you have an older copy that doesn't support a specific radio, then you won't be able
to program it.

Batlabs has a good deal of information on the different RSS versions and how to work
with it on the different radio families. Pay attention to what is said there. Tread
slow and careful when you try to go outside the box of what your current RSS version
allows you to do.

The newer CPS versions of the RSS allows the program to be run under Windows and
as such gets you out of the computer clock speed issues that the earlier DOS versions
had. I believe the current CPS version for CDM radios is R06.07.04.

Jim

I have just acquired a mint condition MCS2000. Details are as follows:

M01RFM9PW5AN
Type MR503AB
S/N 623IVW04**
Made in EU

I've checked on Batlabs and established that my MCS2000 is UHF , 10W , 160 channels , Type 2 head. I have a few questions - answers to any one not necessarily all questions will be welcome

- Batlabs mentions that attempting to use older RSS than was originally used to program the radio corrupts the codeplug. Is this actually the case?? Do you not just get a "Codeplug too new" message or something? Can I establish which was the last version used by just "reading" the codeplug and checking the "info" screen - does this mention the last version of RSS used??

- which RSS to use is complicated by the introduction of Windows CPS as well as DOS RSS. I came across a mention that "DOS RSS will not work with a radio programmed with CPS R01.13.00 (dated 2005) or later". This suggests that IF an earlier version of CPS was used ie. R01.10.00 , then you can still revert to an older DOS RSS version. Is this correct?

- the serial number 623IVW04** suggests that my MCS2000 was manufactured in Nov 1995. I'm surprized that its 13 years old!! Were they making MCS2000's 13 years ago?

- My MCS2000 was "Made in Europe". While the model number fits the "MCS2000" models, I always assumed MCS2000's were for the American market while the GM1200 was for Europe?? Maybe the GM1200 was just for MPT1327 trunking stuff? Does the Type number MR503AB definately confirm that its a real MCS2000 and NOT a GM1200 with an MCS2000 head?

- I have a 25W UHF GM900 16 channel radio. The "body" looks identical to the MCS2000 body. Is it possible to just swap heads thereby getting 25W rather than the current 10W's ie is all the MCS2000 control stuff in the head ?

Thanks

[g8tzl2004]

I was refering to using the MCS2000 control head on the 25W GM900 body !!! The body of the 25W GM900 looks identical to the 10W MCS2000 body.

I don't have the "very" latest version of the RSS but I previously understood that its only a problem if my MCS2000 had been progged with a newer version - if an older version was used , then I hope it will be OK - but the comment on the Batlabs site about corrupting the codeplug was a bit worrying!!

Any other thoughts to my other questions?

Thanks

[wavetar]

- Batlabs mentions that attempting to use older RSS than was originally used to program the radio corrupts the codeplug. Is this actually the case?? Do you not just get a "Codeplug too new" message or something? Can I establish which was the last version used by just "reading" the codeplug and checking the "info" screen - does this mention the last version of RSS used??

Batlabs has a lot of valuable & correct information. This particular tidbit as far as I can determine is simply not true! Older RSS will NOT corrupt the radio. Motorola's default answer when you run into any kind of problem is to say you need to use the latest RSS to deflect responsibility, or at least delay your call so someone else can deal with it down the road.

- which RSS to use is complicated by the introduction of Windows CPS as well as DOS RSS. I came across a mention that "DOS RSS will not work with a radio programmed with CPS R01.13.00 (dated 2005) or later". This suggests that IF an earlier version of CPS was used ie. R01.10.00 , then you can still revert to an older DOS RSS version. Is this correct?

Basically, up until CPS 1.13.00, Motorola released an accompanying updated version of RSS which was fully compatible...IE: If you programmed using CPS 1.12.00, then RSS 5.08.00 would read/write to it no problem. As of 1.13.00, they stopped doing that. So, as long as your RSS was at least as new as the CPS the radio was last programmed with, then no problem.

- the serial number 623IVW04** suggests that my MCS2000 was manufactured in Nov 1995. I'm surprized that its 13 years old!! Were they making MCS2000's 13 years ago?

Yep, they sure were! I believe '94 was the first year of manufacture, although it wouldn't shock me to hear someone has a '93 model in their possession.

- I have a 25W UHF GM900 16 channel radio. The "body" looks identical to the MCS2000 body. Is it possible to just swap heads thereby getting 25W rather than the current 10W's ie is all the MCS2000 control stuff in the head ?

No, the control stuff resides within the main body of the radio, not the control head. It requires some form of LAB software to change a Model I to a Model II or III or vice versa, as well as the applicable control head.

I'll let someone from Europe answer your other question. I was under the same impression as you, that the MCS2000 was the "North American" version.

Todd

[g8tzl2004]

Thanks Todd.

I've now successfully programmed my MCS2000 - although I need to work out all the different bells and whistles!!

I used DOS RSS version R05.04.10 dated 2000.

There is a "Last Programmed" number on the info screen which I guess helps to decide whether the RSS version being used will be able to write to the eeprom. My MCS2000 "Last Programmed" number was 9512131528 - I think this means 1st Dec 1995 (95121..) and maybe at 3hr 15 min 28 secs (...31528)???

My MCS2000 is working well. However , when I open the SQ (to get white noise") , I have found that there is an "unstable chuffing" noise when the radio is set to 12.5KHz spacing. The chuffing noise completely disappears when a very very weak signal is injected. When the radio is set to 25Khz , the white noise is the usual "clean hiss". The chuffing noise is on all freqs and can be heard with no antenna connected. I guess it could be processor noise - but I'm not sure why it only affects 12.5KHz spacing and not 25KHz spacing. Any thoughts as to the cause??

Thanks

[g8tzl2004]

Any views on cause of "unstable chuffing" noise when MCS2000 set to 12.5KHz spacing and open squelch? Its not noticeable when SQ is closed even on very very weak signals. No noise when set to 25KHz.

Thanks

[g8tzl2004]

Any thoughts on the last question?

Thanks