Any difference between Motorcycle Spectra and Trunk mount mo

[cowboywildbill]

Hi, I know that the motorcycle verson is only 15 watts transmit power verses 45 or 100 watts for a mobile model.
My question is do they all use the same control heads ie: is an A5 motorcycle model the same and are the pin outs and plugs on the cables for the remote heads the same as the regular 45 watt mobile trunk mount units? I know the motorcycle cable is only 7 foot verses the 20 foot mobile remote cable. I am just hoping the ends are all the same.
I am waiting for a motorcycle version with an A5 remote head that is being shipped. I have a mobile 50 watt spectra already installed (recieve only)that I am using with an A7 remote head. I am hoping that I can just swap out the boxes and keep the same cable and head. I went to the Spectra info page but didn't see any info on that particular swap. I could have missed it.
Also I just swapped my A5 head and replaced it with an A7 head. I know the A7 buttons don't operate, but the A7 has a brighter display " it' looks brand new" maybe thats why it's brighter. I had a switch in line to the red power lead, the one on the pigtail adapter oblong style cable on the A5 remote that goes to the ignition. I noticed that with the A7 head I have power with or without the switch or ign wire being hot. Is that just a difference in heads? I am using same cables as before. Thanks

[Will]

Your A7 head probably has a jumper added for the power on/off from the main power feed.
The"ign" lead will normally control the TX. Another jumper option is for both TX and RX without IGN lead.

Most of the cables are the same connections. Some Motorcycle Spectras have a different HUB switching makeup.
There are two basic cables, the original cable is a DB25 male to a special two row jack for the head, and a short cable to a Fe DB15 for the speaker and IGN leads.
The newer cable has a DB25 and a three row female jack for the head, speaker leads/jack and the two IGn leads pigtail out of the control head connector.

[cowboywildbill]

Thanks, I guess it should work if the MC box has the same connector as the 50 watt box does.

[N4KVE]

Hello. I have been using a motorcycle Spectra in my car for the last few years. It was the only way to get a 438-470 mhz split Spectra. The mike plugs into the interconnect cable, not the control head. I would imagine if you swapped the adaptor from the back of the control head, & front of the radio, you could use the other cable, but I've never tried this. Great RX in the Ham bands. GARY N4KVE

[Will]

Hi, I know that the motorcycle version is only 15 watts transmit power verses 45 or 100 watts for a mobile model.

The UHF range 2 438-470 Spectra is 40 watts. Most MC Spectras have the same PA as the mobile and can be turned up to the 40 watts rated.
Alto I have seen some MC version Spectras with a different PA that will do up to 25 watts. YMMV

The 100 watt Spectra mobile is a much bigger 'box'. It does take the same control cable, different power cable.

[Josh]

idk about all this, my experiences with motorcycle spectras has proved just the opposite for compatibility.

The cable for the Motorcycle model is shorter 7' and interfaces directly to the control head interconnect, it's not totally separate from the cable like the regular system9000 cable.

Second, the interconnect pinouts on the radio end were different. I could not take a trunk-mount spectra with standard dual DB25 interconnect and make it work with the motorcycle spectra, nothing happened. I'm sure the vice-versa scenario would be the same.

The mic does connect to the DB 9(?) on the control head cable, but it will also work on the control head if you get the right faceplate with the mic-jack uncovered.

The motorcycle spectra, if I'm not mistaken, require a speaker to be plugged into the radio, as there was no jack on the head cable, and there were no additional ignition sense wires to install, aside from the DB15 radio connector.

-josh

[abbylind]

If anyone is looking for a VHF MC Spectra Ive got a bunch of them with control cables and heads

Fowler
KC5AEE
[email protected]

[cowboywildbill]

Thanks for the input. I hooked it up and it works OK. I used the existing cable and A7 head that I had on my 45 watt trunks mount spectra. I would be interested in one of the MC spectras that you have. What freq are they? I wouldn't mind having a low band and a UHF unit. Thanks again