Questions about Astro Spectra rear control heads

[d119]

Tried searching on this but no real luck.

What is the difference between the HCN1121D "REAR" control head and the HCN1078 standard control head?

Can two HCN1078 control heads be used on an ASTRO Spectra successfully? Or is the HCN1121 control head required?

What are the caveats?

Thanks

[com501]

A rear head will not function as a front head, as it does not have some of the components a front head does.

Two front head will be very buggy as they will both try to assume control of the radio, and in most cases this did not work when tried on the bench.

That USB O5 head looks better every day....

[The Pager Geek]

There is no physical difference between Front and Rear Astro Spectra control heads. There is a software change [that can't be changed outside of depot] in the control head software that identifies Front vs. Rear.

tpg

[com501]

There is no physical difference between Front and Rear Astro Spectra control heads. There is a software change [that can't be changed outside of depot] in the control head software that identifies Front vs. Rear.

tpg

Except that when you take an 1121 apart, the boards are different in the ones we have been getting from parts as of late.

There is a BGA missing.

[The Pager Geek]

The only difference between a front and rear is a byte change in the eeprom section of the 68HC11.

tpg

[com501]

I must be blind.

[The Pager Geek]

nah, I'm not disagreeing. Every revision they seem to pull a part off they didn't need in the first place.

I'm just saying... the only diff is the byte in the micro.

tpg

[com501]

The other problem is they don't repair them anymore. The flat rate is the same as NSO replacement cost....

Our customer JUST bought in the last year, XTL5000s with the W9 heads, dual. NOW they can't get that style any longer and are furious. Not to mention that the O5 heads have a whole different look and don't interchange with what they are used to....

More training...

[The Pager Geek]

Start stocking up on 1073 spectra heads... swap FW. Not exactly the best solution, but it gets you by...

tpg

[RFguy]

The front and rear heads are identical EXCEPT the rear head has a different volume contol. The rear head volume control does not have an on/off switch.

[com501]

Huh??

Volume control? We are talking W9's here. Rocker switches for mode and volume. The rear head has a plastic insert to block the slide switch for on/off control, but the switch is still there... permanently 'on'.

[The Pager Geek]

He's talking W4

[RFguy]

Sorry, it was the W4 that I was refering to.

[com501]

Copy that....

I don't think I have ever seen a W4 in person out here. No one ever seems to order them.

Even the motor units have W7's......