Serial error #006 (LB MT-1000)

[Tim]

Hi Folks,

I've read in the codeplug from the Lowband MT-1000 - it went through
two cycles, the internal, then reading the front panel. (of which it is
just a blank panel, no DTMF, etc).

When I program it, the channels, etc are programmed fine, but any
changes that I have made to the MDC, signalling, etc are not programmed.
It goes through the main programming, then gives me a message - turn
the radio on/off, and hit any key. I guess all of the signaling stuff is in
the front panel.

Once I hit any key, it immediately goes to the main programming RSS screen,
and does not try and program the front panel.

It gives me a Serial error #0006.

Any ideas? I'm using version 3.01 dated 1994.

Thanks,

Tim

[mike m]

I saw this a few times when programming and swapping around regular fronts on the low band models with the front panels that have the emergency switch on top.

I don't have this problem anymore so let me check and pull out some old notes to see if there is anything on how to stop this message.


Mike

[k2hz]

I have no experience with the low band version but I have seen a similar situation with VHF/UHF MT1000s if you try to write a codeplug with front panel dependent features to a radio that does not have the panel that supports the signaling.

The basic radio only supports PL/DPL/QCII. If you try to program any MDC signaling or other features that are dependent on the proper front panel then writing will fail when there is no front panel in the radio to write to.

Have your tried to delete all the non-supported signaling before attempting to write to the radio? You say it won't take your "changes" but the only permissible change is to delete what the radio does not support.

[Tim]

Hi K2H2,

I can turn off the signalling from the main menu, and that works ok. (mdc on/off)

However, I cannot change the ID # or anything else.

I figured that since it was sending out the ID # that was on the MDC screen, then the
radio was capable of MDC.

When it reads the radio, it first reads the main controller, then 'reads' the front panel
data. Since it read the front panel ok (implying that it had something to read), it seems
that there's something else going on. - maybe not! -

thanks,

Tim

[k2hz]

The problem probably is you have an option enabled that does not match the radio front cover.

There are 5 different versions of MDC front covers and, as Mike M said, if you swap from one with extra features like emergency button or man down to one without, odd things happen.

NTN5456 MDC only
NTN5457 MDC with emergency button
NTN5458 MDC with DTMF keypad (no emergency button)
NTN5459 MDC with DTMF keypad and emergency button
NTN6009 MDC with emergency and man down.

I suspect you have the 5456 since it reads the cover and encodes MDC and you are attempting to write a code plug with non-supported features like emergency or man down. Read the radio and cover and then look at the signaling menu and try to disable all features and then write to the radio.

Then read it again and see if it took the changes and, if so, put back in the MDC ID without the other unsupported features and try to write to it again and see if it takes it.

It is possible you have a bad MDC front cover and it won't allow you to write to it but I suspect it is more likely a wrong code plug issue. If the MDC works and the radio does the extra fast double beep when you power it up the cover is probably OK.

[Tim]

Thanks for the info on the front panels. It is the 1st (MDC only).

I read the codeplug, and everything is turned off (emergency, etc).

When I try and re-program it, after programming the main screen, it momentarily
says programming front cover, then asks to turn radio off, then back on and hit any
key. When I follow the directions, it immediately goes back to the main screen and
gives me the error.

I figured if it read out the contents of the front panel, it knew what it should be. I'm
merely trying to write what was already there.

Tim

[Tim]

Oh, why does it send a morse code 'D' when it powers up?

[k2hz]

The long beep is the normal power up from the radio and the "dit dit" is from the front cover. If there is no MDC front or the MDC front is not working there is no "dit dit".

After it programs the main unit does it show the 0-100% progress bar for programming front cover?

Does the progress bar go all the way to 100% before it asks you to power the radio off?

If it does not, it is not writing to the front cover properly. Could be a bad connection to the data write path in the radio to the front cover. Since it normally writes very slowly, I suppose it could be a too fast computer issue. Maybe could be a RIB issue with improper logic voltages that write the main board OK but not the cover.

I tried to duplicate your problem with MT1000s with various covers and the RSS would not allow me to enable features not supported by the cover.

[Tim]

More good info! Wondered how the D got programmed into it!

After programming the main unit, it goes to the cover programming progress
bar, and after about 2 seconds it gives me the 'turn off...' message. Doesn't
even show any progress on the bar before it dies.

I have 2 radios that do the same thing. Perhaps it takes longer to program
the front cover & my computer is too fast. Next I'll take the program to the
box I use to program the X9000 with & see if that'll work.

Haven't had any problems with the RIB - it's a 'real' one.

thanks again for helping!

Tim

[Tim]

That was it.

Never had any problems programming the MT1000s with the original setup, but
then I never had any front covers with aux functions!

The old X9k programmer box worked just fine.

Thanks for pointing me in that direction!!

Now, if I can just find a service manual for the beasts!

Tim

[k2hz]

The service manual for the full MT1000 line is 68P81067C40. I think it is still available from Motorola for less than $20.

The manual covers Low/High/UHF and all the front covers and accesories like mics and the vehicle charger.

Glad to hear you got it working. I find it is risky to program these older radios with anything faster than a 486/33. While a Pentium may work most of the time, glitches will occur with some radios. The latest versions of RSS run ok on a faster computer without the divide or overflow errors but timeout problems seem to occur sometimes when writing to the radio.

[motorola_otaku]

Try running cacheoff.com before starting the RSS. I've used it to fix read/write issues with STXes and System Sabers on a "newer" (1GHz PIII IBM laptop) computer.