Spectra Hi-Power VHF missing MLM

[PSYKO_Inc]

Just won a high power VHF Spectra (drawer unit only) for cheap on that auction site, received it today and found the MLM has been removed. I've played around with one of these radios but never really got in-depth with them; is finding/bit banging a new MLM going to be something a newbie can manage, or should I send it back and get my money back? Or should I just take the hit and chop it up for parts? What do I look for in an MLM as far as firmware versions, etc.? I'll be using it for 2M amateur freq's, so no need for trunking, etc. Thanks in advance!

[Jim202]

Just won a high power VHF Spectra (drawer unit only) for cheap on that auction site, received it today and found the MLM has been removed. I've played around with one of these radios but never really got in-depth with them; is finding/bit banging a new MLM going to be something a newbie can manage, or should I send it back and get my money back? Or should I just take the hit and chop it up for parts? What do I look for in an MLM as far as firmware versions, etc.? I'll be using it for 2M amateur freq's, so no need for trunking, etc. Thanks in advance!

Unless the sale indicated it would be missing the MLM board, I would be all over the person selling the radio. Get in his face and demand the radio be supplied with the MLMN board. Be nice but firm. If you can't get anyplace, then I would let the world know who this bum is and make his sales go away with letting other people know what kind of a slick cheat and thief he is.

With that said, I would go looking for a cheap dash mount spectra on VHF, UHF or 800 with the MLM board in it. Pull the board and throw the cheap kluncker away or keep it for parts. These should be able to be had for almost nothing. They are all being pulled out of service due to the fact they can not be narrow banded. They have to be out of service by the 1st of January, 2013. This should make pallet loads of them either going into the dumpster or up for large lot auctions. Do not pay much for these on Ebay. They are not worth it. The market should be flooded with these radios.

There are a number of sources for information on programming these radios. They make a fine radio for use on the 2 meter or 440 ham bands. It just takes some knowledge, a very slow computer, a RIB and the programming cables. Don't forget the software to program these radios. Motorola won't sell the software anymore, but if you ask around, some ham near you should have it.

Jim

[PSYKO_Inc]

Thanks for the info Jim; I've sent the seller a message so maybe I can get a partial refund or something out of him. Is it possible to put an MLM from another bandsplit in? Any complications from doing so? Also what firmware should I look for? I don't need trunking, but zone operation and MPL could come in handy if they work the way I think they do. I found a VHF MLM (v5.21) for about $10 shipped, or a complete 800 C7 drawer (unknown version) for about $15 shipped, not sure which would be the better direction to go. Wish the 800 radio were a dash mount, since I need an interconnect board to convert another spectra from remote to dash mount... Or maybe if I'm lucky one of the other local Moto hobbyists will have an extra MLM laying around. As for programming, I've got the Spectra RSS and I think a copy of Lab somewhere, DOS 6.22, and recently picked up a RIB, still need to build cables though.

[Jim202]

Thanks for the info Jim; I've sent the seller a message so maybe I can get a partial refund or something out of him. Is it possible to put an MLM from another bandsplit in? Any complications from doing so? Also what firmware should I look for? I don't need trunking, but zone operation and MPL could come in handy if they work the way I think they do. I found a VHF MLM (v5.21) for about $10 shipped, or a complete 800 C7 drawer (unknown version) for about $15 shipped, not sure which would be the better direction to go. Wish the 800 radio were a dash mount, since I need an interconnect board to convert another spectra from remote to dash mount... Or maybe if I'm lucky one of the other local Moto hobbyists will have an extra MLM laying around. As for programming, I've got the Spectra RSS and I think a copy of Lab somewhere, DOS 6.22, and recently picked up a RIB, still need to build cables though.

You will need an MLM with version 6.00 or higher to get zones to function. Never figured out where the version requirement is for multi PL. As all my Spectra radios all have zones, I know the multi PL works.

Jim

[PSYKO_Inc]

Ok so it looks like I'll need to find an MLM with ver. 6.xx firmware, and find a usable codeplug for the model of radio I'm looking to create, then go into Lab and change the model number and serial number to match the codeplug and force it in. I think at this point it will give me some type of checksum error, and to fix it I would read the codeplug and write it back, then power cycle the radio. Once that is working I'd read the codeplug one more time and program/write to the radio like normal, does that sound right? Also does the MLM know the difference if it's in a mid-power or high-power radio? I've got a mid-power Spectra (D43 with A9 head) with a ver. 6.10 firmware that I haven't tried to program yet, it would be awesome if I could use a working codeplug from the D43 A9 radio and put into my T83 A7 radio, since I wouldn't have to search for it.

Thanks again for your help,

Jay

[KB0HFX]

I think its V5 for MPL and V6 for zones.

I have a V6.02 MLM that I can program up with a good T83 CP give you a good start but require some fine tuning. If all else fails.

Austin

[GlennD]

I have a UHF MLM Ver 6.14 you can have. I pulled it out of a radio that would not power on to blank it.

PM your shipping info and I will send it to you.

[PSYKO_Inc]

You guys are AWESOME! Glenn, you've got a PM incoming. Austin, thanks for the info, could you email me that T83 codeplug? My address is psyko (dot) inc (at) gmail (dot) com, thanks man! This will be my first try with RSS or Lab (I've had limited experience programming radios with Astro25 CPS at work), hopefully I don't brick this thing but even if I do, I've only got about $30 invested at this point...

[Will]

You will have to do a total realignment of the radio.

[PSYKO_Inc]

Uh oh, that could be a problem. What kind of equipment would I need to do a full realignment?

[thebigphish]

service monitor access.

[williamray507]

Here is a guy that has the MLM board. I have bought several things from him and he is always great to deal with.


[link removed, rules don't permit links to Ebay auctions not run by the poster of the link]

[N4KVE]

I too have bought from that seller. He is GTG. GARY N4KVE

[FireCpt809]

Yeaaaaaaa.. BaseSurplus is Trump Surplus with a different user name.. there is a whole thread about his stellar deals on H.S. I've been burned by him twice.. never again.

[PSYKO_Inc]

Thanks for the heads up, I remembered the thread about Trump from way back, didn't realize it was the same guy.

Also somewhat related, I got a programming computer cobbled together and got it to boot into DOS, but when I try to load RSS, it gives me "run time error R6003, integer divide by zero". I've got a feeling my computer may be too fast, it's an old Compaq desktop, socket 7 IBM/Cyrix 6x86 225MHz. Wondering if a Socket 7 Pentium 75 would work in this machine and if that would fix the problem...

[Will]

You may have the older RSS which does not run on Pentiums.

See the Pentium Compatibility page in the Programing Forum.

. Spectra & Spectra-E RVN-4001N Jul-93 Yes

[Jim202]

Thanks for the heads up, I remembered the thread about Trump from way back, didn't realize it was the same guy.

Also somewhat related, I got a programming computer cobbled together and got it to boot into DOS, but when I try to load RSS, it gives me "run time error R6003, integer divide by zero". I've got a feeling my computer may be too fast, it's an old Compaq desktop, socket 7 IBM/Cyrix 6x86 225MHz. Wondering if a Socket 7 Pentium 75 would work in this machine and if that would fix the problem...

Have you tried running the small program "cacheoff.com" before you start the Motorola software? This has resolve this same issue for me on a number of computers.

Jim