Astro 25 CPS R16 XTS5000 UHF Bandsplit

[BF406]

Greetings! This is my first post here. I've read several posts trying to learn, so if I mess up, please go a little easy on me

I have some XTS5000s and R16 version of CPS. All legal. But I have the high-split version of the radio (low band edge 450mhz). I really need to get them into the ham bands, i.e. a low band edge of 430mhz or so. I've read what I could here, and on the akardam site. I'll be honest - I don't understand the instructions. I've been programming Motorola radios - both Astros and CDMs for several years, but I've just never run into this kind of instructions. For instance, I can find the patport.exe file in the R14 version of the CPS, but searching the folders of the R16, I cannot find a file with such a name. But even if I could find the file, I have a question. You may well call me ignorant or stupid for asking, but I figure if I don't ask, nobody could possibly educate me to be less ignorant. So - educate me, please.

1) The band edge of the radio is determined by the radio model. In UHF radios, there are basically 2 cuts, one with a lower band edge of 450mhz, and the other with a lower band edge of perhaps 420mhz.
2) The CPS software, without having read a radio's codeplug, can't tell what it is, and hence the CPS software would have to be ready to handle a radio with EITHER band cut.

Given 1 & 2 - how does it work to change something in the CPS software in order to modify the band edge. It doesn't seem to make sense, since the software, when purchased, has no idea what kind of radio it will be used on.

I hope someone here will take mercy on me and help me understand!

Thanks in advance!

BF406

[Will]

2) The CPS software, without having read a radio's codeplug, can't tell what it is, and hence the CPS software would have to be ready to handle a radio with EITHER band cut.
BF406

This IS why it is recommended to read the radio first and then make changes and write beck into the radio.

[BF406]

Reading the radio is no problem. I need to understand what I'm to do in modifying the software, however. I still don't understand where the CPS SOFTWARE has the information about a specific radio's band edges. That information is in the codeplug - i.e. what is READ FROM THE RADIO - not in the software that reads the radio. Isn't it?

[KG4INW]

Correct, sort of. The CPS can be used with any radio on any bandsplit but you have to read one and load in the specific codeplug. The CPS then knows, based upon its model number, what the allowable frequencies are. The hardware is capable of going beyond these limits (still limited but farther) so the software needs to be modified to accept your desired changes.

[BF406]

OK. So if I understand correctly, I have to read the radio I want to modify, and have THAT codeplug open in CPS. THEN open the patport.exe file in my hex editor. I'm using Hex Workshop, which seems to open things well, and even displays translations in the right column. There are 2 options for the display. I'm going from memory here, since I don't have the computer with that software as I type... but one option is Motorola and the other is the one mentioned by akardam - long Indian, I believe. From what I've read I need to find every place that the lower band edge is mentioned as a long integer e.g. 450000000, and change it to a string that equals 420000000 as it is expressed in hertz rather than megahertz.

Am I getting warm?

Thanks for putting up with my ignorance!