Blast from the past! (MX300 question)

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Thu Jan 03, 2002 4:53 pm

Hi,

Sorry to be "retro", but I was recently given
an MX330 800 MHz conventional radio. It even
has the R/D switch, hehe. Anyway, it is a
regular PL radio. Can this be converted to
DPL?

I guess there's always a Comm-Spec board if things get desperate, eh?

Happy Holidays everyone!

Marc
----
Phoenix, Arizona

wazzzzzzzzup · Post by **wazzzzzzzzup** » Thu Jan 03, 2002 9:55 pm

i was also wondering.. what is the R/D switch? and along the same line.. i had one of motorola's first trunked MX360T radios, it was really cool! open it up to find 5 channel elements, a logic board, and the motorola label on the back had all its fleet,subfleet and system info factory printed. example 0221053003 subfleet 01 02 03
all system freqs, and connect tone.
the 0221 is system, 053 is the fleet,003 is the unit id, it even said FS next to one of the frequencys wich i figure that would be FAILSOFT. this radio was made sometime in 1983. i wish i still had it. it even had a DTMF front on it.

10-95 · Post by **10-95** » Thu Jan 03, 2002 10:09 pm

The R/D swith is for repeater or direct(simplex). Example , it has 821.000tx/821.450rx, when you go to the D position it would transmit and receive on 821.450mhz.

10-95

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Thu Jan 03, 2002 10:41 pm

Hey,

Yep, R/D is for repeater and direct. This
radio is actually pretty neat too. I opened it up and it looks like it's never really been opened before. Being it's a '330, it's not loaded with features, but it still seems pretty solid. Still has the channel elements and PL reeds in it. And it's a 2 channel. I
don't even know what the maximum was for radios with elements... 6 channels maybe?

The only thing is that it has some damn engraving on it that says "If found please
call...." on the front. Arrgh... something
about that metal front always screams "write
something on me with an engraver, dammit!".
Oh well, I'll try to find another front for it somewhere.

Hey, maybe we need a new forum just for the "old school" stuff. Hmm... a forum for radios that are from 1989 or older, haha!
Speaking of that, anyone try http://www.mt500.com?
That's definately a blast from the past!

Later,

Marc

10-95 · Post by **10-95** » Thu Jan 03, 2002 10:45 pm

Hey Marc, that's a damn good idea, I have several MX radios and love them all. The great part is they are like sabers, you know modular, so you can easily repair them or change band split by swapping modules.

Hey maybe we could call the new forum "BATLABS BASEMENT", you know, most people throw the old stuff in the basement.

enjoy that MX, and c heck on ebay for good deals on MX stuff, you should pick up a multi-zone MX330S series,48channels , programmable.

later
10-95

Keygun · Post by **Keygun** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 3:23 am

Just to add my 2 cents:

I also have several radios from the MX300-family and i love them very much. Even they have no bells and whistles, they have very good rx-specs (sensitivity with the optional preamp-module, selectivity) and the modular construction is really fascinating. Compared to them, a JEDI looks like crap.

A forum, focussed on this good old stuff would be very interesting!!!

Keygun

John G · Post by **John G** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 6:47 am

The DPL part of these radios is part of the main circuit board. It would be easier to find someone who has a DPL radio and wants a PL one and trade. An outboard DPL board could be retrofitted, but space is pretty tight. I think I have one of these in DPL. If you are interested in trading, e mail me. I have no use for it. Picked it up mostly for the front and frame.

Cowthief · Post by **Cowthief** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 6:53 am

Hello.

The MX300 series was/is really neat, anybody remember the bronze front?, the IMTS model? manual channel select.

Thank You

1 Adam 12 · Post by **1 Adam 12** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 9:05 am

The 800 Mhz MX was main board specific, while the UHF and VHF models, the DPL took up a slot at the bottom of the radio and if removed you could install the related modules
and it would pl aor the opposite , add the board and flex, and you could do DPL. I can check, I may have an 800 with DPL, if I do and you need it its yours. Great radios, still have about 75 running in the personal UHF/VHF fleet and some have all kinds of fun stuff, like factory scan, dual prom... 96channels, Multi-tone... etc, Even some concept radios. Flex-circuit heaven....

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 9:06 am

Bronze front? Whoa. Hmm... was there ever
a "dark" front for those? I've seen some on eBay but didn't know if that was a factory thing or if someone did a Krylon job! Heehee.

Marc
----
Phoenix, AZ

Post by **vcaruso** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 9:36 am

anybody interested in a forum just on this type of radio let me know via e-mail

Vince

Keygun · Post by **Keygun** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 12:16 pm

One of my dear MX340-radios have a grey front and build-in scrambler module. Some modules in the inside are stamped "SP" (Special Production?). Also the modelnummer has an SP-extension. Anybody knows this version??

Keygun

Jonathan KC8RYW · Post by **Jonathan KC8RYW** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 3:09 pm

Keygun:
What is the model number?

10-95 · Post by **10-95** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 3:11 pm

Yes, It is simply a des version of the MX.
Usually the sp appears on models capable of des/dvp or ones that have a dtmf or scan function or multi pl.

10-95

Will · Post by **Will** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 5:17 pm

I remember seeing and working on MX's that had a dark grey/brown metal front. I think these were made for the PD so the would not reflect in the dark. Also the military version was dark too.

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 6:31 pm

OK,

Tearing more into this MX, I think I know why they got rid of this radio. As Tonto would say, "No got-em mic audio, Kimo Sabe". Hehe.

Come to think of it, where is the mic on the MX? Does it use the speaker?

Marc

patrol186 · Post by **patrol186** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 7:28 pm

Wow this is a blast from the past!
I have a good MX330 front if you need it,
actually I have a MX330, 340 and a 350 in vhf, if anyone needs them for parts drop me an e-mail me
[email protected]

Tom in D.C. · Post by **Tom in D.C.** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 7:40 pm

Marc: Probably the last Motorola HT to use the speaker as a microphone was the four-lead, early HT220. The MX front's interior is very similar to the MT500 which preceded it. Separate microphone unit and the same type of plug disconnect which works with the RX test unit.

Tom, W2NJS
...in D.C.

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Fri Jan 04, 2002 10:55 pm

Hmm...

When I looked at the back side of the front today, I didn't really see anything that looked like a a "microphone".

There was something mounted above the speaker under a red bracket, could that have
been it?

The modular construction is cool, though. Definately Saber-esque. < grin >

Oh yeah, and while we're talking about unique MX's, a friend of mine has one that someone decided to modify the antenna connector on. They put a BNC on in place of the stud connector. Took me a second to figure out what bothered me about that radio when I looked at it, hehe.

Whoa, look what I just found on eBay. This is definately a blast from the way-past!

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dl ... 1317937321

Marc
----
Phoenix, AZ

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Marc on 2002-01-05 02:01 ]</font>

Keygun · Post by **Keygun** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 12:34 am

On 2002-01-04 18:09, KC8RYW wrote:
Keygun:
What is the model number?

The modell-number is MAH33SXU3140A-SP03

Keygun · Post by **Keygun** » Sat Jan 05, 2002 12:42 am

[quote]
On 2002-01-05 01:55, Marc wrote:
Hmm...

When I looked at the back side of the front today, I didn't really see anything that looked like a a "microphone".

There was something mounted above the speaker under a red bracket, could that have
been it?

Yes, exactly that is, where the microphone is hiding. It uses an thin metall tube and a short piece of thin plastic hose to conduct the sound from the Speaker-grill to the microphone-element. When the small plastic tube is bend to sharp, the modulation of the radio turns into something really bad.

10-95 · Post by **10-95** » Sun Jan 06, 2002 11:14 am

Hey keygun , looking at the model number , i think you have the programmable version(EEPROM). If it is just a 12 channel you probably have an unprogrammed zone. You should put that baby on some ham or local fire stuff.

10-95

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Sun Jan 06, 2002 7:13 pm

Hey guys,

I saw an interesting MX online today. I think it was a '330. In place of where the PL switch usually is, there was a switch
that read "RPT" on the left, and "OFF" on the right. Some kind of talkaround switch,
maybe? < ??? >

Marc

Keygun · Post by **Keygun** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 2:03 am

On 2002-01-06 22:13, Marc wrote:
Hey guys,

I saw an interesting MX online today. I think it was a '330. In place of where the PL switch usually is, there was a switch
that read "RPT" on the left, and "OFF" on the right. Some kind of talkaround switch,
maybe? < ??? >

Marc

Yes, it is an Repeater/TA (Direct)-switch.

Keygun

Keygun · Post by **Keygun** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 2:05 am

On 2002-01-06 14:14, 10-95 wrote:
Hey keygun , looking at the model number , i think you have the programmable version(EEPROM). If it is just a 12 channel you probably have an unprogrammed zone. You should put that baby on some ham or local fire stuff.

10-95

Hey.

It has only 4 channels

But, of course, it has an HAM-PROM inside.

Keygun

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Tue Jan 08, 2002 6:47 pm

Hey,

I was just reading that post about the radios in TV and Movies, and all that talk about MODAT.

Didn't LAPD use MX's with MODAT? I wonder if that was a regular option or some special order?

Marc