Batboard

The difference between lab and normal RSS for both Maxtrac and Spectra is presence of the maxtrac.usr or the spectra.usr file

This is where the type of software package is defined. If you have a reasonably new version, like above 6.xsomething in spectra, you can even take the .usr file from maxtrac, rename it and put it in the spectra directory and PRESTO! Instant lab version...

And for my next trick, since I have not seen it written here...there IS a way to change features in Spectra mobiles that will keep the changes permanent. So if you have some crappy A5 and want to make it support an A9 head, it's not a problem anymore!

How about turning on the availability for encryption? NO problem! DTMF Can do!

No more one way writes. You program the changes and the changes stick.

Anyone interested?

I think your spectra information is already out there:

http://www.batlabs.com/moflag.html

Interesting thing about the usr file though.

Yeah, that is interesting about the common usr file. I will have to try that.

[quote="wavetar"]I think your spectra information is already out there:

http://www.batlabs.com/moflag.html

Interesting thing about the usr file though.[/quote]

Yes, you can turn features on, but making them stick is the issue.

I see the problem hasn't been solved yet.

Okay, when I get time, I'll write the procedure.

I have Spectra vR06.00.05, Spectra Lab vR05.03.00, and Spectra Lab vB04.04.04 and the only one with the spectra.usr file is the Spectra Lab vB04.04.04, the Spectra vR06.00.05 & Spectra Lab vR05.03.00 do not have that file. I did try copying it from Spectra Lab vB04.04.04 to Spectra vR06.00.05 and it didn't change anything.

George wrote:

wavetar wrote:I think your spectra information is already out there:

http://www.batlabs.com/moflag.html

Interesting thing about the usr file though.

Yes, you can turn features on, but making them stick is the issue.

I see the problem hasn't been solved yet.

Okay, when I get time, I'll write the procedure.

Not sure what your issue with making a control head change with the bit banger is. You do have to save the change while in the bit bang mode. Then write to the radio in the normal way after making any other changes. I do this all the time. Even take the radio from one of the HHCH mic and a SIU packages to an A9 head. Have done about 5 of them in recent years.

Jim

George wrote:I see the problem hasn't been solved yet.

Writing the MOFLAG string to both the MLM and command board locations worked pretty well for me when I did the dual Spectra/SIU conversion to a pair of unmolested virgin radios.

The process is pretty much what you think it is; you change the model type by changing the radio ID model in the locations provided:

http://www.batlabs.com/moflag.html

Command Board Range : B681 - B690 / B691 + B692 = Checksum

MLM Range : 6183 - 6192 / 6193 + 6194=
Checksum (*the MLM values are relative*)

But Motorola was not consistent, sometimes you have to walk through until you spot the familiar sequences. You're going to need an ASCII table handy, and just go ahead and build up what the model # is in ASCII so you can spot it when you start to go past it.

What isn't clear as mud is that the MOFLAGs, Model #, and Serial # all live in the same range. So when you write it out to the MLM, the radio reprograms the Command Board for you. Then you have a FAIL 01/81 or somesuch and you read and write the radio again and then it's happy. But, since it is Spectra and the firmware is EEPROM, save early and save often. I think I may have changed both locations like Motorola_Otaku suggested.

The best way I found to make the change was to take a B2 radio, turn it into a C2 radio, remove the trunking mode, and then turn it back into an A2/A5/A7 radio. Of course, the B2 firmware has a lot cut out of it, including memory space so some things don't work at all entirely. But generally speaking, it does work for conventional use. It's not a bad idea to change the serial number as well, to indicate that the radio has definitely been altered. Just don't pick the same one every time or RSS will have some issues.

I never tried to go the other way and actually put it onto a trunking system or use mixed-mode or Securenet with them.

But the process does require following the instructions on the MOFLAG page.

How MLM and Command Board Features are Checked on POST

The radio on POST checks the Command Board range B681 - B690, with some proprietary checksum algorithm and compares the result with B691 + B692.

If the checksum doesn't match, the radio grabs the entire range from 6183 - 6194 on the MLM, and throws it in the Command Board (assumes the Command Board is corrupted, so it reloads).

With the original feature string cloning method if you were hacking a radio and messed up on one character in the Command Board, (in this range) when you power cycle the radio, good bye changes.

The "default" MOFLAG is pretty close to about as tricked out as one can get, and matches pretty closely to one I read out of a Motorcycle Spectra I picked up:

CB Range B681 - B690 / MLM Range 6183 - 6192
00 76 40 A3 19 FF F1 FF 64 84 90 1F 1F 00 00 00

But Motorola_Otaku's writeup of the SIU system requires changing MOFLAGs which would normally not be used in the above, or conflict with other features.