Batboard

So everyone is familiar with the Fail 01/90 error, when the control head won't talk to the radio. Well, here's my version:

I have an XTL 5000 that was converted from a 1500. It has worked wonderfully with a W7 control head for a few months. I have it remote mounted and I use the green and orange wires to do actual ignition sense (which is tied to a simple on/off toggle so I can turn on several radios at once without fumbling for buttons).

Just a few days ago, I went into my car and turned on my radios, and the XTL started the FL 01/90. I immediately checked the basics: connections on the control head, on the brick end of the remote cable, power to the brick, etc. And all systems were normal. I took the radio inside to my power supply, and converted it back into a dash mount. Still the same fail code. I should also note that it boot loops this fail code as well.

I then tried forcing the code plug back in to the radio, while boot looping, while off, and without a control head. Each time I got a "Radio Failed to acknowledge" error code 24 or some number close to that.

I then converted my code plug to a W4 head, and plugged in my W4 control head from an Astro Spectra. Still got the same error messages on CPS and still a Fail 01/90.

What, if anything, can I check in the radio itself? I know the control heads have a fuse, does the brick as well?

Could RFI from an HF radio have damaged this XTL? They are connected to the same vehicle ground.

Not sure what the "twist" is. XTL radios are famous for this. They are very sensitive and the littlest things tend to smoke them. There is an internal fuse. If I remember right its under the top cover and is "large" for an smd item. 5 amps rings a bell. If that is good your probably out of luck.

Jason

I checked the 5 amp SMD fuse, it's fine.

I considered the twist to be that I had followed all of the standard troubleshooting for a Fail 01/90 and still couldn't recover.

This will likely be the last Motorola product I own, if they are this picky and susceptible to bricking!

Thanks for the quick reply.

The uniboard design is a throw away pretty much. That's why soapy prefer the astro spectra if u can stay with a W series head and the limited band split. Personally the 136-162 astro spectra is sweet. There is also a mod now to allow a 146-174 astro spectra to properly do imbe out of band.

The astro plus is another option if you need 9600 trunking.

I actually was using a UHF 450-512 split radio to cover the 440 ham band.

I would have no problem with a 403-470 split Astro Spectra with P25. The problem is finding on with the right flash code and S record for the control head I want to use. I don't think anyone has actually come up with an easy way to change control heads. That was the best part about this XTL: you could change control heads via CPS, and it allowed for all of the PL tones to be programmed into the MPL list.

I was thinking I read VHF in ur post guess I lost my mind lol.

Send me a pm

So you have a hacked a radio, are using an obsolete and unsupported control head, in an unsupported wiring configuration, and you are mad at Motorola for selling a finicky product?

Uhhhh, OK. Nice perspective you have there.

By the way, your symptoms speak to a brick that is not powering up, and likely has nothing to do with your control head setup whatsoever. There is a detailed troubleshooting flow chart in the Basic Service Manual,you may want to consider investing in obtaining one

escomm wrote:So you have a hacked a radio, are using an obsolete and unsupported control head, in an unsupported wiring configuration, and you are mad at Motorola for selling a finicky product?

Uhhhh, OK. Nice perspective you have there.

Come on Jeff, this is a hobbyist board after all, and deep down we both know the XTL series is just as wonderful a product as the MTR 3000.

d119 wrote:[snip] deep down we both know the XTL series is just as wonderful a product as the MTR 3000.

...bwaahahahahaha, kept a straight face till that gem!

btrains wrote:I checked the 5 amp SMD fuse, it's fine.

I considered the twist to be that I had followed all of the standard troubleshooting for a Fail 01/90 and still couldn't recover.

This will likely be the last Motorola product I own, if they are this picky and susceptible to bricking!

Thanks for the quick reply.

Did you check that there is 12 volts on the high current feed on the back of the radio. No high current power feed and the radio won't power up. Plus you also need 12 volts on both the yellow and small red wire at the control head.

Jim

thebigphish wrote:

d119 wrote:[snip] deep down we both know the XTL series is just as wonderful a product as the MTR 3000.

...bwaahahahahaha, kept a straight face till that gem!

Only funny because it's true. I lost all respect for the XTL series when one bricked after PROPERLY connecting a tone remote adapter to it (a Motorola TRA, no less).

Screw that crap.

Something must be fishy with your adapter. I have a CPI tone remote connected to an XTL5000 for a year now with no issues, and a PM1500 to a CPI DC remote ... other than the crappy AT&T circuit but at least it's not Verizon.

As for OP, pfffft Chris, there is only so much that can be done, the troubleshooting flowchart isn't entirely worthless, but will most likely end up -> Send to Depot or -> Replace mainboard

On the bright side XTL mainboards are only about $700, and they ask you for a flashcode when you order them, and they come CBI'd, so uh, there you have it

Yeah they do seem to brick easily. My XTL5000 Qsplit went for a visit back to the Moto-shop within 2months of having it, during programming it bricked itself. No lost power, power fluctuations etc (lappy on good battery, XTL on good car battery, authentic moto lead). I'm actually really dissapointed with their quality for the price. I was looking at getting an S split as well for CB and dual bricking a W3 (since apparently my 03 won't dual) but now just sticking with me old MCS2000 as it seems more reliable. Just wish I could get a proper siren kit for the it.

I was a Philips PRM80 fan till I got my MCS's and GM300s. Sometimes I wonder why I changed.