MCS2000 Rejecting CPS

[spectrumguru]

I'm having a bit of an issue programming a MCS2000 that I have. Unfortunately I have no backup codeplug. Hoping that someone might be able to provide me with some ideas. Here is what's happening.... When I try to read the radio (VHF MCS2000 Model# M01KHN9PW5AN) using MCS2000 CPS R02.03.00, I receive the error message:

"Field "Transmit DPL Code" In General in Conventional Personality has an invalid value.
Set to default value (023) and unpack anyway?"

I answer "Yes":

"Field "TA DPL Code" In Direct/Talkaround in Conventional Personality has an invalid value.
Set to default value (023) and unpack anyway?"

I answer "Yes":

"The codeplug you are reading supports the Smart Messaging feature.
This feature is not supported by the Windows CPS.
Please use the latest DOS RSS to read and modify this codeplug."

I click "OK":

"Unable to unpack block Model Definition."

I click "OK":

"PassII- Unable to transfer block Model Definition from CpDb to Db
Unpack failed."

I click "OK" and that's it......

So I tried reading the radio using DOS RSS R05.04.00. It reads the radio, and I then get the error
message:

"Codeplug Too New For This Application"

Is R05.04.00 the newest version of RSS? I was under the impression that it was. Might there be a better way to attack this issue? I've desperately searched the net, including the supersite, and can find no codeplug to overwrite with. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[wavetar]

The latest DOS version was 5.07.00 I believe. It sounds like the firmware version of the MCS is very old & CPS can't really speak to it.

[spectrumguru]

Version 5.07.00 of the RSS seems to be a bit of a mythological creature.... can't find it ANYWHERE, and the guys at the local radio shop swear that 5.04.00 was the last official release. I believe that my radio was always programed using CPS, and that the previous owner of the radio tried programming it with a very old version of RSS. Now I can't read it with anything. Was just curious if there was another tool or method I could use to get inside this thing?

[wavetar]

I believe that my radio was always programed using CPS, and that the previous owner of the radio tried programming it with a very old version of RSS. Now I can't read it with anything.

You failed to mention this little nugget in your original post. Receiving good help is dependent on giving good information.

Old RSS won't mess up a radio, it just gives the same 'codeplug version too new' error you get with 5.04.00. So, the previous owner must've used LAB RSS to enable or modify features, which could definitely make CPS barf at it.

5.07.00 definitely exists, although I can understand the shop thinking 5.04.00 was the last release, as it was for a couple of years, then 5,6 & 7 were released in fairly rapid succession alongside the first few releases of CPS.

I'm not sure if 5.07.00 would even help you, as it will likely also barf at the LAB changes. Unfortunately, Motorola no longer sells it, and we don't supply software, so you're left to your own devices to try & source it out. Same thing goes for LAB RSS.

If you do manage to get your hands on a version of MTSX LAB 3.02.00 and a good codeplug (same band, same model, same power level, features you want) then a search here on the board will give you a procedure to force the codeplug into the radio, after which you should be able to read/write with CPS normally. A full alignment of the radio will be needed afterwards.