About 8 years ago, when I first started working / playing with //s radios, I picked up a "Pocket RIB" at a ham fest not knowing anything at the time about good RIBs or bad (let alone the pain of corrupted codeplugs)
Luckily, it has worked flawlessly for a lot of years, and seems to be a really well built product, with very nice SMT construction internally.
The discussions on this board have, however, inspired a new paranoia about rubber banding the danging 9V batteryto the unit when in use, but I have never had a bad experience with this thing.
What I don't know is- who made this thing? Is it a // product? There are no markings anywhere on the unit. If it's third party, they do very nice work.
If you want to see what I'm talking about, there is currently an identical unit on eBay at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dl ... 1298998844
Thanks!
Pocket RIB
Moderator: Queue Moderator
Hi:
I have seen this particular style
of interface box and it may have
come from overseas. I have sold a number of Factory Rib replacements
for those who have obtained one and
decided to upgrade to a Motorola product
Many times, any clone / homemade / or simailar interface will work, however
ones does have to assume a risk with wires
hanging out, loose batteries and the like.
I have even seen a GP300 Program Cable which
was nothing more than 3 Nip Clips and a Battery hanging off to one side, and I guess one has to " Hold " the
Nip Clip to the programming contact.
Although I am sure it probably worked, I would not recomend one taking that risk. I have restored many a code plug due to the
person failing to hold the Program Clip properly to the surface contact.
Also, any good clone rib box is directly
associated to the Skill of the user, and
also the Computer being used.
As a note of interest, Motorola has " Upgraded the Factory Rib" to a more modern
design, and there is a SRN indicating that
it may be more user friendly with Pentiums.
So far, I still have not been able to make
my Tecra 510CDT which is a pentium 133 work
on Maxtracs.
I have programmed 1000's of Motorola radios
with a Toshiba T3200SXC and to date, not one
corupted code plug, however I do have a Factory Motorola Rib, Power Supply, Factory
Rib to Computer Cable, and a Backup UPS for the Computer. All has worked perfectly.
MS
I have seen this particular style
of interface box and it may have
come from overseas. I have sold a number of Factory Rib replacements
for those who have obtained one and
decided to upgrade to a Motorola product
Many times, any clone / homemade / or simailar interface will work, however
ones does have to assume a risk with wires
hanging out, loose batteries and the like.
I have even seen a GP300 Program Cable which
was nothing more than 3 Nip Clips and a Battery hanging off to one side, and I guess one has to " Hold " the
Nip Clip to the programming contact.
Although I am sure it probably worked, I would not recomend one taking that risk. I have restored many a code plug due to the
person failing to hold the Program Clip properly to the surface contact.
Also, any good clone rib box is directly
associated to the Skill of the user, and
also the Computer being used.
As a note of interest, Motorola has " Upgraded the Factory Rib" to a more modern
design, and there is a SRN indicating that
it may be more user friendly with Pentiums.
So far, I still have not been able to make
my Tecra 510CDT which is a pentium 133 work
on Maxtracs.
I have programmed 1000's of Motorola radios
with a Toshiba T3200SXC and to date, not one
corupted code plug, however I do have a Factory Motorola Rib, Power Supply, Factory
Rib to Computer Cable, and a Backup UPS for the Computer. All has worked perfectly.
MS
I use a motorola rib, with power supply and grid 386sx computer for all the dos programs, never a problem but I go 1 little step further, I put the power cord for the rib and the power supply for 12v for any programming acles that require it on a UPS supply along with the computer, that way let the power go out or surge, I won't loose anything, so far not one OOPS
I'm using that exact unit for the past 8 years too and no problems what so ever. Got it from AirComm in Phoenix. But....always a but, it would not program a hi band MCS2000. Had to use its equivalent AC powered RIB that they were selling.
Tron
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Tron on 2001-11-22 22:20 ]</font>
Tron
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Tron on 2001-11-22 22:20 ]</font>