VRS Syntor to Spectra SP01 to SP02

ArmsonOeg · Post by **ArmsonOeg** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 5:46 pm

Has anyone tried to do the conversion with the SP02 Chip, That Batlabs has now listed as being possible. also the Low Profile Shield swap....Thanks Gordon

metro121 · Post by **metro121** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 6:08 pm

I have put the syntor siren units on our spectras with out any modification other than combinning the VRS and the Siren unit in one box. I did not have to get a new firmware chip or hack any software. All functions work and I only had to use one siren cable because both units are contained in one unit.
I may have been lucky and got the ones that worked without changing any chip but it did work. I did double check the firm ware chip #s on the siren units and they are the syntor version.
Give it a try before you buy the replacement chip. It might work.

Mike B · Post by **Mike B** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 6:22 pm

Metro121, do you use the portable radio PL mode steering VRS feature? I think this may be one of the things the Syntor SP01 VRS chip will not do correctly while attached to a Spectra?

Please e-mail a reply.
_________
Mike B.
[email protected]

PCSAR 4x4 652 · Post by **PCSAR 4x4 652** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 10:27 pm

I use the SP02 with MODE STEERING. The Spectra only allows four (4) mode steers but works well. It will also send your scan list to your handheld when in scan mode. It is a converted SP01. Mine is comined into my HLN1185E siren/PA unit.
I thought that without the sp02 conversion that the sp01 would not even talk to the spectra at all. Mike, Can you confirm?
BTW, mine is a AASP model,
what does the toggle switch on the expo radio inside for?

_________________
T. Freeman
PCSAR 4x4 Unit 652
PCSAR TAC Unit 705
[ This Message was edited by: PCSAR 4x4 652 on 2002-02-23 01:32 ]

[ This Message was edited by: PCSAR 4x4 652 on 2002-02-23 01:38 ]

metro121 · Post by **metro121** » Sat Feb 23, 2002 1:34 am

I have not used the mode steering but if I get a chance i will check it out.

The togle switch is for channel 1 and channel 2 but it is not going to be used while in the VRS. You will probly have only one channel in it.

ArmsonOeg · Post by **ArmsonOeg** » Sat Feb 23, 2002 6:39 am

Thanks Guys, I have a SP01 Syntor in mine and it Works Mode Steers, Rec. The Scan list Even does the PL, (There is a trick to the PL) to make it work It did Not work at first for me until i figured it out.the Trick is to Install the Radio Side of the cable last. Anyway we have 4 Other SP01 VRS these work as far as Scan list , Mode Steeering, PL to Access, and Transmits back to portable, The problem is you cannot transmit from Portable to VRS It tries to lock and transmit then stops

[ This Message was edited by: ArmsonOeg on 2002-02-23 10:31 ]

PCSAR 4x4 652 · Post by **PCSAR 4x4 652** » Sat Feb 23, 2002 10:36 am

OK, So yours is an SP01 on a SPECTRA, correct? This may be the problem why it does not work in port to base repeat. The vrs has to communicate with the Spectra. The sp01 chip may not be able to communicate completely with the mobile since it was programmed for a Syntor. I know there is a problem with the Securenet type not working without the conversion. Is your spectra a securenet radio?
In the mode steer option I use tx steer/rx latch (Steer and Stay mode). The freq is the same for TX and RX, the PL tone steers the mobile. You can only use 4 mode steers on the spectra. prog the portable for ch 1-4 same freq diff PL tones. prog the spectra VRS options modes steering (F9 more options, F4 vrs options, F7 mode steering) to see the 4 different PL and you have to tell it what mode the mobile is to be on for that PL. make sure you have them right or it won't work properly.
If you have more questions on this particular operation Email me or hit F1 help in the RSS and it will explain the different options for the highlighted option in the RSS. It is kind of vaque sometimes so read it twice. I have my programming computer on most of the time and can walk you through it during a mock program on my end so I can see exactly what you see.

_________________
T. Freeman
PCSAR 4x4 Unit 652
PCSAR TAC Unit 705

[ This Message was edited by: PCSAR 4x4 652 on 2002-02-23 13:37 ]

John · Post by **John** » Sat Feb 23, 2002 3:28 pm

This is a slightly off topic. I am using a SPO2 VRS with a Smartnet Spectra. Everything works fine except:

- if I try to use mode steering while scanning on the mobile/Spectra, it doesn't work. Works fine if radio is not in scan. I would like to be able to leave the radio in scan but still control the mode for VRS transmit. Can this be done?

- when scanning with a trunking channel as the selected mode, the VRS makes a fairly rapid popping sound (around 1 per sec). If selected mode is conventional, it doesn't do this (it scans trunked modes OK but without the pop). Any ideas?

Thanks,

John

ArmsonOeg · Post by **ArmsonOeg** » Sun Feb 24, 2002 8:19 am

Well on Conventional your mobile can scan and use the Mode Steering, Mine is working that way now.Im Not sure how it works on a trunk or smartnet system. The pop is the VRS Checking for activity......

PCSAR 4x4 652 · Post by **PCSAR 4x4 652** » Sun Feb 24, 2002 8:53 am

If the pop is while it is stopped on an active channel it is checking for activity an your PRIORITY and second priority channels. It has to leave the active channel to sample the 1st and 2nd Priority modes.

_________________
T. Freeman
PCSAR 4x4 Unit 652
PCSAR TAC Unit 705

[ This Message was edited by: PCSAR 4x4 652 on 2002-02-24 11:53 ]

Mike B · Post by **Mike B** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 11:29 pm

Until now I had not heard of anyone using SP01 VRS units on Spectra radio without major problems. I checked my old e-mail and found out that the mobile detector was programmed in (i.e. the Spectra uses its own receiver and lots of mode memory to check priority activity for the VRS) and mode steering was programmed. So mode steering all by itself may not be a problem? The transmitter locking up was another common complaint. Both of these problems were solved with the SP02 upgrade.

I am beginning to see a complete lack of standard responses to the SP01 VRS by different Spectra radios. There are so many variations of Spectra configurations and types that it is does not look practical to try and document everything that works or not with the SP01.

I think metro121's "give the SP01 a try first" advice is the ultimately best advice.

Actually the VRS is not very capable as microcomputer controlled systems go. The VRS programming resides inside the radio, not the VRS. If the VRS is setup to use the mobile detector option, the Spectra receiver will do the actual activity checking. In the old PAC-RT units they had to use a separate optional receiver. The pop in the audio could be a priority scan mode or it could be the VRS checking for priority activity. It is hard to tell.
________
Mike B