Motorola GTX LTR Install

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Fri May 13, 2005 12:55 pm

Hello,
I received a GTX LTR radio earlier and I am new to this. I am trying to figure out how to install this into my vehicle without burning up the vehicle. It came with all of the cables needed, I believe.

Can anyone help me with this?

Thanks,
dustin

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Fri May 13, 2005 1:40 pm

The vehicle I want to install in is a 1993 GMC C1500 (Pickup truck).

The radio is a Motorola GTX LTR (800MHz version)

The radio came with this:
A mobile power cable (HKN4137A)
A 16 pin acc kit, with expan conn. (HLN9242A)
And another very long cable that fits into one of the plugins in the back of the radio (the middle one, its inbetween the antenna connection and the other one (im guessing the other is for the 16 pin acc kit?))

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Fri May 13, 2005 2:16 pm

I took some pictures of the radio and the stuff that came with it: http://www.esportsea.com/dustin/newradio

Also on the mobile power cable, there are two of those metal rings that look like they would go up to the battery itself.

It looks like everything is here to install it.

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Fri May 13, 2005 2:58 pm

Oy. You might want to do some reading up, or find a qualified installer - no offense, but it sounds like you may not have the qualifications to make this happen. There's a world of tricks to installing radios...

Anyway, on the back of the radio:
Left connector - this is a Mini-UHF connector for the antenna. You'll need an antenna designed for 800MHz mounted on the vehicle (magnetic mount (shudder), lip mount, permanent hole mount, etc.)

Middle connector - primary A+. Plug the long cable into this, take the black wire to a good ground point (not the battery!), and the red wire should plug into the bullet connector on the fuse holder (the red plastic thing you have in a bag) which will then attach to the battery.

Right connector - 16 pin accessory connector. If you're not doing anything fancy and want to use the internal speaker, all you need here is a jumper between two pins to enable the speaker. Check the GTX page on the main batlabs site for the appropriate pins to jumper.

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Fri May 13, 2005 3:04 pm

Thanks for replying

Yeah, I'm wanting to learn how to install these and I figure the only way is to dig in.

For the antenna, I already have an 800mhz antenna that fits that connection.

For the middle connector, I have the long cable plugged into that. On the long cable, I plugged the red end into the mobile power cable. After doing that, it leaves me with two wires.. one red and one black, they both have "raw wire" on the end. The mobile power cable came with those metal rings, that I'm guessing I put on the end of those wires.

So now I attach the red wire to the battery, and the black wire to?

Also, do I need to set up an ignition switch so this only gets power when the ignition is on?

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Fri May 13, 2005 3:32 pm

dchilders wrote:Thanks for replying

Yeah, I'm wanting to learn how to install these and I figure the only way is to dig in.

For the antenna, I already have an 800mhz antenna that fits that connection.

For the middle connector, I have the long cable plugged into that. On the long cable, I plugged the red end into the mobile power cable. After doing that, it leaves me with two wires.. one red and one black, they both have "raw wire" on the end. The mobile power cable came with those metal rings, that I'm guessing I put on the end of those wires.

So now I attach the red wire to the battery, and the black wire to?

Also, do I need to set up an ignition switch so this only gets power when the ignition is on?

Red wire should go to the battery or other suitable place to provide 20A (the radio's only about 11... rule #1, always factor in a safety margin). On Fords, you can commonly back the nut off the top post battery clamps, slide the ring onto the stud, and tighten the nut back down. I'm not sure how your vehicle is set up, however.

Black wire should go to chassis ground - screwed into the floor pan, underneath an existing bolt, etc., just make sure the ring is touching *bare metal*, not paint. Bad grounds make for very troublesome installs.

For ignition sense, you'd find that on the 16-pin accessory connector. Check out the main site. I haven't done a GTX in quite a while and can't remember the exact strategy (MCSs are easy, Astros are easy, but I've slept since I've done a GTX).

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Fri May 13, 2005 3:37 pm

Ok, I understand all of that now. Thanks.

Last question (I believe). How do I do the jumpers? I'm used to jumpers on a computer where you have a small pin and you just slide it into the connection.

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Fri May 13, 2005 3:40 pm

dchilders wrote:Ok, I understand all of that now. Thanks.

Last question (I believe). How do I do the jumpers? I'm used to jumpers on a computer where you have a small pin and you just slide it into the connection.

Use the connector shell you have in the 16-pin accessory kit bag and the wires with pins already on one end. Cut to length and install another pin (from the metal strip) onto the opposite end. The right way to do this is with a crimp tool - the way I normally do it is to carefully strip the wire, slide it up inside the pin, use hemostats to crimp the forward "ears" down onto the wire, then crimp the rear "ears" down onto the insulation (strain relief). Last but not least, flow a *little* solder into the body of the pin.

Make sure you know what you're doing on that connector... there are pins back there than can get you into trouble if you get them crossed.

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Fri May 13, 2005 4:03 pm

Ok. I took the plastic connector inside the bag and got a wire out of the bag (the blue wire). I got the end with the pin on it and put it into slot 13 of the plastic connector (slot 13 is the internal speaker, according to the main batlabs site). I then plugged the connector into the back of the 16 pin accessory connector on the back of the radio.

All I should have to do now is hook the red wire to the battery and the black wire to a ground, and it should be good to go. Correct?

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Fri May 13, 2005 4:22 pm

dchilders wrote:Ok. I took the plastic connector inside the bag and got a wire out of the bag (the blue wire). I got the end with the pin on it and put it into slot 13 of the plastic connector (slot 13 is the internal speaker, according to the main batlabs site). I then plugged the connector into the back of the 16 pin accessory connector on the back of the radio.

All I should have to do now is hook the red wire to the battery and the black wire to a ground, and it should be good to go. Correct?

You mean you have a flying lead (only connected to one point)? Err, no. I can't remember which is the other pin you want to take it to... I want to say 16, but it's been awhile...

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Fri May 13, 2005 4:25 pm

Ahh ok. I see what your saying. So I just need to put a pin on the other end of it and plug the other end into a slot.

I'm guessing slot 7. That is ground, at least according to http://www.batlabs.com/gtx.html

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Fri May 13, 2005 6:00 pm

dchilders wrote:Ahh ok. I see what your saying. So I just need to put a pin on the other end of it and plug the other end into a slot.

I'm guessing slot 7. That is ground, at least according to http://www.batlabs.com/gtx.html

NO NO NO. Never ground the audio amp in a Motorola radio, if you wish the audio to continue working. I'm not sure if the GTX has a floating amp, but on radios like the Spectra, taking either side of the audio amp to ground kills the amp.

Fortunately, kcbooboo reminded me in another thread of the appropriate configuration:
Pin 13 to 16 to enable the internal speaker
Pin 10 to A+ for ignition sense

Make sure to put a fuse (1A) in the ignition sense line.

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Fri May 13, 2005 6:56 pm

Ok, Also.. the pin numbers, are they numbered horizontal? Like:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Or vertical?

And the colored wires, does it matter which color I use? None of them are labelled so its hard to tell.

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Fri May 13, 2005 9:35 pm

Nevermind about the pin numbering.

Some research found this: http://www.batlabs.com/images/maxacc.gif

I still have the question about the colored wires though.

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Sat May 14, 2005 11:39 am

Ok, I just got back from my uncles house and he hooked up everything for me. When I turn the radio on, it comes on and lights up (the top left LED light is red) and all of the characters are on the screen, then about a second later it turns off. Does anyone know why it is doing this?

We checked all of the wires and they are all getting power.

bellersley · Post by **bellersley** » Sat May 14, 2005 12:00 pm

It sounds to me like you need to hook up the Ignition Sense wire. On the accessory connector on the back of the radio, put 12 volts onto pin 10. The connector is the same as the Radius series, and you can find a diagram here: http://www.batlabs.com/images/maxacc.gif

Note: Do NOT use the pin descriptions on that diagram as they are for the Radius which are different than the GTX. ONLY use it to figure out where pin 10 is.

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Sat May 14, 2005 12:01 pm

hmm, where is the ignition sense wire? I don't believe it came with one.

wa2zdy · Post by **wa2zdy** » Sat May 14, 2005 12:23 pm

You have to add it to the 16 pin plug you said you got with the radio. Apply 12v to pin #10 on that connector. Then it should work if that's the problem.

Good luck.

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Sat May 14, 2005 12:26 pm

Yeah I got that far so far, I just need to know where to get the 12v to apply to pin 10. The mobile power cable came with several wires, do I use one of those? What do I hook it to?

Sorry I'm not very vehicle technical, computers are where I have been.

Again, thanks for the help everyone is giving. I am learning fast, I just keep hitting road blocks.

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Sat May 14, 2005 12:30 pm

A webpage says that I could do pin 9 to pin 10, is this possible?

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Sat May 14, 2005 2:20 pm

Ok, I did it pin 9 to pin 10. When I power it on, it says TST, then it says 1A. Is this good?

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Sat May 14, 2005 2:32 pm

dchilders wrote:Ok, I did it pin 9 to pin 10. When I power it on, it says TST, then it says 1A. Is this good?

Yep, that's what it's supposed to do. Can you make it make noise (press a button, etc.)?

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Sat May 14, 2005 2:40 pm

Yes, it beeps and everything when I press buttons. Do you have any kind of quick tutorial type thing to get me used to the basics of this?

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Sat May 14, 2005 2:57 pm

dchilders wrote:Yes, it beeps and everything when I press buttons. Do you have any kind of quick tutorial type thing to get me used to the basics of this?

Everything's "soft" (user-programmable). You'll need to program the radio before you can go any further.

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Sat May 14, 2005 3:00 pm

It has already been programmed for my LTR system. I'm guessing I have to enter talkgroups somehow, do the talkgroups have to be programmed also? (hopefully I can do this with the keys on the radio and not RSS

)

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Sat May 14, 2005 6:01 pm

anyone?

I just need to know if I need to invest in a RIB and the cables to program it or not. I can program it, as that is dealing with computers which is what I deal with.

The correct frequencies for the repeaters are supposed to be programmed into there. I gave those to the guy that programmed it and he said it was good to go. So now, do I need to program talkgroups into it with RSS or does that not have to be done?

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Sat May 14, 2005 6:32 pm

All system data has to be programmed with RSS.

You'll need to invest in a RIB, cables, and software (about $300 from Mother M). You'll also need to have all the appropriate system info.

If you're not an authorized user on the system, stop now.

dchilders · Post by **dchilders** » Sat May 14, 2005 6:45 pm

I am authorized. I will get the programming stuff for this.

Do you think this will work? http://www.wiscomm.com/cables.htm

Scroll down to "1000mgc". It says that it is for GTX Mobile.

Also you said "You'll also need to have all the appropriate system info. " -- I figured all I would need is the frequencies and talkgroups. I know MOT II systems need a syskey, but I didn't think LTR would need one?

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Sun May 15, 2005 1:29 am

I'd build the programming cable - it's just a DB-25-->RJ-45 cable you need. Look in the schematics on Batlabs. I build a DB-25-->RJ-45 connector up (like what you see on the back of terminals to connect them to a network, etc.) and then use a patch cable from the connector block to the radio. Works well.

Something like this: http://www.altex.com/product_info.php?c ... ts_id=1923
You don't even have to do any soldering. You'll save lots of money too.

LTR systems do not require a system key. Doesn't make it any less unethical to program up an unauthorized radio on to a system, which is why I said that.