Remote a4 spectra control head won't turn on.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » Mon May 01, 2006 8:24 pm

I have an a5 remote mount spectra that works great. I want an a4 head to match my vhf radio. I installed the head, bit banged the control head for an a4, changed the model number to show a4.(Just in case I needed to.) The display showed programing as it usually does.

I then read the radio and immediatly reprogamed the codeplug. All seams ok except the radio when turned on does nothing. No lights, no sound no nothin.

I then re-hooked up the programing cable and the display works, I put a good a4 control head on the radio and it worked great.

What should I look for on the control head to figure this out. I see what looks like a fuse, is this a fuse?

Thanks for any and all help.

Dennis

Rick Rock · Post by **Rick Rock** » Mon May 01, 2006 9:40 pm

What remote kit are you using? is it the one that screws into the remote head housing or just clips in? Is the control head type in radio-wide settings showing rotary or standard?

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » Tue May 02, 2006 5:25 pm

I just checked, it does say rotory in the radio wide menu, and I'm using a s9000 head with one dek.

Everything was working when I changed heads, I did notice that when I put the good head on the mount the dek lights were flickering, not steady as usuall.

Dennis

Rick Rock · Post by **Rick Rock** » Tue May 02, 2006 6:28 pm

OK, you're listing off 3 different heads. the s9000 head won't work @ all without bitbanging it to a 9000 radio. These heads are totally different than the A4 & A5 heads.

Lets get some clarification-
What is the original model# of the radio?
What did you bitbang it to?

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » Tue May 02, 2006 7:35 pm

Sorry I wasn't thinking straight I guess. It's an a4 head with the new style push on cable. I don't have access to the model number at the moment but the firmware is 6.xx

Dennis

Rick Rock · Post by **Rick Rock** » Tue May 02, 2006 9:14 pm

Do you have +12v on the orange and green wires, as well as the main red wire?
Do you have +12v on the 15pin port on the back?
Is your ground solid?
Is the remote cable screwed in tightly?
Is the remote cable plugged into the right port?
Is there any pinch-points on the remote cable?
Is your DEK set up, and if so what for?
Do you have the DEK plugged into the correct spot on the back?
Is the DEK cable original?

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » Wed May 03, 2006 5:00 pm

Yes to all of the above with the exception of number two, the 12volt to pin 15 on the rear, I've never used this as an a5 and it worked fine. My vhf radio is the same setup and I don't have pin a5 hot. All cables are correct, I didn't remove any of them when switching heads, only the two screws that hold the head onto the remote mount.

The dek is setup for switching zones only and worked ok. The dek cable is original Motorola cable.

I've checked all connections and am starting to believe the head has a problem, possibly with the on and off dial. I feels just like the other one and I can see the internals move from the back side.

Dennis

jackhackett · Post by **jackhackett** » Thu May 04, 2006 7:04 am

Dennis wrote:Yes to all of the above with the exception of number two, the 12volt to pin 15 on the rear

I lordy... don't put 12V on pin 15!!!
He said the 15 pin connector, not pin 15 of the connector.
And for a remote head I don't think you need power to the accessory connector anyway, the orange and green wires going to the head take it's place, at least that's the way al the one's I've seen were.

Rick Rock · Post by **Rick Rock** » Thu May 04, 2006 8:48 am

Check the part#s on the circuit boards and list the head#s. Either you have a bad head or an incompatible 1 from the sound of it. It should be "HLN****" either on a white sticker or black stamp.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » Fri May 05, 2006 12:07 pm

Today I had the day off and did a little fooling around with the head.

The radio id number is D44KMA7JA4BK (Was an A5 till I hacked it)

Head number is AALN4008G Made in 1995

Good head I used to test AALN4008J Made 6/2/1998

ID of radio good head is normally on D43KMA7JA4AK

I put the known good head on the D44 radio and everything worked as advertized, including DEK.

I put the bad head on the D43 radio and got absolutly nothing.

I put the bad head on the D44 radio with the program cable still hooked to power and radio worked absolutly fine, including all DEK buttons. Without program cable hooked to power I got nothing at all.

I'm going to assume at this point that the on and off switch doesn't receive power to it or it itself doesn't work, but the volume part does.

I'm going to hook up a manual switch to use for now to the programing hot lead until I can find the time to ring out the power to the switch, unless someone else has a better idea.

Dennis

Rick Rock · Post by **Rick Rock** » Fri May 05, 2006 6:06 pm

Put power to pin 5 on the back of the main unit and be done with it. I've had older spectra heads before that wouldn't work w/o power to the 15pin connector.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » Fri May 05, 2006 8:16 pm

I did put a switch on pin 5 of the main unit and ran it to the side of the control head metal mounting bracket. You can't even see it if you don't know it's their. Works great.

Thank you for all your help, I beleive I'm done with this change to an a4 head, a pain in the butt but it is worth it.

Thanks again,

Dennis