Saber I: 5D/6D, encryption & the famous bypass wire…

[borisf]

Hi everyone.

I bought two UHF Saber I off eBay. One is CORE 5D, one 6D. Both of them have DES modules installed, one of them however has the famous bypass wire in place as well. Since I'm lacking a KVL I wasn't able to fill the modules yet.

Now my questions:

a) Does the bypass wire do any harm to the DES module when the radio is operated with both "installed" at the same time?

b) The CORE 5D's clear/secure switch audibly snaps into position when operated, the 6D's feels smooth like butter. Is this normal?

c) The 5D seems to operate fine when in clear mode and sounds the "no key" error tones when switched to secure. The 6D however sounds those beeps in both modes. The "delete clear/secure toggle" option is not set in RSS. Does this have anything to do with the different CORE versions, the bypass wire or is the switch on the 6D just garbage?

d) How do I remove and install the DES modules? Where should I pull & push?


Thank you.

[AEC]

If a wire was added to act as a factory bypass, then no matter what module is installed, it will not function.

Simply desolder the wire and install an active module in place of the wire.

All you need to do is pull upwards to remove and push doen to install.

As you hold any Saber encryption module, with the pins down, you will notice that the 'notch' on the right side of the module fits with the PA module on the right side of the frame, at the bottom of the radio.

To play it safe, never install any active encryption modules that have a bypass wire soldered to the board, it will defeat the encryption and if you attempt to load a key, it will not work until that wire has been removed.

The sound a secure/clear switch makes is of little concern really, they are all the same, even those without the emergency button in the center.
The same switch is used for all Sabers, and you can swap one to another without any difficulty, and the same goesfor the toggle style as well.

The ones that are simply a 'bat' wing and those that have the round, raised 'emergency' button in the center.....they can swap with each other and will work, it's only in the options menu under MDC setttings that the change will take place...IE: MDC-1200/Audible Emergency.

Then you simply enter your ID number and go to the next option.

Secure radios do not give you a choice of PRE/POST/BOTH for MDC activity, it's PRE or nothing.

You can program a secure capable radio as a non secure model, then you will be able to change the MDC settings, and the RSS will also pop up this selection as well.

[AEC]

The secure options do not enhance or cripple any CORE version of the Sabers, you just can NOT program ANY 6D or 8D options in ANY core of lesser/earlier revision, most notably, the 5D.

The clear alert tones can be disabled in the radio options menu (F2) for all CORE versions, as this is an RSS change and not related to the CORE version.

If the radio is secure capable, but with a bypass installed, and you switch the coded/clear toggle to coded, you will NOT see the sign change in the LCD as the module is, in essence, a fake, or inactive(hence-bypass).

Only an active encryption module will allow you to see the change from coded to clear on the LCD.

When an active module is installed, and no key has been loaded, and you switch over to the coded sign, then you will get a tone and the display will read: KEY FAIL and the radio will not transmit.

[borisf]

AEC,

thank you for the very detailed information.

I'll simply desolder the wire and borrow a KVL to verify that the DES module is working properly.

[AEC]

Borisf....You are very welcome!