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MTX8000 B3 to B4 Conversion

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 7:31 pm
by NSPD
I am thinking about aquiring some B3 MTX8000's to hack....

The first of which I plan to convert to a Top Display Type II trunking radio. From what I gather, all that is involved is finding a Top Display front for the radio, connecting the flex, and dumping in a Type II codeplug. Will I need a B4 MTX or MTS2000 codeplug? I guess that this will give me 48 channels using the A/B/C switch, but I know that I can add up to 160 by changing out the switch to continous rotary. How hard is this to do?

Anyone have a Codeplug for a Type II MTX8000 or MTS2000 I can use?

Thanks!

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:49 pm
by Mfire39
A B4 or MTS plug will work fine. Just remember to right down the tuning values prior to "Frankin-Flashing" the radio.

Just be aware, if you end up using a plug from an MTS with a decent flash.... While you may gain the use of the top display, more channels, and type II trunking, the radio will not function "exactly" like a true MTS. Some features won't be availible due to the low firmware versions that are common in MTX's.

But in a nutshell, after you put all the tuning values back into it, the radio will function just fine and will work like you want it to.

As far as the continuous rotary channel knob... It isn't that hard to take the channel pot apart and remove the little metal stop ring. What you need if you are going that route, is a codeplug from a radio that orig had a continuous rotary. Simply turning that option "on" using a "certain tool" for some reason doesn't work, even though it shows up in the rss as having that feature.. at least in my experiances.

-Marc

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:39 pm
by NSPD
Thanks for the info...

On another note, without recasing the radio into one with a top display, can you write in a B4 codeplug with 48 channels and just not have a display?

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:51 pm
by Mfire39
You sure can.

-Marc