Batboard

Can anyone point me in the right direction in starting out with an R-1801 programmer? The suitcase came with the correct adapter (RTL-5805) to do the job and was used in the past to program these radios but I can't figure out how to run the software.

After power on it tells me it has 1K or RAM and that it's Version A and then asks for the program name. Any clues on how the programs were named would be great and the run name of RTL-4809 would be ideal. Any details on the command options would also be helpful.

John

John,
After you power up the R-1801, press and Hold the shift key and enter L, release the shift key and just press L, then hit Return key.
This will list all firmware progams on the board. one your looking for should be
MX300-S

Not a very user friedly program to use !
PM me if you need further.
Mark.

Hi Mark,

Excellent help, thank you!

So far so good can now read the prom contents and I'm getting conformable with working this bit of history.

Cheers, John

Being able to program synthesized MXs is still a valuable commodity. Make programming services available for others
and you'll get enough business to offset the programmer's cost before too long

I might be interested, myself. I've got a case of MX nostalgia..the first radio I ever learned in great detail.


Elroy

Astro Spectra wrote:Can anyone point me in the right direction in starting out with an R-1801 programmer? The suitcase came with the correct adapter (RTL-5805) to do the job and was used in the past to program these radios but I can't figure out how to run the software.

After power on it tells me it has 1K or RAM and that it's Version A and then asks for the program name. Any clues on how the programs were named would be great and the run name of RTL-4809 would be ideal. Any details on the command options would also be helpful.

John

Version "A" was the only version made. Mark already told you about \L to list the programs, there is also \T to run a test program on the lower half of the DAC. IIRC test 1 is a display test, press line feed to advance. Test 2 is a keyboard test, just do what the 1801 tells you to do. Test 3 tests the RAM, just like turning the machine on and test4 checks the I/O paths. For test 4, you need to connect I/O 1 to I/O 2 and I/O 5 to I/O 6 or all you will get is errors.

Also, the RTL4809 firmware and RTL5805 adapter will ONLY work with the older (B version) MX300 proms. The short lived C version proms and the EEPROMS required different firmware and adapters.

What type PROM do the MX's take?

Also I thought MX/PX was a band

Funny that this topic should come up just now. I just acquired an R-1800 for Blue Feather, along with several adapters including those for the MX-S portables.

In short: I now have programming capability for such, even if I don't have any PROM chips (yet -- Still looking for those). Another of my plans is to see if I can tweak the MX programming software to alter the band limits for UHF. Being that the EPROM containing the program is only 8K, it may just be possible...

I'll update my web page shortly to reflect the changes.

Keep the peace(es).

Thank you all for the comments. I have been able to burn the PROMs I wanted and in all cases I did the trick of programming an unused section of a NLN5096A prom that was in the radio and re-jumpering the zone.

I understand that it might also be possible to add channels to an existing zone and jumper the channel switch.

Does anyone know if the NLN7303A is equivalent to the '5096A?

Regards, John