HOW TO add control heads to an existing XTL2500/XTL5000

[Wile E. Coyote]

I recently spoke to a Motorola engineer for an unrelated topic. While we were chatting, he told me how to set up an XTL2500/5000 for multiple control heads with nothing more than what spare radios you might have laying around. He also told me that you will not find this information in ANY Motorola manual! Here are the steps.

1. Set up a radio with a remote mount on the bench or in a car. Program the radio for multiple control heads in the radio wide field. When done, remove power.

2. Locate a spare control head, with power & data cables.

3. Connect ONLY the power cable to the radios control head. Do not power it up yet!

4. While pressing the right most button under the display AND pressing the emergency button, turn on the power. This will bring up the boot loader display with the Motorola logo. Make a note of the version of firmware in the control head.

5. Do the same to the spare control head. Make sure that both versions match before proceeding.

6. Remove power from the spare control head. While pressing the left most button under the display AND pressing the emergency button, turn on the power to the control head. When it powers up, it will display “CH 1” for Control Head 1. Simply rotate the channel select knob to change it to CH 2. If you have an XTL5000, you can go up to 4!

7. Remove power and attach the data cables from the control heads to the brick (you can also daisy chain)

That’s all there is to it! Experiment and have fun.

Apologies if this has been discussed before. a quick search did not bring up anything.

WEC

[Twisted_Pear]

Daaamn, great info! Thanks for sharing.

[Astro Spectra]

Very cool. Now next time you're talking to him ask if there is a similar trick to add a second radio to one head for a dual radio setup!

[groundrat99]

Is this only for the O series head? Or is there a secret squirrel way to do the W series as well?

[Wile E. Coyote]

I don't know if it will work on other versions of control head. If I had other versions at my disposal I would try them, but sadly I do not.

Also, I found that if the control head has an older version of firmware, it will not work. I do not know what version number they started allowing this feature to work.

If anyone can add to what versions work to this thread, I am sure others will be able to find and use this information.

Thanks,
WEC

[resqguy911]

Is this only for the O series head? Or is there a secret squirrel way to do the W series as well?

And just where would you expect to plug in the 3rd and 4th heads?

[Jim202]

Remember he said that you can daisy chain the heads. There are multiple connectors on both the radio and
the control heads for just this purpose. Connect the first and second heads to the radio. Then connect
heads 3 and 4 from the 1 and 2 heads.

Jim

Is this only for the O series head? Or is there a secret squirrel way to do the W series as well?

And just where would you expect to plug in the 3rd and 4th heads?

[akardam]

Is this only for the O series head? Or is there a secret squirrel way to do the W series as well?

And just where would you expect to plug in the 3rd and 4th heads?

Remember he said that you can daisy chain the heads. There are multiple connectors on both the radio and
the control heads for just this purpose. Connect the first and second heads to the radio. Then connect
heads 3 and 4 from the 1 and 2 heads.

Jim

Except that the daisy chain feature only applies to the O series heads, due to their preponderance of GCAI ports. You cannot daisy chain W series heads, as there is nowhere to connect a head to a head.

[EdwinAlers]

Thanks for the inf. We have problems (radio only see one CH). This help me. We have contact Motorola and the can't send any info. They still try to figure out. ????????