I kill MCS-2000's

[KD7TZ]

I put a couple more notches in my programming cable today with the mcs-2000. We can't get new ones anymore so I am always looking for some good used ones, I needed one of them to give to the local fire department for their interop rack in the emergency van.so they can talk to the refinery fire department, But as usual during upload to the radio shutdown and corrupted the plug. I am using the latest version of the cps software, and a polarus rib and cable, it reads them ok but then when I write back to the radio the somewhat bulky zone channel info and stuff for our system the early reset usually happens and trashes the radio. I am trying to put in a lot of info we have about 30 user groups in our trunking system, and six conventional 800 mhz channels.I would like to add the federal 800 mhz interop channels too if I can get over the radio killer hump.let me know if you got any ideas. We need a new system really, cant get mobils any more just the mtx-8250 which I am anticipating will be discontinued anytime, it's not going to be fun trying to find good used handhelds but the company always runs everything till the last minute.. Anyway anybody want to give me some advice on the mcs-2000's, I would appreciate it.

[batdude]

programming cable (a real one) - RKN4063A, still available.


toss the polaris rib in the trash.

buy a RLN 4008b or e (radio interface box - check here on batlabs, someone will have one)

never will you again blow up a radio due to the interface between the rib / radio and PC


doug

[alex]

programming cable (a real one) - RKN4063A, still available.


toss the polaris rib in the trash.

buy a RLN 4008b or e (radio interface box - check here on batlabs, someone will have one)

never will you again blow up a radio due to the interface between the rib / radio and PC


doug

I agree with Doug - but do keep in mind while the Maxtrac cables look and work (sometimes) with MCS2000 radios, you MUST BUY a MCS2000 programming cable. There's a diode or something else that is on one of the serial lines that will keep you from frying the control head. A lot of eBay auctions say the cables will work with MCS's, however, they will be lacking this safety feature.

Spend the money and do it right - You bought (what was) a $1000-$2000 radio - and now you just wanted to save $50 on programming gear for it.... always baffels me.

-Alex

[Jim202]

The polaris rib doesn't provide enough voltage to make the MCS2000 radio happy. There are two ways to get around the
problem. You can open up the rib and apply an external voltage across the battery to force it to go slightly higher.
You notice I said slightly higher. Don't go shoving in much more than 3.5 to 4 volts. The other solution is to use a
Motorola rib. They seem to work just fine.

The MCS2000 is very sensitive to the programming voltage levels when your trying to change any settings.

Jim

I put a couple more notches in my programming cable today with the mcs-2000. We can't get new ones anymore so I am always looking for some good used ones, I needed one of them to give to the local fire department for their interop rack in the emergency van.so they can talk to the refinery fire department, But as usual during upload to the radio shutdown and corrupted the plug. I am using the latest version of the cps software, and a polarus rib and cable, it reads them ok but then when I write back to the radio the somewhat bulky zone channel info and stuff for our system the early reset usually happens and trashes the radio. I am trying to put in a lot of info we have about 30 user groups in our trunking system, and six conventional 800 mhz channels.I would like to add the federal 800 mhz interop channels too if I can get over the radio killer hump.let me know if you got any ideas. We need a new system really, cant get mobils any more just the mtx-8250 which I am anticipating will be discontinued anytime, it's not going to be fun trying to find good used handhelds but the company always runs everything till the last minute.. Anyway anybody want to give me some advice on the mcs-2000's, I would appreciate it.

[Will]

The polaris rib doesn't provide enough voltage to make the MCS2000 radio happy. There are two ways to get around the
problem. You can open up the rib and apply an external voltage across the battery to force it to go slightly higher.
You notice I said slightly higher. Don't go shoving in much more than 3.5 to 4 volts. The other solution is to use a
Motorola rib. They seem to work just fine.

The MCS2000 is very sensitive to the programming voltage levels when your trying to change any settings.

Jim

Correct, this is a problem with Polaris boxes.

Also see: http://www.batlabs.com/images/rib_mod.jpg Matches the RS232 standard correctly.

[k2hz]

Is this problem only with the battery powered Polaris RIBs?

I have a Polaris PA-1 that is powered from a wall wart that I have used for many years with no problems although I have never done a MCS-2000. The PA-1 logic voltage high is 5V.

[motorola_otaku]

What's wrong with the Batlabs MCS cable schematic? I built one into a DB25-RJ45 hood adapter and it's never given me a lick of problems.

I'll 2nd the recommendation for a real Motorola RLN4008 RIB. I had a Polaris PA-II for years that worked great.. until one day it just decided it didn't want to program M1225s anymore. Everything else worked BUT M1225 radios. And don't even bother with the so-called "RIBless cables".. they may work great once or twice or for years, but one day they'll let you down for no good reason at all.

[KD7TZ]

Thanks for the input, this was reccomended to me once before, but no explained the voltage problem, so when I asked my boss for another rib, he just ignored me, a a few more radios go to the service depot for codeplugs. I think I will print out the posts here and ask for a real rib again.No that I know that the problem is with the voltage.

[wavetar]

Thanks for the input, this was reccomended to me once before, but no explained the voltage problem, so when I asked my boss for another rib, he just ignored me, a a few more radios go to the service depot for codeplugs. I think I will print out the posts here and ask for a real rib again.No that I know that the problem is with the voltage.

Tell him the RIB costs less than a single flat-rate repair. We had a Polaris PA-II years ago & I really liked it, but one day it suddenly decided it didn't want to program MCS2000 radios at all, so I know it's a bit of an issue with them.

Todd