Astro Spectra Consolette

[wb6fly]

I have a Motorola Astro Spectra Consolette, model L99DX+358L, which contains a L04QKH9PW7AN radio. This was used in a Government trunked radio system in the 403-420 MHz band, until the military user switched to the 380-399 MHz band.

Once I cleaned out the trunking data, I programmed the radio for conventional simplex frequencies at 425.000 MHz for bench testing purposes. I programmed one channel for high power and the other channel for low power. The radio checks out perfectly on that frequency, except that both test channels produce 55 watts RF output. I have tried enabling and disabling the direct/talkaround option, to no avail.

I would like to know why the radio ignores the programmed power settings. Any suggestions?

[jmr061]

Have you gone into the service mode and checked the tuning for hi, mid and low power output?

Jason

[4n6inv]

Very good point, Jason. Correct me if I'm wrong; but when I do hi/lo settings in the programming, there's just high and low. In the tuning SW, there are high, medium and low. Make any sense? My gut feeling is that I'm just giving the radio an idea of who to handle everything in between. Your thoughts?

[jmr061]

Yes there are three settings in the tuning for power output. Nearly all the radios I see have mid and low set the same. No clue why there is a mid power in there.

Jason

[Will]

There are three Test FREQUENCIES in each TX Power setting screen, high, medium and low. F2, F3, F4.

The High power setting is 50 watts on a UHF R1 Astro Spectra, and 25 watts on Low power. Two different TX power settings that sometimes get scrambled in a trunking radio.