ASTRO Saber hacks?

[Astrogoth]

Me again. Have the RSSI (received signal strength indicator) meter, radio to radio cloneing, lower case display (and any other cool mod's I haven't heard of) ever been documented? Where? Back in 01 my ASTRO did the lowercase display. As I dimly recall the hex editing was twice as complex as band edge editing but not much more. Complex, not cryptic.
As anyone with good hearing who has been to a big Ham swapmeet has overheard, a lot is known about Motherola radios that is not mentioned in open conversation. Curious if anyone is willing to spill the beans here.

[d119]

There is no RSSI indicator on the ASTRO Saber. Put it in service mode - there isn't one there. The XTS 3000 has one, but not the ASTRO Saber.

I don't think radio-to-radio cloning has ever been accomplished, and you already know that hex editing is involved in the lowercase display hack. (Who cares??)

[motorola_otaku]

The 10-15 mode trunked scan list hack was pretty cool: http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.p ... =scan+list

[Pj]

The 10-15 mode trunked scan list hack was pretty cool: http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.p ... =scan+list

Anyone try this with ASTRO25 yet for talkgroup scan?

[motorola_otaku]

The 10-15 mode trunked scan list hack was pretty cool: http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.p ... =scan+list

Anyone try this with ASTRO25 yet for talkgroup scan?

I'm going to venture a guess and say no, since RSS never supported Astro25 system programming.

[Pj]

I meant the CPS verison of AStro and Astro25.

I have the instructions somewhere for the CPS hack for the T/G, but haven't played with it in awhile. Might do that tonight if I have time.

[akardam]

I'm going to venture a guess and say no, since RSS never supported Astro25 system programming.

Uh, since when? From RSS 09.05.00:

Code: Select all

╔══════════════════════════════════════╦═══════════════════════════════════════╗
║MOTOROLA Radio Service Software       ║                                       ║
║ASTRO PORTABLE Model:                 ║                                       ║
║Page 2 of 2                           ║                                       ║
║MAIN:CHANGE/VIEW:TRUNKING:SYSTEM:HELP ║                                       ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════╩═══════════════════════════════════════╣
║                                 System Type                                  ║
║                                 ───────────                                  ║
║                                                                              ║
║ ASTRO 25    -  The trunked signaling protocol that is compliant with the     ║
║                Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-        ║
║                International (APCO) Project 25 standards.  Availability      ║
║                of this type depends on your radio's options and features.    ║
║                                                                              ║
║ NOTES: Type I and Type IIi systems are not available with ASTRO 25           ║
║        Trunking.                                                             ║
║                                                                              ║
║                                                                              ║
║                                                                              ║
║                                                                              ║
║                                                                              ║
╙──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╜
   F1      F2      F3      F4      F5      F6      F7      F8      F9     F10
 MORE   KEYBOARD                  PRINT                           RSS     EXIT
 HELP     HELP                                                    INFO    HELP

[motorola_otaku]

I'm going to venture a guess and say no, since RSS never supported Astro25 system programming.

Uh, since when? From RSS 09.05.00:
*snip*

Snap.

Too bad MPSCS was the only Astro25 system on the air when RSS ruled the roost. I'm sure whatever RSS codeplugs they once had are long gone.

[Astrogoth]

Somewhat off topic: My UHF ASTRO has the latest XTS3000 firm with all the usual features, like MODAT, enabled. I have an audio quality question. ASTRO's with older firms had very poor RX audio in digital mode. Sounded worse than Nextel and that's saying something. With the latest CODEC, In theory, mine should sound fantastic. Since I've never heard another ASTRO like mine I don't know if it sounds good or not. I hear digital artifact from time to time but it's not too bad. Not like the sender is underwater. That sound "normal" to you guys? The radio works fine in all ways.

[Pj]

DSP8 was the turning point in really good audio (IMBE).

However, for both TX and RX, your radio needs to be properly aligned. With all the hacked radios out there that were not properly realigned after being laborized, that could account for some of the poor audio.

It also makes a big difference in enabling the recommeded AGC settings on the radio (0/0/0/Total 6)

[motorola_otaku]

First off, Astro Sabers and XTS3000s use the same firmware. Astro Spectras have different HOST f/w, but use the same DSP.

Secondly, GIGO is very much applicable to APCO-25 voice. If the guy in the field isn't getting in to the repeater very well or has issues with his radio, it's going to sound bad on your end regardless of what shape your gear is in or what your reception is. That said, a proper alignment never hurts.

[Astrogoth]

recommeded AGC settings on the radio (0/0/0/Total 6)

Okay I see the Total 6 setting but what are the 0/0/0? Zero TX audio gain? And...?

Thanks for the response but the digital noises and slightly garbled RX audio don't sound
like an AGC product. They sound like digital artifact. They sound "like" severe phase distortion,
but they aren't. Then the next guy talks and he sounds fine, or much improved.

Just wondering if this sounds normal for an up to date ASTRO.

[The Pager Geek]

Then the next guy talks and he sounds fine, or much improved.

This leads to ask, what is the Host/DSP of the OTHER radios? Your radio may be spot on, but if the other radio is Host/DSP 4 or something retarded, it can only send as good as it knows.

When the other radio sounds good, I'll be guessing that the SENDING radio is recent FW, tuned and programmed DSP settings properly.
If is sounds like @ss, I'd bet it's older.

Food for thought
tpg

[d119]

Then the next guy talks and he sounds fine, or much improved.

This leads to ask, what is the Host/DSP of the OTHER radios? Your radio may be spot on, but if the other radio is Host/DSP 4 or something retarded, it can only send as good as it knows.

When the other radio sounds good, I'll be guessing that the SENDING radio is recent FW, tuned and programmed DSP settings properly.
If is sounds like @ss, I'd bet it's older.

Food for thought
tpg

My guess is that he's monitoring LAPD, and God only knows what they have for HOST/DSP in their radios. You can bet it's not anything recent.

[mancow]

We are using Astro Sabers on a new P25 TRS. The sabers have DSP 8 something in them and sound great. Actually, I can't tell any difference between these and the XTS5000s.

[Pj]

We are using Astro Sabers on a new P25 TRS. The sabers have DSP 8 something in them and sound great. Actually, I can't tell any difference between these and the XTS5000s.

And thats Motosexyness right there

A 1990's product working on a new mid 2000's soultion that Moto would like you do believe can't happen anymore.