Batboard

Hi folks,

I was hoping someone with more experience can help me out by pointing me to the right direction. I'm looking to upgrade my current programming laptop which is a Toshiba 305cds 133 MHz 16 MB ram OS Win 98 to a newer faster one with more options like XP, USB, Ethernet port etc. The radios I mainly program are as followed:

SP50
P110, p1225, gp300, gp350, GTX
Ht1000, visor
MTX 8000, 9000
MTS 2000
HT600, mt1000
CP200, cp150, pr400
HT750, ht1250
CT150, ct250, ct450

Can anyone tell me what is the fastest and best laptop I can get that will still program these radios? Thank you all so much for taking the time to help me out.

I'm actually surprised that you've got HT600 or MT1000 running on a machine that fast. Don't expect that software to run on anything faster.

XP-compatible CPS is available for MTS, 1225, ProRadio, Commercial Series, etc. You can run those on whatever you want.

Personally, I have a Toshiba T1910 for the old stuff (X9000, MCX1000, etc.) and my Thinkpad T60p for the new stuff. You typically have to run two laptops if you want to program the full range of Moto radios.

Wow thanks for the quick reply. Do you use a USB cable for programming? If not does the T-60 have a com port? I bought a couple of USB ribless cables online for ht1250 and cp200, but none of them work.

Also on a side note I have a HT-1250LS+ that is CPS locked is there any way I can unlock this?

Thanks

The T60 doesn't have a COM port. A few possible solutions:
1 - the docking station DOES have a real serial port
2 - Socket PC card for 1, 2, or 4 serial ports (real UARTs)
3 - USB-serial adapter.

I have all of those options, and so far haven't had issues with a USB to serial adapter made by IOGear. That's my experience, YMMV, HAND, etc.

The USB RIBless stuff on eBay sucks. I use real Moto cables almost exclusively. If you have a RIB, the HT1250 cable is only $70 from Mother Moto. You're playing with expensive radios, don't shy away from buying good cables. I always keep a look out for good deals too (just picked up several cables from a member here on the board for cheap).

No clue on the locked radio.

just curious but i read alot on here how everyone wants to upgrade their laptop or desktop for programming and that's great but why do you all think that if you upgrade your computer that you need to get rid of the old one? realistically you're not gonna get much for an old one so why not just keep it for the old radios? i actually have three that i keep around, the real old one that runs on steam power and dos only to do p600's and mt1000's, an old p2 with dual boot for dos and windows me, and a new xp machine for anything new but i made shure that they all had a real com port when i got them. but i'm just curious on why everyone that writes they want to upgrade always make it sound like they absolutely have to get rid of the old one?

HLA wrote: but i'm just curious on why everyone that writes they want to upgrade always make it sound like they absolutely have to get rid of the old one?

I suspect the main reason in the majority of cases is so they don't have to lug 2 laptops everywhere they go. The old unit likely will go into the closet for emergency purposes, but it's nice to not require it.

FYI to the original poster, I've run HT600 & MT1000 on a 1.7GHz Celeron with no issues, but again your mileage might vary. My co-worker's former 1.3GHz Centrino didn't work with them.

My computer of choice is the IBM Thinkpad T23. With a 1.13 GHz PIII processor it won't run Saber or STX, so I imagine your Genesis-series stuff is out (never tried, personally.) It will, however, run everything else on your DOS want-list just fine, and is fast enough to handle current stuff like Astro25 CPS in XP Pro SP3. You could try going with an older T20 or T21 model and a slower processor to reclaim some of the older/slower DOS capability, but run the risk of making current CPS programs slow the point of being unusable.

If you want DOS capability and XP in the same machine, you are going to need a dual-boot configuration. My personal preference is to have both on the hard drive with a FAT partition for DOS and a NTFS partition for XP, but some guys here have had good luck with putting the DOS stuff on a bootable flash drive. Both methods are documented in this forum.

My Panasonic CF-49 Toughbook that is booted in pure DOS from a thumb drive using the technique described in a sticky in this section of the Batboard will run everything on your list. The only thing I've had trouble with is the Maratrac software. I have to run it first from a startup. If I've run something first else and then try to run it, it won't work. YMMV

Robert

Hey everyone, I have a few questions about programming radios, Now I have an XP machine, its a Intel Celeron Duo 2.4 GHZ that has Commercial Radio CPS 05.07 running on it that I use to program my CP200 radios, I have no problems with it at all, (Using a USB ribless cable) I just purchased a EX600 XLS brand new from Motorola and have purchased a USB rib less cable for that radio as well. Now I installed Professional Radio CPS R06.09.06 on that same laptop PC and loaded a code plug given to me directly from the dealer who sold me the radio. (the software I am using is legal by the way) I haven't received the radio yet, but I programmed in all the channels and talk groups into the cps and saved it. Is there a chance that I will be able to upload that to the radio with the XP Machine I and the version of CPS I am using? or Will I need to buy a different version of CPS and or use a slower computer.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank You.

madfrenchie wrote:Hey everyone, I have a few questions about programming radios, Now I have an XP machine, its a Intel Celeron Duo 2.4 GHZ that has Commercial Radio CPS 05.07 running on it that I use to program my CP200 radios, I have no problems with it at all, (Using a USB ribless cable) I just purchased a EX600 XLS brand new from Motorola and have purchased a USB rib less cable for that radio as well. Now I installed Professional Radio CPS R06.09.06 on that same laptop PC and loaded a code plug given to me directly from the dealer who sold me the radio. (the software I am using is legal by the way) I haven't received the radio yet, but I programmed in all the channels and talk groups into the cps and saved it. Is there a chance that I will be able to upload that to the radio with the XP Machine I and the version of CPS I am using? or Will I need to buy a different version of CPS and or use a slower computer.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank You.

It's Windows based software, so speed isn't an issue. The only likely problem you may run into is the USB cable...there is no Motorola made USB cable for that series of radio, so the cable you purchased is simply a USB-to-serial converter. Be aware that your mileage may vary with these...some brands tend to work much better than others, and some radio models may work with them while others may not. If you run into issues, I'd suggest a PCMCIA-to-serial card, as they give a 'true' serial port & are highly reliable.

Hopefully all goes well & you'll be able to write in your codeplug with no issues.

Todd

Great,

Thank you for the quick response, I was just making sure that the version of CPS I had would work for the EX600 I do relies that USB isn't the best way to go, as the one I use for my CP200 works every other time I try it. I don't have a Motorola RIB which is why I buy the Rib less cables, I find it hard to find the Serial ones and seem to only be able to find the USB ones.

Unfortunally it will take another 9 days to get my radio, The dealer said there is a 10 day wait before they receive the radios from Motorola!! They will do the initial programming for me as I sent them the code plug I created. But if i need to make changes in the future then ill be ready with the cable and programming software.

Thank You again for your reply.