Where are all the Q52+Q53 5000's coming from?

[PeterGV]

Sorry if this is a hopelessly naive question, but I'm curious:

I've been watching the various XTS-5000's for sale on ebay for quite a while. There are A LOT of Q52+Q53 radios available, but I've NEVER -- not once -- seen one where the offered flash code matches the tag on the back of the radio. The internal serial number usually does match the serial number of the radio tag.

That obviously means these radios had their flashcodes bumped outside the factory or depot... legitimately or otherwise.

My question is:

a) Are Q52+Q53 flashcodes restricted in their availability from Motorola? At one point I thought you had to be a federal agency or something to get these two flashes? Are bumps to having Q52+Q53 now generally available?

b) If these aren't legitimate bumps, how on earth are so many of these radios showing up with these flash codes? If somebody was cramming in "somebody elses" srecord, the internal serial number would change, would it not? I can imagine 1 or 2 clever guys figuring out how to fix the hash codes and such (if that's indeed what they're doing??)... but that's a pretty difficult reverse-engineering job, and it wouldn't seem to account for the number of these radios that are available.

Again, just curiosity. When I see these radios for sale, I can't help but wonder.

Peter
K1PGV

[mike m]

It's pretty common knowledge that Motorola Elgin, Juarez and Fort. Lauderdale are not the only ones who have depot tool.

Depot tool isn't restricted to Motorola only, they sell Astro25 Depot tool to various private companies and Government entities including several big named Avionics companies who use Astro25 radio modules in converted avionics packages.

BTW what country or countries are most of these Q52, Q53 radios coming from ?

Mike