Astro Saber Vslep

[N4KVE]

When Astro Sabers first came out in the early '90's did they automatically all come with Vslep, or was this an option that cost extra? Just wondering. GARY N4KVE

[Pj]

Good question. I never came across an analog only astro saber...when VSLEP was around. When IMBE showed up, thats when I saw them.

I do not know what the pricepoint difference would have been (don't have old enough sales sheets) but I'd say the push to go digital back then when VSLEP was a contender for the APCO standard, agencies would have bought the radios with that option (just as Moto is doing now with the APX for the Phase 2 standard).

[N4KVE]

Thanks for the info. The reason I asked was because I have 2 AS1's from 1996. Flashcode 000001-000000-9 which is just H35 analog. However both these radios talk to each other in some form of digital, but my Imbe radios can't decode them. So that's why I was wondering if these 2 radios came with Vslep as standard equipment. These 2 radios look like they were never issued & just sat in the radio room until sold for surplus. Any thoughts? GARY N4KVE

[MattSR]

Vselp digital most likely. Any chance you can hook them up to a PC and read the Host/DSP firmware?

[N4KVE]

I don't have the ability to do this myself, but a friend programmed them in Feb and I seem to remember host/dsp of 3/5. One is 466AWC, & the other is 466AWU. I thought the AWU might be a 1 meg radio, but the tag doesn't indicate that, but the time frame is right. I'm sure the host/dsp is original from the dates that AWC, & AWU represent. GARY N4KVE