Batboard

If you purchase a second hand Motorola radio, and the flashcode on the radio's sticker doesn't match the flashcode in the radio, what it the likely outcome regarding the radio's options if you send it to a Motorola dealer for firmware updates or repairs? We are assuming that the radio has not been whore-flashed, but may have one or two options legitimately added and no new flashcode sticker was installed.

For example, a hypothetical boy has a radio with the following flashcode on its factory sticker: 040001-000000-5 (multikey, conventional system operation). The read out on the radio in service mode indicates a flashcode of 140001-000000-3 which means the radio was upgraded for P25 operation. The radio is known to be a US government surplus unit, and was likely legitimately upgraded at a government service depot when federal users went to narrowband.

The boy purchases said radio surplus off of a BB, and sends in his radio to the local Motorola dealer for service and firmware upgrades. What features is the radio likely to come back with?

0) None - the radio has been reduced to a paperweight until the boy purchases any and all desired options from Motorola.
1) Only H35 conventional operation, or
2) The Multikey and conventional operation funtions that are on the green flashcode sticker, or
3) The P25, Multikey, and conventional operation that are currently in the radio?

When we get into IP rights, licenses and transfers, it varies from OEM to OEM, so there is no standard answer.

The boy is considering purchasing surplus government M radio equipment that falls into the situation mentioned above and wants to avoid outcomes 0,1,and 2 if possible. What would be your advice to the boy?

Thanks,

-Pierre

Chances are if it goes to a dealer, and not the depot it will come back exactly as you sent it in. A dealer is going to get his money from you for the upgrade and could care less if the flash had been bumped at some point so long as there are no invalid options the software complains about. If it goes to mexico, well then who knows. It may come back as a cp200...

I would venture a guess that a few additional options would not cause a stir, however a whore flash may.

Hello,

I have recently (last 2 weeks) sent in a second hand XTS3000 MIII for new labels as the original labels were scratched and unreadable.

Radio returned to me via a dealer who forwarded it to Motorola in Melbourne, Australia and I had new 'white' labels including matching Flashcode.

See http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=93605

Mind you though, this was in Australia, not the US.

If the guts and tags don't match the depot will generally call whomever sent the radio in and ask for clarification on what is what.