Batboard

Quick question.......

Can a KVL3000 (or 4000) in ASTRO25 mode program an ASTRO Spectra with a DES-XL/DES-OFB hybrid?

Basically.... Do I need to be in ASN mode to program an ASTRO Spectra or can I do it in ASTRO25 mode?

Can anybody just provide a basic description on the diff between ASN and ASTRO25 and when you'd use each?

Cheers!

It depends on the secure module in the Astro Spectra. If it's an old module, it will only support ASN mode. If it's a newer module, it should support ASN or ASTRO 25. For the XTS3000/Astro Saber, I believe the cutoff was EMC 3.0 or newer was required to support both. I think the Astro Spectras and Astro Sabers use the same modules, so I think the same cutoff would apply...

It's been quite a while, but I seem to remember with one of my Astro Sabers with an EMC 2.12 module, the radio would display "EMC TOO OLD" on a secure channel when you tried to enable CKR key mangement in the CPS. Once you unchecked "CKR Key Managment" the radio would work fine in secure, but you had to keyload in ASN mode.

ASTRO 25 mode is the newer Project 25 standard, so most other non-Motorola P25 radios will only support keyloading in the ASTRO 25 mode. I think some EF Johnson radios will support ASN keyloading, though.