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Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2017 9:16 pm
by syntor9k
Is there a Spectra Astro, duel radio option (RX/TX for both)?

When using duel radio, is duel receive an option, or is the other radio just more channels to scan?

Is Wide or Std Dev FM possible (ham use)? I am interested in the Astro because of P25.

Can any head be used?

Are there gotchas?

I know about the Kenwood, I'm looking for used/ lower cost radios with wide (std) FM and P25...

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 8:24 am
by escomm
Yes, it uses a special W3 HHCH and is well-discussed here. Feel free to search

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 9:16 am
by NSPD
Are we talking about true dual radio or HRR?

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 10:50 am
by Astro Spectra
Yes, I often find my Astro units having a go at each other:

Image

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:20 pm
by syntor9k
OK, dual is what I meant.

What I was asking about is W9 head and two trunk transceivers, one VHF and the other UHF.

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2017 5:13 pm
by Astro Spectra
escomm wrote:Yes, it uses a special W3 HHCH and is well-discussed here. Feel free to search
As per escomm's response, it can only be done with W3 HHCH and special software and some cables. Basically it's a no.

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 11:39 am
by motorola_otaku
Astro Spectra wrote:
escomm wrote:Yes, it uses a special W3 HHCH and is well-discussed here. Feel free to search
As per escomm's response, it can only be done with W3 HHCH and special software and some cables. Basically it's a no.
On the Astro Spectra or the XTL5000? Only the XTLs could use the dual-radio W3 cable that I know of. For Astro Spectras your options are/were the HRR cable (no TX on secondary radio) and upgraded firmware in a SIU, which only worked with the old-ass A3 HHCH.

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 12:52 pm
by syntor9k
Bummer.
I want a P25 and FM transceiver, and have a small car. Not much room left over for two more radios. I wanted to look at what available used older radios that I can afford. XTL are right on that line. The only real option is the Kenwood NX-5700 with duel radio. But thats too expensive.

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2017 8:31 pm
by syntor9k
So the XTL500 can? What hardware is needed?

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 1:30 pm
by motorola_otaku
A Y-cable, a special cable for the HMN4044 W3 head, and two XTL5000 bricks with W3 TIBs. Oh, and codeplugs and the means to push them into the radios. Dual radio was not a field-orderable option. Search the forum, it's been discussed previously and pictures were posted.

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 7:06 pm
by syntor9k
With the XTL5000 it works both radios can transmit?
Should I restart this subject in the XTL-5000 forum?
For HAM use such as, wideband FM, and P25, are their other issues?
Is there any reasons that a XTL-2500 cant be used?
My long term goal is ether buying new NX-5700 duel radio with P25 (too expensive IMO) or, if the Motorola/ used is cheaper buy it (requires lots of shop time and software upgrading = unknown cost, trouble finding HAM friendly shop, friendly also in this context means, does not charge me much, beside actual cost).
Can you program RSSI out like you can on the Spectra and assign a button to it. Or is there better way to get signal meter?

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2017 1:49 pm
by motorola_otaku
Yes, both radios can TX and dual concurrent RX is supported. Won't work on a 2500, only the 5000 supported it. IIRC the only deployed configuration used 110W 380-470 and 136-174 bricks. No s-meter or RSSI function on conventional. :(

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:50 pm
by syntor9k
Is there list somewhere of what is actually needed to make the 5000 work in this duel band mode?
Software and hardware?

Re: Spectra Astro, dual radio option?

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 7:17 pm
by TWEMARS
The XTL5000 has a dual radio configuration. It uses a special HHCH Y control CABLE. It requires that both radios be flashed for G474, Multi Radio Software. The special Y cable is long NLA from Motorola. You use standard Astro25 RSS (XTL5000) to program each radio, one VHF hi power and one UHF high power brick.

Good luck getting your radios flashed but I'm sure somebody out there is willing to do it for you.

That said I'm not really sure it's worth all the trouble. The W3 HHCH (Jedi looking thing) does NOT allow setting brightness or contrast. This makes for a really hard radio to use in broad daylight.

Re: Spectra Astro, duel radio option?

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:05 am
by apco25
FYI, the dual radio Astro25 cable is NOTHING special..its a physical Y cable, with two ignition sense leads, and two sets of speaker leads and that's it. No fancy black smoke going on inside the heat shrink. ANY W3 HHCH works, no special firmware. Only thing special is the dual radio G474 flash code.