Railroad Spectra

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 4:33 pm

What is so good about the railroad spectra's? Can they be programmed from the front panel?

Ben

Dkouz · Post by **Dkouz** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 4:40 pm

hahahaha,

Well, they can be used in locomotives....That's what I'd use one for!

VE2VGA · Post by **VE2VGA** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:02 pm

They are indestructibles and hard to find...

Radio99 · Post by **Radio99** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:56 pm

Contrary to a popular, previously posted belief, they cannot be programmed from the front panel. They are virtually indestructable and probably coluld take a direct hit from a Minuteman missile. Ther have 99 channel capability, 99 presets and some exceptionally loud audio. There is an extensive thread on this Board covering the Spectra Railroad Radio. Here is the link: http://www.batlabs.com/rrspectra.html

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 6:04 pm

how much would they sell for if you can find them?

Dkouz · Post by **Dkouz** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 6:08 pm

The new Astro models have up to 255 modes and a bunch of other neat stuff. Someone posted a link to moto's website with good info on the new model. These are just as tuff since they are in the same case.

Last I heard these went for $6000 new. For a used 'normal' version expect anywhere from $200-$800 depending on condition. Railroad service is rough, a beat up radio is abused!

Radio99 · Post by **Radio99** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 6:08 pm

Keep an eye on Ebay as they appear there from time to time. Last one I saw went for quite a tidy sum (over $500.00 I believe). Aerotron made a railroad radio and there is one currently up on Ebay. By the way, it takes special software and cannot be programmed with the traditional Spectra mobile software.

Radio99 · Post by **Radio99** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 6:12 pm

Here is the link previously mentioned for the new Astro Railroad Spectra

http://www.motorola.com/cgiss/docs/rail ... ochure.pdf

Dkouz · Post by **Dkouz** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 6:18 pm

Speaking of the Aerotron. The same guy claims to have a bunch of these over at http://www.railswap.org $200. These are Aerotron's top of the line model with dtmf and 97 channels. Good radios as long as they are not abused.

These however, can not be reprogrammed, RR only.

I was thinking of buying a couple, but we don't need them. Already have 1 Aerotron and 2 Tracstars (pos).

Post by Pj » Wed Jan 07, 2004 7:34 pm

The RR Spectra's will do all the AAR channels right from the front pad without a problem. You can use up the rest of the channels upto 128, but they are programmed in like a normal spectra.

The insides (RF deck etc) are the same as the normal spectra, accounting for different firmware etc. What also make them stand out is as far as the "front panel programming" is just that you can had AAR ch 5 for Rx and AAR ch 77 for Tx. They are independantly configurable.

Some RR districts use the same channel for Tx/Rx, and some use one channel for the road, then Tx on another while listening to the other to contact the dispatcher.

Also the RR spectra supports 72 or 12vDC off the rear connector.

Neat and built for abuse, but goes for high $$ on the open used market.

BTW: No scan feature.

nc5p · Post by **nc5p** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 12:10 pm

Somebody set us straight:

Doesn't this model need special RSS or will regular Spectra RSS work?

I saw one last August at the local hamfest, didn't buy it because I thought it needed special RSS.

Doug

Cowthief · Post by **Cowthief** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 12:33 pm

Hello.

The railroad spectra uses a lot of the same code as a government model, perhaps the same code?
The RR spectra can be made to do 255 channels with a bit of hacking, and be made to load a frequency from service mode with a touch of tweaking, but, so can any spectra.
The RR spectra is a 12volt radio with an extra power supply input for 72volt.
The entire spectra hacking thing has been visited by natedog and myself, and a lot of progress has been made.
Motorola's position is that the software belongs to /\/\, and ANY changes are in voilation of copyright.
/\/\ has gone as far as to say a GP68 is against the law, in ham service?!, in the US as it is not type accepted in this service.
Motorola is in the business of selling radios, taking older radios and giving them "features or functions" not part of the original package is something they do not want to see, and will send out legal warnings over.
So, I act as if all /\/\ software is RSS, no matter what it does.

ricciticcitembo · Post by **ricciticcitembo** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 5:03 pm

nc5p- To answer your question, Yes the RR Spectra DOES Need Special "Rail Road Spectra Software" Standard Spectra RSS will NOT Work on a big ass railroad radio at all.

Thank you.