@$#&%! SABERS! HEEEEELLLLLPPPPPP, please. DTMF Problem.

[Station House Products]

Hi Gang,

Well, almost midnight and I'm sitting here banging my head into a wall! I have a wonderfull POS Saber III that a customer brought in for me this afternoon. The radio has the full key pad, but the DTMF won't work.

Now, I've tried everything I can think of in the programming, (Fixed/Manual length, Phone/Call lists, etc) and the damn thing still wont allow me to transmit tones. The @#$%^&* keypad just keeps beeping at me with it's sarcastic little "bleep". I'm just about ready to bleep it's @$$ out the window!

PLEASE! Someone help a fella' out here. What the hell am I doing wrong??? I am of the assumption that all Saber IIIs will allow DTMF since they have the keypad. Am I right or wrong? Thank God the customer is'nt coming untill tomorrow or I probably would have told him where he could holster his &^%#&^ fancy radio.

Patiently sitting in the corner of my room waiting for the men in the clean white coats.

[ricciticcitembo]

Ok. I know this answer.

It can be one of two things.

#1 First of all, it doesn't probably work the way you think it does. i.e. it is retarded.

In other words it does NOT have a "Hot Keypad"
This could be more of a problem than you might think.ESPECIALLY
Systems Sabers.(I know this doesn't pertain to your question, but
I figure I'd mention it anyway) Fruthermore on the Systems Sabers,
it is SO Difficult to figure out how to use it (Pound on the 0 Key to initiate)
that even when it IS programmed correctly, if you don't
know how to use it, you could think that the Systems Saber Can
Not even use DTMF at all. Thats how bad it is.


This means you have to scroll the menu to get it to go somehow.

I yanked out a trusty VHF Saber III, and punched theMENU button
3 times, until it said "PHONE".
I pushed the SELECT button at that prompt, and the Screen cleared
except for a " > " at the right side. (plus all of the uptop things were lit as well)
It then has a Pseudo hot keypad. In my case pushing a numbered
button ( 0-9 ) SLOWLY results in the Transmitter being auto-activated
with the corresponding DTMF tone for 500ms (being TX'ed).
HOWEVER, all you hear in the speaker is a roger beep. No DTMF is
ever heard out of the Saber III's own Speaker. remember that.
So you will need a receiver to verify proper DTMF being generated.

This is how mine operates.
I also have AUTODIAL activated so I can jam the Exact same III
Codeplug in a II and it gives me some preset Phone numbers for
an extra benefit as well.


This also means that you have to have it programmed properly.
Which again, might not be the way you think it should be. YMMV.


Also, I am not able to put it into words effectively to try and explain
Exactly how it works. I got it working perfectly too, but since I only
did it like once or twice I could not possibly Explain how to do it.

#2 is very simple.

It used to be a II, and someone put a case on it, BUT-
the three wires that go from the 8K Controller on the front shield
to the microphone (to actually do the transmitting of the DTMF tones)
is MISSING!

To my knowledge, no saber II (even if it has the FULL Keypad underneath)
has the DTMF Wire going from the controller to the mic.
But there may be some. I know I made a few like that. but not
too sure if they came from the factory like that or not.

So if you convert it to a III, you have to ADD that flex circuit.
As per the Saber page on the Main Batlabs Site.

So that is pretty much the only thing it could be, other than what I
said in answer #1


If you are desperate for a working VHF Codeplug with lots of DTMF that is working, let me know, and I'll try and shoot it your way.

It wasn't exactly as simple to do as I thought it would be honestly.
I never had any manuals either. I think the operations manual
might be good, I don't know. Still ain't got no freakin manuals......
You know the rules......If you need the manual, then your not a
Man. REAL MEN NEVER read the manual. Even if it could be important......
So I went so far as to just never even bother getting one in the first
place.

I have to admit though, I AM curious what might be contained in the
manual.

I DO have some Spectra manuals. You NEED those......Stupid Spectras.....

[Monty]

Hi:

I would Highy Suggest " you get the Saber Operators
Manuel.

That shows how the keypad will function for you.

Also, one uses the keypad to " program the radio "
for Phone and other options, hence its not a " Hot Keypad "
for DTMF access, but rather a way on entering in the spacific
numbers into a bank, then select what needs to be generated.

If you have problems entering in the numbers, ( like
one or more numbers don't work ) you could very well
have aKeypad Flex that is defective.

I have replaced a number of them which get damaged
by users not taking special care in handling the flex when
the the front Grill gets removed.

Sorry I don't have the number of the manuel, but its still
availible from Motorola.

Once you learn how to program all the functions, it becomes
pretty easy to navigate arround

Monty

[giantcake]

On my Saber III here in front of me I punch MENU until:

MENU Display=Phone
SELECT Display= > (on the right side of the display)

1,2,3,...*, # DISPLAY=Number

Radio automatically keys, red lite displays on the top, radio transmits fixed length dtmf tone for the key that was pushed. As each ley is pushed, the radio sends that tone.

Make sure the radio is set to full display/full keypad.

Manual Interconnect Option H297 is enabled.

You can adjust the length of time the DTMF tone is transmitted. Make sure tone length is not set to some low amount like 10ms. Should be like 500ms or longer.

You won't hear the tone, just beeps. You'll need a service monitor, scanner, or another radio.

Check the hardware and make sure it really will support DTMF. Batlabs here has good info on that.

Also, might be a scam radio. Seen more than a few Saber's that had III casings but were really II's inside. Customer just never used the pad on the front. But when needed, oh well...

-Steve

[Station House Products]

Just wanted to say thanks to all. The manual interconnect option was'nt activated. Thanks again to all that replied. Seth, got your PM as well. Thanks.