Programming Motorola/Timex Internet Messenger pager watch

Victor Xray · Post by **Victor Xray** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 6:30 am

Does anyone have the ability to program and/or change the capcode on the Motorola/Timex Internet Messenger watch? If so, send me a PM.

clavo, I saw your earlier post on these - were you able to get photos of the inside?

clavo · Post by **clavo** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 10:23 pm

Nope, Never found anything more. I know that there is a infrared pager programmer thats made by motorola but thats it. Its a DB9 to IR module.

I'd love to know more about this watch.

As far as pictures go... my digital doesn't take close ups at all

-c

Medic12 · Post by **Medic12** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 10:55 am

6 Years later.....

Bump.

Anyone, Anyone?

-will

wazzzzzzzzup · Post by **wazzzzzzzzup** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 1:16 pm

got a picture of that watch? add it to the oddballs thread, i want to see it!

Medic12 · Post by **Medic12** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 1:32 pm

google 'timex internet messenger'

only worked on Skytel

-will

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 2:22 pm

I had one... used the Zinc 'air' batteries, & only did numeric
pages.

But, it was a lot more convenient than having to crane your neck down to
look on your belt & see who called!

Tim

Medic12 · Post by **Medic12** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 2:56 pm

Dunno what you had, but the timex internet messenger does alpha paging using FLEX protocol. I know there was some other older motorola pager watch....and a pager pen too... that did numeric only.

-will

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 3:32 pm

aah, didn't notice the 'internet'.

Had mine B4 Al Gore thought it up.

I think it was in the early 80's. POCSAG? .. slept since then.

Would like to see a pix of the newer model tho.

TIm

Medic12 · Post by **Medic12** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 4:13 pm

Old:

New(er)

Someone out there has to know how to program these (the newer one). I'm 99% sure it's through the IrDA window on the face of the watch.

Is the software even available from moto, or was this a Skytel only device ??

-will

PETNRDX · Post by **PETNRDX** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 6:07 pm

I saw a friend of my program one back in the early 90's.
My recollection is that it programmed via IR after hitting a button combination to get it into the program mode.
He worked for Boeing in the Seattle area, and it may have been company SW, it has been too long to recall for sure.
He was one of those guys that had to try all that new stuff.
And he was a very close friend with a guy in the paging and two way radio business, worked for them part time doing computer work. (He was a Boeing Computer employee).
He died many years ago now.
I thot at the time that the form factor of the thing REALLY looked like Casio made it.
VERY much the same as my Casio Data Bank 150.
It was pretty "High speed Low drag" for the time.

WB6DGN · Post by **WB6DGN** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 9:29 pm

But, it was a lot more convenient than having to crane your neck down to
look on your belt & see who called!

Some of us get extra help getting that belt into better viewing position!

Post by **alex** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 9:50 pm

For a while I think in 02-04 you could buy the pager watches at walmart for $20-$40 a pop. Came with a free year of nationwide service from skytel, including 800 number....

Great deal! Nothing like emailing your watch

-Alex

Medic12 · Post by **Medic12** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 10:11 pm

Can anyone search MOL to see if programming software even is available?

-will

Post by **bezking708** » Fri Jan 29, 2010 2:15 pm

Medic12 wrote:Can anyone search MOL to see if programming software even is available?

-will

It was...

Code: Select all

11.  	 Item Number. NLN3565A 		* Item has been cancelled
		
WRIST WATCH PAGER PROGRAMMING
Unit of Measure: 1  EA

Medic12 · Post by **Medic12** » Fri Jan 29, 2010 2:57 pm

*sigh*

Figures.

Thanks for looking it up.

-will

Post by Pj » Mon Feb 01, 2010 10:50 pm

Doesn't hurt to call parts and ask them to look at the "Active" inventory. I've been able to grab a couple of "NLA" SP x9000 parts that way. Doesn't always work, but its only a phone call.

Post by **alex** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:01 am

Pj wrote:Doesn't hurt to call parts and ask them to look at the "Active" inventory. I've been able to grab a couple of "NLA" SP x9000 parts that way. Doesn't always work, but its only a phone call.

Correct me if I am wrong but it is my understanding that moto sold off a lot if not all of the pager stuff to a few 3rd party companies. I recall looking for some pager parts and found that there were places that cleaned them out.

Parts ID is never a bad place to start but I doubt anyone who knows what happened back in the day still works there or knows whose voicemail to send you off too.

Alex

com501 · Post by **com501** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 1:28 pm

Sadly, I remember seeing our pager programmer go into the trash bin two years ago after we had a flood. There may be someone in a metro area that has one in the 'What the Hell Does This Program?' bin. Wouldn't hurt to call around and ask a SENIOR tech (ie: someone who knows what a TUBE is) if they have one around.

Medic12 · Post by **Medic12** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 1:40 pm

The programmer isn't that big of a deal. It's just a serial DB9 to infrared. I think I actually have one around here somewhere. More than one pager used this for programming. It's NLA software that's the problem.

-will

com501 · Post by **com501** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 1:46 pm

I will look through our library of floppies.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:59 pm

I know this is more then a year old but I ran across it on google today.

I have the interface and software for the original pager watch and have programmed the Timex Beepwear watches. Both used the normal Motorola pager programming interface. The Beepwear has 4 contacts inside the battery compartment, ground power, tx and rx. I have never seen a programmer that used Infrared for it.
I still have my original pager watch and a few Beepwear watches, one was supplied with a custom frequency and capcode directly from Timex. I have also recrystaled/tuned them and changed the capcode etc.

If someone still needs further info let me know.

Post by Pj » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:21 pm

Speaking of, does anyone have (or know where to get) the Microsoft? organizer watch software? This is the one that allowed you to program the watch with contacts via the monitor. I still have it...just not the software.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:23 pm

That is something I downloaded years ago, there is a chance I can find it on some old computer.

Post by Pj » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:26 pm

My mistake...its the Timex Datalink watch...looks similar to this model:

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:37 pm

The Beepwear Pro had the same datalink feature but I believe it used a custom version of the Datalink software.

Spiffy50 · Post by **Spiffy50** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 11:16 pm

Was that older Motorola watch POCSAG? I'd love to have one! Anyone have any specs/info on it?

TomSlick · Post by **TomSlick** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 8:54 am

Oh, man. I think I may have just chucked out the Timex software not long ago. I'll double-check my box of old watch stuff.

TomSlick · Post by **TomSlick** » Sat Feb 26, 2011 7:22 am

Found it. It's an HD floppy with the software for the Timex 'Ironman Triathlon' Data Link watch (software version 1.0d, Win 3.1/3.11/95). Not sure if the software is model-specific. PM an address and I'll send it to you.

Post by **aperry619** » Fri Jun 28, 2013 3:31 pm

Has anyone figured out how to get these to work on todays paging carriers? I really want to get one working and just wondering if anyones figured it out.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 3:29 pm

The original Motorola pager watch was numeric only and was programmed through contacts inside the battery compartment. It was VHF and was made in GSC and POCSAG.

The Beepwear was FLEX of course and also programmed using contacts inside the battery compartment. I changed the freq and capcode of several years ago to put them on a Canadian carrier.

The only one I have no experience with is the Internet Messenger however its hard to imagine it didn't also use programming contacts inside the battery compartment.

Post by **aperry619** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:33 pm

I am trying to buy a timex internet messenger on ebay if i get ahold of one would you be willing to try and reprogram it for me? I would compensate you of course.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:04 pm

From the looks of it the Timex Internet Messenger would use the same programming cradle as the original Beepwear. The original Beepwear has three model numbers, 806, 816 and 817. It looks like the Internet Messenger is model 828. The software I have only covers 806, 816 and 817 so I don't think there is any chance it will program an Internet Messenger. I have been told the Internet Messenger is synth as well, the original Beepwears all require crystal swaps to change the freq. The Internet Messenger software is going to be very hard to locate.

Victor Xray · Post by **Victor Xray** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:50 pm

I think the Internet Messenger watches program via infrared or light flash patterns from a program on a computer screen. There are no external electrical contacts for connecting to a cradle.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:21 pm

Victor Xray wrote:I think the Internet Messenger watches program via infrared or light flash patterns from a program on a computer screen. There are no external electrical contacts for connecting to a cradle.

There are no contacts inside the battery compartment?

This is what the Beepwear looks like:

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:23 pm

This is a picture of the official Beepwear programming cradle:

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:30 pm

And because we're traveling down memory lane I just took this picture. It is my original Motorola watch pager I bought in 1992, with the original box and programming cradle. Some where I also have the proper PPS software package as well.

Victor Xray · Post by **Victor Xray** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 5:07 am

This was the thread I had in the back of my mind when I typed my earlier post about programming. Per clavo, it most likely uses an IR programmer.

http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29882

thebigphish · Post by **thebigphish** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 5:35 am

Victor Xray wrote:This was the thread I had in the back of my mind when I typed my earlier post about programming. Per clavo, it most likely uses an IR programmer.

http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29882

heh, forgot about clavo's title.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:04 am

While programming via IR is certainly possible I highly doubt that it how it's done. The original Beepwear Pro also supports the Timex IR interface but it's only used for programming events/reminders into the watch. There is no reason for Motorola to change things when they already have a pager programming standard, software and hardware interface and cradle. I am quite sure we will see programming contacts just like the Beepwear if the battery door is removed.

Post by **axsh** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 2:16 pm

Question mainly to Steve:

I bought an old Beepwear Pro pager watch off eBay and hope to replace my current pagenet 900Mhz pager with the watch pager. I have no access to the "official Beepwear programming cradle". How do I go about programming my new Beepwear Pro (enroute to me) myself? Or would I have to convince my current provider (Pagenet in Canada) to do it for me somehow?

Thanks in advance.

Post by **beepwearman** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 4:54 am

steve, check your PM