Syntors..worth keeping?

KuhnElectronics · Post by **KuhnElectronics** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 12:39 am

While cleaning out my closet I have came accross 2 Syntor X drawer units...

My question is are there any upgrades to these radios, or does anybody want them anymore. Trying to decide whether or not to try and take the time to sell, or pitch in the dumpster...

Thanks, Nick...

kb3jkp · Post by **kb3jkp** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 1:25 am

they can be modified very easily to program from a remote control head.. the entire logic board is removed and replaced with a PC interface.. details can be had at http://www.piexx.com they call it the syntor revival..costs about 150$ .. but not sure if its something worth putting time into.. at worst case...donate them to your closest amateur radio club...dont just throw them out

....

KG6EAQ · Post by **KG6EAQ** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 1:45 am

I'm sure there is someone here that will pay shipping to take them versus your dumpster.

What band are they?

ASTROMODAT · Post by **ASTROMODAT** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 12:25 pm

The realistic cost to convert your Syntor via the Piexx approach far exceeds the price of a nice new dual band radio from any of the Big 3. In the end, the long ago antiquated Syntor is a horrible power hog that is 10 times the size of any current Ham dash mount radio. Have you looked at the control head that comes with the Piexx conversion?! I vote to dump it while you're still ahead.

Jonathan KC8RYW · Post by **Jonathan KC8RYW** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 12:54 pm

If you decide to pitch... where are you at?

Syntor X's are old.. yes.. but they are not THAT old.

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 1:36 pm

They are still useful enough to sell. Or, donate them and use it as a tax write off.

ASTROMODAT · Post by **ASTROMODAT** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 2:09 pm

A tax write off requires that you list the true market value of the item donated to a legit 501-C3 organization. Given that a 37 cent postage stamp is infinitely more valuable than a Syntor, the tax deduction is nothing.

spectragod · Post by **spectragod** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 3:06 pm

They make great boat anchors or wheel chocks.

SG

N9LLO · Post by **N9LLO** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 5:05 pm

Those Syntor-X's are great radios. At least they are not full of cheap capacitors that leak all over the place and ruin boards like this damn VHF Spectra that I wish I'd never bought, what a piece of crap that radio is.
I wish I had my VHF Delta-SX with S825 head back

Chris
N9LLO

ASTROMODAT · Post by **ASTROMODAT** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 6:41 pm

Sounds like you bought a used piece of junk off eBay. I have 110 watt VHF ASTRO Spectras that are 10 years old and are still performing 100% in daily service. They are in perfect shape, with no leaking capacitors, etc. I hope Motorola enjoys crushing them, as we trade 'em in on the XTL5000's next month.

Mike B · Post by **Mike B** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 7:41 pm

They can be upgraded into Syntor X 9000 radios with the right parts:
http://www.open.org/~blenderm/syntorx9k ... onsx9.html
http://www.open.org/~blenderm/syntorx9k ... xto9k.html

If you have VHF or UHF radios with the optional Rx pre-amp, somone out there may want them as is, especially the VHF range 1 pre-amp.

motor59 · Post by **motor59** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 11:39 am

ASTROMODAT wrote:Sounds like you bought a used piece of junk off eBay. I have 110 watt VHF ASTRO Spectras that are 10 years old and are still performing 100% in daily service. They are in perfect shape, with no leaking capacitors, etc. I hope Motorola enjoys crushing them, as we trade 'em in on the XTL5000's next month.

Do you suppose you could 'divert' one of them prior to the trade-in?

wa2zdy · Post by **wa2zdy** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 6:50 pm

Not a damn thing wrong with a Syntor X. Now the non-X Syntor is another story. Being narrowband, they aren't too useful anymore. But the X is great. The Piexx remote control head thing is pretty cumbersome and maybe even downright goofy looking. But the Piexx Eprom replacement module looks like a GREAT idea. I keep meaning to buy one, but . .. I use my GM300 on 440 more than the X on 2m. One day . . .

Are they low or high power radios? I'll bet someone would take them.

Good luck.

CTAMontrose · Post by **CTAMontrose** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 9:35 am

ASTROMODAT wrote:I hope Motorola enjoys crushing them, as we trade 'em in on the XTL5000's next month.

no matter how many times i hear that, it still makes me sick.

RADIOMAN2002 · Post by **RADIOMAN2002** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:29 am

If you maintain any of the base or repeater models of that era, such as the MSR the PA parts are worth keeping, the transistors alone are worth it

k8ai · Post by **k8ai** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 7:36 am

Yeah, really... save just the PA boards for me

Flametamer · Post by **Flametamer** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 6:01 pm

What about Syntor 9000's? I have some that are just collecting dust. Are they work anything?

dt

kc7gr · Post by **kc7gr** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 8:22 pm

Flametamer wrote:What about Syntor 9000's? I have some that are just collecting dust. Are they work anything?

dt

I don't give an aerial intercourse through a toroidal pastry what Astromodat and Spectragod think of the Syntor X series. I still think they're one of the finest radios Motorola ever built in terms of overall durability.

I have a couple here. I'm going to give them the piexx controller treatment, and thus convert them into computer-controlled base stations here at home.

Now, with that said: Yes, 9000's can still be perfectly usable amateur units. The only kicker is that resweeping the front end (required to gain coverage on the amateur bands) requires a SpecAn and tracking generator.

Only you can decide what's right for your application, and how much you want to spend. If Syntor X's and/or X9000's will do the job your asking them to do, at a price level that you like, then go with them!

For my part, I chose to go with Spectras because of their broader frequency coverage, and the fact that I had limited physical room to play with. However, that's me. Decide what's right for you and run with it.

AEC · Post by **AEC** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 8:34 pm

Heck, if you're thinking of tossing them out, I'll take them off your hands, I have new hams in the area that are looking for tinker toys, and these fill the bill, as am I looking for this model's accessories and cables and so on in an earlier posting.

Let me know!

Thank you!

Ernest A. Erickson, ka9uce

(Looking for range 1 or 2 radios)

rangerfourever · Post by **rangerfourever** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 9:30 pm

Oh the good old push button head on my Syntor X in the squad. 110 watt VHF. 110+ out, less than a half watt reflected back. Even the techs were pleased. That old girl could talk!

SlimBob · Post by **SlimBob** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 8:42 pm

wa2zdy wrote:Not a damn thing wrong with a Syntor X. Now the non-X Syntor is another story. Being narrowband, they aren't too useful anymore. But the X is great. The Piexx remote control head thing is pretty cumbersome and maybe even downright goofy looking. But the Piexx Eprom replacement module looks like a GREAT idea. I keep meaning to buy one, but . .. I use my GM300 on 440 more than the X on 2m. One day . . .

A place for everything and everything in it's place.

The Syntor can be used for a repeater reciever, since it has the helicals of a Mitrek. The Syntor-X makes a great general purpose radio, and I'm sure a few projects on the horizon will expand the purposes it serves. The Syntor X9000... well, that's just a great radio for scanning due to the speed and bank switching.

SlimBob · Post by **SlimBob** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 8:51 pm

Flametamer wrote:What about Syntor 9000's? I have some that are just collecting dust. Are they work anything?

Depends on the bad. Current market appears to be for VHF-lo and UHF units. As much as I'd love to buy a few more X9000s, I'm full up as it is. Unless it's lowband.

chipjumper · Post by **chipjumper** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 9:55 pm

My Syntor X9000 is almost as old as my brother (it is 18yrs old this year). Still performs 100%!

RADIOMAN2002 · Post by **RADIOMAN2002** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:29 am

If you have any of the newer base or repeaters MSF and MSR the PA transistors are worth holding on to. Even VOCOM uses them in their models.

Syntors..worth keeping?

Syntors..worth keeping?

Syntor X radios...Don't toss 'em...