SPECTRA 900 Mhz and hex editing

[n9wys]

OK, gang. I have a couple of 900 Mhz Spectra radios that I'd love to get up and going on the amateur band. However, I do not have an edited version of the RSS. (I do have the "conventional" RSS and the LAB versions - just not one to do the ham stuff.)

I've been told that doing the hex edit is fairly simple, but I have absolutely NO experience in doing these types of things. Nor do I have a Hex Editor program, which I see now is a necessary thing. The checksum error isues are what give me pause - I have no idea how to resolve any of that.

SO - is there anyone who can edit the specific file (SPECTRA1.EXE) for me, or supply me with the necessary tools and guidance to get me through this maze??

Feel free to reply here or off-list...

Thanks!
Mark - N9WYS
n9wys [at] ameritech [.] net

[W6JK]

Everything you need to know to modify your RSS can be found on this page:

http://www.batlabs.com/specband.html

There's even a link to the web site where you can download the free hex editor.

The rest of what you need to know about modifying your radios can be found here:

http://www.batlabs.com/spectra.html

'JK

[n9wys]

Well, I now have RSS and LAB software. I want to convert a trunked 900 MHz radio to conventional.

I've read everything on the board regarding editing and hacking the Moflags, and I'm totally confused now... I've tried to read the data addresses for the Command Board from B681 thru B690, and all I see is FF in every data field. I read the data in the MLM from 6183 through 6192, and this is what I see:

53 48 4F 50 20 20 20 20 48 4F 4D 45 20 20 20 20

So what's up with that???

If I understood everything correctly, I believe this is what I want to ultimately change the string to:
00 0A 08 A0 1F FD E1 FE 42 04 00 48 0E 00 00 00

Am I correct? If so, what is my next move - should I just write this into the MLM and the Command Board at the referenced address and hope for the best, or is there any way to determine just what data is stored in the Command Board? Is there any way to confirm exactly where the data string is stored in the MLM, since nothing matches what's in the Command Board?

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG??? I'm going bald with this project - can someone help me before I pull the last few strands of hair out of my head? Contact me off-list if you feel it is necessary! My e-mail is captured in a previous message.

Thanks!

[kcbooboo]

First, do not just blindly change things in the radio, either on the command board or the MLM. If you set one bit incorrectly, the radio could be turned into an expensive brick, and the only way to fix it would be to put in a working MLM, initialize things, and do more hex editing to get the radio functioning again.

There's also more info on http://www.repeater-builder.com, in the Motorola area, Spectra section. Several short articles about procedures that you will most likely have to do to your setup.

What is the model number (D27xxx or D37xxx string) on the radio? If it's trunking only, it may take more work than just hex-editing the software to get it to do conventional channels in the ham band.

Bob M.

[N9LLO]

The 900 spectras that I have done do not have the command board data at the address listed. It was at a different loocation on each radio I did.
A very painstaking search through the data to find it.

Chris

[60hzEE]

The 900 spectras that I have done do not have the command board data at the address listed. It was at a different loocation on each radio I did.
A very painstaking search through the data to find it.

Chris

But, no matter where the string was, in order for the radio to be made into a conventional, the string must be between B681 and B692 on the Command Board.

If you put a correct conentional string, including checksum into that range, it should convert things just fine. And, the MLM should pickup the new string as well, as I remember. The features may or may not all work, of course, depending on the MLM version.

And, also important, reset the microoprocessor.

Lee
60HzEE

[60hzEE]

First, do not just blindly change things in the radio, either on the command board or the MLM. If you set one bit incorrectly, the radio could be turned into an expensive brick, and the only way to fix it would be to put in a working MLM, initialize things, and do more hex editing to get the radio functioning again.

There's also more info on http://www.repeater-builder.com, in the Motorola area, Spectra section. Several short articles about procedures that you will most likely have to do to your setup.

What is the model number (D27xxx or D37xxx string) on the radio? If it's trunking only, it may take more work than just hex-editing the software to get it to do conventional channels in the ham band.

Bob M.

Bob: Yes, it takes more than that to get the gibberish out of the modes and mode names. And, of course, then there are the hardware mods too.

While I agree about willy-nilly changes to either, putting a KNOWN correct conventional string and checksum between B681 and B692 won't screw up anything, and you'll then have a conventional radio. Also, a working, known-to-be-good MLM is a good fall back. Especially since many of the trunkers used early versions of firmware and need to be updated.

Lee
60HzEE

[n9wys]

Well, thanks for all the replies. From what I have seen so far, treading lightly is the way to go. I guess it's a good thing I didn't just blow that string I created into the radio then, eh??

First off, to answer the inquiries. This IS a trunking-only radio - currently programmed with 8 personalities and 9 modes.
Model number is: D37KGA5JB9AK.
It does NOT have an A9 control head - rather it currently has an A5.

As far as a KNOWN GOOD conventional codeplug string, I have none... and I guess I need to figure out where it is supposed to reside in the radio. But this is what is most confusing - if Chris is correct, I could feasibly be searching for hours trying to find the correct data string, yes? I checked string data between 6183 and 6200, and nothing matched the Command Board string. So the question becomes - where do I start looking??

[n9wys]

I now have a conventional codeplug to attempt to "force" into the trunked-only Spectra I have. I changed the serial number to match the codeplug, and after programming I get the FL 01/82 error - expected. But when I try to read and write it with the "regular" RSS software, I get this error message:

EEPROM Versions Do Not Match
Version Conversion is Necessary

So - how do I do a "version conversion"? It appears this is the only thing standing in the way of my making the radio work as a conventional Spectra. I don't have the programming manual, so I can't refer to it for "suggestions".

Thanks!

[kcbooboo]

I'd guess that the codeplug you put in was obtained with a newer version of software than what you're now using to read the radio. I think R06.00.05 is the latest version. If you aren't using that, it might be your only way out, if at all.

But I defer your results to someone with more experience than I have.

Bob M.