Out of Band Saber Question

[billy7834]

Hi....When I read the radio info on my Saber 2 it says 458-490 MHz for the freq limits. Is there a way to get a 453.xxxx freq in there or is that too far outside? Thanks.

[Tom in D.C.]

Over on Batlabs there is a method in the Saber section which will show you how to rewrite the band limits. It involves hex editing and it may or may not work for you; I forget the exact limitations of the operation.

Otherwise I'd just sell/trade the radio. Your Saber II would probably be in demand in the NY City area as their T-band analog police system is in the 473/476 mHz band.

[RKG]

Isn't 458-490 an unusual band split? Not only have I never seen it before, but by definition, it includes 3 mHz of freqs that can only be used for repeater input, with (presumably) the ability to tune the associated outputs.

[mike m]

Nope that's correct.

If he's using the most recent RSS version R07.01.00 then the UHF choices are 403-433, 440-470, 458-490 and 482-512 MHz and the earlier versions should be the same.

Mike

[billy7834]

Yep...Those are the choices.....What about putting in a 453.xxxx freq? Not possible? I mainly use it on the band that it covers (public safety)...just that there are a few public safety freqs in the 453 area that would be nice to add.

[kc2dla]

there a way to get a 453.xxxx freq in there or is that too far outside?

Enter the frequency as 463.xxxx in the RSS. Save the archive. Perform the hex edit method from the Batlabs Saber page. This method worked for me very well when I had to do it for 24 channels on a Saber III VHF. I went 3Mhz. out of band both RX and TX.

Good luck!

Paul KC2DLA

[k4wtf]

Or, if you don't need to go above 470Mhz, dump a 450-470 codeplug in it and save yourself the trouble of HEX editing. Have you verified the bandsplit of the actual modules in the radio?

Since you're going to be +5 Mhz TX offset typically, you should be able to get away with the 450-470 bandsplit with a possibly slightly degraded RX below 458Mhz. You might not be able to lock TX on talkaround at 453Mhz though.

If that doesn't work, I might be persuaded to swap 440-470 modules for your 458-490 modules, again assuming you don't need to go above 470Mhz.

--
John

[billy7834]

Most of my freqs are in the mid 470's with just a couple of 453's.

When you read the radio isn't the bandsplit info it gives you what the module is?

[k4wtf]

Most of my freqs are in the mid 470's with just a couple of 453's.

When you read the radio isn't the bandsplit info it gives you what the module is?

Oh, if it were only that simple but it's not. The "?wonderful?" thing about Sabers is that you can dump a codeplug for a different bandsplit into the radio and in MANY cases, it will take it. It may or not operate at all (TX/RX). The only REAL way to know what you've got your hands on is to take the radio apart and identify the modules.

--
John

[billy7834]

OK.......Do the modules correspond to the bandsplits in the RSS?
If you did drop in a codeplug different to the module I assume it would have to cover overlapping freqs and the further away from the module specs a frequency is, the more likely it would not RX, TX properly.....correct??

[k4wtf]

OK.......Do the modules correspond to the bandsplits in the RSS?
If you did drop in a codeplug different to the module I assume it would have to cover overlapping freqs and the further away from the module specs a frequency is, the more likely it would not RX, TX properly.....correct??

The modules determine the TRUE bandsplit of the radio and while they will sometimes operate outside of their designated bandsplit, there is always a trade-off in performance and even if they operate, you run the risk of damaging a module on TX if you're telling the radio to do something that the modules aren't meant to do. (IE; WAY outside of the bandsplit.)

I don't own any other Motorola portables but, it is my understanding that some of the newer series radios have wider bandsplits and may "natively" cover the split you need.

--
John

[billy7834]

What I meant is....Are the bandsplits in the modules the same as the RSS? IE: 440-470, 458-490, 482-512, etc. Also, is 5 MHz outside enough to damage the module on TX?

[k4wtf]

What I meant is....Are the bandsplits in the modules the same as the RSS? IE: 440-470, 458-490, 482-512, etc. Also, is 5 MHz outside enough to damage the module on TX?

I don't know if 5Mhz outside is enough to damage the module or not.

As for bandsplits, this is not a complete list but, here is my personal cheat-sheet:


NLD8201 Synthesizer 136-150.8 Bandsplit
NLD8210 Synthesizer 146-178 Bandsplit
NLE9461 Synthesizer 403-433 Bandsplit
NLE9462 Synthesizer 438-470 Bandsplit
NLE9463 Synthesizer 470-500 Bandsplit
NLE9464 Synthesizer 488-520 Bandsplit

NLE9471 PA 403-433 5Watt
NLE9472 PA 438-470 5Watt
NLE9473 PA 470-500 5Watt
NLE9474 PA 488-520 5Watt
NLD8133 PA 146-178 2.5 Watt
NLD8121 PA 136-150.8 6Watt
NLD8122 PA 146-174 6Watt
NLD8123 PA 146-174 6Watt
NLD8773 PA 146-174 6Watt

NLD8180 Receievr , hybrid ( 136-178 )

NFD6131 FDS ( 136-150.8 )
NFD6132 FDS ( 146-178 )

--
John

[billy7834]

Thanks John .....But now I'm even more confused. According to your list there is not a module that covers the 458-490 bandsplit in the RSS.

[billy7834]

Anybody for the above?

[k4wtf]

That isn't a complete list. It was just my cheatsheet. I gathered those from various posts on batlabs. I do have the UHF service manual and I'll post the part numbers for the UHF radios sometime tonight.

--
John