Syntors..worth keeping?
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Syntors..worth keeping?
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...
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...
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 ....
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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.
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- spectragod
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They make great boat anchors or wheel chocks.
SG
SG
Kilgore: Smell that? You smell that?
Lance: What?
Kilgore: Napalm, son. Nothing in the world smells like that.
Kilgore: I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like... victory. Someday this war's gonna end...
____________
Revelation 6:8
Lance: What?
Kilgore: Napalm, son. Nothing in the world smells like that.
Kilgore: I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like... victory. Someday this war's gonna end...
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Revelation 6:8
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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.
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.
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.
Last edited by Mike B on Tue Dec 27, 2005 7:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Do you suppose you could 'divert' one of them prior to the trade-in?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.
"We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. "
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.
Are they low or high power radios? I'll bet someone would take them.
Good luck.
Chris,
Hamming 31 years
http://www.wa2zdy.com
Wesley Chapel, Pasco County, Florida
Snow? What's that?!
The human race is proof that Darwin was wrong.
Hamming 31 years
http://www.wa2zdy.com
Wesley Chapel, Pasco County, Florida
Snow? What's that?!
The human race is proof that Darwin was wrong.
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- Flametamer
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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.Flametamer wrote:What about Syntor 9000's? I have some that are just collecting dust. Are they work anything?
dt
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.
Bruce Lane, KC7GR
"Raf tras spintern. Raf tras spoit."
Syntor X radios...Don't toss 'em...
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)
Let me know!
Thank you!
Ernest A. Erickson, ka9uce
(Looking for range 1 or 2 radios)
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A place for everything and everything in it's place.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 . . .
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.
- chipjumper
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