Syntor X9000 VHF -- bandwidth? Codeplug EEPROM?

[Jonathan KC8RYW]

Question.

I've heard a lot about how lowband X9000 radios can work 6m AND 10m out of the box.

What's the bandwidth of a VHF unit like? If I'm using a VHF X9000 on 144.39 MHz, so I need to retune?

Also, does anyone know what type of EEPROM the codeplug is stored on? I've read that one can simply copy the codeplug EEPROM and stick it into another radio of the same range. However, I haven't been able to get this to work. I suspect my EEPROM programmer might be at fault.

Thanks!

[Andy Brinkley]

For all things Syntor related I would recommend you spending some time on Mike Blenderman's site:

http://www.onfreq.com

Ignore the under construction note and click on the link to access the site.

[Andy Brinkley]

Frigging fat fingers !!!

Continuation of first post:

For all things Syntor related I would recommend you spending some time on Mike Blenderman's site:

http://www.onfreq.com

Ignore the under construction note and click on the link to access the site.

As far as the band split, the radio came with the filters tuned for a 24 MHz window ( typically 150-174 MHz). I have seen some that go to 144.xxx with no tuning and others that require tuning of the filters. The filters should not be retuned with out the proper test equipment, the service manuals are on the repeater builder website.

As far as memory eeproms, the X9000 came with either a 2k (2816) or an 8k (2864) EEPROM. As long as the radios are set up for the same size EEPROM you should be able to swap from one radio to another. The codeplugs are different between the two eeproms and there is a jumper next to the codeplug that needs to be swapped in order to access the extra memory.

Did your EEPROM programmer indicate a successful write?

[Jim202]

I have taken one and put it on frequencies between 144 and 147 with little or no problems. Being that I did this about some 5 years ago, I have a fuzzy recollection of the details.

Go read Mike's web site and get the manuals from Radioreference.

The ham version of the software will allow you to be able to program up to 255 channels. Plus allow up to 32 PL tone and the use of the "MULTI PL" button you can program on the control head. In other words, you now have almost a dial a frequency radio. The down side is even with the larger EEPROM, you only get 64 channels max in any combination of scan channels.

Second down side to the ham software version, is that it won't allow you to program fixed channel scan channels. If you choose to use operator scan, it will zero out when the radio is powered off. You will have to set the operator scan settings each time you power on the radio.

I found the only way to set the fixed scan for the channels (modes) was to use the normal software on in band channels. I would program the first 64 channels with all the same in band channel. The numeric channel position is what matters. once you have the scan lists done, then you go back with the ham software and program the ham frequencies. Found that it was easier if you used an Excel sheet to keep tract where your at and which frequency goes where.

Jim

[N9LLO]

I only lose the scan list when the drawer loses power.

[Will]

I only lose the scan list when the drawer loses power.

That is correct, some people switch off ALL the power to the radio. Which is not what the radio was designed for.

Same thing is true on Spectras.

[WB6NVH]

If you have a standard commercial range VHF chassis it is not going to work on 2 Meters as far as receive, at least not properly. Sensitivity falls off rapidly below about 147 MHz, at least on the dozen or two radios I have converted. The transmitter VCO may or may not lock in the lower 2 Meter band. About 75% of the radios I converted did.

Traditionally the way to remedy this was to sweep tune the resonators in the receiver front end to go about 6 MHz lower at the expense of the upper end, which was not trivial to do. These days when everything on 150-174 high band is supposed to be narrowband (at least Part 90) and many systems are P25 or gone from VHF, if you don't need coverage above 148 MHz you can adjust just the resonator associated with this range with a signal generator and it will work over 2 Meters with about 0.4 uv/20 db sensitivity. I know this sounds like heresy but it works just fine. The radio is no longer broadband but will cover 2 Meters just fine.

Bottom line is that these VHF high radios are not plug and play as they are on low band.

You should be able to clone the eeprom by using another as master, but it would seem better to get the programming cable and a RIB box and do it that way.