HT 1000 Programming

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DjMtrx3
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Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2003 9:53 am

HT 1000 Programming

Post by DjMtrx3 »

Hello, I’m kind of new to this whole Motorola programming thing so do be kind. I was told this was the place to go for any questions on motorola products. I have successfully programmed 2 HT 1000s that I have brought off of ebay. I use an aftermarket rib and everything works great. I recently brought another ht1000 for very cheep and I assumed it would be for parts if it did not work. The radio turns on (it gives the beep) but then the led light blinks red. I can’t seem to read or write to the radio. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated. Do I now have a cool looking paper weight?
Charlied
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What radios do you own?: MTS2000

Post by Charlied »

Being a novice here myself, I have found that when the battery starts to go bad or loosing it's charge the led starts to blink red.
DjMtrx3
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Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2003 9:53 am

Post by DjMtrx3 »

Well I have tried a few different batties and I dont think thats it. I gave teh radio to friend of mine that knows alot more about the ht 1000 so maybe he can figuer it out.
OX
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Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2001 4:00 pm

Post by OX »

*usually* when the red LED is blinking, it is receiving a signal on the selected channel. You would normally hear the signal unless the PL/DPL was not set the same.

Of course, since the radio will not read or write, it sounds like it has bigger problems.
DjMtrx3
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Post by DjMtrx3 »

yes, and the fact that it will just keep blinking
Nand
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Post by Nand »

I suggest you remove the housing from the radio and check for water damage and also check if the flex circuits are properly in their sockets. Water damage often shows up in the bottom of the radio and under the accessory connector as well.

Nand.
DjMtrx3
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Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2003 9:53 am

Post by DjMtrx3 »

well I got the radio back, don’t think he had time to look at it, got a loner instead. I took apart the radio to look at it and it seems to be fine damage wise. I also got my hands on a copy of the lab RSS for the HT 1000 and still cant read or write to the radio. I’m at a loss for words sine I don’t know all that much. I have a few other HT 1000s and they all read and write fine, I’m very confused. So as of now I have a cool looking paper weight that has a little red blinking light.
Any ideas?
(oh and the red light stops after you push the transmit button once, just a note)
RKG
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Post by RKG »

When you say you can't read (my rule: never try to write a radio unless and until you've done a successful read), what happens when you try?
DjMtrx3
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Post by DjMtrx3 »

get the standard error message, you know, check RIB, check power, check connection, that suff
Lewismc
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Post by Lewismc »

I recently bought four of these radios one of them would not read or write. I pulled it apart and found that the internal contacts at the accessory port had corrosion from water. I cleaned it up now it reads and writes just fine.
RKG
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Post by RKG »

OK, what you got was the serial comms failure message. Typical causes:

Wrong comm port selected in PC.
Trying to read via RSS running in a "DOS Window" or from a "DOS Prompt" under any flavor of windows. (MUST use native DOS.)
Low batt on radio.
Low batt on RIB.
Non, Motorola RIB or RIB-to-Radio cable.
Internal water damage to controller board or flex ribbon cable.

Sometimes you'll find that a particular radio's connector pads on the side of the radio are dirty, worn or just enough out of alignment that serial comms fail. Try wiggling the R-to-R cable connector after snapping it on to the radio. Also, inspect the pads and clean if needed (very gently, with soft pencil eraser shaped to a point).
DjMtrx3
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Post by DjMtrx3 »

Well I looked the radio over once more and don’t see anything physically wrong with it. I also took the face plat off on of my other HT 1000s and put it on to see if that would let me read the radio but no luck. This is the only radio I have problems with my others perform flawlessly. I have no problem reading or write to my other 3 radios, I’m just so confused.
911_guy
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Post by 911_guy »

RKG's right. If you're trying to run your RSS in a DOS window thru Windows 95 or newer, that's most likely the problem. Also, ensure that your RIB is getting power from a good source. And, make sure the battery is good. Those are the three biggest problems that people run into when programming a radio. Make sure all of that is good, you're using a good cable and RIB, and running a dedicated DOS computer.
DjMtrx3
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Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2003 9:53 am

Post by DjMtrx3 »

This is the part that is so weird, it is dedicated DOS new battery, my set up works with my other radios. I just have this one that blinks red and its like its receving but its not. I cant make it stop by pushing the PTT but I still cant read teh radio. I'm close to giveing up.
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KG6EAQ
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Post by KG6EAQ »

I'll give ya $10 for the radio once you give up :P Then I'll have another project for a while...
-Robert F.
KG6EAQ
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Monty
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Post by Monty »

HI:

I have seen this a few times.

Sometimes it is the Rib Box !
Clones may work fine
some of the time, but run accross a radio that has
a [ I / O ] Problem, and the RS-232 protocal issues
may start to show up.

Measure the Current your Rib box is using ( 5 ~ 10 ma )
in stand-by ? Thats a plus.......20 ~ 30 ma in Stand-by
( Definately a problem )

You may have a corrupted code plug as a result of
a earlier programming atempt with a clone.

Try and enter into one of the " Alighnment " modes...
make a Very Small value change [ up or down ] Exit
and then try and [ Read ] the radio.

Make sure you have a Fresh Radio Battery, and use
a External Power Supply for the clone

HT1000's / MTS2000 series radios are High Tier
devices that can easily be corrupted ( even by a
small soft pot value change )

VHF ones are more sensitive than the UHF ones. I can't
explain why.

IF all else fails, use it for a paper weight, or we can
offer you a core fee.

Monty
Need help on a Program Cable or (/\/\) Rib Box ?
Contact me anytime/All availible / Free Support Info !

mail to: MSisco9939@aol.com
PLease avoid PM's whenever possible. Box gets too full.
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Rick Rock
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pROGRAMMING PROBLEM

Post by Rick Rock »

You might also try cloning it from another radio, if you have one that has the same model#. If it'll take the cloning, try reading it after that.
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DjMtrx3
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Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2003 9:53 am

Post by DjMtrx3 »

Well I have tryed a number of differnet things and still no luck.

"Measure the Current your Rib box is using ( 5 ~ 10 ma )
in stand-by ? Thats a plus.......20 ~ 30 ma in Stand-by
( Definately a problem ) "
I dont extaly know what I should messure here.

"You may have a corrupted code plug as a result of
a earlier programming atempt with a clone.

Try and enter into one of the " Alighnment " modes...
make a Very Small value change [ up or down ] Exit
and then try and [ Read ] the radio. "

I agree I probibly have a corrupted code plug but when trying to do my alighnment stuff I get the error becuase I cant read the radio.

I use a fresh battery whenever I try to do programing work also.

"IF all else fails, use it for a paper weight, or we can
offer you a core fee. "

Well I might being useing it as a weight here but what do you mean core fee?

Thanks for all the help guys, its nice to have a place to turn to when in need of help.

Alex
Nand
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Post by Nand »

Since you bought that particular radio very cheap, it likely was messed up pretty bad before you got it. It may just have a component failure that cannot be analyzed without the proper equipment or perhaps someone may have tried to change it in to a different model without success.

Nand.
DjMtrx3
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Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2003 9:53 am

Post by DjMtrx3 »

Yes, I agree, this radio is a lost cause.
EddieC
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Post by EddieC »

Pop the front off of the radio (no need to disconnect the flex or disassemble any further) and look for the two contacts near the top right corner of the top board (on the antenna side of the radio, right above the antenna switch). They will look like two curved gold plated 'fingers'.

GENTLY bend them out a little so the will make good contact with the contacts inside the front cover. Be sure the mating surfaces inside the front cover are clean, pop the cover back on and clean the contacts on the outside of the radio (I use a small stiff bristle nylon brush and Isopropyl alcohol, grain is even better).

Try reading the radio. This usually works for me.

Eddie
Nand
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Post by Nand »

EddieC wrote:Pop the front off of the radio (no need to disconnect the flex or disassemble any further) and look for the two contacts near the top right corner of the top board (on the antenna side of the radio, right above the antenna switch). They will look like two curved gold plated 'fingers'.

GENTLY bend them out a little so the will make good contact with the contacts inside the front cover. Be sure the mating surfaces inside the front cover are clean, pop the cover back on and clean the contacts on the outside of the radio (I use a small stiff bristle nylon brush and Isopropyl alcohol, grain is even better).

Try reading the radio. This usually works for me.

Eddie
Somehow I don’t think that bending out and cleaning the public safety antenna switch contacts is going to help with programming the radio. Some earlier models do not even have these contacts.
Cleaning the outside is good, but not likely the problem here.

Nand.
EddieC
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Post by EddieC »

Nand wrote:Somehow I don’t think that bending out and cleaning the public safety antenna switch contacts is going to help with programming the radio. Some earlier models do not even have these contacts.
Cleaning the outside is good, but not likely the problem here.

Nand.
I didn't say it made sense... just that it has worked for me. :wink: A Motorola service tech taught me this. I can see no connections between P402 and data communications in the schematics. As far as that goes, when the public safety antenna switch (S101) is in it's normal condition (which it is during programming) both of the contacts mentioned have no bearing on anything, nor does the programming cable make contact with P402. I been able to get several radios to communicate by doing this... Maybe it's magic :wink: .

Eddie
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wavetar
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Post by wavetar »

Yes, black magic maybe....sometimes just the act of taking the radio apart & putting it back together accomplishes the same thing.

Anyway, have a look at the interconnect pins between the two boards, where the small flex cable sits in the connectors. There were several bad runs of the Jedi series radio which had almost no solder on the pins, and what little amount did get put on, was poor. If the pins look flat, dull & 'cold', it could very well be your problem. This can cause any number of strange problems, including what you are seeing. If the solder on the pins appears rounded & shiny, then they're likely ok. Let us know what you find.

Todd
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DjMtrx3
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Post by DjMtrx3 »

wow, I think we have a winner! I took it apart and found the littel flex and was lookign closely at the solder pins and sure enough a few of them look really bad (3-4 of time). So now I think I have found the problem its just what do I do now? I dont know if I should try to resolder it or what I would have to get a smaller tip for my iron.
Alex
DjMtrx3
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Post by DjMtrx3 »

so should I try to resolder or buy a new little flex and then solder that on insted?
DjMtrx3
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Post by DjMtrx3 »

bump
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ANB_Medic
was sja505
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What radios do you own?: Jedi's, MCS's, and Waris

Post by ANB_Medic »

Sounds to me like you couldn't possibly make things worse... If you have a steady hand and a small tip, go for it.

My $0.02

Todd
DjMtrx3
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Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2003 9:53 am

Post by DjMtrx3 »

Well I fixed it! Yay

It was the little flex between the two boards, I took out my soldering iron and went to work touching up the connections between the boards and not it works! I can read and write to the radio just fine. Thank you for all the help.

Alex
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