Batboard

I have an astro saber model-3. H04RDF9PW7AN. 403-470 split. The flashcode is: 000008-000000-2. This radio is super clean and still has a bunch of fed stuff programmed in. I programmed in a few UHF HAM channels and just for kicks I thought I would set a channel to digital. My question is although the flashcode clearly shows analog only I am able to set personalities to digital mode and yes it transmits a digital signal. My other UHF is set to same frequency and it is clearly a digital signal coming across. Any idea on what kind or other info?

Is that flashcode you listed something that's printed on the case/label or what the actual codeplug indicates?

Possible it's been re-flashed to upgrade/allow P25.

Since its a model 3, put it into service mode and read the flashcode out of the radio directly.

Service is accessible on the ASTRO Saber by pressing the button marked (..) that is above the PTT button, 5 times in a row within a few seconds of powering up. This way you can get the Flashcode, Host and DSP versions, and we can tell you what the radio is capable of.

Cheers,
Matt

By the way, that flashcode listed isn't necessarily analog only - it is most likely an ASTRO VSELP radio. Radios with this firmware have a special "Analog only (ASTRO Ready) flash option that meant it was an analog radio, and your radio doesn't have that in the flash. ASTRO VSELP was indicated by having no option at all, like yours does.

Try the service mode trick and let us know whats in it.

Cheers,
Matt

Sorry for confusion. The flashcode is what I read in the CPS. I did the button press/service mode and got the following:

AP_R03.36.03
DSP N05.01.02

And this string that doesn't look like a flashcode but here it is: 465AWL0429

I have a digital scanner (RS pro-26) and transmitted the saber on a digital freq. The scanner would stop and show DG mode but no audio passed.

I also thought VSELP but have zero experience with those and wasn't sure how those were set up.

With that old host/dsp, it's a Vselp radio. GARY

without a 1MEG VOCON, I wouldn't even bother messing with trying to uplift that ancient existing one to IMBE.
If the radio is clean and fresh, I'd hunt around for a good used 1 MEG VOCON or a donor radio with one, and do a VOCON swap with a 1 MEG, then re-flash accordingly, and you'll have a nice "more modern" P25 radio.

Yep, it's a VSELP radio, You can uplift to an IMBE firmware level but it's limited to fairly old firmware.

radiocat37 wrote: And this string that doesn't look like a flashcode but here it is: 465AWL0429

That "string" is the serial number of the radio.

I didn't read anything that said it was a 512k radio. It is possible for it to be a 1meg Vocon.

Nov 1996 was the cutoff for 512K/1 meg. Radios built before are 512K, & radios built after are 1 meg. The "L" in the ser # indicates the radio was built in June. So unless the board was changed, it's a Vselp radio, 512K. GARY

It's still possible so until he verifies it (best way it to pull it out and do a visual inspection) still don't have a definitive answer.

Here's how to tell. The top photo is 512k, & the lower is 1 meg.
http://communications.support/attachmen ... 99&thumb=1
http://communications.support/attachmen ... 99&thumb=1

I'm about to get into some Astro stuff and I'm now curious, what is the difference between IMBE and VSELP?

Is there any major advantage to the 1mb with newer firmware?

First, I ignored it the first time and this time I have to say something tsunami - stop hijacking other folks threads, and start your own.

There is a document on the web you need to read. Here's a link to it.

Once you've read the entire thing, then I would suggest asking questions. But don't ask anything until you've read it. It will answer EVERYTHING for you.

http://www.qsl.net/kb9mwr/projects/voip ... Radios.pdf

Happy reading. I think you'll enjoy it.

Thanks for the doco, has some good info in it (a little out of touch with the times re ebay but good background info on the codecs etc).