Batboard

hi, this is mostlikely a DUMB question, but i am new to saber astros, dont have one yet, but will soon! are all saber "ASTRO" radios setup for ASTRO? or must ASTRO be flashed also?

what are some other default flashes that are usually in the radio?

Not all Astro radios have "Astro" in them. It is a feature that has to be ordered from M.

However, many of them will have either VSELP or IMBE in them already.

hi, this VSELP or IMBE, are those non encrypted digital modes? and how would i know if it has wich?

VSLEP and IMBE are digital transmissions (Astro)

VSLEP was the first flavor of digital transmission, and now IMBE is the supported APCO standard (also known as IMBE CAI or Common Air Interface).

Digtial (Astro) is NOT an encyption standard...just another way of getting your voice from point A to B. Digital encyption would take place by using a DVP/DES modules (well, using DVP, DES, DVI does change your voice to a digital format, but its not the same thing that we are talking about). There is no such thing as "Astro Encyption" etc if you are transmitting in the clear, in digital mode.

To find out if you have IMBE, go into the ASTRO menu in RSS and see if you can change the "Digital Squelch" to "Digital CSQ". If you can, then you have IMBE. If you cannot change it to that option, you have VSLEP.

can the VSELP and IMBE CAI communicate with each other?

like this could be an option for hamfests also...

Nope. It would be nice, but nope. Can't have both in the same radio either.