Quick Astro programming questions...

Chato · Post by **Chato** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 9:31 pm

Hi guys,

I'm 'new' to programming the Astro radios. I have a couple of questions if anyone would care to enlighten me.....

a) I have an Astro Spectra and an Astro Saber. I wrote a codeplug that I like for the Spectra, and it is working well. My question is, is it possible to CLONE the codeplug somehow to the Saber? I know I can clone Spectra to Spectra. I'd sure hate to write out another, duplicate codeplug just for the portable.

b) How exactly do you 'Flash Upgrade' a radio? Lets say I have a SmartRib and factory cables, can you do it with 'regular' Astro RSS, some 'special' RSS, or is it some other program all together? I know what a 'flashcode' is, I'm just wondering what's involved in upgrading it.

Thanks,

~Chad

Post by Pj » Wed Sep 10, 2003 10:03 pm

You cannot clone between different lines, unfortunatly. Even though the XTS and Astro Saber are programmed with the same RSS and the same way (basically), you cannot clone between the two. With the Astro series, the model number AND flashcode must be identical to clone, or the RSS won't do it.

To flashupgrade a radio, standard RSS will work, but you need what is called a SRIB, or SmartRIB. Some radio lines need a special cable called a flash cable which has all proper connections between the PC And radio. The SRIB also has special firmware inside to program the radio.

Flashupgrades are only obtainable thru Motorola, and the disk that they send you is only good for the radio's that need the updgrading, and is only good once. Once the file is used, its no good.

The Pager Geek · Post by **The Pager Geek** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:30 am

You also need a flashkey. It's a little hardware "toggle" that connects between the SRIB and the connector. That has all of the upgrade info needed for the upgrade.

Contact M, or you local MSS for upgrade info.

tpg

Post by **wavetar** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 4:27 am

If you have the Astro CPS, you can virtually clone the radios, simply by running two instances of the CPS. Open the Spectra codeplug in one window, open the Saber codeplug in the other. Using the 'drag & drop' feature, you can move almost all of the programming from the Spectra to the Saber with a few seconds. See the CPS 'Help' menus & tutorial movies for more information.

Todd