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Converting A7 Spectra to A3 HHCH?

Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 6:26 pm
by tvsjr
The candidate radio is a motorcycle 438-470 UHF A7 Spectra. It's currently an A7, but I want to convert it into an A3 HHCH.

The radio deck has a standard remote panel installed with keyload port.

I purchased an HHCH kit in Dayton, which included a real A3 MLM, remote cable, and the head. I've installed the MLM, plugged the HHCH in, and can't get the thing to power up, either using the remote cable or without. I've got a spare (known-good) HHCH, it doesn't work either.

I can install an old interconnect board and head and power the radio up. Reads just fine as an A3. But I can't get the thing to work with the HHCH.

Is the remote panel on the front of the RF deck the same for a regular remote mount as for an HHCH?

Anyone have any clues what I'm doing wrong?

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:15 am
by tvsjr
Bump? Anyone?

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:27 am
by redbeard
Something is slightly different with the power on stuff in the motorcycle head. I have noticed strange behavior when putting this head directly on a dash mount radio with an interconnect board. Did you apply +12V through the rear DB15 as usual? I think i've left this off on the other radios when using the motorcycle head and it still powers up. That may have been the difference I noticed before.

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 10:54 am
by tvsjr
Tried it both ways. No dice. The radio isn't powering up at all - no current draw, and unable to read/write.

Anyone know what's required to power the radio up, as far as pins on the DB25? Might try forcing the thing hot just to see what happens.

..

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 11:45 am
by batdude
the interconnect board is different on the m-cycle radios.

this is most likely your problem.


see

http://www.open.org/~blenderm/spectra

A7 to A3

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:23 pm
by VE3TUH
I have done this, your problem is the interconnecting board on the front of the radio. The A3 head requires a special board. The part number escapes me at the moment, but I have seen the remote connection board on ebay advertised as a HHCH interconnecting faceplate. Bought 3 of them myself.

Randy