Astro Spectra W7 or W9 radio to be used with a W3 HHCH

[oh2lak]

Hello group.

I have two headless UHF R1 Astro Spectra radios, and would like to use either of them with a W3 control head. The radios are 50W radios with remote head faces on both W7 and W9 bodies.

Just plugging in the W3 head does not do much, I can't even figure how to power up the radio. Both radios have two D25's on the face.

Any help appreciated. I've also understood I need to program in a W3 codeplug for the specific band.

..
Erik

[batdude]

look at the service manual - the control head interconnect board is different for the w3 radio....


last i checked it was $100.


HLN6459


doug

[jmr061]

Yes you should get the proper W3 interconnect board and then the radio has to have it codeplug re-blasted with a W3 record or have it modified by someone who knows what they are doing.


I should add this....If you really want to get it going as is, jumper pins 20 and 22 on the other db25 front and it will power up. I have done this in the past but do so at your own risk.

Jason

[IMBEJames]

Would reading the radio with CPS after the hardware changes, re-entering everything and writing the radio take care of it? I was toying around with the same idea....

and the HLN6459D is $62.94 from MOL... Not too bad.

[jmr061]

CPS and regular RSS does NOT allow you to make control head changes, model # changes, etc.

You must have W3 dos codeplug, s-record or know someone who can edit the existing record.

Jason

[kossuth]

Yeah, you're screwed here. The TIB or Transceiver Interface Board is different on a W3, W7 and a W9. What you're considering could in fact destroy the radio. I think the flashcode is in fact different on a spectra but not 100% sure when you go from W3, W7 and W9. Now, the XTL 5000's I know you can change the control heads by doing it in the software as long as you have the correct TIB in place and you have that option purchased. I'd just get the correct control heads and cables and go from there.