Out of Band Frequenicies (doing the hack)

[RadioGuyBri]

Can someone give a detailed explanation of how to hack the rss so I can put out of band frequencies into my xts-3000. I don't understand how to edit the rss using a hex editor. What is it? Where can I get one? Need more detailed info please.

[Elroy Jetson]

OK, what you need to do is get a hex editor like Hex Workshop. Hex Workshop is available on a 30 day free trial basis and then to keep using it you have to buy it. There are other hex editors that will allow you to do the same thing, though, but Hex Workshop is among the best of them.

Once you have it, load it up and sort of fiddle with it a bit, to get the idea of how it works and how to control it. Now, make a COPY of your Astrop.odb file. You want to keep your original safe in case you blow it.

Using the hex editor, load up the Astrop.odb file, and figure out how to find the string "450.0000" on the ASCII side of the editor using the search function. You switch between the ASCII and HEX sides with the TAB key.

Once you have found this "450.0000" string in the software, then you have passed lesson one.

Now, I don't know which bandsplit you want to adjust, but for the sake of argument, we will assume that it's the 450.0000 to 520.0000 split. You will now use the GLOBAL search and replace function in the hex editor. In that global search and replace, you will enter "450.0000" as the target string, and you will enter "430.0000" as the string to replace it with. Hit the go button, sit back, and watch it go through the entire file, automatically replacing EVERY incidence of "450.0000" in the software with "430.0000". That's how it's done.

By the way, you should have NO trouble pushing the 450 split down to 430 and have the radio work fine. You can go above 520 but there's really no point. The VHF split can be pushed down to the aircraft band (!!) to 118 MHz (It's AM down there and it can get garbled but it will work and it's usually intelligible.) and it should go up to about 190 MHz so you can hear any wireless microphone on the VHF band. (Program those channels up and drive by some nightclubs...)


That's how it's done. Play with it, you'll get it shortly.

Elroy

[RadioGuyBri]

Thanks Elroy, I will try it. I am trying to go to about 480-490. I have a 400-470 split.

[Elroy Jetson]

You will probably be successful. The UHF radios seem to be just fine with 20 MHz out of band. You might even make it to 500.

By the way, the 403 end of the band could
be taken down to maybe 373 or 380, and if you do a little searching, you might find some good military air channels in that range to listen to.

Elroy

[RadioGuyBri]

Thanks Elroy, it worked fine with the exception of 2 frequencies in the 484 range that would not take. When I put the radio on those channels it gave me a fail 001 and a tone. I took them out and reprogrammed. Most of the stuff I wanted was in the 470-477 range and it worked fine. Thanks Again

Bri

[Twisted_Pear]

I've got an XTS-3000 UHF mid-range [H09RDH9PW7AN] that I've been able to take down to 406MHz for receive and transmit without any problems.

Wayne

[RFdude]

Do you know if this will work similarly for the Spectra Astro? I have a 146 - 174 W7 radio that would be great if it could go lower. Thanks,

[Elroy Jetson]

The file structure for Astro Spectra RSS is practically identical to Astro portable RSS. The same hack will work fine.

Elroy

[HOWARD]

Don't be so sure about the Astro Spectras, I have a "T" Band Astro Spectra that would take the frequencies after modification but would not lock up...got a contant tone. I have talked to different people and they say the same thing. Maybe the VHF radios will go out but the UHF radios won't, at least the few that I have tried.
Howard

[Motofanatic]

Hi Howard,

Most Spectras will go at least +/- 3MHz above/below their specified split. Most will do +/- 5MHz.

The T-bands will typically bottom at 475-476MHz. If you need to go lower then that, you can retune the stripline on the VCO via the tuning window.

See the Model Specific info on Batlabs for the Spectra and scroll down to the 'Getting your 450MHz Spectra into the Ham Band' section. Same concept applies to downbanding the T-band.

[motsaber99]

The Spectras will go out about 5 but the Astro Spectras will not go out at all.
Elroy I tried the hex but it didn't work. I got a fatal error as I was trying open the program. I had to reload the original ODB file and go from there. I suppose I am doing something wrong as I have heard that many people have had it work.
Also Elroy can you tell me the Part number for Astro Lab. I just wandered.

Thanks.

[Elroy Jetson]

I modded the Spectra side of the Astro RSS and it went smoothly. I didn't overdo it, though. Since I've never even had a Spectra radio on hand to use or program, I can't actually verify that this works the same as for the portables, but I can't see why it wouldn't work.

However, while the modded RSS will allow you to extend the bandsplit, that does not mean that the VCO in the radio is going to lock on the out-of-band frequencies. Results should vary from radio to radio. That's a physical design issue, not a software issue. Modding the VCO is possible, but it'll take some skill and a working knowledge of it and how to tune it.

As for lab versions, I'd go so far as to bet that they don't have a standard part number, based on what I've been told. I don't have such stuff on hand because, well, that'd be wrong. But I've heard that lab versions are usually based on standard releases but typically have a B in front of the version number, while depot versions begin with D.

Elroy

[HOWARD]

I had no problem at all modifying the file but the radio itself would not go out of band. The software would except the frequency but the radio would not transmit or recieve out of band. The retuning trick won't work for me because I would lose the top end.
Howard

[Pj]

Try to retune or realign the radio, that may help. Bring the ref oscli. done a hair.