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Off-Brand: M-PA programming headaches
Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:52 am
by NodrogCop
Hi all -
I'm playing around with a 136-150 System MPA (combo PAGCPX) I have. When I initally got it, it refused to be read or written to. I dropped it off at the local GE shop, and the tech had it working within 15 minutes, including loading in a personality in the 150's, and tuning it so that it worked. I didn't play with the radio until tonight.
I realized that the scan was disabled. I went to just change that, and it still wouldn't be read or written to from DOS s/w. I then tried EDACS4 - it read the radio, wrote to it, but now I have the following issues:
1. The channel knob doesn't change channels - if I turn it, it still remains on one channel.
2. The scan button works, but I cannot program scan, although I checked off to do that in the software.
3. When I press the "menu" button, the display lights up all the characters, beeps, displays "MODE 1" and then reverts to the channel as I said in #1. I certainly don't get menu options.
4. When I press the "pvt" button, it says "VG DISBL" -- don't know where that came from, I didn't see that option anywhere.
5. When the number buttons are pressed, a zero shows up in the display.
Anyone have any thoughts, suggestions? I'm kinda stumped by what's going on, and I'm wondering if using EDACS4 really screwed the radio? I'm going to check on Mon. and see what s/w the tech used to program it. It's not a valuable radio, i.e., I didn't spend a lot of money for it, but it's in great shape, and I'd like to be able to use it. Otherwise, maybe I'll save it and use it to recase another one...
Any and all help appreciated...
Gordon
Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2004 11:19 am
by apco25
Things I'd check
memory back-up battery gone bad? Happens a lot to older M-PA's and at which point they start doing weird things.
If the radio refused to read or write I would check that the radio is supply the appropriate voltage out of the UDC connector to power the GE RIB.
In EDACS4 why not create a new personality from scratch? Sounds like several options were not enabled.
VG DISBL related to VoiceGuard - either VGE, DES or AEGIS
I'm guessing the tech probably used PROgrammer 10, 11, 12 or 13 which are the current versions.
Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2004 11:42 am
by NodrogCop
apco25 wrote:Things I'd check
memory back-up battery gone bad? Happens a lot to older M-PA's and at which point they start doing weird things.
If the radio refused to read or write I would check that the radio is supply the appropriate voltage out of the UDC connector to power the GE RIB.
In EDACS4 why not create a new personality from scratch? Sounds like several options were not enabled.
VG DISBL related to VoiceGuard - either VGE, DES or AEGIS
I'm guessing the tech probably used PROgrammer 10, 11, 12 or 13 which are the current versions.
The radio reads and writes fine using EDACS4; the battery, rib and UDC were checked the GE tech and found to be okay.
I also just found out that the radio had some encryption key in it prior to my ownership - gov't surplus. That explains the VG DISBL...
I guess I'll have to play with the software some more.
Apco, thanks for the response. It may just be a screwy radio...
I'll keep everyone posted. Other suggestions are still welcome.
I'm still new to EDACS4 - I've been using 11.1 forever for other M-PA's.
Gordon
Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2004 12:02 pm
by mancow
I'm kind of talking out my a** here with no experience programming these but I've heard that the GE rss is like Motorola's in the sense that it's not backward compatible. If recall correctly I was told that the sw heirarchy issue can be reset as long as it's re-written with edacs-1.
I could be full of it though, but that's what I recall.
mancow
Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2004 3:19 pm
by apco25
sorry mancow its not like the M scheme at all.
you can move fowards or backwards with software from DOS to Windows with the only catch being DOS cannot read a windows codeplug or windows programmed radio, BUT CAN overwrite the radio with a new personality.
All the windows versions are 100% compatible.
Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2004 3:47 pm
by mancow
See... I told you I didn't know what I was talking about.
Thanks for the info though.
mancow
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2004 11:52 am
by 10-95
Take it back to the shop! It needs to have a valid personality flashed in to it. If you have the TQ3370 and flash grade cable I can talk you through flashing it back to it's original state.
Frank
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2004 3:23 pm
by NodrogCop
All I have is the Price Industries set up, and I'm thinking that it's not flash capable... Is this related to trying to put out of band freq's into the radio?
Let me know.
I've got a 146-162 MPA coming (hopefully), and don't want to put a whole lot of effort (or $) into it...sending it back to the shop would be at least $50 for a minimum programming charge...
I'll probably just use it to recase the one coming. However, Frank, if you have some way to get me through this, that would be cool.
It's just a challenge...I just wish I knew I what was wrong - not that I necessarily need to fix it, just so I knew...
Gordon
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2004 3:28 pm
by 10-95
NodrogCop wrote:All I have is the Price Industries set up, and I'm thinking that it's not flash capable... Is this related to trying to put out of band freq's into the radio?
Let me know.
I've got a 146-162 MPA coming (hopefully), and don't want to put a whole lot of effort (or $) into it...sending it back to the shop would be at least $50 for a minimum programming charge...
I'll probably just use it to recase the one coming. However, Frank, if you have some way to get me through this, that would be cool.
It's just a challenge...I just wish I knew I what was wrong - not that I necessarily need to fix it, just so I knew...
Hi Gordon , the 146-162 will work 144-168mhz by doing the control E trick to enter out of band stuff. You might consider buying the full keypad membrane and front cover for a few bucks from your local GE shop and then have the flash done to allow keypad programming on the radio.
As far as changing the bandplit thet is done in the "maintainence" portion of the software, then you will need to re-tune the pa deck for the new disired split. With the contol E trick on the 146-162 split you should have no problem programming most public safety stuff.
Frank
Gordon
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2004 3:52 pm
by NodrogCop
Here's the problem that really has me confused:
The deck and radio was retuned for the upper end by the shop tech. He then blew a personality into the radio. Not mine, but just a generic one with business freq's to make sure it worked. I told him I would program it up when I got a chance.
I hooked up the radio to the computer, and tried to program a personality using 11.1. The s/w asks if I want to overwrite the bandsplit. I say "yes", and it continues. It then stops, saying "Read failed. Check connections." Yet I can hook up another M-PA and program it just fine seconds later, telling me the cables and such are fine. The shop was able to program it, so the radio should be fine (as well as my EDACS4 being able to write to it.)
Any ideas?
Frank, I do have the keypad on it already. Haven't looked into the flash yet.
Gordon
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2004 4:02 pm
by 10-95
Check your PM Gordon.
Frank
Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 2:57 am
by Big Blue TO/\/\
Gordon-
Looks like you and Frank are working things out, but I have had weird/good luck with the GE's I have 2 now, and just recently re-programmed one for "Screwed" here.
If you want to send it to me, and a return label, I'll putz with it.
Lemme know.
Tom
Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 3:22 am
by NodrogCop
Thanks for the offer, Tom.
It's been put on the back burner for a while. I've got some other radio issues to deal with, and then I'll get back to it.
I'll let you know.
Gordon