Motorola Astro 2.5khz?

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ComEms
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2005 1:24 am

Motorola Astro 2.5khz?

Post by ComEms »

Hi I am using mostly MCS2000 II's, Astro Sabers, XTS3000's, and Astro Spectra Mobiles. VHF RX 155.1825, TX 150.805. WQAH730 Commonwealth Ambulance Svc. The lastest VHF Astro Spectra mobiles I have put in service will not do the 2.5khz. What exactly do I need to do! I have a great shop I am using now but cant always get the answers or turn around Im looking for. I just drop it off and pick it up. I would like to know exactly what upgrade I need.

I am also looking for a radio guy in eastern ma. Or New England. I would like to be able to drop a radio overnight in the mail or just make a trip to that would be able to bench my radios. and also interested in consulting for licensing ( I would like to file a few) & programming ( I can do most of it myself) tuning/aligning (cant do) etc. Someone looking for some side work or whatever. This is not a huge comitment type thing but I am in need of someone to go to. Sorry if this is not appropriate to post. I am just frustrated. Have a good day! Thanks Tom tdunlay@comems.com COMEMS
TD
CEMS
Needham MA
TDunlay@comems.com
tvsjr
Posts: 4118
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 9:46 am

Post by tvsjr »

Older VHF Astro Spectras were not equipped with an RF deck with sufficiently high stability to handle the 2.5KHz spacing. You'll need to have them replace the RF deck with a new unit (part # is HRN6014K for VHF 146-174 split) and align the radio appropriately. The bad news? The deck alone is just shy of $600, dealer cost.

If the radios are that old, you will likely also benefit from a refresh of the firmware/DSP versions to the latest revision, especially if you are running any ASTRO channels. You might be better off having the shop send the units to Motorola to have the work done, and have a firmware refresh performed at the same time (I'm making the assumption that the radios are legit/not whored.) If the shop is having to ask about how to make the radio do 2.5, they probably don't have the necessary smarts to align the units properly either.
ComEms
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2005 1:24 am

Thanks RE:

Post by ComEms »

The shop is great it is just that I never get to talk to the techs. Just salesmen. I just got off the phone with Moto. Theyset up an account for me and walked me thru the depo process etc. Radios are good and only a couple of years old. He ran the numbers and I emailed him a copy of the codeplug. He said that a firmeware upgrade should solve it but we'll see. Thank you! TD
TD
CEMS
Needham MA
TDunlay@comems.com
jmr061
was KB9KST
Posts: 3176
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2001 4:00 pm

Post by jmr061 »

If the radio is only a few years old it should have a 2.5 board in it which would also mean it would have the firmware to support them. So if the radios don't do it now they are older than you think. Post the host/dsp of the radios and if your not to bad at taking things apart slide the radio off the tray, take the four torx screws off the bottom of the radio. You will see a square shielf that has a handle, pull that off, there is the RF board then, it should be labelled HRN6014 with a revision letter. Tell us the revision letter. Then I can tell you what the radios need.

Jason
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