CP200 Walkie Identity Crisis, Thinks it's a PR400

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pliSkiNAKE
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CP200 Walkie Identity Crisis, Thinks it's a PR400

Post by pliSkiNAKE »

I recently purchased a few new (used) walkies. They have stickers on the back that identify them as CP200 UHF 16ch Walkies. Upon reading the walkie with CPS, it reads as a PR400 Walkie, but the serial matches what's written on the sticker. I understand the housings for the CP200 and PR400 might be interchangeable (as long as you don't have or want the additional display or buttons that the PR400 has options for), but the sticker model and serial numbers. Those come from the factory. How is it possible to change what the walkie identifies as on a programming level?

I didn't bother trying to return the walkies because they didn't know any better. But I also don't want to keep them since I can't clone them with a CP200. I would prefer to manage only one model walkie in my inventory. No more are needed.

This one completely baffled me. I checked and checked and rechecked to make sure I wasn't mis-reading the tiny print on the label. But I wasn't. I'd love to know how this is possible and if I could revert it back. My guess is that you need some kind of special CPS to do this.
com501
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Re: CP200 Walkie Identity Crisis, Thinks it's a PR400

Post by com501 »

The simple explanation is that someone, not seeing the difference, took the board of out of a PR400 and installed it on the frame of the CP200. The use the same software so the error would not be noticed unless you had more than one to program.

The other less likely scenario is someone went to the trouble to change the model number and SN if restricted software. The serial number thing is strange however.

I HAVE seen radios come back from the depot, with the completely wrong guts but happily reporting that all was OK. Who knows?
pliSkiNAKE
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Re: CP200 Walkie Identity Crisis, Thinks it's a PR400

Post by pliSkiNAKE »

I have around 30 walkies (all bought at the same time) that all have the same issue. They have the model AAH50RDC9AA2AN printed on their stickers on the back. But when reading it, it reads as (AA)H65RDC9AA2AN. Serial numbers on the back match serial numbers read by the CPS. Model number says it's PR400.

Since there's so many, I'm kinda doubting it's a reprint of the sticker on the back. Nothing looks off about the sticker. There is still the previous owner's own asset labels on it from who I bought it from though. And those stickers are very similar in material, size, and rounded corners to Motorola's stickers. I don't know why the would go through the trouble to do that though.

But also, I don't know why someone would change the model numbers via the software (if that's possible). I'm kinda curious if the CP200 and PR400 have really the exact same innards and that you can just "turn on" the extra features of one model over the other with just a software flick of the wrist. I would assume they are different, but have heard stories about the GP300s as well.

I'm kinda bummed about this. I don't want these "Frankenstein" of a walkie batch. I want walkies that match what they are and that also match the rest of my stock. And now to resell these, it'll just be more complicated.

Do you think that someone from Motorola could really assist me with this? Or since it's a 3rd party purchase it wouldn't be worth the cost to do anything?
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d119
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Re: CP200 Walkie Identity Crisis, Thinks it's a PR400

Post by d119 »

Sounds like a depot screw up to me. It's possible these were turn-ins that were refurbished and resold as new by Motorola with standard warranty.
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arlojanis
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Re: CP200 Walkie Identity Crisis, Thinks it's a PR400

Post by arlojanis »

Seems like the 16 channel PR400 had the LTR option.
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arlojanis
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Re: CP200 Walkie Identity Crisis, Thinks it's a PR400

Post by arlojanis »

CP200 serials usually start with 018. PR 400 serials usually start with 442. But, I have seen them with the opposite beginnings.
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