Motorola spectra power problems

luckydog465 · Post by **luckydog465** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:14 pm

I have a few motorola spectra radios (dash mount 800mhz.) units I can across and none of them will power up at all. I do not have a mic. Could this be it? Any suggestions?

n7maq · Post by **n7maq** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:21 pm

It should not need a mic to power up.

Do you have the ignition sense line powered? IIRC it is pin 5 on the 15 pin accessory connector.

Good luck,

Jim.

luckydog465 · Post by **luckydog465** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:54 am

IIRC it is pin 5 on the 15 pin <<could that be it? I do not have a connector hooked to the 15pin accessory plug.

phrawg · Post by **phrawg** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 6:27 am

Look in the model specific section of this site. It will give you
what all of the connections are. That 15 pin is also the speaker
connection points. DO NOT let any of the connections to the
speaker become grounded. This is a totally floating audio system.
YES, The ign sense must be hooked up to power also to get the
radio to power up. This might be a good point in time to do as
much reading up on how these radios are connected, installed, etc
then actually put the radio in hand and start doing so. We are all
here to answer questions as they arise so don't "not ask".
We dont want to see a spectra brick or doorstop. Just as a bit
of info also read the board rules on RSS. I can see it coming that
soon you will be needing to program those radios to your use,
and if you dont have the proper equipmentyou will be asking.
Read the section on programming and model specific and you
will get 80-90 % of your soon to arise questions answered.
Just trying to smooth your entry into this line of radio.
Feel free to post questions. There are lots of us here with
plenty of experience and knowlege willing to share it. Phrawg

luckydog465 · Post by **luckydog465** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:57 am

The model number is D45KGA5JC7AK. So I can run a jumper from 5 pin to 15 to allow it to turn on? Also where can i buy the 15 pin adapters?Thanks to everyone for your help.

txshooter · Post by **txshooter** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:21 am

You can't build a jumper......the radio needs power to the 15 pin connector for the radio to power up. You can build your own from the pinouts and descriptions already supplied, or you can simply get these from any Motorola Dealer. I think new list is around $30 bucks each or so.....much cheaper to build your own.......

Also, if you have not discovered this is how speaker audio comes out of the radio.....No internal speaker.

phrawg · Post by **phrawg** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:26 am

AHHHH Scott beat me to it by just a minute. Power to pin 5
speaker to pins 6 and 7. Most electronics supply houses or
computer supply will have a db 15 male plug. That will
solve your problem. The 15 pin needed by the way is the same as
found on joystick or game ports of computers. Phrawg

Will · Post by **Will** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 12:40 pm

At minimum you need the IGN, speaker leads, AND the jumper.

Pin
2 Emerg JUMPER to Pin 8 DIG GND
5 Ignition control connects to battery thru a 3 amp fuse
6 SPKR
7 SPKR

Lots more information here: http://www.batlabs.com/spectra.html

techie · Post by **techie** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 2:58 pm

A bit of nit-picking.. the correct designation for the connector is DA-15-P.
(series D, size A shell, 15 contact, Plug.)

Contrary to popular belief, the B in the designation actually means something other than the connector series.. it is the physical shell size, with the common sizes (with 20awg pins) being A=15, B=25, C=37, D=50 and E=9.

DA-15, DB-25, DC-37, DD-50, DE-9. Also DB-13W3 (Sun monitors w/3 coax + 13 pins), and others.

See the ITT/Cannon connector catalog for details. My hardcopy dates back to 1971, and agrees with the current PDF version.

While we are on connectors, the connector commonly called "RJ-45" is really a 8 Position 8 Contact modular connector (8P8C). these connectors only gain an RJ designation when wired in a specific manner, for a specific telephone application, as originally defined in 47CFR 68.502. Generally, the service, connector and wiring pattern are grouped together under a USOC (Universal Service Ordering Code), and the connector+wiring pattern is known as a Registered Jack (RJ).

When used for Ethernet, Token Ring, or anything other than telephone application, they have NO RJ designation. The connectors themselves can be wired in compliance with multiple incompatible USOC's, and can have any of a number of RJ designations depending on how it is wired, and the application it is being used for, or they may have no RJ designation at all..

I'll step down from my soapbox now..

luckydog465 · Post by **luckydog465** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:11 pm

I hooked up 5 pin to 15 pin and radio came on. I didn't hook up the other (speaker) wires I just wanted to see if the unit would power up and it did fine. If anyone has a extra spectra motorola 15pin accessory plug please pm me. It was ok to hook the 15 to 5 right?

phrawg · Post by **phrawg** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 7:13 am

NO leave the pin 15 alone. no connection.
just the 5 to ign, the jumper previously mentioned
and the speaker leads. The jumper is for sensing
an emergency switch. If it is opened when the radio is on
it will go into emerg xmit mode. If it is sensed as open
while the radio is booting it will cause an error as the radio
is informing the user that the emerg switch wont work
due to a wiring failure (ie, open loop). Thats what you
need to run the radio. Beyond that see the info here in
another section of the board for further use of the connector
and making a programming version of it etc. Phrawg

OH YEAH ! Almost forgot, Where can I send my address
so my diploma can be sent for graduating from

" D CONNECTORS 101 "

I agree on the correct designators but just try to go in a parts store
and ask for it like that and they will give you the strangest look !!
I just ask for it by the name that THEY use, correct or not, and
I get the right part everytime !

luckydog465 · Post by **luckydog465** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 3:02 pm

phrawg wrote:NO leave the pin 15 alone. no connection.
just the 5 to ign, the jumper previously mentioned
and the speaker leads. The jumper is for sensing
an emergency switch. If it is opened when the radio is on
it will go into emerg xmit mode. If it is sensed as open
while the radio is booting it will cause an error as the radio
is informing the user that the emerg switch wont work
due to a wiring failure (ie, open loop). Thats what you
need to run the radio. Beyond that see the info here in
another section of the board for further use of the connector
and making a programming version of it etc. Phrawg

OH YEAH ! Almost forgot, Where can I send my address
so my diploma can be sent for graduating from

" D CONNECTORS 101 "

I agree on the correct designators but just try to go in a parts store
and ask for it like that and they will give you the strangest look !!
I just ask for it by the name that THEY use, correct or not, and
I get the right part everytime !

Thanks again for the info. The 5 pin is the IGN. What should it go to? The 5 pin to 15 does power up the radio without errors or problems.

phrawg · Post by **phrawg** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:10 pm

just forget about pin 15 altogether. Yes there is voltage there but
it is not a very high curent source and should not be used
for this purpose. Pin 5 should be fed by switched ignition
from the vehicle. This allows the radio to deactivate when the
ignition is turned off. The pin 15 is really a logic function.
If the feed to pin 5 is connected to the battery directly
along with the main pa feed then the radio will be under
front panel switch control.

Motorola spectra power problems

Motorola spectra power problems

15 Pin connectors