MTX8000 3 position switch question

[John G]

I just acquired a couple of clean MTX8000 B3's and I want to program the 3 position switch to act as a zone switch so I can have a total of 48 conventional frequencies. So far, the software doesn't seem to want to let me do this. Is there an easy way to do this? Or, can I not have 48 conventional channels? Also, scan seems limited to 8 channels. Is that correct?

[Spiffy50]

Your codeplug might be set for 16 modes. Have a look at that and see what it says.

[wavetar]

B3's are pretty well exclusively 16 channel units, and I believe only 10 of those could be conventional. There were some that were capable of Type II trunking, and they were capable of 48 channels with the switch...but I believe they had "F3" in the model, though they appeared to be B3's otherwise.

[John G]

Yes, it does appear to be 16 channels. This field can't be edited either. Is the codeplug encrypted like the trunked Visars? I would imagine so. Would it be possible to force an MT2000 codeplug into it? They are 48 channel. I really don't actually need 48 channels. I just thought it would be nice. These radios seem to have been conventional in their former life. There is just the bare minimum of trunked data in them and the system ID is 001.

[wavetar]

Yes, it does appear to be 16 channels. This field can't be edited either. Is the codeplug encrypted like the trunked Visars? I would imagine so. Would it be possible to force an MT2000 codeplug into it? They are 48 channel. I really don't actually need 48 channels. I just thought it would be nice. These radios seem to have been conventional in their former life. There is just the bare minimum of trunked data in them and the system ID is 001.

Yes, it's possible to jam a 48 channel MT2000/MTS2000 codeplug into them & it'll work. Tuning caveats apply, of course.

[John G]

Thanks for that information. I'll have to try it as soon as time permits.