HT600 programming problem

kf4sqb · Post by **kf4sqb** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 10:50 am

I am having problems programming my VHF HT600. I am using a home-brew RIB (almost a carbon copy on the Motorola, even works on the X9000!) that has worked on every other radio I've used it on so far, and a 486/33 computer. The programming cable is home-brew as well (as are all my other cables) from info on Batlabs. If I run a "comm test" in the RSS, it says everything is fine, but if I try to read the codeplug immidiately afterwards, I get a "serial bus error". BTW, the radio does "beep" after I clear the "serial bus error" message from the screen of the computer. Any ideas, anyone?

Susan157 · Post by **Susan157** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 10:58 am

What Model Of RSS do You Have?

Have You Tried Different HT600/P200
portables on this RSS?

Susan157

eMail va3srm@rac.ca

Nand · Post by **Nand** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 11:22 am

I guess you can always slow the computer down a bit more by turning off the internal and external cache in the bios, if these settings are available. And do run under DOS and not in a Windowed DOS box.

Nand.

kf4sqb · Post by **kf4sqb** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 6:06 pm

Good idea, Susan, but I don't have but one HT600 to try it with.

Nand, I would hope that a 33 MHz 486 would be slow enough, but don't know for sure. I do, however, wish I could slow the system down more, as it is used for /\/\ programming only, and currently will not run my X9000 RSS. This has proved to be impossible, though, as it is an old Compaq laptop and uses a very stupid setup procedure that apparently requires an act of congress to change the setting in the BIOS. And yes, I am using DOS 6.22 for my OS.

Lastly, have I maybe realized the solution myself? Does the "external speaker select" line have to be grounded to program, or is that just for the test set? Also, what is the "cvc/normal" switch for on the /\/\ cable? I asked a tech at the local shop, and he said he didn't know, as he had never used it. Does this have to be grounded to program? The only connections I made were ground, data, and busy. Is my stupidity showing, or is this not the problem?

Nand · Post by **Nand** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 7:49 pm

Perhaps you can slow it down a bit more.

Try this at the dos prompt. “Mode Speed /?” If you get any choices, try some that make sense.

Nand.

I forgot to mention that the correct version of the “mode.com” utility likely came with the original disk set for that computer. It will let you change the speed to a variety of settings.

Nand · Post by **Nand** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 8:02 pm

DB25 pin 1 to radio 5 and 7
DB25 pin 24 to radio 6
DB25 pin 8 to radio 9

The wiring info is from the Batlabs page.
That is all that is needed for programming
The switch should be in the normal position (open).

Nand.

Monty · Post by **Monty** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 11:43 pm

Hi:

This really has been covered many times, but I will
go through it again for you.

I can appreciate your " Home Brew " Rib Box and they
do work for a number of radios, however, over time many
discover that a Clone or Home Brew Rib " may " Exibit problems.
and the reasons vary alot.

However, you can over come most of these issues by checking
( and correcting ) the following:

1. ONLY use a 386-486-25 Series Computer !

Tech Tip:

Old computers collect Dust ! Make sure its free of dirt and debrie
as well.

2. ONLY use DOS 6.22 as a operating system

3. Defrag / Scan Disc the Computer Often.

Now that is out of the way, you indicated you are using a
486-33.......Most of these older computers had a Turbo Switch
on the Front.....Just disable the Turbo Mode.

If yours does not have that, ( as mentioned above ) go
into the Bios and Disable the " Internal " and " External "
Cache. This will make the computer run as slow as snot
in Montana during winter

I know this is a hassle to do , but if you want to program
these older series radios, you will either have to go through
that proceedure, or get the correct computer for your programming
sessions.

Tech Tip: There are ways around these computer issues, savvy
Computer Gerus have the knowledge to get around some of these
barriers, but if you are a bit new, you would be better off getting
a Stable Computer Platform " Just for Programming " your Radios
and be done with it.

Now to the Rib Box..........Lots of known pros / cons on the issue,
however, you can " Monitor " the Current to see if the componets
in your Rib Box match that of a Factory One.

IN GENERAL ( and its not exact ) you should see 6 ~ 9ma of current
being drawn while in a stand by mode. If you see 15ma and above
this " Could " indicate a problem

When Motorola came up with this simple I/O for computers, they
designed a Rib Box that would be compatable with almost 95%
of all Computers.

Since " Computers " vary so much in design, operating systems,
processing of data, they came up with a Rib Box which would
work on many computers. I mean there are just hundereds of
" Mother Boards : for Computers ! and not all of them will be
identical

Subsituting Componets in Rib Boxes is not really recommended unless you have a computer that may be " on the fringe " of working or not working, and some savvy techs have " Modified " the Rib Box to fit the Computer. Does work, but what happens
when the Old Computer needs to be replaced ?

This is where the Clone Ribs, can and do get into trouble, as there
are many designs of Clone Ribs, different Componets, and as such
there are a variation of different problems seen,

Its really best to get a Computer that is stable enough to work
with the Rib Box, and be done with it
=============================================

Back to business:

Make sure you have a Fresh Battery and Power Suppy for your
Rib Box....I have seen this time and again where a Low Battery
in the Rib Box ( Even a Motorola one ) will be the cause of a poor
program session.

Next is to make sure the Contacts on the Radio are clean, and free
of debrie....A good # 2 Pencil Erasure is ideal for cleaning the contacts.

Tech Tip:

I have seen on occasion where the " Pins " in the HT600/P200
series top plate break in half and you cannot see where the fracture is....But it causes a intermittent problem.

If you are using a Factory Program Cable, you can sometimes
varify this problem by applying some backward pressure on the
Shell of the Program Connector while trying to read the radio.

If you are using one of these cables that have a couple of wires soldered to a PC board, toss it ! and get a mic connector, and make a proper cable, or buy one.

Anyhow, above covers the most general problems.

There are a few others such as Bad Volume Control on/off switches,
Controllers, Corrupted Code Plugs, low battery Voltages and many
other items which could cause you trouble:

But trully, HT600's are easy radios to address, and if you still have
trouble, you can either make another post, of feel free to contact
me direct.

Hope I have been able to shed some more light on your problem.

Monty

Post by **wavetar** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 3:12 pm

Monty covered a lot of territory, I just wanted to add one more thing...use the latest version of HT600 RSS, 2.03.02. If you are using any other version, it is processor speed dependant and you will have unforseeable problems. Some people say even 33MHz is too fast for the HT600 RSS. They are using older versions. I was able to use 2.03.00 on my Compaq P-120MHz with no issues, but it would do exactly what you're describing on my Dell P4-1.7GHz laptop. After a little research & testing, I found that RSS written/revised after about '95 is not processor dependant. This was confirmed with the release of Motorola's "486/Pentium Compatibility Matrix". So, long story short, 2.03.02 works great on the Dell. Most of the issues you hear about on the board involve the older RSS versions (both LAB and regular) that can be found on the internet for free, if one knows where to look. Use the latest & greatest to minimize computer issues. Windows vs DOS is a whole other issue, which you obviously don't have with your dedicated DOS set-up. Good luck,

Todd

kf4sqb · Post by **kf4sqb** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 6:06 pm

Well, Wavetar, what I have is version 3.00.00, but it is MT1000 RSS, which I was told would work for the HT600 as well, but I am begining to think that I have been lied to. Guess I'll have to find the proper RSS to find out for sure! Thanks for the help, everyone.

Charlie · Post by **Charlie** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 7:04 pm

kf4sqb wrote:Well, Wavetar, what I have is version 3.00.00, but it is MT1000 RSS, which I was told would work for the HT600 as well, but I am begining to think that I have been lied to. Guess I'll have to find the proper RSS to find out for sure! Thanks for the help, everyone.

The HT1000 software will NOT read or program the HT600. You must use the HT600 software.

Charlie · Post by **Charlie** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 7:05 pm

kf4sqb wrote:Well, Wavetar, what I have is version 3.00.00, but it is MT1000 RSS, which I was told would work for the HT600 as well, but I am begining to think that I have been lied to. Guess I'll have to find the proper RSS to find out for sure! Thanks for the help, everyone.

The HT1000 software will NOT read or program the HT600. You must use the HT600 software. The P200 software, however will work......

CT2GHB · Post by **CT2GHB** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 6:57 am

Hi all! I think i´ve the same problem.
I have a P210 vhf, and i´m trying to program to HAM band 144-146,
but when i read the handy, in serial number i have strange characters,
and no frequencies, just channel 85- 41,....mhz!
I tryed P200, P200LB (the same .exe of P200) and mt1000 RSS.
Any ideas? Please..
Sérgio

Post by **wavetar** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 7:12 am

I've never heard of a P210. It's likely not a North American model, in which case it probably has it's own RSS package. I was able to program a European HT800 (looked like HT600) with MT1000 software, but you apparently aren't that lucky. You'll need to source the proper RSS.

Todd

CT2GHB · Post by **CT2GHB** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 8:54 am

Yes P210 is european. I´m from Portugal. I think the P210
and P200 may be the same.

[ Moderated ]

Since you are new forum member, no formal action
is taken this time. Please abide by the forum rules.

<>The sale or trade of Radio Service Software (RSS)

<>Links to sites offering the sale, trade, or giving away of Radio Service Software (RSS)

<>Profanity, pornography, defamation, or slanderous remarks directed towards anyone

<>Commercial advertising Any other items which may be deemed as offensive

Monty

kf4sqb · Post by **kf4sqb** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 3:49 pm

OK, finally got the correct RSS, still having problems. Will at least pass comm test with MT1000 RSS, won't even do that much with HT600 RSS. About ready to shoot computer......

I'll keep trying, though. Maybe the computer pixies will fix everything one night!

CT2GHB · Post by **CT2GHB** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 2:31 am

Hi All ! Sorry for moderators... I just leave words like soft and e-mail,
but i respect and understand.

I´m sorry

Sérgio

Post by **wavetar** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 4:40 am

kf4sqb wrote:OK, finally got the correct RSS, still having problems. Will at least pass comm test with MT1000 RSS, won't even do that much with HT600 RSS. About ready to shoot computer......

I'll keep trying, though. Maybe the computer pixies will fix everything one night!

Make sure the RSS is set for COM1, if that's what you're using. What version is it, out of curiosity.

Todd

kf4sqb · Post by **kf4sqb** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 5:47 pm

Todd, I do indeed have the RSS set to com1, which is the only external com port my programming computer has. The RSS version is R.02.01.00. Have also tried everything on another 486/25 system with the same results. I'll try a different RIB and different cable and see what results I get.

srefurd · Post by **srefurd** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 7:14 pm

I realize that this might not be the problem, but has anyone tried the programs Mo-slow or slow-down? I had excellent results programming maxons on a fast computer. It could help[ slow down a 486 slow enough to do the job.

If you need it I have a copy of slow down if you want it.

PM me.

b7spectra · Post by **b7spectra** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 7:55 pm

I use a P75 with Win98 booted from a floopy and have no problem programming my HT600's. I ran into a similar problem and found that the radio itself was fried. Someone had changed the frequency range of the radio and really missed it up. If you have a P200 or MT1000, try your cable on it, and if it works, I'd say you have a radio problem.

kf4sqb · Post by **kf4sqb** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 9:10 pm

Srefurd, I have my computer set to app. 16.5 MHz via the BIOS, and I have tried Mo'slo with no better results. I plan to try my RIB with a different cable, my cable with a different RIB, my cable and RIB on a different radio, etc... to see what happens. I'll let ya'll know what I find.

Monty · Post by **Monty** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 9:54 pm

HI:

I don't know if you read my earlier post, but really, you
should not have much trouble programming your HT600

Those are about the Easist Radios to program

Since you have a good version of RSS, try this:

Load the RSS

When you get to 1st Window.....

[ Push F9 ] This is the Setup Window

Since your Computer is already set up with Com 1

Look to see if your RSS Version has a [ COM TEST --F3 ]

With the Radio connected, powered up, hit F3 and see if your
Computer is talking to the Radio.....No Beep, you can not go
any futher.

What sometimes happens.....COM 1 ( May be Shared ) Like
with a Mouse, etc, and you will run into trouble if the RS-232
I/O Port is shared....

Note: You also can make a Cable to mate with the " Printer Port "
if your COM 1 is in use, and you are not able to select a alternative
Com Port like COM 2

BUt I am puzzled as if I remember, you said it worked
on other radios, but not the HT600....

PS: Look at the Controller part number ! Someone may
have pulled a switch on you ! The part number of the
Controller is a dead give away as to what the radio
is set up for.

TECH TIP:

I have seen a few cases where Two-Way Shops [ Disable ]
one of the Program Lines to prevent the Customer from going
to another shop to have their radio programmed....Sorta like
the " PAssword " being enabled on the CDM/Pro Series.

A unsavvy trick some Techs use on customers.

So, if your Rib Box is OK, and if you
get the acknowledgement Beep in the Test Mode, at least
the Cable / Rib / Computer path should be OK.

Therefore, you may just have a Radio Problem......I am more
than happy to check your radio out if you wish, as I do have
a Stable Programming Platform in which just about any Motorola
Radio can be programmed.

Anyhow, again, check the Com Test, if your RSS does not have
that feature, you may have to go to Ver 02.03.01 which I know
does since its the latest RSS for the HT600's I beleive.

Hopefully that will help.

If sometime in the future, and funds permit I do have Proper
Set Up hardware that I help persons with when they wish to
move in to a more stable program platform

You will have to have your own Software ! and is availible
from Motorola. Be warned, using copied ( unlicensed SW )
could be a probelm as well, since many times, internal files
" sometimes " will get corrupted when a copy is made.

Monty

kf4sqb · Post by **kf4sqb** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 4:36 pm

Monty, my RSS does indeed have the com test in the setup screen. When I try it, I get a fail message. If I try this with the MT1000 RSS, it says that it passes the test. I also don't think that a programming line has been disabled, as a private individual, not a shop, last programmed it. And what exactly do you mean by the controller number? I would guess part of the "guts" of the radio (similar to the "personality board" in the Maratrac, Syntor X/X9000, etc...?). If it answers the question, the radio is currently working. I just want to make a few changes, like enableing QCII.

Monty · Post by **Monty** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 8:04 pm

HI:

The important number is one that
is on the front of the lable.

For Example NTN5716A

Controllers come in varying degrees, and one
choses a controller that fits the radio.

Monty

kf4sqb · Post by **kf4sqb** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 6:56 am

OK, everyone, I have finally got to play with some other cables/RIBs/radios. My setup works fine with an MT1000. My HT600 will not program with a factory /\/\ RIB and cable. Another HT600 will not program with my setup. About the only thing I haven't tried is a different copy of the RSS, as I don't have access to another copy. I am begining to suspect that my copy of the HT600 RSS has been corupted somehow. Any further ideas?

kc7gr · Post by **kc7gr** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 7:45 am

kf4sqb wrote:OK, everyone, I have finally got to play with some other cables/RIBs/radios. My setup works fine with an MT1000. My HT600 will not program with a factory /\/\ RIB and cable. Another HT600 will not program with my setup. About the only thing I haven't tried is a different copy of the RSS, as I don't have access to another copy. I am begining to suspect that my copy of the HT600 RSS has been corupted somehow. Any further ideas?

Worst case, if you can't get it to play, I can program it for you (probably others on the board can too) for a nominal fee.

73 de KC7GR

wa2zdy · Post by **wa2zdy** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 2:02 pm

If it works ok with an MT1000, but not the HT600, it's either the radio or the HT600 software. And since you've tried more than one HT600 without success, it does indeed seem you've narrowed it down to the software.

Good luck.

kf4sqb · Post by **kf4sqb** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 4:01 pm

SUCCESS!!!(Finally)

I finally got another copy of the HT600 RSS, and everything works fine now. It appears that my original copy of the RSS got corupted somehow. Thanks to everyone for your help and ideas!