Batboard

I'm hoping someone can answer a few questions for me.

I have several Syntor X9000 low band radios that I've reprogrammed for 6 meter ham.

I'd like to add a VRS in the 2 meter ham band when I got a hold of 3 Spectra VHF VRS boxes. (Programmed to 154 MHz)

I plugged in the VRS unit and turned on the control head and was greeted with a "MODE 0" display. Some research indicated that the Spectra VRS unit was looking for a correct control head and did not see it, and caused the "MODE 0" error.

Question number 1 : Can anyone confirm that the Spectra VRS is indeed checking for a correct control head?

Now, leading up to question number 2 .....

During my research, I came across a few websites that referenced control head model number "1073E" as being compatible with both the Syntor X9000 radios as well as the first edition Spectra radios.

Question number 2 : Can anyone confirm that there is a control head (1073E or otherwise) that is compatible with both the Syntor X9000 radios and the early edition Spectra radios?

This leads to question number 3 : If there is such a compatible head, could I then use it on the Syntor X9000 radio with a Spectra VRS and both radios would be happy?

Thoughts anyone?

thunderft wrote:I'm hoping someone can answer a few questions for me.

I have several Syntor X9000 low band radios that I've reprogrammed for 6 meter ham.

I'd like to add a VRS in the 2 meter ham band when I got a hold of 3 Spectra VHF VRS boxes. (Programmed to 154 MHz)

I plugged in the VRS unit and turned on the control head and was greeted with a "MODE 0" display. Some research indicated that the Spectra VRS unit was looking for a correct control head and did not see it, and caused the "MODE 0" error.

Question number 1 : Can anyone confirm that the Spectra VRS is indeed checking for a correct control head?

Now, leading up to question number 2 .....

During my research, I came across a few websites that referenced control head model number "1073E" as being compatible with both the Syntor X9000 radios as well as the first edition Spectra radios.

Question number 2 : Can anyone confirm that there is a control head (1073E or otherwise) that is compatible with both the Syntor X9000 radios and the early edition Spectra radios?

This leads to question number 3 : If there is such a compatible head, could I then use it on the Syntor X9000 radio with a Spectra VRS and both radios would be happy?

Thoughts anyone?

I can't answer the first few questions, but the 1073 head will work just fine on the Syntor X9000 radios.

Jim

What control head are you trying to use that you get the Mode 0?
Do you get the same result with the VRS disconnected, and what is the VRS model number?

kd5ual wrote:What control head are you trying to use that you get the Mode 0?
Do you get the same result with the VRS disconnected, and what is the VRS model number?

Have you by any chance checked to see what was programmed into the head display? It's possible that there is no info programmed for the mode 0 position and your seeing the default display info.

Been a while since I have taken a non programmed head and started from scratch to set it up to work with a Syntor X9000. I will say that when you go to program the head, go slow. Trying to step through the process too fast can lock up the computer and then you have to reboot and start all over. This is especially true when working in the area of fixed scan lists.

A good practice is to do a few channels and then save it to the radio or control head. Then go back and read the head and keep going. I find it makes life much easier to create an Excel spread sheet with all the zones, channels and tone info. Do the same thing with the fixed scan lists. You have a fixed scan list for each of the first 64 channels. If your luck and have the newer PROM, you could have up to 128 channels in the fixed scan lists.

There are some I gotcha issues in making the fixed scan lists. Unless your interested, I won't bother to go into it now.

Mode 0 generally means you are using a non X9000 programmed/compatible control head.

This is from memory of what I used to do years ago. If you have a control head that has been used on a Spectra it won't work right on a X9000. To get it to work with an X9000 I would take a head that works on a X9000, attach it to a spectra and read the radio. Then I would take the head that I want to use on a X9000 (but was coming up Mode 0) and attach it to the spectra that was just read and write the radio. This will convert the head back to work on a X9000.

It hasn't been mentioned here yet, but there are 2 different programs that are used when working with the Syntor X9000. One is for programming the radio and the other is used to program the control head.

This is why in one of my earlier posts here I mentioned using a spread sheet to keep things correct while programming. You might get the radio programming done, but you have to go in and then program the head to match the radio channel locations.

If your new to these fine radios, it might be worth going to the repeater builders site and following the link to the Mike B site. He has a great site for technical information on the Syntor X9000 and some other radio models.

Jim