Batboard

I've been trying to get my VHF hipower spectra to program but keep running into issues. When it is reading the codeplug it comes up with a error that says "Unrecognized data was found in the control head. If any buttons are missing consult manual." I setup a jump drive to be a windows 98 boot disk that boots right into dos and then have the spectra software and moslo on the jump drive. So far I have tried various baud rates with no luck. I tried using moslo but I am not sure if it is working properly. I am running the command as 'c:\moslo\moslo.com /1.14 c:\spectra\spectra\sprectra.exe' (The processor in this computer is a 2.9 dual core so 1.14 should bring it down to around 33mhz) I thought it would automatically execute the spectra software but it looks like moslo starts then goes to a command prompt again, is this how it normally acts?

One thing I did notice is that right before it comes back with the control head error is that the control head stops displaying programming and quickly goes back to the channel that it was set to and then goes back and forth for a bit. Finally the display dims a bit while programming is displayed and that is when it errors out. I took a video of this https://youtu.be/ypwfaexpTtc

Do any of you have any ideas on what to try? I hope nothing is messed up with the radio but that is a possibility, otherwise I am wondering if the processor speed is messing things up.

Thanks.

I have programmed many Spectra radios. I can tell you that I have not had much luck with using anything other than true DOS while programming them. I have had luck using Rufus to make a bootable DOS USB drive, but the software will only read a Spectra under this platform.

BTW other RSS will run just fine under Rufus, such as the MT1000, HT1000, Maxtrac etc.

I have played around with Moslo before, but I was not able to get the Spectra software to program using it.

I would highly recommend you find a slow machine that has true DOS and a RS232 port.

Also, make sure the control head is supported by the Spectra. There are trunking and Syntor X control heads that are not compatible.

Mark

Is this a control head that you have programmed before?

Yes, I have programmed many A9 High power radios. The control head flashing between programming and the channel name throughout the process is not normal. If you are inclined try using Rufus to create a DOS USB drive and then boot from try be USB. Granted you won't be able to program using it, you might be able to read the radio.

Also, make sure you are using a real RS232 port, not a USB to RS232 adapter. The Spectra software is somewhat picky on the required platform.

My question was directed at the OP.

twowaytekk wrote:I have programmed many Spectra radios. I can tell you that I have not had much luck with using anything other than true DOS while programming them. I have had luck using Rufus to make a bootable DOS USB drive, but the software will only read a Spectra under this platform.

BTW other RSS will run just fine under Rufus, such as the MT1000, HT1000, Maxtrac etc.

I have played around with Moslo before, but I was not able to get the Spectra software to program using it.

I would highly recommend you find a slow machine that has true DOS and a RS232 port.

Also, make sure the control head is supported by the Spectra. There are trunking and Syntor X control heads that are not compatible.

Mark

The control head is a A9/Systems 9000 control head. The two computers I tried using both have real serial ports on them but when I tried using Mo'slo on the 1.6ghz single core it created issues with RSS accessing the serial port.
I will have to ask around to try and find a 486 or something around that speed and give that a try, I was afraid of that but if it's what I have to do then I'll give it a shot. One of the engineers at work has a 100 mhz Pentium computer that he offered, would that be slow enough or should I just wait until I can find a 486?

jmr061 wrote:Is this a control head that you have programmed before?

I just picked up this radio at a hamfest from a ham who I know back in November so this is my first time trying to program it. He bought it a while back but never got around to programming or using it.

Just go through to the control head programming and change the button functions then. Sounds like it may have been used on a X9000.

You should be fine with your friends machine. Make sure you are running true DOS, not the windows DOS box. "Vintage" machines prices are climbing, If you plan playing with these older radios, I'd grab a computer up when you find one that's clean and in operating condition.

jmr061 wrote:Just go through to the control head programming and change the button functions then. Sounds like it may have been used on a X9000.

Without having the codeplug it looks like I can't do much. I'll look for a codeplug on the codeplug supersite if the radio still won't read with a slower computer.

twowaytekk wrote:You should be fine with your friends machine. Make sure you are running true DOS, not the windows DOS box. "Vintage" machines prices are climbing, If you plan playing with these older radios, I'd grab a computer up when you find one that's clean and in operating condition.

Another ham messaged me on Facebook and has a older computer that he was just about to take in for scrap that he believes still works. He isn't 100% certain on the specs but he believes it is a 486, I'm going to be stopping by his place tomorrow or Monday to get it. Hopefully it will read the radio then.

Having programmed many of the Spectra radios over the years, my suggestion is to see if you can find a copy of the small program called "cacheoff.com" and try running it before you start the Spectra program. On many computers the "CACH" will cause all sorts of weird problems. I have even run into the problem with slow computers.

Jim

To the OP. I re-read your first post and perhaps I am confused. You are attempting to read it and it comes back with the control head error correct? You say nothing about writing to the radio. So if this is the case have you attempted to look at the read data after the read and getting the error?

Jim202 wrote:Having programmed many of the Spectra radios over the years, my suggestion is to see if you can find a copy of the small program called "cacheoff.com" and try running it before you start the Spectra program. On many computers the "CACH" will cause all sorts of weird problems. I have even run into the problem with slow computers.

Jim

I have a program to turn the cache off. I've tried it with the cache on and the cache off.

jmr061 wrote:To the OP. I re-read your first post and perhaps I am confused. You are attempting to read it and it comes back with the control head error correct? You say nothing about writing to the radio. So if this is the case have you attempted to look at the read data after the read and getting the error?

I am new to this so maybe I am wrong but I thought that I would need to read the codeplug first before I could program it, is this correct or am I wrong? You are correct that I am trying to read the radio when the control head error comes up. How would I look at the read data?

I picked up a 486DX-2 this morning from someone for free. The specs are at http://www.computer-specifications.com/ ... Specs.html With this computer I am having the same issue so it seems to be a radio issue and not computer related.

OK I think we got it figured out, with the help of another ham from a Facebook group. The control head isn't the correct model. The one on this radio is a HCN1033C. I am ordering the correct head off of EBay and I'll post back the results. Thanks to everyone for their help.

kc9fsh wrote:OK I think we got it figured out, with the help of another ham from a Facebook group. The control head isn't the correct model. The one on this radio is a HCN1033C. I am ordering the correct head off of EBay and I'll post back the results. Thanks to everyone for their help.

I have used 1033 heads on my Spectra radios. Don't understand why your having a problem.

But then again you may have had a head that was programmed for trunking.

There is a version of the software out there that lets you go into the MOFLAGS and change some of the radio features. This may be where your running into the problem.

Jim

Jim202 wrote:

kc9fsh wrote:OK I think we got it figured out, with the help of another ham from a Facebook group. The control head isn't the correct model. The one on this radio is a HCN1033C. I am ordering the correct head off of EBay and I'll post back the results. Thanks to everyone for their help.

I have used 1033 heads on my Spectra radios. Don't understand why your having a problem.

But then again you may have had a head that was programmed for trunking.

There is a version of the software out there that lets you go into the MOFLAGS and change some of the radio features. This may be where your running into the problem.

Jim

I do have access to that software however with being new with dealing with Motorola equipment I am hesitant on trying this. I'm sure it's somewhat simple to change the head back to conventional but I don't know what memory location to check and see the value that it is set at. I have a good background with electronics so if I knew what to check and verify and what I would need to change I'd be willing to give it a shot.

kc9fsh wrote:

Jim202 wrote:

kc9fsh wrote:OK I think we got it figured out, with the help of another ham from a Facebook group. The control head isn't the correct model. The one on this radio is a HCN1033C. I am ordering the correct head off of EBay and I'll post back the results. Thanks to everyone for their help.

I have used 1033 heads on my Spectra radios. Don't understand why your having a problem.

But then again you may have had a head that was programmed for trunking.

There is a version of the software out there that lets you go into the MOFLAGS and change some of the radio features. This may be where your running into the problem.

Jim

I do have access to that software however with being new with dealing with Motorola equipment I am hesitant on trying this. I'm sure it's somewhat simple to change the head back to conventional but I don't know what memory location to check and see the value that it is set at. I have a good background with electronics so if I knew what to check and verify and what I would need to change I'd be willing to give it a shot.

Do yourself a good move and before you do much, it would be worth trying to save a copy of the radio codeplug if you can. I have been reading so many threads tonight, I don't remember if you said you can't read the radio or not. A good idea would to always save the original codeplug to a floppy drive or to a different file location other than where the normal radio software saves the file. This way if you do mess up something, you can load the original file back in and your back to what you had. there are a few on the group here that didn't do that, they changed something in the codeplug and it messed up the functioning of the radio. Now they have a screwed up radio and can't get back to an operational one.

So it is always a good idea to save the original codeplug. But make sure you save it someplace other than the normal saved location that the software is set up for. Reason being is that the radio will over write any file with that radio serial number and model number. if you don't you will end up searching for another codeplug from the same model of the radio your radio is.

Jim

Jim202 wrote: Do yourself a good move and before you do much, it would be worth trying to save a copy of the radio codeplug if you can. I have been reading so many threads tonight, I don't remember if you said you can't read the radio or not. A good idea would to always save the original codeplug to a floppy drive or to a different file location other than where the normal radio software saves the file. This way if you do mess up something, you can load the original file back in and your back to what you had. there are a few on the group here that didn't do that, they changed something in the codeplug and it messed up the functioning of the radio. Now they have a screwed up radio and can't get back to an operational one.

So it is always a good idea to save the original codeplug. But make sure you save it someplace other than the normal saved location that the software is set up for. Reason being is that the radio will over write any file with that radio serial number and model number. if you don't you will end up searching for another codeplug from the same model of the radio your radio is.

Jim

I am unable to read the codeplug. I have a new head on order from Ebay so I planned on waiting until I got that in before I do anything with the radio, after all the time I've spent bashing my head against the wall the last thing I want is a bricked radio.

I received the new head from Ebay today and the radio reads and programs fine now. I have all of the main frequencies programmed that I will need for now all I need to do now is hook it up to one of my antennas and try it out on the air.
Thanks to everyone for their replies and help.


Out of curiosity, is there anyway to get the old head to work? Can never hurt to have an extra laying around if I can get it to work with this radio.

Your old control head is for a Syntor X9000. The 1033 heads are not compatible with system 9000 (Spectra). If you search on the board you will see plenty of discussion about this. Given the cheap price of control heads, you are far better off picking another one up versus trying to change the firmware in the old head, unless you want a challenge.