Batboard

A newbie questions. What is the difference between a Flash and a Code Plug and are they both done with CPS?

codeplug is a term from the good old days when we used to actually blow a PROM and physically swap the part for the frequency information in relatively dumb radios compared to today.

Still refers to the customer specific information but now greatly expanded to cover much more than just frequencies and now includes signalling, trunking ( there were PROM's used for some of the first trunking radios ) scan and display information ...probably missing stuff there as well like the encryption setup ( not the keys except for SW ADP )

Turned programming into a much more complex task with all of the new variables and functionality.

FLASH is typically referred to as the options or features enabled in a particular radio. This is usually factory controlled but there are ways to update in the field as well.
Radios today are primarily computers with some RF stuff as peripherals and leverage a common platform across a given set of products. Features are often not controlled so much by the piece of HW purchased as by what is enabled in the SW

FLASH is also sometimes used when referring to the firmware or firmware update process.

Current radios typically use FLASH chips to hold the firmware and the feature string so updating either of those is sometimes described as "FLASHING" the radio

Excellent information, just what I was looking for. So I know codeplug is handled in CPS, is flash done in CPS as well?

Simplistically:

Codeplug = the file that contains your custom programming information and is read from, or written to, the radio for programming. CPS is used for this purpose.

Flashcode = the secure (inaccessible) portion of your codeplug (or firmware) that controls the features enabled on your radio. The flashcode typically is changed using CPS and a USB key from the manufacturer, or connecting to the manufacturer's server for remote upgrading.

Flashing = the process of changing the firmware or flashcode for the radio. Firmware is typically flashed using using CPS.