Batboard

I just bought one of these on everyone's favorite auction web site (don't have it yet). Obviously it's a UHF Astro Spectra; I can figure out the D04RKF9PW4AN part of the model number. What does SP01 mean? The only information I could find regarding this was some old posts about VRS and special production models. I found nothing about SP01 on an Astro Spectra though.

So, what makes this radio "special"?

Will it program with standard Astro Spectra CPS?

I hope I didn't just buy a nice boat anchor!

Thanks in advance.

Kevin

Read it and see.

d119 wrote:Read it and see.

Don't worry, I plan to -- when it arrives next week. I was really hoping somebody knew what the SP01 meant now though, as I'm really curious about it. I've never seen an Astro Spectra with SP01 in the model number, and didn't find anything searching old posts, so I'm a bit puzzled.

Thanks.

Kevin

kb9mqu wrote:

d119 wrote:Read it and see.

Don't worry, I plan to -- when it arrives next week. I was really hoping somebody knew what the SP01 meant now though, as I'm really curious about it. I've never seen an Astro Spectra with SP01 in the model number, and didn't find anything searching old posts, so I'm a bit puzzled.

Thanks.

Kevin

It may indicate that it's a special bandsplit, the 453-485 or whatever it was. I've seen models such as D04nnn9pwnANSPO1-UCM that have the encryption board in them... nnn meaning the bandsplit and whatnot.

I've got a VHF SP01-UCM... it came with OFB/XL already in it, but, other than that, it's a regular VHF Astro Spectra for all I know. I've looked through the menus, compared it to a identical model without SP01, etc., and found no difference. Unfortunately, I can't clone from one radio to the SP01, since the model numbers don't match - a mild irritant. Drag'n'drop usually works pretty well.

Whenever Motorola added "SP" to the factory ID of a radio it meant that it
was non-standard in some way, that's all. You have to either see and test
the radio or you need the original "build" sheet from the factory, and I've only
seen one of those and that was for a standard Mitrek.

Why don't you let us all know what you find after you get the radio?

Regards,

For what its worth...when I played radio guy, a lot of the FED astro spectra's...like IRS, DEA, Secret Service had the SP01 added to the end of the model number.

I was able to read/write to the radio with the standard RSS.

If its not a physical radio operations modifications it could just be cosmetic.

What I mean by that is I seen a lot of the Astro Spectra High Power drawer units that had the mini-uhf connector removed and replaced with a regular UHF connector and that's it, the radio was just like any other Astro Spectra out there.

The SP extension could mean anything really

More likely than not; you'll be able to read and write to it without any problems. As far as the SP01 is concerned; Motorola makes SP (Special Product) runs for their bigger customers. In the Atlanta area; they made a SP version of the analog 800 Spectra >3200, that had a special command board that allowed them to do voice and data with the VRM500 back in the old days. You couldn't tell the difference by looking at the boards; you had to look at the small print on the PN label on the command board. So; to make a long story short; thay make odd lots for fairly large customers that have some little, obscure, oddball need that has to be engineered into a regular radio. Otherwise; the form and function is pretty much the same. Unless you're from Washington State!

@4n6inv... "Otherwise; the form and function is pretty much the same. Unless you're from Washington State!"

Hey, I resemble that! Granted, our area receivers (basically a low-power Spectra chassis without a transmitter power amp) were a little weird, but the SP Syntor X's are still Out There in service in the hamateur world.

30 years old and still kicking... I'd call that pretty darn good.

Happy travels.

No offense intended to Washington State! I'm still laughing my nertz off at all of the people who bought them at auction, only to find ou that they were just rx. One of the small local PD's in ATL bought a pallet of them after asking me if I could program the X9000. I remember helping him lug them into my shop, and thinking: "These sure do seem a lot lighter than I remember." Gaping frustration followed. I nearly blew my eardrums out of my head trying to not bust out laughing. You just had to know this particular cop... Barney Fife's hero.

Bruce is right on about those SP X9000 radios. I acquired one and after replacing the caps in the Spectra RX...runs like a champ!

Mark