Communications Support Forums

I was recently given an Astro Spectra Plus that someone had slapped a Spectra head on. Naturally it didn't work at all. I stuck a W7 head on it in a dash mount configuration and was able to program it, however the radio was designed for a W9 and I'd really like to use it with a W9. The issue I'm having is that I don't have the correct Interconnect Board to program it. I put an Astro Spectra Interconnect Board on it and it works great with the W9 to operate the radio. If I try to program the radio through the DVP (KVL) connector, it fails as if the radio isn't connected. In addition the head remains powered on when I connect the cable. If I want to program the radio I have to remove the Interconnect Board, install a dash mount head and connect ignition to the accessory connector. This is a real pain where it's presently installed. I figure I have three options, if anyone has any information that would help it would be most appreciated!

1. Find a method to program the radio other than HKN6155 cable to the DVP (KVL) connector
2. Cut the traces for the DVP connector (pins 3-8 are grounded) and wire them to the matching pins on P502. I've located all but two
3. Keep jumping through hoops and swapping heads to program the radio

Option number one is preferred, but it is my understanding that there is no way to program this radio with a RIB like the Astro Spectras and earlier. As far as I can tell, the DVP/KVL connector is the only place the programming pins are present on an Astro Spectra Plus with a W9 head.

Option number two looks like where I'm headed. Can someone confirm for me that MIC LO (pin 7) should be grounded? Can anyone provide any insight into which pins are actually needed for programming? Best I can tell the HUB/BUSY line doesn't make it to the Interface Board. If I recall, in the Astro Spectra days this was handled within the control head and send to the radio through the SB9600 bus. I haven't been able to determine where pin 8 should go. On P104 it's labeled MIC HI/PROG RX/TX ENABLE and I've been unable to find anything like that on P502. My fear is that it is supposed to drive circuitry on the Interconnect Board, for instance perhaps that's what shuts the head off when programming. If someone could point me in the direction of a schematic of the Interface Board from an Astro Spectra Plus that might be helpful. I also have an assortment of Non-Astro Spectra "donor" parts, including a couple of old SecureNet Interface Boards. My original plan was to dremel the SecureNet connector off and wire it up to J6 before I discovered the pins I wanted simply didn't exist there. My head still lives in a Spectra/Astro Spectra world where programming and accessories all share the same bus.

Here are my best guesses for rewiring the DVP connector:


Option 3 is definitely doable, but not nearly as fun.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
-QBFreak