Test frequencies in analog Spectra

[wa6jbd]

I was recently given a stack of UHF analog Spectras, range 3, and very clean. The first problem is they all had the MLM boards removed. I salvaged a bunch of MLM's from some 800 trunked Spectras and with a little bit banging, was able to make the UHF radios play on the ham bands. Nice.

I still have one problem to overcome, however, and I've seen nothing on the web in the usual places. When the radios are put into service mode for alignment, the test frequencies that come up are for UHF range 1. Is there a memory location in the MLM or command board, something hidden in the model numbers, or similar that tells the radio what frequency table to pull up when it's put into service mode. These are UHF R1 with bitbanged 800 MHz MLMs... I have no clue why they're not pulling the R3 test frequencies. I've done 4 radios now, and they all have the same issue. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[wa6jbd]

Errata: These are R3 radios with 800 MLS, not R1.

 

[kd5ual]

if you are still seeing the 800 tuning frequencies, then you need to remove all mode data except (mode 1), then add 1 mode (mode 2)
remove (mode 1) then check the tuning data.

 

[kd5ual]

if you are seeing R1 tuning frequencies and need R3 tuning frequencies ( Mode 2 ) must be above 450,000 to set R3.

 

[wa6jbd]

First, thank you for the reply. I did as you suggested, and reduced the codeplug to one mode. Created a second mode, deleted the first, and programmed above 450.000. Still no luck, it's wanting to pull up R1 test frequencies.

And after reading my original post, I see that I mangled the facts a bit, but you managed to see correctly through the mangle. But just to clarify...

Radio was born as range 3.
MLM recovered from 800. It's ver 6.15
MLM was bit banged to set range, and match known working UHF models on hand.
Radio then programmed with unmodified R06.00.05 RSS.
Service mode brings up R1 frequencies.

Thanks again, and open to any other suggestions.

 

[kd5ual]

reinitialize the command board

 

[wa6jbd]

I finally had time this weekend to poke around with this. Reinitializing the command board didn't work, either. I did end up solving the problem, however. I had to bit bang the model number and moflags to match those from a different known working radio, then cloned that radio's codeplug into the problem radio. The test frequencies are now in line with the radio band split. There's clearly some piece of data in the radio besides the documented memory locations that tell the thing what frequencies to use.

Thanks for the suggestions. They are appreciated.

 

[kd5ual]

it's been a long time since I worked with the Spectra and I tried to answer off the top of my head.
what you asked for

The frequency/bandsplit of the MLM is in memory location 0x605F. To change the bandsplit of the codeplug in the radio, use the BITBANGER function and change 0x605F as follows:

• 61 = 136-164 MHz
  62 = 146-174 MHz
  63 = 403-433 MHz
  64 = 438-470 MHz
  65 = 450-482 MHz
  66 = 806-870 MHz
  67 = 896-941 MHz
  68 = 482=512 MHz
• from the Batlabs Model specific site

 

[wa6jbd]

Yes, I am aware of the bandsplit location in the MLM, and that cuts to the root of the actual problem. While it affected the range of frequencies that the radio would accept for programming and what shows up under the radio-wide menu in RSS, it made no change on the test frequencies coming up in service mode. I tried all 4 ranges, and everything changed as expected, except the test frequencies.