Another flashed MPA!!

Forum dedicated to the Harris PSPC Product group items such as Orion, M7100/M7200/M7300, P7100/P7200/P7300, Harris Unity XG-100, GE Orion, GE Master Repeaters, EDACS Trunking, Pro Voice, PC Configure, RPM, and other topics relating to Harris, MA-Comm, Ericsson, GE products.
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willbartlett
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Another flashed MPA!!

Post by willbartlett »

Well, I'll reserve final judgement till I play with it for a while, But I flashed a CONVENTIONAL 081 board, and it seems very happy :P . I wonder wether anyone else has attempted this with success. I used the same flash/hack procedure I posed earlier, and it went just fine, this time using the HAMVGB_*.BPD file, and it flashed happily at 9600 baud.

Hope to hear from others.

73, Will
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Johnny Galaga
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Post by Johnny Galaga »

Do you know how to flash an MPA 800 MHZ EDACS radio to have more memory or do Aegis ? Thanks.
willbartlett
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flashing Edacs portables

Post by willbartlett »

Well, I would assume that it is possible to flash any flash capable portable with an appropriately coded update, but as to increasing the memory or adding aegis voice encryption to a radio, I suppose it would require a couple of things.

1.The board in the radio in question would have to have more memory available in it's existing chipset than is currently used. As this is a question abouta trunking portable and being relatively new to the world of current radios (i.e. not mastr pro or exec II), I would be sure that any unallocated memory was not reserved for a dynamic regroup, or whatever the analog is in GE terms.

2. the board in question would also have to have the hardware present to handle the encryption. I was under the impression that aegis was an add on board. I have one MPA with a couple rows of sip sockets, I assumed that was where the encryption module plugged in.

3. I wouldn't use anything but a factory flash upgrade in this case, as the code is probably difficult to build on your own without all the development notes associated with the radios microprocessor.

Sorry to sound discouraging, maybe it's worth a call to GE or whatever they are called this week to inquire about an upgrade. you may find it's priced right.
Good luck, Will
Plague Of Rats
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Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2002 8:47 pm
Location: Tacoma, WA

Aegis & memory.

Post by Plague Of Rats »

Well, I actually looked in to pricing for the Aegis modules - they are going for over $700 each. (Retail, anyway).

As for increasing memory, it only has a certain amount of memory and it can't be increased. Flashing only means you are overwriting the radio's operating system with a different one; much the same as putting Windows 2000 on a PC running Windows 98. You don't get any more RAM, just a different operating system.
mike m
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Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2002 8:00 pm

Post by mike m »

Yes I have done lots of the 081 ctrl boards with hamvgb and the 628 ctrlrs with ham628 hamflash, the aegis or edacs ctrlrs are essentially the same aside from the piggyback boards that can go on them. In fact the 081 and 628 boards are the only ctrlrs that work with hamflash. Now if i could only find a way to get the flash in all the non 081 or 628 boards that I have and get some of them passed around for 900 conversions.


Mike
Park
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Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2003 2:47 pm

Ham Flash for 081 board

Post by Park »

Can anyone send me the ham flash bpd file for an 081 board???

Thanks!
Park
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Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2003 2:47 pm

re: Can't Ham Flash

Post by Park »

Hi all,

When I turn on my UHF conv. MPA, the radio with the sq. button pressed, it reads: P0851087 Model radio: PAUCDX.

I can program the radio normally ver 11.1 sw, and using a Price Industries RIB and cable, but when I run the ham flash, the software says the radio is not responding and to reset the power. Resetting the power doesn't help, the program then quits. Is it possible this radio cannot be flashed???

Thanks
willbartlett
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Post by willbartlett »

does the flash voltage light come on on tyhe price rib, and does the watchdog timer timeout on the hamflash program, or does it attempt to zero out the flash part and then fail?

Tnx, Will
Park
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Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2003 2:47 pm

re: Ham Flash

Post by Park »

Hi Will,

It seems to go through the watchdog sequence, and then it says it's storing I think, then it seems to loose communications with the radio.
It quits after sending the dtr commands

Thanks, Duane


willbartlett wrote:does the flash voltage light come on on tyhe price rib, and does the watchdog timer timeout on the hamflash program, or does it attempt to zero out the flash part and then fail?

Tnx, Will
mike m
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Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2002 8:00 pm

Post by mike m »

Your controller section sounds to be a very early model that is the non flashable version, when holding the side squelch button on while powering the radio up the flashcode should begin with the letter I and then some alphanumeric values. I f the flashcode does not start with I it is non flash upgradeable.


Mike
Park
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Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2003 2:47 pm

re: MPA Flash

Post by Park »

Hi Mike,

That's what I was afraid of..... when I hold the squelch button and power on the radio, it displays: P0851087
The Model radio is: PAUCDX

How hard and expensive is it to upgrade the controller?????

Thanks
mike m
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Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2002 8:00 pm

Post by mike m »

I don't know if MaCom/Comnet/Ericsson or whatever they are called now even sells them anymore but I'd bet they would be expensive.

If you can find a good condition used 800Mhz EDACS radio for a nice used price you can swap the controller with your nonflashable controller and then run the hamflash. However: before I'd buy one remember to confirm that any radio you are looking at has a flashcode that begins with the Letter I so you aren't going to be stuck with another unflashable radio.


Mike
Park
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Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2003 2:47 pm

MPA Flash

Post by Park »

Thanks Mike for the info...
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