GE S825 and S550...Interchangeable?

[Prospect62]

If I were to have a GE Rangr VHF with the S550 head would I be able to plug an S850 head into the same radio and would it work? What would I need to make it work, and how would I go about it? Thanks for any replies!

[vcaruso]

The control head cable should in most instances be compatible.
As for the control head just being plug and play chances are more than not that you would have to have the correct frequencies programmed in to the control head along with radio type and frequency split otherwise you will either end up with a download error or if the head is for the correct band and split you will end up with the control heads previously programmed frequency set.

Hope this helps
Vince

[2wayguru]

I have found out that most rangrs will take the download from an S825 and S830 no matter what band or frequency the radio is. You run into the problem of the VCO's not locking down if you dump a band in the radio that it is not meant for. For example you have a VHF Hi band radio and you have a head that dumps a UHF or Lowband frequency in it the radio will accept it but the VCO's in the radio will not lock down and the radio will not transmit or receive untill the radio is reloaded with the proper frequency range. So if your head dumps the info in the radio and it is not correct then reprogram your head to the proper freq and then it will work. As for your S850 head, this I believe is a trunking head and the data lines on the head for downloading the frequencies are not the same as a conventional radio, it is like a standard cable verses a G1 download cable..

[n_zero_ndp]

the 850 head is "EDACS" only. if using a conventional radio, you need the 825 head (& appropriate control cable).

you can use a 550 head on an 825 cable, but no 825 head on a 550 cable.

[vcaruso]

The standard cable for the 550 & 825 head is identical The GE P\N is 19d901739g1 both heads will work with the same cable. I didn't catch the part that it was an S850 head though.

[n_zero_ndp]

Vince... help me out.
I have a couple different cables around here:
19D901740G1 (is this the 550 only cable?) & the 1739G1 as well. Is this what I have confused???

I'm from the EDACS side of the fence, don't do much conventional RANGR stuff.

[vcaruso]

I believe the 1740G1 was a cable made for the S500 8 channel control head, It was the black & chrome control head that looks like a squared off Motorola Mitrek\Maratrac Clam Shell I believe however that it may have worked with the 8 Channel S550 (not certain).

The 1739G1 will do the trick for the 550 or 825

Vince