Guide to surplus radio. Last of the series for Motorola. Demonstrating the difficulty of supporting older commercial radio equipment. Introducing DOSBOX as a. Due to ongoing development and process improvements, Spectra Engineering has now enhanced the Specifications and performance of the MX800 Base Station. Specifications generally include any degradation at the band edges or extremes of temperature. View and Download Motorola Spectra service manual online. UHF FM Two-Way Radio 25/40 Watts RF Power. Spectra two-way radio pdf manual download.
Motorola Astro RSS Manual. RSS Manual 68-81098E85-O. Motorola Astro Spectra Siren/PA Wiring Information. English Language PDF Document. Motorola Astro XTL-5000 Detailed Service Manual. English Language PDF Documents within a ZIP package. Motorola CDM/PRO Series Detailed Service Manual. Motorola Spectra Manuals & User Guides User Manuals, Guides and Specifications for your Motorola Spectra Radio, Two-Way Radio. Database contains 3 Motorola Spectra Manuals (available for free online viewing or downloading in PDF): Installation manual, Service manual. Motorola Spectra Installation manual (32 pages).
| Up one level Back to Home | The Motorola® Spectra™ Radio Index Page Including non-mobile Spectra-based products with some Astro Spectra stuff thrown in Maintained by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK This page has undergone a major reorganization. Everything is all still here; items just got moved. Use your browser's SEARCH function to find things, as they're now grouped better. |
If you don't see what you are looking for, don't forget to checkMike Blenderman's extensiveSpectra site here.
Background, Introductory, and General Information:
| Motorola Spectra Introductory InformationYou should read this article before any of the other articles here in this section. It has an introduction to the Motorola Spectra radios, with background, history, some model-specific information, photos, and other miscellaneous tidbits. |
| Intro to Spectra Radio Configurations by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK A quick run-through of the control heads and radio installation and mounting options. |
| The Spectra Desktop Station by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK What's inside, model number info, configuration switch settings, rear connectors, etc. |
| Setting Up and Using Multiple Coded Squelch (MPL) by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK The steps you need to do with the programming software to activate MPL, and how to use it. |
| Why a 900 MHz Spectra Won't Receive at 902 MHz and What You Can't Do About It by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK Spectras are great radios but they can't receive 902 MHz unless you have some specialized equipment and do a lot of work. |
| Spectra Error Codes by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK A compilation of FAIL and ERROR codes that can be displayed by Spectra radios. |
| A Comparison of Old and New Spectra Circuit Boardsby Robert W. Meister WA1MIK Photos and lists of the major differences between old and new versions of many Spectra circuit boards. |
| A List of Spectra Module (Board) Numbers by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK A summary of info extracted from a number of service manuals. |
| Identifying Spectra Frequency Ranges / Splits by Mike Morris WA6ILQ Photos and things to look for to help identify the range or band split of your radio. |
| Bypassing the Spectra 16-mode Scan Limit 1.1 MB PDF A procedure to increase the number of modes on scan lists. |
| Spectra Lab RSS Hacks and Moflags from BatLabs |
Brochures and Manuals:
| Spectra Sales Brochure 674 kB PDF An original Motorola catalog sheet with abbreviated specifications. |
| Spectra Motorcycle Spec Sheet 189 kB PDF An original Motorola spec sheet with photos and abbreviated specifications. |
| Spectra Conventional Radio System Operator's Manual 4.1 MB PDF |
| Spectra Privacy-Plus Radio System Operator's Manual 2.3 MB PDF |
| Spectra SmartNet Radio System Operator's Manual 4.1 MB PDF |
| Spectra Parts Catalog 1 MB PDF |
| Another Spectra Parts Catalog 240 kB PDF |
| Info on the new Motorola Railroad Locomotive Cab Radio based on the Astro Spectra 140 kB PDF |
| Spectra Clean-Cab Railroad Radio Operator's Manual 780 kB PDF |
| Direct Entry Keyboard (DEK) schematic 614 kB PDF |
| Spectra and Digital Spectra Mobile Radio Installation Manual 950 kB PDF |
| Hand-Held Control Head Single and Dual Radio Instruction Manual 2.8 MB PDF Introductory information only for Option W845ASSP (dual radio) and Option W845AUSP (single radio) with HHCH, SIU, security boxes, etc. Scanned by WA1MIK. Goes with the dual radio article below. |
| Astro Digital Spectra Consolette Instruction Manual 2.6 MB PDF |
| Astro Digital Spectra and Digital Spectra Plus Mobile Radio User Guide 3.5 MB PDF |
| Spectra 25/40 watt UHF Basic Service Manual 4.4 MB PDF Scanned by Tim Owen KF7EUO. |
| Astro Digital Spectra Basic Service Manual 2.5 MB PDF |
| Astro Digital Spectra Detailed Service Manual, part 1 of 4 Chapters 1-6. 2.5 MB PDF |
| Astro Digital Spectra Detailed Service Manual, part 2 of 4 Chapter 7, pages 1-25. 3.7 MB PDF |
| Astro Digital Spectra Detailed Service Manual, part 3 of 4 Chapter 7, pages 26-48. 8.1 MB PDF |
| Astro Digital Spectra Detailed Service Manual, part 4 of 4 Chapter 7, pages 49-134 and appendices. 8.4 MB PDF |
| Astro Digital Spectra Detailed Service Manual 20.5 MB PDF The entire manual as one file. Note that the regular Spectra radio shares the same Power Amplifier (PA), Voltage-Controlled Oscillator (VCO), and Receiver Front End (RXFE). Much of the RF Board is similar. The command board is totally different. Unfortunately the control heads are in a separate manual, available below. This manual came out in 2002. |
| Astro Digital Spectra Detailed Service Manual 24.2 MB PDF A 2008 version of the above manual. |
| Astro Digital Spectra Control Heads Service Manual 4.9 MB PDF The Astro Spectra heads are very similar to the regular Spectra mobile radio heads. |
| Spectra Low-Power and Mid-Power Detailed Service Manual 96 MB PDF This manual, sent anonymously, seems to be incomplete. Use the Astro Spectra manuals above for further information. |
Radio and Equipment Modification Articles:
Motorola Astro Spectra Manual
| Spectra Dual Radio Configuration Procedure By Josh Wallace KD5QCZ. This article goes with the Hand-Held Control Head (HHCH) PDF file above. |
| Recapping the Spectra Mobile (a.k.a. the Time-Bomb Capacitors) by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK As the Spectras have been discontinued since the mid to late 1990s, all of them are nowover 15 years old. All of the original surface-mount electrolytic caps MUST BE REPLACED or you risk doing serious damage to the radio. |
| Recapping the Systems 9000 Control Head by Mark Tomany N9WYS The same timb-bomb capacitors exist in these heads as well. |
| Recapping/Refurbishing the Spectra Mobile by David Rudd AI4JI (offsite link) A well-written article with lots of photographs. He sells capacitor kits as well. |
| Build Your Own Spectra Programming Cable by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK |
| Build a Spectra Low- and Medium-power DC Power Cable with Ignition Control by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK |
| How to Hex Edit the Spectra RSS to Enable 900 MHz Amateur Frequencies by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK |
| Spectra 900 MHz VCO Modification by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK Make the VCO operate in the 902-928 MHz range. Also has a similar mod for UHF. |
| Spectra UHF VCO Modification by VK3KBC (offsite link) Make the VCO operate in the 440-450 MHz range. |
| Adding a Preamp to a UHF Spectra Radio by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK Add about a dozen parts and you've got a more sensitive receiver. People are selling kits to do this mod on ebay, of course. |
| Miscellaneous Spectra Topics by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK Hints and kinks that may make your Spectra radio more useful to you. |
| Spectra Hacks (Bitbanging) by James S. Vooght K2JSV Some key locations and values that can make the radio do what you want it to do. |
| Some notes on Replacing the Spectra MLM by Alex Cobleigh K6LPG |
| Spectra UHF Range 3 Modifications for the 440 MHz Amateur Band 965 kB PDF file by Bruce Forestal WB6ARE |
Interfacing Articles and Files:
| Interfacing External Equipment to the Spectra Mobile Radio by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK Signals that are available on the connectors accessible from inside and outside the radio. |
| A Front Panel Microphone Connector for Dash-Mount Spectra Radios by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK A 3D-printed microphone plug allows convenient access to this oddball connector. |
| One approach to adding a COR Signal to the Spectra DB-15 Accessory Connector By Nick Markovich N2XFX Spectras are notably difficult to get much-needed signals out of. Here's one way. |
| Spectra Control Head Ignition Jumper Information by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK |
| Spectra Dash-mount Control Head Interconnect Boards by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK |
| Spectra Control Head Interconnect Board and Cable 116 kB PDF file, scanned by WA1MIK Dash-mount interconnect board and remote-mount interconnect cable. |
| An Extension Cable for Repairing Dash-mount Control Heads by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK For those of you that repair your own equipment, this handy accessory lets you get to the control head while it's connected to the radio. |
| Spectra Command Board Jumpers: Location and Function by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK |
| Spectra Command Board to PA and Accessory Jack Cables by Robert W. Meister WA1MIK |
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This page was created in 2006.
This page was last updated on
Motorola, Spectra, Astro Spectra and a lot of other terms are registered trademarks/servicemarks of Motorola Inc.
This web page, this web site, the information presented in and on its pages and in these modifications and conversions is © Copyrighted 1995 and (date of last update) by Kevin Custer W3KKC and multiple originating authors. All Rights Reserved, including that of paper and web publication elsewhere.
Motorola Spectra Rss Manual
Motorola Spectra Programming
In article ,
says...
Hi,
I have an old Motorola Spectra and need a Service Manual to find out
where to search for a 1kHz tone which can be heard i the speaker when
listening to a transmission, while the display light is set to High,
Medium or Low,
There is nothing to hear when the display is switched off.
Have any of you had the same problem with this radio, and maybe know
hof to fix it?
This is often caused by leaky or dried-out electrolytic surface-
mount capacitors on the display PC board. Repairing it requires two
10uF/16V surface-mount caps, the proper desolder/resolder equipment, and
the skill to use it.
The detailed service manual, covering all Spectra models, is
Motorola part number 68-80102W61, current list price of $40.45.
Considering that the thing comes in a two-inch thick binder, and is
nearly the size of a small phone book, that strikes me as a pretty
decent deal.
I would also strongly recommend that you get the basic VHF service
manual as well: 68-81070C95, current list price of $24.75. It contains
interconnection and accessory information not found in the detail book.
Both manuals can be readily ordered from Motorola at 1-800-422-
4210.
The Spectra Model Number is: DA7KX+067W (VHF)
FYI: That's not a valid Motorola model number. That is, in fact,
the FCC ID of your radio. Motorola had a problem with their model/serial
labels during the time the Spectras were still in production, in which
the radio's actual model number and the FCC ID were transposed.
The actual model number will likely look something like this:
D43FWA7JA7AK, or some similar appearing string.
If you decide that you do not want to do the repair yourself, or
if you lack the equipment to do so, I can do it at rates considerably
lower than most commercial shops. Visit my web site for details:
http://www.bluefeathertech.com/rf.html
I hope that helps.
--
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute.
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, ARS KC7GR,
kyrrin (a/t) bluefeathertech[d=o=t]calm -- www.bluefeathertech.com
'If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped
with surreal ports?'
says...
Hi,
I have an old Motorola Spectra and need a Service Manual to find out
where to search for a 1kHz tone which can be heard i the speaker when
listening to a transmission, while the display light is set to High,
Medium or Low,
There is nothing to hear when the display is switched off.
Have any of you had the same problem with this radio, and maybe know
hof to fix it?
This is often caused by leaky or dried-out electrolytic surface-
mount capacitors on the display PC board. Repairing it requires two
10uF/16V surface-mount caps, the proper desolder/resolder equipment, and
the skill to use it.
The detailed service manual, covering all Spectra models, is
Motorola part number 68-80102W61, current list price of $40.45.
Considering that the thing comes in a two-inch thick binder, and is
nearly the size of a small phone book, that strikes me as a pretty
decent deal.
I would also strongly recommend that you get the basic VHF service
manual as well: 68-81070C95, current list price of $24.75. It contains
interconnection and accessory information not found in the detail book.
Both manuals can be readily ordered from Motorola at 1-800-422-
4210.
The Spectra Model Number is: DA7KX+067W (VHF)
FYI: That's not a valid Motorola model number. That is, in fact,
the FCC ID of your radio. Motorola had a problem with their model/serial
labels during the time the Spectras were still in production, in which
the radio's actual model number and the FCC ID were transposed.
The actual model number will likely look something like this:
D43FWA7JA7AK, or some similar appearing string.
If you decide that you do not want to do the repair yourself, or
if you lack the equipment to do so, I can do it at rates considerably
lower than most commercial shops. Visit my web site for details:
http://www.bluefeathertech.com/rf.html
I hope that helps.
--
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute.
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, ARS KC7GR,
kyrrin (a/t) bluefeathertech[d=o=t]calm -- www.bluefeathertech.com
'If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped
with surreal ports?'