The Syntor and MCX-100 (Canadian Syntor) both use a bipolar EPROM for the programming and must be burned with a EPROM programmer.
If you want to create an image file to burn a EPROM for a VHF Syntor, you can use this freeware program.
To use your Syntor VHF/UHF in the ham bands will require some modifications, click here to download modification instructions.
If you want some more information on programming the MCX-100, check here.
To program the Syntor X and MX-300 you need the R-1801 suitcase programmer. To program the Syntor X9000, you need this cable.
For Syntor X users we have a treat for you! Click here for a freeware Syntor X programmer.
NOTE: This programmer is meant for the 2m ham band. It has had the bandsplit opened up to cover 140-190 MHz but not all frequencies may work (Motorola does some goofy calculations here and there). We have not tested it or played with it (we don't have a Syntor), .
Paul, N7OCS, can help you if you need to program the above radios, contact him at [email protected] or visit his web site at http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/5857.
Another source of help is Sandy, and you can contact him through his web page.
Converting a Syntor X-9000 from 32 to 64 channels
To change from 32 to 64 channels there are two chips that get changed, one is in the control head, and the other is in the radio. These chips are 2kx8 EEPROMS. You need to put in 8kx8 EEPROMS. Additionally a couple of jumpers need to be changed to reflect the new addressing. The jumper changes are in the manual if you have one. I have also heard that some of the new heads have a flat pak IC where the old socked IC was.
Programming a Syntor Out of Band
Motorola's R1801 programmer will not program the Syntor radio out of the commercial band. However, there is a way to do it by a little skullduggery that is quite simple. To get the radio to transmit out of band you have to make the VCO use a offset of 10.7 mhz by connecting the PROM pin #15 to the other side of the PTT invertor which is found under the top lid pusher spring.
There is a 4.7k resistor there and the end toward the PROM is the one that you want to use or check and see which end responds to PTT. Just bend pin #15 out and plug the PROM in and jumper pin #15 to the 4.7k resistor.
In order to make this work, you must program the PROM backwards by making the RX inputs for TX + 10.7 and TX inputs for RX + 10.7. Be careful not to get them reversed. The actual frequency will be 10.7 mhz lower than frequency entered. The receiver will be high side injected.
If you can understand this, it is a simply transposed the VCO from RX to TX as the TX frequency is used for high side injection for the RX and the TX frequency is the injection for RX frequency + 10.7. This may be confusing but think about it and you will see why it works.
This extends the range of the radio down 10.7 mhz by doing this. The other problem would be the PL's. We don't have a way to program the PL PROM and the only other way is to use a Comspec 32 PL generator or use your imagination. This has been proven to work and you can program 32 channels into the radio.
If you have any question about this modification, email [email protected].
General Information
To use Syswatch II with the Syntor X9000E, you need to use a RIM (radio interface module), which is just about impossible to find.
If you want to use a PAC-RT with the Syntor-X, check out this schematic.
The YLN-4077 option board for a SyntorX-9000 is a singletone encoder.
Dual Radio Option for the Syntor X9000
The Syntor X9000 was available in a configuration (known as SP04) that allowed the control of 2 radio drawers with only one control head.
It involves using a Hand Held Control Head (HHCH) with a switch for R1/R2 (Radio1/Radio2). The part number of the head is YCN4018A.
There are some other parts that you will need. The part number for the cable from the head to the switch box is YKN4237A. The part number for the switch box is YLN1120A. The part number of the cable from the switch box to radio is YKN4238A. Now, if anyone has schematics of the above cables, please contact us.
Unfortunately there is a catch. You need SP RSS that supports this option in order to progam the control head as well as the master and slave radios. You also need the SP04 firmware for the radios and the control head. Both of which are NLA from Motorola. If anyone has an image of the SP04 firmware, please contact us.
As a side note, there was also a SP06 option used by the Washington State Police. This option allowed the control of a Spectra and a Syntor X9000 from a single control head.
The difference in the firmware is the way that the control head addresses the drawer units. In a standard configuration the radio is known as group zero while in the dual radio configuration the master radio is group 1 and the slave radio is group 2.
