. Radio Service Software User's Guide Software Part Number: RVN4002K © 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990 by Motorola, Inc., Radio Products Group 8000 W. Sunrise Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33322 Printed in U.S.A.

• Motorola Saber Battery
• Download Motorola Software

All Rights Reserved. RSS Technical Support. 708-576-0246. Furthermore, the purchase of Motorola equipment shall not be deemed to grant either directly or by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any license under the copyrights, patents or patent applications of Motorola, except for the normal nonexclusive, royalty free license to use that arises by operation of law in the sales of a product. Secure Deviation Offset.27 11. Microphone Gain.29, Motorola, SABER, SABER IE, Private-Line, Digital Private-Line, Quik-Call, Quik-Call II, MDC-600, MDC-1200, Stat-Alert, and Handie-Talkie are trademarks of Motorola, Inc.

IBM PC/XT/AT and Personal System 2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. Align Channel Parameters.30 1. Squelch.31 2. VCO and Reference Modulation Alignment.32 3. Battery Save Enable.33 D. Align Scan Controls.33 1. Scan Monitor Hold Time.34 2.

Scan Receive Response Time.35 3. Scan Transmit Response Time.35 4. Autodial Setup Screen.60 Manual Telephone Interconnect Screen.61 Create/Modify Scan Lists Screen.62 Create/Modify Selectable PL Codes.64 Print Menu.65 TABLE TITLE Motorola System.85 General Electric System.86 Plectron System.87 Federal System.88 LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES PAGE. Digital Voice Protection.

EEPROM: Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory. EPROM: Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory. LED: Light Emitting Diode. MDC: Motorola Digital Communications: Personal Computer. Private Line.

• Motorola Saber product reviews by real people like you. Only at eHam.net. - eHam.net is a Web site dedicated to ham radio (amateur radio).
• The Guide to ASTRO™ Digital Radios fulfills a need for accurate and. Figure 2.1 Motorola Inc.’s ASTRO Digital Saber™. And Customer Programming Software.

Most of this information is for the Astro Saber, but since the XTS3000 and its family are programmed by the same RSS, a lot of the information will be relevant for it.

PTT: Push To Talk. RAM: Random Access Memory. RAT: Repeater Access Tone.

About This Guide The SABER portable radio contains a new generation of advanced integrated circuits with all rf and signalling parameters controlled by the radio's microprocessor. This Radio Service Software package is required to perform all alignment adjustments on the radio. The SABER radio does not contain any internal adjustable components (i.e. Problems requiring additional analysis will be referred to the appropriate Area FTR (Field Technical Representative) group for investigation. Radio Service Software problems will be handled by the Area FTR manager within standard MOTOROLA C&E procedures for the resolution of technical product problems. GETTING STARTED A. How This Manual Is Organized This section called GETTING STARTED, describes how to hook up the radio to your computer and how to install the software.

The operation of the software is described, including how to read the screens, the keyboard commands, and how the screens are organized. HELP SERVICE GET/SAVE/PROGRAM Main Cursor Pos.Help Key Def's Align Scan Align Radio Monitor DTMF Dial Delay Hold Time DTMF Tone On RX Resp.

DTMF Tone Off Time Audio Proc. Secure Deviation Time Battery Save Squelch Priority Oscillator Warp Squelch Sidetone Volume Low-Battery. The Screen Identification Area is the upper left area of the screen display and is sub-divided into four sections as follows:. The first line displays MOTOROLA Radio Service Software. The second line displays the SABER radio name and the model number. The Screen Message Display Area is in the upper right area of the screen and is further divided into two sections as follows:. Instruction Messages: This message informs you of the next course of action or provides the range of acceptable values for the current data entry field.

GET/SAVE/PROGRAM Codeplug Data From/To Disk/Codeplug. CHANGE/CREATE/VIEW Radio Codeplug Data. PRINT Codeplug Data. SETUP Computer Configuration MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: Ver.

R05.00.00 R07.01.00 Main F1 - HELP F2 - SERVICE: alignment, service aids, board replacement. After making a selection via the function keys, you will be directed to similar sub-menus and/or data entry screens. From any point in the program, you may always return to the MAIN Menu by pressing the ESC (Escape) key. Each programmer function is described briefly in the remainder of this section.

The HELP function gives specific information regarding the current menu or highlighted data field. HARDWARE INSTALLATION A. Host Computer And Options Required The following section provides the hardware and software requirements needed to run the SABER Radio Service Software. Computer: IBM PC or CONVERTIBLE IBM-XT IBM-XT/286 IBM-AT IBM-PS/2: Models 25, 30, 50, 60, 70, or 80 Memory Required: At least 640k bytes of RAM.

Optional Hardware Requirements Additional hardware will be required if it is necessary to read, program, or align a SABER radio. The following section provides a list of required hardware. Only one of the two cables is required.

Choose the appropriate one for your machine. Computer Interface Cable ( 25-pin connector cable ): Computer Interface Cable ( 9-pin connector cable ): Radio Interface Box ( RIB ). Shut off your computer system before connecting anything to it. Connect one end of the RS-232 cable to the IBM PC (the cable is marked to show you which end plugs into the computer). Connect the other end of the cable into the RIB. SOFTWARE INSTALLATION A. How To Install The Software The Radio Service Software is shipped to you on either two 5 1/4' floppy disks (labeled PROGRAM DISK 1 and PROGRAM DISK 2) or one 3 1/2' disk (labeled PROGRAM DISK 1).

The software has been designed to give optimum performance while running on a hard disk, but may be used on a machine with dual-floppy drives. Hard Disk Installation Procedure If you are using a hard drive system, use the installation program on Diskette 1 to install the RSS properly on your hard disk. To run the install program, set the current disk drive to a floppy drive and insert Diskette 1. After typing in SABER, the first screen that will come up on your computer is shown below: Version: R07.01.00 Kit: RVN4002K COPYRIGHT © MOTOROLA INC. 1988-1993 All Rights Reserved. Now continue to Section IV-B to complete the configuration procedure.

Software Installation MOTOROLA INC. RADIO SERVICE SOFTWARE. The SERVICE SOFTWARE CONFIGURATION Menu has several system options that need to be setup in your configuration file. This procedure only needs to be setup once when installing the system.

Each function key is explained below in order to configure your computer completely. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: Ver. For a floppy disk system, you must enter disk drive B: if you have SABER.EXE in drive A and MOTOROLA.LBR in drive B.

Next, you must enter the Archive Path which is the path name of the archive disk where all archive files will be kept. Follow the steps below to configure your screen for the various color options. Press the F7 function key to access the SCREEN COLOR CONFIGURATION screen as shown in Figure 7, to enable the color display option and configure your screen colors.

MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: Ver. In order to configure your screen coloring, first set the monitor type: COLOR or B & W (black and white). Use the UP/DOWN arrow keys to toggle between the two options of either color or black and white.

Press ENTER to move to the next selection. If you wish to skip any selections continue to press the ENTER key until you find the selection you want to modify. Help is available from the MAIN menu and any sub-menu with the F1 function key. The HELP function gives specific help regarding the current menu or highlighted data field. The help menu screen provides you with three types of help: F1 - From the HELP function, general information is available by pressing this function key. SERVICING THE RADIO All radio alignment procedures are accessed from the SERVICE menu.

A radio must be connected to your computer via a RIB and cables, and the radio turned ON before you will be permitted to access the SERVICE screens. Refer to the SABER SERVICE AIDS list in Appendix- 7 for all the service aids, service tools, and recommended test equipment that you may require to program, align, and test SABER radios. Sections VI-B, VI-C, and VI-D explain in detail the function and procedure for aligning the radio, channels, and scan controls.

MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: Ver. Note that on certain alignment procedures, the last step states 'Reprogram radio.' This means that after all alignment is completely finished, you must reprogram the radio.

You do not have to reprogram the radio after each parameter is aligned. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model Ver. Each parameter can be adjusted one of three ways: The UP arrow key will increase the parameter value.

The DOWN arrow key will decrease the parameter value. The PGUP key will increase the parameter with a rate increase of 10% present value.

The PGDN key will decrease the rate of decrease by 10% present value. Power Level Four different power levels can be adjusted in the SABER radio - the low, medium, high, and special power levels. (Each channel in the radio can have unique power level assignments made on the Radio Channel Information screen described in Section VIII-C. ) Note that the standard low and high power settings for UHF are 2.0W to 5.0W respectively, and for VHF the power settings are 2.5W to 6.0W respectively. Low Battery Threshold Low Battery Threshold determines at what voltage level the LED will blink to indicate that the battery voltage has fallen below the preprogrammed value in transmit mode. On the display of your radio, you will see a battery flashing symbol.

When aligning Low Battery Threshold, you will not be able to test the voltage level until you reprogram the radio first. Other values for the Battery Save Squelch level may be selected with the RSS. The squelch values can range from $00 to $0F where $00 is the minimum squelch setting.

(d) To ensure the radio is in the battery save Mode, wait until the radio unmutes at carrier and wait the proper dwell time before injecting a signal at the specific level for testing. DTMF Dial Delay This parameter controls the DTMF pretime.

Its value ranges from $00 to $FF in steps of 1. To see the effect of the change, the radio must first be reprogrammed. (a) Follow the setup procedure in Section VI-A, Fig. (b) Determine the dial delay desired and use the UP/DOWN or PGUP/PGDN arrow keys to increase/decrease this delay.

(b) Before proceeding, you must have previously aligned the VCO and Reference Modulation. If you have not done this yet, press ESC to return to the SERVICE menu, then follow the instructions in the section 'Align Channel.' Upon returning to the SERVICE menu, reselect 'Align Radio'. MICROPHONE GAIN This parameter is used when sending out the voice signal. There are 4 different values from which you can choose: -3 dB, 0 dB (default), +3 dB, and +6 dB. The radio has to be reprogrammed to see the effect of the change. This will only work on radios with the H852, 6D master option enabled or the H549, 8D master option enabled.

At the bottom of the screen the current zone/channel combination being aligned will be displayed. Merely select the next zone/channel on the radio to be aligned and the screen will update the display. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model Ver. Print screen - This function key will print out everything shown on the screen. Copy all To all - This function key will copy EVERY alignment parameter in the current channel to all the channels in the radio regardless of zone. The lower portion of the screen contains some additional information that will be helpful in the alignment process. VCO and Reference Modulation Alignment When adjusting deviation, two separate adjustments are required - one for VCO modulation and the other for REFERENCE modulation.

When aligning VCO and Reference Modulation, you can measure the deviation during the alignment process or in 'real time.' You do not have to reprogram the radio to measure the change.

'Reprogram radio,' this means AFTER all aligning is completely finished you must reprogram the radio. You do not have to reprogram the radio after each parameter is aligned. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model Ver. The only function key here that needs to be explained is PRINT SCREEN (F5) which will print out a hard copy of the screen shown. Each parameter can be adjusted one of three ways: The UP arrow key will increase the parameter value.

The DOWN arrow key will decrease the parameter value. Scan Receive Response Time After a message is received while scanning, a programmable time interval (0 to 60 seconds in 1 second steps) will be in effect called the Receive Response Time. Within this time, the radio will not resume scan but will continue to monitor the mode of the last received message due to the likelihood of receiving (or wanting to transmit) a response.

Scan Priority Squelch This value corresponds roughly to the squelch values which are 'aligned' using the align channel window of the Radio Service Software. The priority squelch level is used when checking priority channels while the radio is unmuted on an active channel. Sensitivity to priority channels in the unmuted state is affected by this value.

This chapter deals with all reading and writing to the radio, and loading and saving to disk. After you have selected the Get/Save/Program Codeplug data From/To Disk/Codeplug, or the F3 function key from the MAIN menu, the system will bring up the screen shown in Figure 13. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: Ver. As the system is building the RPF, several messages will appear on the screen showing the process of the 'build.' Shown below in Figure 14 is a sample screen of READ radio.

MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: Ver. The WRITE function The WRITE function is used to program the radio, using the current radio personality data. The radio personality data may have come from disk, been read from the radio, or been created using the RSS. Before programming can begin, the radio must first be connected through a radio interface box (RIB) to the IBM PC, and turned on. If the display still shows an 'ERR X YZ' message after programming is complete, try reprogramming the radio. If the error condition persists, contact your Motorola service representative, or see Appendix-1 for a description of the error code.

Next, you will align the radio using the functions provided in the 'SERVICE/ALIGNMENT' menus. While you are aligning the radio, the alignment values are stored in the RPF.

Finally, when you have finished the alignment, you will again write to the radio. When prompted to select F2 or F6, you will again select F2. The LOAD/SAVE/DELETE functions The LOAD/SAVE functions are used to transfer codeplug data from an archive file into your computer's memory in order for you to Modify, View, or Print it. The DELETE function allows you to remove any codeplug data from the computer's memory. (Refer to Figure 13.) Function Key Descriptions: Load Radio Personality from Disk - The LOAD function is used to retrieve an archived file from a diskette or hard disk to the computer. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software Use UP / DWN arrow keys to select.

SABER Model Ver. R05.00.00 R07.01.00 Main.Get/Save/Prog.Load/Save Save Radio Personality to PC Database NO ELEMENTS Archive Path: C: RSS SABER DATA File Name: HELP SAVE EXIT FILE Figure 17.

Save RPF Display. The following sections provides a detailed explanation of each function key. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: Ver. R07.00.00 R07.01.00. F2: VIEW Radio Personality By selecting the VIEW function, the program brings up the screen shown below. This screen displays important information about the Radio Personality currently loaded in the RSS. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: H44QXJ7139CN Ver.

R07.00.00 R07.01.00. The parameters on the right will change according to the selection made on the three user selections. Figure 20 displays an example of the CREATE RPF screen: MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: Ver. The Model Number field selects the specific model. The legend at the right of the screen will change as you scroll through the model types and display the major characteristics of each model.

As with the Model Category, the selection made in this field will affect the following field for Frequency Range. Radio Feature Option screens. Figure 21 provides an example of a Radio Feature Options screen for a SABER II Secure radio, where screens for SABER II and III will vary according to the created RPF. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: Ver. The basic keyboard functions can be used on this screen, see Section VIII-F.

In order to select/deselect an option use the F2 function key which acts as a toggle key. The table below provides a list of options available for the different SABER models. See Appendix-5 for detailed descriptions on each available option.

H852 6D Master Option Zero Audio Enable Quik- Call II H701- Individual Call H702- 4 Tone Group Call H703- Long Tone B Group Call H167- Timed Auto Reset H188 -Carrier Override Auto Reset Singletones - General (PTT/RATs) H707- 1 Tone Singletone Via PTT Button H742- Up to 2 Tone Singletone via RAT Buttons Singletone Non-Std. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model Ver. R05.00.00 R07.01.00 Main.Create/Modify.Options Main.Create/Modify.Options Enter 1.5 to Select System (Default 1- Motorola) HELP Figure 22. Quik- Call II System Selection Screen QUIK CALL SYSTEM SELECTION 1. General Electric 3.

MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model Ver. R05.00.00 R07.01.00 Main.Create/Modify.Options Tone A Tone B HELP Figure 23. Quik- Call II H701 Parameters Screen MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model Ver. R05.00.00 R07.01.00 Main.Create/Modify.Options Main.Create/Modify.Options Tone A Tone B HELP Figure 24. Quik- Call II H702 Parameters Screen Change/Create/View Radio Personality Use Up / Down Arrows to Select Entry.

MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model Ver. R05.00.00 R07.01.00 Main.Create/Modify.Options Main.Create/Modify.Options. INDIVIDUAL. Frequency Tone A 1357.7 Tone B 746.6 HELP Figure 25.

Quik- Call II H703 Parameters Screen MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model Ver. R05.00.00 R07.01.00 Main.Create / Modify.Options. To Create or Modify any Channel Information, return to the CREATE menu using F10 and access the Channel Information menu (F5). Recall that selecting these options does NOT program the radio; return to the MAIN menu and use the Read/Write function. All keyboard commands can be found in Section II-D. With specific keyboard functions explained below: UP/DN arrow keys will scroll through each channel. PGUP/PGDN keys will scroll through each zone.

RIGHT/LEFT arrow keys will move cursor within an entry. CTRL END will clear to end of the field. Valid entries for Transmit/Receive frequencies (TX/RX FREQ), Power Level, Transmit/Receive PL codes (TX/RX PL),and Scan list are listed below: Data Field Allowed Entries.

Quik-Call II Repeater Index RAT1 Function RAT2 Function PTT Function Pre/Deemphasis MDC Decode Emergency PTT DOS Muting Change/Create/View Radio Personality Valid Entries are 'Y' and 'N'.This field will be displayed if H701/H702/H703 is selected. RX PL and Quik-Call II are incompatible on a channel.

Tx Inhibit Press F10 to exit this function or ESC to go back to the MAIN menu. Each function key is described below. Function Key Descriptions: F2 Enter Channel - This function moves the cursor to the field label 'Channel.' If you have channel display names, you may enter them here.

Wide View - This function allows you to view all channels previously defined. By pressing F4, another screen display will come up listing all zones/channels with their attributes or channel information. See Figure 28 for the Wide View screen. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model Ver.

The list of all possible data displayed on the channel information includes: Time Out Timer MDC ID Enabled Emergency Revert Channel Channel Strapped CLEAR Channel Strapped CODED Secure Range Extension Enabled Assigned Scan List (if any) ( 2 Characters long ) Quik-Call II Flat Audio Enabled MDC Decode ENABLED. See Figure 29 for the screen that will come up for Auto Dial. For some Radio models, Access and Hangup codes must be entered on the Manual Telephone Interconnect screen. In those cases, the Access and Hangup prompts will be absent from this screen. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: Ver.

Hangup Code using the ENTER key to move between the selections. Both Codes have a possible eight character field. The only Function Key Description for this menu is the PRINT function (F5), which makes a hard copy of the Manual Interconnect Access and Hangup screen. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: R07.01.00 Ver.

Use the ENTER key to move between entries and the UP/DN arrow keys to select which scan list you wish to modify. After defining all non-priority channels, press ENTER and define your priority channels if applicable.

MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: Ver. R05.00.00 R07.01.00. While scanning, all non-priority channels have equal status.

That is, once activity is detected on a non-priority channel, the scanning of other non-priority channels is stopped until carrier is dropped. The radio will continue to scan priority one and priority two however.

If activity is detected on either of the priority channels, the radio will drop the non-priority channel and begin monitoring the priority channel. The programmer will also list all entries to date. Use the UP/DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the CURRENT ENTRY NUMBER list to modify a particular PL Code entry. Use the ENTER key to move from one entry to the next. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model Ver.

Figure 33 displays the screen that comes up if you choose the Print Radio Personality function from the MAIN menu. MOTOROLA Radio Service Software SABER Model: Ver. Function Key Descriptions: Print Channel Information Form - This function creates a hard copy of the information entered in the Channel Information Screen: channel name, zone name, TX / RX frequencies, TX / RX codes, emergency, etc. Print Auto Dial Form - This function key creates a hard copy of information entered in the Auto Dial Form providing information on phone number, person called, access and hangup codes, and which zone and channel each number corresponds to. APPENDIX - 1. ERROR MESSAGES In the SABER display radio models, the radios will display error messages under two conditions.

When the radio is turned on, and there exists an error condition in the radio, the radio will display an error message of the form ERR x yz for approximately 2 seconds before attempting to show the default display which is either the channel name or number (in a channel only radio) or the zone and channel names or numbers (in a zone radio). 04 - external EEPROM checksum error. This means that the data in the external EEPROM could be corrupted or the checksum value itself could be wrong. If several reprogramming attempts do not eliminate this error, then the external EEPROM must be replaced. APPENDIX - 2. KEYBOARD COMMANDS All Radio Service Software keyboard commands are summarized in this section.

The F1 HELP function also provides keyboard information. From any screen, you may view this list by pressing F1 (HELP) and then press F2 (KEYBOARD HELP). F2 - F8: F10: ESC.

APPENDIX - 3. How To Format A Disk A disk must be prepared or initialized to a specific recording format before your computer's disk operating system (DOS) can read information from it or save information to it. This initialization process is called 'formatting.'

You must format all new disks before using them with your computer. APPENDIX - 4. SABER Models There are numerous versions of models for the SABER radio. The three basic models are the SABER I, SABER II, and SABER III. All radio models follow the generic model number listed below with each variable explained following.

When the field 'a' = 'a' =. APPENDIX - 5.

Options List and Definitions H251 - 60 Second TOT This option will limit the transmitting period to 60 seconds. The radio will automatically stop transmitting when the timer goes off and will generate an alert tone to notify you that no transmission is taking place.

Failure to include this option when using an intrinsically safe battery is characterized by a premature indication of a low-battery condition. For SABER I radios (no display), this option is only required when option H906 (low battery LED) is selected. H958 - Unit ID - MDC 600 Selecting this option defines an MDC 600 ID to the radio, where 600 refers to a 600 baud rate. H770 - Pretime Delay - 300ms Pretime delay is the period of time for which the radio waits before sending out MDC signalling data.

Standard pretime delay is 500 ms. Selecting this option will give you a pretime delay of 300 ms. H256 - Two Zone Operation Selecting this option will allow two zones on a SABER IE. Data for two zones can be entered in the channel information screen. This option is incompatible with option H560 (Talkaround). H346 - Zone Display Names By selecting this option you can customize zone menu names.

H273 - Operator Selectable Scan Selecting this option will allow you to enter or modify a unique scan list, using the keypad on the radio, without the aid of the RSS. You can select this option at the same time as option H344 (mode slaved scan).

Designated Transmit Mode This option will force you to transmit on a specific channel anytime the PTT is pressed while scanning regardless of what state the scanner is in. The designated transmit channel will be specified per scan list. If this option is selected along with floating priority, the floating priority channel will always be the designated transmit channel since this is always the channel of transmission. H400 - Secure Voice Slaved to a Mode If a channel is strapped coded, the radio will transmit in accordance to its strapping. An invalid switch position tone will sound if the ERGO switch is placed in the Clear position. This option is incompatible with option H244 - Delete Clear Coded Transmit Switch. Plectron system enter 3.

The default is set to the Motorola system. You must select this option in order to select any of the Quik-Call II options. Even non-standard frequencies can be used, either independently, or along with any standard system.Transmit inhibit option (H365) is incompatible with the Quik- Call.

H702 - Two-Tone Group Call To select this option you must select the Quik-Call II option. This option can offer Individual call together with Two Tone Group call. When this option is selected the pop-up window will be displayed on the screen to get two different frequencies for individual call and two different frequencies for two-tone group call. H707 - 1 Tone Singletone via PTT Button When selecting this option a pop-up window is displayed and you are asked to enter a frequency for single tone1. If H707 is enabled, RAT1 and RAT2 buttons are disabled and single tone1 is sent out through PTT on all channels. Multiple Repeater Access Codes - MDC 600 Selecting this option allows you to treat the RAT switches as MDC (600) repeater access devices. The radio can have a maximum of 8 track-moded repeater IDs.

Each of the RATs can be tied to a single tone or MDC. Limited Patience Timer (Polite Emergency) When selecting this option, you will be prompted for a value between 1 and 255 seconds. In between Polite Emergency data pack transmissions, the radio will wait this length of time for the channel to become free.

If this timer expires, the Emergency packet is sent out, whether or not the channel is free. DOS Mute Timer DOS (Data Operated Squelch) is the radio's ability to mute the audio while examining the MDC data packet that precedes many transmissions. This eliminates the miscellaneous noise at the beginning of an incoming transmission that would otherwise be heard. When selecting this option, you will be prompted for a timer value between 100 and 1500 milliseconds, in 5 millisecond steps. 0426.6 0433.7 0441.6 0445.7 0457.1 0457.9 0470.5 0473.2 0483.5 0489.8 0496.8 0507.0 0510.5 0524.6 0524.8 0539.0 0543.3 0553.9 Table 1: Motorola System FREQUENCY CODE 0562.3 0569.1 0582.1 0584.8 0600.9 0602.6 0617.4 0623.7 0634.5 0645.7 0651.9 0668.3 0669.9 0688.3 0691.8 0707.3 0716.1.

Table 2: General Electric System FREQUENCY 457.5 472.5 487.5 502.5 517.5 532.5 547.5 562.5 577.5 592.5 607.5 622.5 637.5 652.5 667.5 682.5 697.5 712.5 727.5 742.5 757.5 772.5 787.5 802.5 817.5 Appendix - 6. Quik-Call II Frequencies and Codes CODE FREQUENCY 832.5 847.5.

Table 3: Plectron System FREQUENCY CODE 307.8 321.4 335.6 350.5 366.0 382.3 399.2 416.9 435.3 454.6 474.8 495.8 517.8 540.7 564.7 589.7 615.8 643.0 672.0 701.0 732.0 765.0 799.0 834.0 FREQUENCY 871.0 910.0 950.0 992.0 1036.0 1082.0 1130.0 1180.0 1232.0 1287.0 1344.0 1403.0. Appendix - 6. Quik-Call II Frequencies and Codes Table 4: Federal System FREQUENCY CODE 643.0 692.0 749.0 810.0 877.0 949.0 1026.0 1110.0 1201.0 1299.0 1405.0 1520.0 1695.0 1780.0 1926.0 2084.0 2255.0 2440.0.

APPENDIX - 7. SQUELCH CODES AND THEIR CORRESPONDING FREQUENCIES (in Hz) 67.0 69.3 71.9 74.4 - 100.0 77.0 - 103.5 79.7 - 107.2 82.5 88.5 DIGITAL PRIVATE LINE (DPL) CODES PRIVATE LINE (PL) CODES 91.5 - 123.0 94.8 - 127.3 97.4 - 131.8 - 136.5.

This usually r e f e r s to a definable methodology which may or may not be proprietary to MOTOROLA. Serial Bus Signalling is typically used to interface a RIB to a radio for the purpose of altering a radio's codeplug or changing service parameters. CURSOR: DATABASE: DATA ENTRY: DECREMENT: DEFAULTS: DEFAULT DRIVE: DE-KEY: DIRECTORY: DISK DRIVE: DISKETTE: DOS: DOS: DPL: DRIVE: DTMF: DVP: The flashing marker used to indicate the current position on the display screen. An organized file containing records on related data. Formatted display with highlighted fields for entering codeplug SCREEN: parameter (data). EEPROM: ENTER: EPROM: ERROR: EXIT: FIELD: FILE: FIRMWARE: FUNCTION KEYS: HARD DISK: HARDWARE: HELP: INCREMENT: INVERSE VIDEO: Glossary An acronym for Electrically Eraseable Programmable Read Only Memory.

EEPROM's are used for radio codeplugs as a permanent storage medium for radio alignment data and customer-specific parameters. MEMORY: MENU: MENU DRIVEN: MODE: MODEM: MONITOR: OPERATING: PARAMETER: PATH: PERSONALITY: Electronic devices (RAM's) used by the computer for temporarily storing information that can be extracted when needed.

The information is lost when the computer is turned off. The Radio Service Software requires a minimum of 512K bytes of available RAM (memory). PORT: PROGRAM: PROGRAM TREE: PTT: Quik-Call II: RAM: RAT1: RAT2: READ: RIB: RPF: RS232: SAVE: SOFTWARE: Glossary An electrical connection on a computer used to communicate with other devices, such as a radio, modem, or a printer. 1) A set of computer instructions designed to have the computer perform a specific sequence of actions. SYSTEM: SUB-DIRECTORY: TOT: TPL: TREE: A trunking term used to define a specific repeater site via an ID, and individual ID, the control channel frequencies, the connect tones, failsoft information, and a set of permitted features and options.

A subdivision of a directory that contains a group of related f i l e s. Sub-directories are used to organize your disks, especially hard disks, and to facilitate good housekeeping. INDEX Page About This Guide.1 Access and Hangup Codes, Manual Interconnect.61 Access and Hangup Codes, Auto Dial.60 Acronyms and Abbreviations.iv Align Channel Menu (Fig. 11).30 Align Channel Parameters.30 Align Radio Menu 1 (Fig.

10a).22 Align Radio Menu 2 (Fig. 10b).22 Align Radio Parameters.22 Align Scan Controls.33 Align Scan Menu (Fig. Page Error Messages (Appendix 1).67 Extraction of Radio Alignment Data (Fig.

16).41 Federal System (Table 4).88 Foreword. Inside Front Cover Format Scan Lists.62 Format Selectable PL.64 Frequencies and Codes, Quik-Call II (Appendix 6).83 Functions Performed.1 General Electric System (Table 2).84 Get/Save/Program Menu (Fig. Manual Telephone Interconnect Screen (Fig. 30).61 Messages, Error (Appendix 1).67 Microphone Gain.29 Models, SABER (Appendix 4).71 Motorola System (Table 1).83 Multiple Repeater Access Codes Screen (Fig.

26).53 Optional Hardware Requirements.10 Options List and Definitions (Appendix 5).72 Options, Radio Feature.48. Software Installation.12 Squelch.31 System, Federal (Table 4).88 System, General Electric (Table 2).84 System, Motorola (Table 1).83 System, Plectron (Table 3).87 Test Setup for Alignment Procedure (Fig. 8).20 VCO and Reference Modulation Alignment.32 View Radio Information (Fig.

➤ ➤ Controls The image below shows the controls of a hand-held radio. Please note that the controls differ between models and that some functions are optional. The most frequently used features are all located on the top panel of the radio. From right to left are the antenna socket, the channel selector, the volume control (combined with ON/OFF switch) and a 2-position switch that is used to select between secure and non-secure operation. On radios that are not crypto-capable, this switch may either be missing, or might be used to select between channel banks.

At the left side of the radio are a number of recessed buttons. At the top is the squelch button, which allows the squelch (noise cancellation) to be open for as long as the button is depressed. Keeping it depressed for more than 3 seconds, will permanently open the squelsh. In the middle is the (large) Push-To-Talk (PTT) switch.

The radio transmits as long as this button is depressed. The radio can be programmed to send an identification at the start of a transmission. Below the PTT are two small buttons for Repeater Access Tones (RAT). They can only be used if the radio has version 6D or later of the CORE firmware.

On older versions of the CORE, such as the common 5D, they will not work. On early case variants the RAT buttons were omitted.

Models There are several series of SABER radios, that are compatible and interoperable to some extent. This page only deals with the SABER I, II and III (and the European ), but not with some of the later analogue and digital trunking systems.

The latter are listed below in red. Model Display Keypad Remark 12 channels 24 channels (in 2 zones) 3 keys 48 or 120 channels 1 15 keys 2 120 channels Systems SABER 3 Analogue trunking Astro SABER 3 Digital (and trunking) Note that the Systems SABER and the Astro SABER are backwards compatible with the SABER, as they can be programmed for 200+ analogue channels (using a different version of the ). They have the same casing as the SABER. Almost all accessories are interchangeable between SABER, and Systems SABER. Some accessories of the Astro SABER can be used as well, with the exception of antennas, microphones, programming cables and vehicle adapters. There are 2 versions of the SABER II: one with 2KB of memory (48 channels in 4 zones) and one with 8KB of memory (120 channels in 10 zones) and DTMF. The memory is located behind the front panel.

The keyboard consists of 15 keys: the 3 keys of the SABER II plus 12 keys (not 16) for DTMF. Most of the accessories of the Systems SABER will work with the SABER, but some of the accessories of the Asto SABER are not compatible. Systems SABER and Astro SABER are not covered on this page. Variants Many different versions and variants of the SABER radio, have been made over the years, for a variety of frequency ranges. Used SABER held-helds are often found in surplus stores and on auction sites such as Ebay.

As it is often difficult to tell which models you are dealing with, the description below can be used as a guide. Luckily, the frequency band and a number of features can be deduced from the that is normally present on a label at the back.

Unfortunately, the doesn't tell you which section of the frequency band (the split) is used. Furthermore, the FACTORY ID might be missing completely on rebatched versions of the radio, as many of them were given a different name by telecom operators in Europe. For example, a UHF was sold by the Dutch PTT as the Portavox 3165. The many different versions of the Motorola SABER are discussed in detail below.

First of all there are two different case sizes:. Non-secure - short case SABER radios that are not crypto-capable have a case that is slightly shorter that radio that do have this provision. Such radios can never be used for secure communication, and can not be modified for that. This version is shown on the left. Secure - long case A slightly longer case is used for SABER radios that care crypto-capable. This doesn't means that a suitable is present though; the relevant slot might still be empty or contain a dummy. It just means that the radio has space for a.

These radios are generally marked with the word SECURENET, or something similar on the top panel. The longer version is shown on the right in the image above. Furthermore, there are two case variants that look identical:. Standard This is the standard (non-submersible) version of the SABER radio. Most radios found on the surplus market and on auction sites, such as Ebay, are of this type. Submersible As a manufacturing option it was possible to order SABER radios that were submersable in water.

Such radios had appropriate seals and rubber gaskets at all openings in the case, including the speaker grille. Generally, these variants have the word SUBMERSIBLE printed on the top panel. Externally, submersible radios are identical to the standard version. There are three front panel variants of the SABER radio:. This is the most simple version of the SABER. It has no controls on the front panel and no display.

The only two controls (the volume adjustment and the channel selector) are at the top of the radio. This version is suitable for 12 pre-programmed channels (or 15 after a modification).

The is a variant of the SABER I, which features 24 channels. This is a more advanced version of the SABER I that is menu-driven and has some extra features and channels. The front panel contains a micro controller, memory, a small LCD display and 3 red push-buttons. This is the most complete version of the SABER. The case is identical to the two previous versions (above), but the front panel is different.

It contains a micro controller, memory, a display and a 15-button keypad. There are three band variants of the SABER radio:.

MIDBAND - 66-88 MHz This band was used by many Police Agencies world-wide until the late 1990s. As the band is pretty close to the FM broadcast band, the MIDBAND has gradually been phased out. Radios in this band are of no use to radio HAMs, unless they can be converted to 51 MHz (6m) or the 4m band can be used (in some countries the 4m band can be used by HAMs).

VHF - 136-174 MHz For many years, public services, commercial services, government agencies and radio amateurs have been (and still are) using the 2m band. Please note that none of the radios cover the full frequency range, but only a section of it. Some of these ranges are suitable for used by radio amateurs (HAMs). UHF - 403-512 MHz Once the 2m band got exhausted, the 70cm band became a popular space for all kinds of services. Most of these frequencies are still in use today for analogue and/or digital voice and data. Although the 70cm amateur band is within this range (430-440 MHz, or even 430-450 MHz in some countries), there is no SABER that covers the entire range. The following bandwidths are available (VHF only):.

Narrow band. Wide band ➤ SABER I The SABER I is the simplest version of the SABER hand-held radio. That doesn't mean however, that it lacks the features of it 'big brothers', the and, it just misses the direct controls to these features. Channel programming, output power and feature selection are done when programming the radio, e.g.

In a service center, using Motorola's proprietary. The SABER I was available in two case variants: the standard version in the lower case, and the higher version that has room for a. The latter adds digital voice encryption to the SABER. The image on the right shows a typical SABER I without its large NiCd battery, and with a DES fitted. Furthermore, the SABER I was available for a variety of frequencies, in MIDBAND (66-88 MHz), VHF (136-174 MHz) and UHF (403-512 MHz). Note that no radio covers the full frequency range, but just a limited. A SABER I can hold up to 12 pre-programmed channels, each of which can be selected directly with the rotary channel selector on the top panel, to the left of the antenna mount.

Each channel can be set up for split-frequency operation (repeater), hi/low power, CTCSS, etc., all under control of the. Note that the (a European SABER-variant) has just 10 channels. SABER III The SABER III is effectively an enhanced version of the. The display is identical, but the keyboard has been extended with 12 additional buttons, adding a standard telephone keypad to the radio (0-9 plus. and #). This way the radio can be used for auto-patch and tones. Like the enhanced version of the SABER II, this radio has room for 120 channels, organized as 10 banks (zones) of 12 channels each.

The channels and their features can be programmed on a per-channel basis or per-radio basis, using Motorola's proprietary. Note that only 12 keys are available for DTMF, rather than the usual 16.

The 4th column (i.e. 1633 Hz), normally used for the ABCD-keys, is missing. If these additional tones are required, an external DTMF encoder (e.g.

Combined with an external microphone, should be used instead. The SABER III was typically used in situations where the radio had to be able to be connected (patched) to the regular telephone network. Pressing the keys would produce the corresponding DTMF tones. The image above shows a VHF crypto-capable version of the SABER III. MX-1000, 2000 and 3000 The MX-1000 series was a European two-way radio that was also produced by Motorola. It was based on the SABER design, albeit with a different set of features and driven by a different controller. The channel selector, for example, had only 10 positions, whereas the channel selector on a SABER had 12 positions.

As a result, the MX-1000 series can not be programmed with the same, but only with a proprietary version of the RSS. Like the SABER, the MX-1000 series consisted of three basic models, with the MX-1000 being related to the SABER I, the MX-2000 to the SABER II and the MX-3000 to the SABER III. The MX-1000 was available in most design variants, including VHF, UHF, submersible and high/low power. There was also a secure variant that worked with all of the SABER except for the OTAR/Multikey and FASCINATOR modules; these were restricted to the Systems SABER. The MX-1000 was sold in some European countries, including Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and The Netherlands.

It was either (re)batched with the name of the national telecom operator (e.g. PTT Telecom in The Netherlands) or under the brand name of Storno, at the time a well-known Danish radio manufacturer.

Since 1986, Storno is a Motorola subsidary. CTCSS or PL Different techniques have been developed to prevent the squelch of a receiver from opening on weak unwanted signals, as is often the case with repeaters.

An example of such a technique is: Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System. Motorola calls it PL or Private Line TM. It is implemented in the SABER radios and can be programmed globally or on a per channel basis, using Motorola's. On many (amateur) repeaters, CTCSS is mandatory these days. Please note that CTCSS can not be used in combination with voice encryption.

As a result it might not be possible to send encrypted signals via a repeater. The only ways to overcome this, is to turn off the repeater's CTCSS (not needed for encrypted signals anyway), or to use an intelligent repeater, such as the Motorola MSF5000TM, which can be loaded with the same encryption key. Such repeaters can generally pass both types of traffic: encrypted and unencrypted (using CTCSS). Squelch SABER radios do not have a noise suppression (squelch) control similar to the volume adjustment. Instead, the squelch is set in software when programming the radio, using the. In order to prevent the squelch from closing on weak signals, the push-button at the side of the radio, just above the PTT, can be used to open the squelch manually. Holding this button for 3 seconds, opens the squelch permanently.

Press the button once more to close it again. Note that some radios are programmed for CTCSS or a 5-tone sequence.

The squelch of such radios will only open when the appropriate CTCSS tone, or the appropriate 5-tone sequence, is received. The latter is commonly called a tone-lock, or selective tone call (selcall). Programming As SABER radios have a set of pre-determined frequencies (channels) on which they operate, they need to be prior to use, using dedicated software.

This is not an easy task, that needs the following prerequisites:. Programming cable A special interface cable is needed for virtually every type of radio ever made by Motorola. Such cables have a special motorola accessory plug at one end and a 25-way D-type (parallel) connector at the other end, suitable for connection to the RIB (see below). Radio Interface Box (RIB) RLN4008 A small interface box is needed between the radio (programming cable) and the PC. It converts the 2-wire serial data and levels into bi-directional data stream, suitable for connection to the COM port of a PC.

Most RIBs are suitable for nearly all Motorola radios. Radio Service Software (RSS) For each different radio, Motorola developed a that can not be used on other radios. Please note that the MX-1000 (a European derivative of the SABER) requires a different version of the RSS. The RSS is no longer available from Motorola, but copyright restrictions prevent it from being distributed freely. All we can suggest is to do a. Please do not ask us for a copy of this software. Old 386 PC with DOS This is probably the most difficult-to-find part.

As the RSS software was written many years ago (when Windows and faster processors were not yet available), the software uses built-in timing loops that are processor speed-dependent. As a result the RSS can only be used on an old PC with a 386 processor that runs no faster than 50MHz and has no cache (or that has it cache disabled). Any attempt to use a faster PC will break your radio.

➤ Key loading Apart from programming frequencies and other features into the SABER, the crypto-capable variants (Securenet) also need to be loaded with a valid cryptographic key before secure (voice) communication is possible. This is done by using a so-called Key Variable Loader or KVL. KVLs are also known as Key Fillers or Fill Guns.

Initially, Motorola had a separate key filler for each individual encryption algorithm, such as the T3010 (DVP), T3014 (DVP-XL), T3020 (DES), T3011 (DES-XL) and T3012 (DVI). Later these KVLs were discontinued and replaced by the KVL-3000 shown in the image on the right. It supports all known algorithms and is suitable for the Astro 25 Saber as well. ➤ ➤ Zeroizing If security is compromised — in the case of a crypto-enabled version of the SABER — it may be necessary to purge all cryptographic keys stored inside the device quickly.

Motorola Saber Battery

This procedure of deleting the key material is commonly known as zeroizing. With the SABER, zeroizing is done by removing the battery from a switched-on device. Once the device is zeroized, it can no longer be used in secure mode, until a by means of a. Note that the above proceduce may cause problems when swapping the battery. If the battery is nearly empty, switch off the device before removing the battery.

This is the only way to retain the cryptographic keys that are stored inside the device. After fitting a fresh battery, turn the device ON again and resume operation. Accessories As the SABER was a professional radio, used by many different agencies, public services and commercial users, a wide range of accessories was available. Most of these accessories were sold directly by Motorola, but a wealth of add-ons and reproduction parts were available from a variety of other companies as well. Although it is beyond the scope of this page to describe every single accessory ever made for the SABER, the most important ones are highlighted below. Batteries Many different batteries have been produced for the SABER series over the years. As the high-power version of the SABER can produce an output power as high as 6W, high-capacity batteries are needed.

There were three battery sizes, but the most common ones are the standard battery (84 mm) and an ultra-high capacity variant, that is somewhat higher (103 mm). Either type can be charged with a dedicated Motorola SABER, such as the one shown below. Such chargers typically status of the battery and will indicate a faulty one. The recommended Motorola batteries are shown in the table below. Good alternatives were available from other manufacturers as well.

The image on the right shows a typcial high-capacity Motorola NiCd battery, aside a SABER I hand-held radio. When carrying the radio on the belt in a carrying case or holster, ensure that the case is suitable for the higher batteries.

As the SABER radios were produced many years ago, their batteries are likely to be worn-out out by now, resulting in shorter usage times or completely dead batteries. In such cases it might be wise to replace the batteries with modern alternatives. Good replacement batteries, using Li-ION technology, are available from various sources and even from auction sites, such as Ebay. Part No Voltage Capacity Type Remark NTN4537 7.5V 700 mAh NiCd Light capacity NTN4592 7.5V 700 mAh NiCd Light capacity NTN4538 7.5V 1000 mAh NiCd Medium capacity NTN4593 7.5V 1100 mAh NiCd Medium capacity NTN4595 7.5V 1800 mAh NiCd Ultra-high capacity NTN4596 7.5V 1800 mAh NiCd Ultra-high capacity NTN4992 7.5V 1800 mAh NiCd Ultra-high capacity NTN7014 7.5V 950 mAh NiMH Light capacity NTN7426 7.5V 950 mAh NiMH Intrinsically safe NTN7058 7.5V 1800 mAh NiMH Ruggedized NTN4905 7.5V? Li Disposable, not rechargeable. Microphone When used as a hand-held radio, the built-in microphone and speaker of the SABER, located at the front panel, are used. When the radio is carried on the belt however, it is often more convenient to use an external speaker/mike with it, such as the one shown below.

External microphones can be connected to the at the rear of the radio, near the antenna socket. The image on the right shows a typical Motorola speaker/microphone that was commonly used with SABER radios. The microphone has an at the back, allowing it to be attached to the clothing of the operator. At the other end of the curly cord is the plug that connects it to the accessory socket of the radio. It usually of the radio and is held in place by a single hex safety bolt. Fitting the microphone to the radio sometimes requires, such as a for the hex safety bolt.

On other versions, the plug is held in place by a simple cross-head screw. The microphone shown in the image has its cord coming out of the plug under a 45 degree angle. Furthermore, it has a large connector that is fitted around the corner of the radio to provide extra strength. Most other models however, have a straight cable entry and a somewhat simpler connector that is fitted only at the back. The also carries the antenna signal, allowing the use of microphones with an helical antenna mounted on top of it. Such microphones are commonly called Public Safety Microphones. The image on the right shows an example.

Download Motorola Software

Because of the size of the antenna, these models are only practicle for use on UHF. Public Safety Microphones were often used in cities with large buildings, as the extra height of the antenna (usually on the shoulder, whilst the radio was carried at the belt) expands the operational range. Public Safety Microphones always have a straight cable rather than a curly one. Surveillance Kits Especially for surveillance and inconspicious operation, Motorola had a range of surveillance kits available, ranging from skin-coloured acoustic ear tubes and hidden PTT switches, to invisible inductive earpieces. Similar surveillance kits were available from other manufacturers as well. Most surveillance kits make use of a so-called quick-disconnect 6-pin Hirose plug, requiring a special adapter on the SABER radio.

Using such a standardized connector allows the surveillance kits to be used on a variety of radios, and allows them to be disconnected quickly without the need to remove the universal connector at the back of the SABER each time (e.g. For keyload). The image on the right shows a Motorola ZMN-6031 surveillance kit with three wires, consisting of an earphone, a minature microphone and a so-called bullet-type Push-To-Talk switch (PTT). Other surveillance kits are available with two wires (combined microphone and PTT) and one wire (receive only). In addition, there are variants with a higher audio output level.

These surveillance kits all have a 6-pin Hirose connector, allowing them to be quickly connected to the SABER with a Hirose adapter. Please note that there are different versions of this adapter. If the radio is crypto-capable, the is needed, as it is the only one that supports keyloading. The adapter can be on the SABER radio whilst a sturdy plastic enforcement ring, mounted to the antenna base, prevents the connector breaking off.

When mounted to the SABER, a is available on the top of the adapter, close to the SABER's antenna base. Please note that the NTN5664 (i.e. The keyload capable version) has the limitation that it can only be used with low volume accessories such as a surveillance kit. Tuning the volume up too high when using a standard microphone/speaker combination, will cause a cracking sound, whilst the radio switches intermittently into keyload mode. Hirose connections can be found.

Hirose Adapters Part No Audio Key fill Remark NTN5598 - NTN5213 - NTN5664 With key loading capability Surveillance kits Part No HA 1 Mic PTT 2 Ear Wires Remark ZMN6031 3 - ZMN6032 2 - ZMN6038 2 Extra loud version of ZMN6032 ZMN6039 3 Extra loud version of ZMN6031 NSN6050 1 Earpiece only. Requires a Hirose adapter. Separate PTT switch (i.e. Not combined with microphone). Antenna SABER hand-held radios are commonly used in combination with short. Depending on the frequency band and section (split) on which the radio is used, a different type of antenna is required. Older rubber-encapsulated were usually marked with a at the bottom of the screw at the base of the antenna (see below).

The image on the right shows a typical original Motorola VHF antenna, which has a yellow dot at the tip of the screw, indentifying its frequency range from 136 to 151 MHz. For other band sections, use the table below as a guide.

Please note that a helical antenna is always a compromise. In an ideal situation, the antenna length should be a quarter of the wavelength, often indicated as ¼λ. As the wavelength of a 150 MHz signal is 2 meters, a ¼λ antenna would be 50 cm, which would not be very practicle. In such situations, the shorter helical was used. A helical is in fact a ¼λ antenna which is wound-up, like a coil, and is far from ideal compared to a full ¼λ antenna. The antenna is shorter than the original one and can be seen as a compromize, resulting in a reduced operational range. The range is further reduced by the fact that in most situations the antenna is carried close to the human body (e.g.

The range can be improved by using a full ¼λ antenna, such as the UHF whip antenna (see the table below). By making the antenna thicker, Motorola has managed to cover the entire UHF band from 403 to 512 MHz with a single antenna. Alternatively, the operational range could be extended by using a so-called with a helical mounted on top.

Due to the size of the antenna, this was only practicle for UHF radios. Please note that the antennas listed here can not be used on the Public Safety Microphone, as it has a different fitting. Belt clip Rather than using a heavy duty leather or nylon carrying case, such as the one illustrated above, it was also possible to carry the SABER radio on the belt, using a special Motorola belt clip. As the radio comes in two different case sizes, two different belt clips were available from Motorola. The belt clip is a rather simple metal bracket that can be attached to the rear size of the radio.

One side hooks into a rig at the, whilst the 'clicks' into a, close to the battery fitting. The belt clip can be, by putting a screwdriver into a small rectangular hole in the battery fitting, and pushing the clip out. The image on the right shows two different belt clips; one for each case variant. Each character or group of characters describes a specific feature of the radio. Use the table below to 'decode' the FACTORY ID of your radio. Although it is possible to determine the frequency band this way (VHF, UHF), it is not possible to identify the installed in the radio.

The only way to do that, is by examining the numbers on the inside the radio, or by connecting the radio to a PC and reading it out with Motorola's special. On some radios, the FACTORY ID is not present. In such cases the MODEL NR is often used instead. It might, however, be preceeded by two additional letters, e.g. This is often the case with international version of the Motorola SABER.

For example, we found an international low power UHF submersible SABER I, with the following MODEL NR on the label at the back. Frequency ranges There are many types/versions of SABER, each with their own specific frequency band and range (also known as frequency split). Only the band can be determined from the model number at the back of the radio; the specific band section (i.e. The split) can only be determined by examining the numbers on the internal modules. The following frequency bands/sections are known: Band Section Remark MB 66-84 MHz MB 74-88 MHz VHF 136-150.8 MHz Government split. Ideal for HAM, MARC and CAP VHF 146-162 MHz Suitable for HAM (144-148) with modified RSS VHF 146-174 MHz Wideband version, suitable for HAM VHF 148-174 MHz Wideband used in lower power version VHF 157-174 MHz Public and commercial services UHF 403-433 MHz Government split. Suitable for EU HAMs (430-438).

UHF 440-470 MHz Suitable for all HAMs (431-450) UHF 458-490 MHz UHF 482-512 MHz. Opening the case A SABER radio can easily be opened, by removing the battery and then in the battery fitting.

Do not remove the other cross-head bolts. Ensure that the (at the rear, near the antenna) has been removed. The interior can now be taken out of the case, simply by pulling the antenna (recommended by Motorola). The interior is shielded at both sides.

The is held in place by 4 bolts that can be removed in order to reveal the of the main PCB. The shield at the front side holds the speaker and the microphone. It can be removed by with a screwdriver. Be careful not to damage the flex wiring of the front panel when. The flex connects to the main board by means of a small connector that is fitted in the of the radio.

Pull carefully to remove it. SABER II and III units have an for the control panel. All modules can be accessed from the front side of the radio (i.e. The side that is visible in the image above). They are all socketed and can be removed easily, making the SABER into a service-friendly radio. Some modules are bolted to the main PCB at the bottom. The diagram below shows the location of each of the modules of a crypto-capable SABER, seen from the front.

The crypto module is not present in the non-secure version of the SABER. It by inserting a small screwdriver at either side and carefully wiggeling it until it comes out. The can be pushed put of its socket by inserting a push tool or a screwdriver into two holes in the main PCB (bottom). The is bolted to the (2 bolts) and (1 bolt). It needs the frame of the radio for sufficient cooling when transmitting. The (short for Filter, Detector and Switch) is the antenna relay. It is with a single bolt.

The is connected to the main PCB by means of just 3 contact pins at the bottom, and can be removed easily, by removing two bolts (bottom). The receiver consists of two parts that are mounted together: the actual receiver and a 5-pole filter.

Finally, the reference oscillator can be pulled from its socket,. All modules are listed below. Secure operation The radio is extremely well built with only first class components. At the front is the (if present).

At the bottom is the main clearly visible. The PCB is also the carrier for a number of modules on the inside of the radio. The keyboard at the front can be lifted and folded away, so that the. At the bottom of the unit, the is clearly visible. A variety of different was available from Motorola, including DES, DVP, DES-XL, DVP-XL and DVI-XL.

All crypto modules had the same physical size. Depending on the customer's needs, export restrictions, etc., a different module would be supplied.

The module shown here is the NTN5836A, which is probably a Smartnet DVI-XL variant (Digital Voice International). Motorola had a wide range of cryptographic modules available, for a variety of secure networks, including Smartnet, Multikey and OTAR (Over The Air Rekeying). For each network type, different cryptographic algorithms were available, including DES (Digital Encryption Standard), DVP (Digital Voice Protection) and DVI (Digital Voice International).

There even was a CCI-version (Controlled Cryptographic Item) that supported the -developed FASCINATOR encryption module. The latter was based on 12 kbit/s CVSD modulation which was encrypted with, an NSA encryption algorithm based on the. Crypto modules Secure capable versions of the Saber (Securenet) are slightly longer than non-secure variants.

The extra space is used to accomodate a crypto plug-in module. A variety of modules was available, for different networks and for different crypto algorithms, such as DES, DES-XL, DVP and DVP-XL. Although all modules are pin compatible, certain modules (such as FASCINATOR) can only be used in authorised radios (US non-export versions). Crypto-capable radios without a crypto module, must have an NTN4720 dummy installed. All crypto modules have the same form factor and are encapsulated in a metal can (or in a plastic can with metal paint). The image on the right shows the that came with our SABER II. Don't let the (small) size fool you; encryption modules like this are really complicated electronic circuits.

At the bottom of the module are two rows of pins that are lined up with two rows of holes (sockets) on the main PCB. They carry the necessary voltages, audio signals and (digital) control signals for secure operation. Theoretically, the socket for the crypto module can also be used for other extensions to the radio, such as a customized selective tone call system, or the shown in the next section below. Note that such a module may not need all contact pins.

The metal can of the module (shield) is soldered to pin 12 and 19 of the socket. After unsoldering these two contact lips, the interior of the module can be removed from the can. The image on the right shows the of the DVI-XL module. The crypto module consists of a square flex PCB with all components on one side. The flex is then, so that we effectively get 4 sides that carry components. Both ends of the flex are integrated with the plastic connector at the bottom, that consists of two halves.

It in order to. The crypto module was designed with convenience in mind.

Although it would technically be possible to repair a faultly module, it seems unlikely that this was ever done. Unfolding the flex PCB can easily lead to broken tracks. In practice, a broken module would simply be replaced by a new one. The image above shows the flex PCB partly unfolded. On the flex PCB are 6 custom chips, two crystals and several other components.

The drawing below shows how the contact pins are ordered, looking into the sockets of the radio. Two large holes (A and B) are used as guides. Pins 12 and 19 are connected to the shield of the module (i.e.

Tow lips of the metal can). The image above shows the footprint of the man-down module, when looking into the sockets of the radio's main PCB. Note that not all pins are used on this module.

The ones that are used, are marked as black dots in the drawing above. Pins 1 and 17 are connected inside the module, to ensure that the transmitter produces audio. This confirms that this is not en encryption module. The man-down module was found inside an in The Netherlands, with no FACTORY ID at back.

When the module is installed and the SECURE switch in on (i.e. Set to I), it start transmitting autonomously at regular intervals. Every transmission starts with a 5-tone sequency, followed by a series of short beeps. After a few seconds of silence, the unit returns to receive mode again. Update 19 May 2015 The man-down module was developed in the mid-1990s as a special project at Motorola by Michael Wilkinson. It has two separate mercury switches: one for tilt and one for movement, and its timing could be programmed with a special version of the Radio Service Software (RSS), in which 4-bytes of the radio's internal EEPROM were reallocated to the man-down module. As Motorola initially expected to sell only 100 units, it was not possible to develop a dedicated molding, hense the somewhat improvised enclosure and PCB.

The locating pins (to guide the unit into the Saber's motherboard) were simply cut-off pieces of welding rod. The custom 35U05 chip is in fact a Motorola 68HC08 processor that was repackaged in order to fit the available space. Receiver module Receiver Module Section Remark NLC6230 66-84 MHz - NLC6231 74-88 MHz NLD8180 136-174 MHz Used for the entire VHF band (i.e.

All sections) 1 NLE9431 403-433 MHz Government split NLE9432 440-470 MHz NLE9433 460-490 MHz NLE9434 482-512 MHz NLE9501 403-433 MHz 12.5 kHz channel spacing NLE9502 440-470 MHz 12.5 MHz channel spacing 5-Pole Filter 2 Module Section Remark NFD6091 136-150.8 MHz - NFD6092 146-162 MHz? 482-512 MHz 2-Pole Filter 3 Module Section Remark? 66-84 MHz - NLC6382 74-88 MHz NLD6111 136-150.8 MHz NLD6112 146-162 MHz?.

Only one receiver module is used for the entire VHF band. The 5-Pole Filter determines the actual frequency section (split). The 5-Pole Filter is the bottom half of the receiver module. The 2-Pole Filters are only present MIDBAND and VHF receivers.

They are located between the actual receiver and the FDS (see below). It is not present in UHF radios. Filter Detector Switch (FDS) Module Section Remark NLC6250 66-84 MHz - NLC6251 74-88 MHz NFD6131 136-150.8 MHz NFD6132 146-178 MHz Used for 146-162, 148-174 and 157-174 sections NFE6061 403-470 MHz NFE6062 470-512 MHz. Power Amplifiers Module Section Power Remark NLC6260 66-84 MHz - NLC6261 74-48 MHz - NLD8121 136-150.8 MHz 6W Ideal for HAM radio use NLD8773 146-174 MHz 6W Suitable for HAM radio use NLD8122 146-162 MHz 6W Suitable for HAM radio use NLD8133 146-178 MHz 2.5W Suitable for HAM radio use NLD8123 157-174 MHz 6W NLE4082 440-470 MHz 5W Often hand-written on the case of an NLE9852 1 NLE9471 403-433 MHz 5W NLE9472 440-470 MHz 5W NLE9473 460-490 MHz 5W NLE9474 482-512 MHz 5W NLE9483 440-470 MHz 2W NLE9852 440-470 MHz 2W Also see NLE4082 1.

Note that some NLE4082 modules were delivered in the packaging of an NLE9852 (or indeed any other PA module). In such cases, the original number of the module is printed on the case, whilst the new number (NLE4082) is hand-written on it. In such cases, the hand-written number NLE4082 is the actual one.

Universal connector Each SABER radio has an accessory socket at the back, just below the antenna base. It consists of 12 flat-faced circular contact pads, arranged in a 3 x 4 matrix, plus two concentric contacts for an external antenna. The socket can be used for example for an external speaker/microphone. The table below shows the pinout of the accessory socket. Please note that the ground pin (GND) is taken from the outer ring of the external antenna connection at the top.

A typical accessory plug is hooked into the rectangular gap at the bottom of the socket and covers all contact pads. The plug is then locked in place with a 3mm bolt at the top left.

The socket is also used for programming the radio and for loading the cryptographic keys into a crypto-capable radio. # Name Remark 1 SPK(+) External speaker (+) 2 SPK(-) External speaker (-) 3 DATA Bi-directional programming data 4 MIC External microphone 5 ¬WE Write Enable (when pulled low) 6 BUSY 7 OPT SEL Voltage selected option (internal 20K pull-up) see table below 8 OPT B(+) +7.5V from radio (raw battery voltage) 9 KEY 10 KEYLOAD 11 AUX TX or DVP CLK 12 n.c. 13 GND RF Ground, also used as 0V rail (same as 15) 14 ANT Antenna, RF output 15 GND RF Ground, also used as 0V rail (same as 13) The voltage at pin 7 (OPT SEL) allows the selection between the internal or external microphone, speaker and antenna. The pin is internally pulled-up to the +5V rail with a 20K resistor.

By connecting a resistor (or a zener diode) from this pin to ground, a voltage divider can be created, that selects the appropriate voltage for any of the configurations in the table below. # Voltage MIC SPK ANT Remark 1 5.00 V INT INT INT Default operation 2 1.24 V EXT EXT INT External microphone/speaker and standard antenna 3 2.50 V EXT EXT EXT All external (microphone, speaker and antenna) 4 3.74 V INT INT EXT External antenna only TX 0.00 V -PTT (Push-To-Talk switch) External microphone Please note that shortening pin 7 to ground (i.e.

Making it 0V as indicated in the table above) causes the radio to transmit. The diagram below shows how to connect a standard microphone-speaker combination to the universal connector, whilst using the standard (internal) antenna. As an alternative to the above, it is also possible to use a simple 6K8 resistor instead of the diodes above. In fact, this is the way it is done in most Motorola accessories. As pin 7 of the accessory socket is internally tied to the 5V rail via a 20K resistor (R i), we can calculate the value of the external resistor (R e) as follows: R e = (20U 7) / (5-U 7) K. U 7 is the voltage at pin 7.

Ideally, the value for the external resistor would be 6.666K, but as this is not available, we can safely round it off to the nearest one in the E12-range: 6K8. This calculation can also be used for the other voltages: 62K for 3.75V (external antenna) and 20K for 2.5V (all external). External Antenna It is also possible to use the internal microphone and speaker, but an external antenna. This can be useful, for example, when using the radio from within a car or when measuring the RF output when adjusting the radio. By applying a voltage of 3.74V to pin 7 of the universal connector, the radio switches to the external antenna.

The external antenna adapter is wired as follows. As pin 7 of the universal connector is internally pulled up to +5V with a 20K resistor, the 59K resistor in the adapter effectively forms a voltage divider, resulting in a voltage of approx. Most external antenna adapter only have a few pins present in the universal connector, but there are some that are fully populated with pins. The latter can be converted to a full test cable. Hirose socket When using a, e.g. For connecting a or a with a Hirose plug, the accessory needs to be wired according to the connection diagram below.

Please note that the accessory sensing pin 6 (EXT) needs to be tied to ground (pin 4) to select the external microphone and speaker. A special voltage (as described above) is not necessary; this is provided by a special chip inside the Hirose adapter. The pin-out of the socket is as follows. 6-pin Hirose socket when looking into the socket When rewiring an existing microphone, headset or surveillance kit, or when creating your own external audio set for the SABER, you may follow the wiring diagram below.

If an electret microphone is used, you may need to connect the +5V (B+) to it. This is either done via a separate pin, if it is a 3-pin microhone, or via a 4K7 resistor if it is a 2-pin electret microphone. In the latter case a capacitor should be inserted in the MIC line to block the DC voltage. Connecting an external microphone, speaker and PTT-switch The plug (i.e.

The cable end) has Hirose part number HR10A-7P-6P(73). The receptacle (i.e.

The socket) has part number HR10A-7R-6S(73). If you want to make an extension cable, you might need a jack (female cable part) with part number HR10A-7J-6S(73).

These parts are readily available from companies such as Farnell and Digi-Key. Glossary The following expressions and abbreviations are used on this page.

For additional keywords, please check the. Acknowledgement SABER, Systems SABER, Astro SABER, Motorola, the 'bat' logo, DVP, DVP-XL and RSS are registered trademarks of Motorola Inc., USA.

Related patents. Method for loading encryption keys into secure transmission devices. This patent describes how encryption keys (typically DES, DVP, DES-XL, DVP-XL or DVI-XL) are loaded into a device (radio) and how they are protected against evesdropping. The latter is done by using a Key Encryption Key (KEK) generated by an internal free-running counter. Digital Voice Protection System and Method.

A description of Motorola's own proprietary encryption algorithm, known as DVP. Method and Apparatus for over-the-air programming of communication devices. This document describes Motorola's implementation of OTAR, a method for distributing the cryptographic keys via a radio channel, typically using a control device, such as a Key Management Controller (KMC). The patent refers to earlier Motorola publications regarding Advances Securenet, Multikey, OTAR and KMC. Method for Automatically Assigning Encryption Information to a Group of Radios. This patent is an addition to US5301232 and descibes how (group) keys can be sent to a group of radios rather than to each radio individually. This patent protects the (case) design of the later Key Variable Loader (key filler).

It was a universal device that could be used to load virtually any type of key into any type of (crypto-capable) Motorola radio.