UHF Motorola Sabers I, II and III
Mid band and VHF high band models look the same except for the antenna length.
There are several different length batteries available.
(anybody have a better photo?)

Introduction:

The original Saber family was develped for the US military around 1989, and is noted for its long, thin shape. The Saber receiver probably has the best selectivity that has ever been seen on a portable. These handhelds are tough, popular radios still used by users in the military / industrial / public service / commercial and private user environment. The basic Saber and the more advanced Systems Saber were officially labeled obsolete and Motorola depot repair for them ended Dec 31st 2005. The Astro Saber product line was discontinued as of the end of 2002. Accessories for the Astro Saber will be supported through 2008, and the Systems Saber and original Saber use many of those. Becasue of abandonment of the Saber line, and the upcoming narrowbanding rules they are being replaced by the MTS and XTS series. As a result we are seeing a LOT of surplused Sabers and they are relatively inexpensive on the used market plus they are available from several sources. With that in mind, it's time to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the various Saber models, some of which sold for US$3,000 new (or US$4,000 for a trunked, encrypted Astro Saber). Note that "Astro" is Motos name for a digital radio, and that "Astro" is a proprietary format and NOT the same as P25. There are later versions of "Astro" that will do P25 (introduced around 1996), but basic "Astro" does not (and the VSELP versions are not P25... VSLEP has not been produce and supported by Motorola since late 1995. Since 1996 the only digital mode from motorola on the Astro line be it portable or mobile has been P25). Astro25 is the common name for the P25 version of Astro.

There are several series of handheld radios in Motorola's Saber line. These include the original Saber I, the Saber IE, the Saber II and the Saber III, the Astro Saber family, the Saber SI family, Systems Saber family (which offers trunked models) and the SSE5000. It's not unusual to see the I / IE / II / III written as 1, 1E, 2 and 3, especially on eBay auctions.

If anyone would like to provide information to update this web page with the differences / capabilities of the various product lines and models please let Mike WA6ILQ know at (callsign) at repeater-builder dot com.

The MX1000, MX2000 and MX3000 are the export version of the Saber I / II / III, with the only major difference being the model tags on the case, and the firmware (this means that the Saber accessories will work). Two changes in the firmware are that (1) they do not support the non-exportable encryption modules and (2) they can only be programmed with the MX1000/2000/3000 RSS.

The basic differences:

• The Saber I is the most basic of Sabers. This radio has 12 channels and it is available as either a Secure Capable or Non-Secure radio.
  
  
• The Saber IE (also known as a 1E) is capable of 24 channels by having two zones of 12 channels each. What is normally the Secure / Clear switch on top now selects between the two zones. The top escutcheon on one radio that I own has a single dot for zone 1 and two dots for zone 2. I have seen others that have an A or B on the top escutcheon. You could also use the zone selector switch as a way to select Talk-Around or Direct for each repeater, simplex on the output frequency, by programming zone one with twelve repeaters and zone two with the matching talk-around frequency. This way if you're on any channel, a flip of the switch gives you talk-around. In a Saber IE secure radio you then have the option of slaving the secure transmit to specific modes so that you can still use the top switch to select zones, or assign the switch to secure/clear use and losing the second zone.
  The IE also has the different front shield assembly. It includes a small memory board and connecting cable, like a display board for a Saber II or III. The part number for the front assembly should be NTN5686A. The radio's on-board memory is insufficient to accommodate 24 channels and needs the extra board.
  
  
• The Saber II is capable of either four zones of twelve channels, or ten zones of twelve channels. The difference is in the front shield assembly. The 2k 48-channel radio, when disassembled, will have four surface-mount ICs on the back of the front display board. The 8k 120-channel radio front display board has five surface-mount ICs. However, there is an exception to this rule. If an 8k radio is programmed as a 2k radio by selecting option H670 Omit memory - 2k memory option under Radio Feature Options in the RSS, it will be the same as a 2k radio. It can be restored to an 8k radio with some trickery, but that's another article!
  
  
• The Saber III is basically a Saber II with the full keypad. It offers multple channels and zones, analog only, no trunking. The full keypad allows you to use some other options such as user programmable scan and DTMF. Otherwise it's the same radio as a II.
  
  
• The Systems Saber is capable of analog trunking operation and it has increased channel capacity, up to 255 channels. Yes, there are other feature changes, such as the buttons are reprogrammable (the ones on the regular Saber are not), but I will not get into the nitty gritty of the exact differences in this article. Please note, you must use the Systems Saber RSS to program this radio. If you use any other software, it will not work, and you may damage the radio.
  
  
• The Astro Saber is a totally different radio. In my opinion the only thing they share is that they are similar in size and shape and uses the same battery and battery charger. It will do both wideband and narrowband analog on a per-channel basis plus added digital capability. Not all the Astro Sabers are digital, however. Another article will have to be dedicated to describing it.

Sabers that do features like scan do so via cumbersome menus, while Systems Sabers do it via direct button presses. Astro Sabers, unlike Systems Sabers, will remember scan state through a channel change. Systems Sabers only allow one MDC ID per radio, while Astro Sabers allow you to enable multiple MDC "systems" and select which system goes with which channel. This feature is nice if you have call signs on both the Police and the Fire channels, but different MDC IDs.

The SSE5000 is a model of Saber manufactured by Motorola's Special Products Division specifically for the NYPD; I have no clue of its options.

There is also a version of the Saber which carries an R suffix (i.e. Saber 1R, Saber 2R). These are ruggedized versions of the Saber originally built for the Military: the Marine Corps, Navy Seals, Green Berets, and other units requiring an ultra-rugged radio for field communications. The cases are completely different and incompatible with standard Saber case parts and batteries.

The Mobile Vehicular Adapter (MVA) or Convertacom for the Saber I, II, III or Astro Saber radios is the NTN5487B or C. In some catalogs it's called the Saber Vehicular Adapter or SVA. It includes a battery charger, external antenna hookups and on some models an RF amplifier. This unit effectively converts the Saber handheld to a mobile radio and have been seen on eBay for as low as $15. The unit requires the microphone (model NMN6150A) that was made for the unit as it includes an LCD display and a keypad.

There are several speaker-mics for the Saber, one is the NMN6128. The UHF Public Safety models have a straight cord and an antenna on top of the speaker-mic head.

In this writeup we will be discussing the more common Saber I / IE / II / III series of radios.

First a general explanation of Secure vs. Non-Secure:

"Secure" is a generic name for voice encryption. There are several methods some of which are exportable, and some of which are not. You will find terms like Digitally Encryption System (DES), DES/XL, Digital Voice Privacy (DVP) and DVP/XL.

Encryption also requires the loading of a hexadecimal encryption key (16 to 24 characters depending on the encryption method - DES, DVI, DVP, etc.) into the radio with a Key Variable Loader (KVL). Each radio needs to have the same key if they are going to communicate with each other. A KVL resembles a handheld radio but with a numeric display and membrane keypad. There are also Secure modules that offer Over-The-Air Rekeying (OTAR). This option allows the encryption key to be updated over the air.

Note that a Secure Saber radio is longer in length; these are known as Secure-Capable radios and is easily distinguished by a flat area of the case, about 5/8" in length, between the speaker grill and the battery. A Non-Secure Saber has the shorter case that ends at the bottom of the speaker grill. The interior components are interchangeable except for the metal frame, which of course matches the case length, and the main board that the modules plug into, which is also the same length and has the location at the bottom end for the Secure module to be installed. The use of encryption on a Secure-equipped Saber is not mandatory and is selectable by a switch on the top of the radio. The switch is labeled O for Clear Operation and Ø for Secure Operation. Encryption can also be user enabled, fully disabled, or required on a per channel basis in the software. You can also have a Secure capable radio without a Secure module installed - in this case there is a "Bypass" or dummy module installed containing nothing but a wire jumper... or that may be missing and there may only be a wire jumper soldered across the back of the empty socket (see the photo below)

FOr what it's worth, the Saber speaker-mic is part nubmer NMN6217B, and list price is over US$140.

What model of Motorola Saber should I buy?

The basic differences between a Saber I, IE, II and III are:

Radio Display Keypad Channels / Zones Saber I No No 12 Channels (one zone) Saber IE No No 24 Channels in two Zones Saber II Yes 3 Keys 48 Channels in 4 zones or 120 Channels in 10 Zones [1] Saber III Yes Full [2] 120 Channels

Notes:
1: Two different models of radio - one with 2k of memory, the other with 8k.
2: The 3 keys of the Saber II plus a 12-button pad that is also used for DTMF. There is no 16 button DTMF option.

This question has a very roundabout answer; the "Model" number scheme varies across the Saber line of radios and is not a reliable source of information about a given radio. To determine the frequency band / options of a given radio you need to decode the "Factory ID" number on the label on the back of the Saber. Some Sabers have model numbers and Factory IDs that are the same. If you have a recased Saber then there may be no label, or it may be absolutely irrelevant, as it could be for whatever was in that case origially (i.e. a completely different radio).

The Factory ID of a VHF Saber is formatted as the letter H (For Handheld), then two numbers (usually 33 or 43 in high band, or 34 or 44 on UHF), then three letters, then some additional letters or numbers, then finally a two letter combination of either AN, BN or CN. The Factory ID can be decoded using the following table.

Sample model number: H43SAJ-7139CN H 4 3 SA J Radio Type Transmit Power [1] Frequency Range Environmental / Security [2] Feature Set H Hand- held or Z Special Product 3 66-88 MHz: None made 146-174 MHz: 1 or 2.5 W 438-470 MHz: 1 or 2 W 2 68-88 MHz SA Non-Submersible / Non-Secure (Clear) G Two Zone No Keypad (Saber IE) 4 66-88 MHz: 1 or 6 W 136-174 MHz: 2.5 or 6 W 403-512 MHz: 2 or 5 W 3 136-174 MHz YB Submersible / Non-Secure (Clear) J 3 Keys in 1 Row Keypad Menu, Select, Enter (Saber II) 4 403-512 MHz QX Non-Submersible / Secure Capable K 3 Keys as above plus 5 Rows Numeric and DTMF Keypad (Saber III)   YX Submersible / Secure Capable N One Zone (Saber I)

Sample model number: H43SAJ-7139CN 7 1 3 9 C N Core Channel Spacing Channel Selector Model Variation Model Revision[3] Model Package 7 Binary CORE (US) 1 Wide Band (25/30 kHz) 0 10 Channel Capable (Int'l) 9 Model Variation A Original Revision N Model Package 9 Tone CORE (Int'l) 5 Narrow Band (12.5 kHz) (Int'l) 3 12 Channel Capable (US)   C Scan Capable

Notes:
[1]: Transmit Power: a 3 is the low power version of that band and split, while a 4 is the high power version of that band and split. There were no H32 series Sabers made. Two power levels are shown because each band has its own low and high power values (two different power amplifier modules). Also the high power radios have adjustable low and high power levels via the RSS and can be assigned to each channel. So a high power radio can still have a low power setting.
[2]: Environmental / Security: SA and YB are the short-case radios. QX and YX are the long-case radios.
[3]: Model Revision: A Saber I is not capable of scan even if it is a C revision.

The above sample model number H43SAJ7139CN decodes to a 6 Watt VHF Saber with no encryption capability, a 3 key keypad and display (i.e. a Saber II), with a US binary core, wide band channeling, 12 channels and is Scan Capable.

You can not tell a Saber's bandsplit by the Factory ID, only the band (Midband, VHF or UHF). To determine the actual frequency range (bandsplit) within the band you must do one of these:
1) Read the radio with the Motorola RSS (Radio Service Software), or
2) Disassemble the radio and read the part numbers off the actual modules.

Band Changing:
Modules from a VHF radio are a different design than the modules from a UHF, so you can not change the band of a radio with a module swap, but you can change the band split (i.e. the range within the band) by swapping modules from a radio in another split. More on this later!

Common Frequency Bandsplits Include:

MIDBAND: Two ranges in midband:

• 66-84 MHz
• 74-88 MHz

Note from WA6ILQ:
There is a consistent and repeating story that someone has modified a Saber to the 6 meter amateur band, specifically the USA national calling frequency of 52.525 MHz, and someone else has moved one to 220 MHz. Every time I try to follow up on the story or track it down it's "I heard that someone...", but nobody knows who that "someone" is. If anybody actually has moved a Saber to 52 MHz or to 220 MHz then Repeater-builder.com would be happy to host a conversion article.

VHF ranges:

• 136-150.8 MHz - Government/military surplus and usually referred to as the government split. Programs up on amateur, MARS or CAP channels with no problems.
• 146-162 MHz - This will cover the entire USA 144-148 MHz amateur band with modifications to the RSS.
• 146-174 MHz - Wideband split.
• 148-174 MHz - This is a wideband split only found in low power H33 series Sabers.
• 157-174 MHz - This is the most useless VHF split to an amateur, but they make good trading radios or parts radios. Also, these can be changed to a more desirable band split by swapping the modules. For example if you had a Saber III on this split and a Saber I on 136‑150 Mhz you could swap the modules around and end up with a 136‑150 Mhz Saber III and a 157‑174 MHz Saber I you could sell to someone on a commercial channel (perhaps on eBay).

UHF ranges:

• 403-433 MHz - Government / military surplus and usually referred to as the government split. These are useless for USA ham use as they will not cover the 440-450 MHz (repeater) segment of the amateur band. The highest I got one to program and operate was 436 MHz. Beyond that the VCO would unlock and there is no easy way to fix it. (Note from WA6ILQ: Sabers have been seen as low as 395 MHz but I have no technical info on them.)
• 440-470 MHz - The absolute perfect USA amateur split radio!
• 458-490 MHz - This split will not extend down to the ham band, making it a trading radio or a parts radio.
• 482-512 MHz - Again, not useful to an amateur... Another trading radio or a parts radio.

Ebay descriptions can be deceiving... I have seen low split radios with something in the 154 range programmed in... Yes it worked, but the radio was a low split and receive sensitivity was very poor. Also, some ebay sellers have realized that the low split is less valuable than anything else, and desirable only to hams and CAP and have started slamming them with mid or high split codeplugs. The radio will take it because it doesn't know any better until the VCO unlocks, so they will put a mid or high split codeplug in the radio and then program it with a few channels that relate to its original bandsplit so the VCO stays locked. That gives you the appearance of a mid or high split radio, and it works, until you reprogram it and the VCO unlocks.

Saber Modules:

Think of the Saber radio as a computer: it's a main board with everything plugged into that. The Saber has five basic modules and a 16.8 MHz Reference Oscillator plugged into the main board. A Secure-Capable radio will either have a Bypass module or some sort of a Secure module installed as well. The Bypass module routes transmit audio in place of the Secure module. If you end up with a secure-capable radio that transmits but has no transmit audio, check to see if there is a bypass or secure module installed (they are frequently removed before being surplused). If it is missing a simple wire jumper can be installed to simulate a bypass module.

I have accumulated some of the part numbers and descriptions of the various modules. This is not a complete or all-inclusive list. If you have any changes or additions please let me know; some of the manuals are out of print and no longer available. I will provide the module numbers and splits as printed in the manuals that I own. The "x" on the end of each part number stands for the revision letter of the part: A, B, C, D, etc.

Note from WA6ILQ:
I received a letter in my P.O. Box with no return address. The letter stated that A. Nony Mous purchased a box of second hand Sabers on an eBay auction and mixed into the collection was a H42QXN7139CN Secure Saber I with frequencies spread across 74 to 88 MHZ. He inventoried the modules in the radio and included the list in his letter. So that's where the 66‑88 Mhz high split part numbers in the list came from - Thanks!

• Reference Oscillator = This is the same component for the entire series. VHF and UHF all use the same crystal. Also, the HT600 used the same crystal in case you get a Saber that has had this removed to disable the radio before sale; not too uncommon a practice.
• NXN6268x, 16.8 MHz. Standard for the series, however a "XN6269A" was found in the 74-88MHz radio. We suspect that the rubber stamp at the factory didn't make full contact and left off the leading "N".


• Synthesizer: The radio's VCO comes in various splits. The VHF radios use two different splits to cover the entire range, whereas the UHF has four! I have not been able to locate the part number of the mid-band synthesizer.
• Unknown = 66-84 MHz
• NLC6241A = 74-88 MHz
• NLD8201x = 136-150.8 MHz
• NLD8210x = 146-178 MHz Used in 146-162, 148-174, and 157-174 splits.
• NLE9461x = 403-433 MHz "Government" split
• NLE9462x = 440-470 MHz
• NLE9463x = 460-490 MHz
• NLE9464x = 482-512 MHz


• Receiver and 5-Pole Front End Filter: These two components make up one module: the 5-pole filter is the bottom half of this module and the receiver is the top half. On the VHF radio, the same receiver is used for the entire range; the 5-Pole filter determines the sub-split in use.
• Receivers
• Unknown = 66-84 MHz
• NLC6231A = 74-88 MHz
• NLD8180x = 136-174 MHz. Used for all of the VHF sub-splits.
• NLE9431x = 403-433 MHz. Govt. split
• NLE9432x = 440-470 MHz.
• NLE9433x = 460-490 MHz.
• NLE9434x = 482-512 MHz.
• NLE9501x = 403-433 MHz.   12.5khz spacing only!
• NLE9502x = 440-470 MHz.   12.5khz spacing only!


• 5-Pole Filters
• ???????? = (I don't think the 5-pole filter module was used in the 66-88MHz radio)
• NFD6091x = 136-150.8 MHz.
• NFD6092x = 146-162 MHz.
• NFE????x = 403-433 MHz.
• NFE????x = 440-470 MHz.
• NFE????x = 460-490 MHz.
• NFE????x = 482-512 MHz.


• 2-Pole Filters = A separate module present in VHF radios between the receiver and FDS. The UHF radios do not have this separate filter module.
• Unknown = 66-84 MHz
• NLC6382A = 74-88 MHz
• NLD6111x = 136-150.8 MHz.
• NLD6112x = 146-162 MHz.
• NLD????x = 146-174 MHz.


• Filter, Detector, Switch (FDS) = Responsible for steering RF between the receiver and transmitter and also selecting the internal and external antenna connections. (A fancy name for a solid-state T/R relay!)
• Unknown = 66-84 MHz
• NLC6251A = 74-88 MHz
• NFD6131x = 136-150.8 MHz
• NFD6132x = 146-178 MHz. Used in 146-162, 146-174, and 148-174 split radios.
• NFE6061x = 403-470 MHz.
• NFE6062x = 470-512 MHz.


• Power Amplifier = The PA modules are where you can move around a bit. You can put a wide split PA in a narrow split radio since it still covers the range needed. Also, you can put a low split PA in a mid split radio to give better performance at the bottom end of the ham band, provided you will not need full transmit power above 150 MHz, this allows you to have a greater receive bandwidth while maximizing transmit performance on the ham band.
• Unknown = 66-84 MHz
• NLC6261A = 74-88 MHz
• NLD8121x = 136-150.8 MHz High Power 6W
• NLD8773x = 146-174 MHz High Power 6W
• NLD8122x = 146-162 MHz High Power 6W
• NLD8133x = 146-178 MHz Low Power 2.5W
• NLD8123x = 157-174 MHz High Power 6W
• NLE9471x = 403-433 MHz High Power 5W
• NLE9472x = 440-470 MHz High Power 5W
• NLE9473x = 460-490 MHz High Power 5W
• NLE9474x = 482-512 MHz High Power 5W


• Secure Modules
• NTN4711 Non-Smartnet DVP
• NTN4712 Non-Smartnet DES (replaced with NTN1072)
• NTN4713 Non-Smartnet DVP-XL (replaced with NTN1074)
• NTN4714 Non-Smartnet DES-XL (replaced with NTN1071)
• NTN4720 Secure BYPASS module - can be either silver dummy or plastic
• NTN5832 Smartnet DVP
• NTN5833 Smartnet DES (replaced with NTN1072)
• NTN5834 Smartnet DVP-XL (replaced with NTN1073 *cancelled)
• NTN5835 Smartnet DES-XL (replaced with NTN1071)
• NTN5755 Multikey DVP (DVP = Digital Voice Privacy or Digital Voice Protection)
• NTN5756 Multikey DVP-XL
• NTN5757 Multikey DES (DES = Data Encryption Standard)
• NTN5758 Multikey DES-XL
• NTN5759 Multikey DVI-XL (DVI = Digital Voice International)
• NTN5760 OTAR DVP (OTAR = Over The Air Rekeying)
• NTN5761 OTAR DVP-XL
• NTN5762 OTAR DES
• NTN5763 OTAR DES-XL
• NTN7288 Multikey DVP (replaced with NTN5755)
• NTN7289 Multikey DVP-XL (replaced with NTN5756)
• NTN7290 Multikey DES (replaced with NTN5757)
• NTN7991 Multikey DES-XL (replaced with NTN5758)
• NTN7992 Multikey DVP-XL (replaced with NTN5759)
• NTN7298 FASCINATOR (Controlled Cryptographic Item - CCI)

Under the Hood:
Getting a wrench into the radio...

The photos in this section are all thumbnail photos. If you click on the thumbnail the corresponding large photo will be displayed at full browser size - and they are LARGE files. Those of you that are on dialup... consider yourself warned...

These photos are a darker than I was hoping for, but getting decent photos was very difficult. The conformal coating on the boards is very shiny and the reflected flash bounced back and ruin the photo.