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Modifications for the Syntor, Syntor X,
Syntor X9000, MCX-100 and Mostar Series
Compiled by Mike Morris WA6ILQ
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THERE IS NO SUCH RADIO AS A SYNTOR XX
To paraphrase Paul Bennett N7OCS, "The Syntor X, Syntor X9000 and
Syntor X9000E radios use a 'drop shadowed' X graphic. This drop
shadow is cosmetic only and there is no such thing as a Syntor XX,
Syntor XX 9000 or Syntor XX 9000E radio. On the
other hand, there are Syntor X2 and Syntor X3 trunking radios, so
the use of the "XX" can be confusing and should always be avoided."
Also there is no dash or hyphen between the X and the 9000. i.e. "Syntor X9000"
is correct, "Syntor X-9000" is incorrect.
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The Syntor line of mobile radios are synthesized 32 channel radios for
VHF and UHF. The Syntors were made in the 1980s and came after the
crystal controlled Micor series. The RF frequency information was held
in a one-time programmable PROM chip, and the PL tone / DPL code
information in a second chip. Paul Benett's web site listed below provides
alternatives to the almost-impossible-to-find PROM chips and the methods
to program them. The Mike Blenderman K7IC web site, also listed below, is
the fount of knowledge on the entire
Syntor / Syntor X / Syntor X9000 series.
The Syntor X radios followed the Syntors and were a completely
redesigned radio that happens to share the same product name. They are
completely different inside (they really should have had a different
name) and offer more options including low band and 32 channels (or
more). The programming is held in a plug-in memory module that holds
one of several different sized memory chips. The programming information
holds separate receive and transmit frequencies, tone or digital PL
encode/decode, a timeout timer (programmable in 15 second increments
to over 7 minutes) and a scan list (up to 32 channels) with two
priority channels. There is a mod to go to 64 channels, but it's not
as desirable as you first would think (go read Mike Blenderman's page
on it).
Two sources of Syntor or Syntor X memory module programming are:
Andy Brinkley of Brinkley Electronics in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (click on "Radio Programming" then Motorola)
Bruce Lane of Blue Feather Technologies in Kent, Washington (scroll down to "RF Services")
You can contact either of these people via the contact information on their web sites.
The Syntor X9000 followed the Syntor X and is the same radio
from an RF standpoint, but the internal controller board was upgraded to
expand the number of memory channels up to 255. The control cable connector
on the X9000 is the same as the X, but the accessories are not compatible.
The X9000 uses Systems 9000 accessories and options that communicate with
the radio via a 9600 baud serial bus. The control head(s) are smart heads
with their own microprocessor inside. Unlike the Syntor X the X9000 is
programmed with RSS (and a slow PC), a RIB and special adapter cable that
goes in series with the normal radio cable. The the special cable is not
an absolute requirement; there are several ways to make your own connection
from a radio to a RIB. In other words, the X9000 is a more desirable
mobile radio than a Syntor X since you don't need the
almost-impossible-to-find suitcase programmer for the plain Syntor or the
Syntor X... you just connect a slow PC or a laptop to the X9000 and program
it. The RSS package for the X9000 contains two programs, one to program the
radio, and one to program the head (you program the radio with the information
(frequency, tone, etc) for each mode, you program the head with the text to
display for each mode).
One quirk about the 256 channel X9000 radios: the memory chip in the head
only has room for about 209 text labels, when you go to any channel above
the limit the display changes and displays the word "MODE" plus the
channel number. The firmware allocates a fixed number of display memory
bytes for each label - in other words using fewer characters in modes 1-209
does not move the switchover threshold. I've found that 209 text labels
is sufficient for my needs.
The Syntor X9000E models are actually conventional Syntor X9000 radios
with an internal trunking controller board added. The "E" model offers
nothing to the non-trunking user and are not any more valuable than a
plain X9000. These radios can be easily converted into conventional Syntor
X9000 radios (which is not true of trunking Syntor X models).
Note that there are a wide range of Syntor line accessories and that the
cable and head are not compatible between the various Syntor, Syntor X
Syntor X9000 and Syntor X9000E models. The only accessories that
are the same across all radio lines are the speaker, microphone and antenna.
If you do not have experience with the Syntor series and decide to buy any
Syntor you really need to purchase a complete installation kit - the radio,
cable and the head. Mike Blenderman's and Paul Bennett's web sites (linked
below) will help sort out the confusion, but it's best NOT to try and mix
and match unless you have the full manual that covers your radio(s) and
accessories.
Mike Blenderman K7IC has his own very extensive web site on the Syntor,
the Syntor X, the Syntor X9000, the Syntor X9000E and the trunking
models of the Syntor X and X9000 listed below. There is no point in duplicating
his effort here at Repeater-Builder. This web page is only going to cover topics
that are not covered at Mike's site. I really suggest that you go to Mike's site
first (and bookmark it).
Skip Hansen WB6YMH and Lee Dusbabek K7KAJ have designed and sell a
replacement memory module for the Syntor X called the Xcat that
is programmable by a PC. A Syntor X plus the Xcat is a much more
capable base station or remote base radio than an X9000 - and cheaper!
If your interest is in a standalone mobile radio then the X9000 is
still the way to go. The Xcat provides 32 modes and the X9000 came in
32, 64, 128 and 255 modes and offers an 11-character alphanumeric
display control head. And you can't run some accessories (like a PA-siren)
from the Syntor X main control head (Moto provided a control box that
mounted on top of the head).
Click here for a photo of the Xcat board. The
brown connector at the top of the photo plugs into the Syntor X in
place of the original Motorola module (so if you end up with an eBay
Syntor X that was decomissioned by pulling the module you can add
the Xcat and turn your doorstop back into a real radio).
The 10-pin header at the lower left connects to a DB9 connector that plugs into
your PCs serial port (COM port) for programming the Xcat. The 20-pin header
at the lower right is for a connection to a repeater controller when used in
a remote base application (it's the multicolor ribbon cable in the "installed"
photo). The Xcat allows remote selection of RF frequency, PL encode and decode
tones, and power level via the Doug Hall "RBI" protocol that is supported by
most controllers (and you don't need the Doug Hall box!). The Icom CI-V
protocol or the serial protocol can be used by controllers that don't support
the Doug Hall protocol.
Click here for a photo of the installed Xcat board.
The Xcat module, when plugged in place of the original Moto memory module, provides:
- Computer control via serial port and a professionally written open source Windows application.
- Interface to repeater controllers using either the "Doug Hall" or Icom
CI-V protocols. Yes, a Syntor X equipped with an Xcat makes an exact
and excellent replacement for a Kenwood mobile as a remote base. The Xcat
has been used successfully with RLC3, Pacific Research RI-300s and an
Scom - and without the Doug Hall RBI box in the middle.
- If you interface it to a repeater controller you can use a Syntor-X as a
fully frequency and PL tone agile remote base. And you can have multiple Xcats
sharing the same controller port (i.e. separate low band, high band and UHF
Xcat/Syntor-X remote bases on one repeater controller port).
- The Xcat was designed to make a Syntor X into a high end remote base radio,
with the Xcat cabled to the site controller. However, if installed into a mobile
(i.e. in simple standalone operation) you end up with a 32 mode code plug that
can be programmed by your home PC without any superfluous hardware (i.e. no
RIB). The Xcat is an exact replacement for the Motorola memory module and your
Syntor X mobile won't know the difference. The Windows application uploads
the information to the Xcat and then the computer is disconnected until the
information needs to be changed.
More information is available at the Xcat yahoogroup at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/xcat.
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Syntor, Syntor X, Syntor X9000 Detailed Information:
The the Syntor, the Syntor X, the Syntor X9000,
the Syntor X9000E and the trunking Syntor X and X9000 page by Mike Blenderman K7IC.
If you have any flavor of Syntor you will want to bookmark this page !
Syntor, Syntor X, Syntor X9000 and MCX100 Ham
Band Programming Information:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/5857/ By Paul Bennett N7OCS (offsite link)
Other Syntor, Syntor X and Syntor X9000 Information:
Operating / User manuals:
Syntor X9000 Operators Manual 68P80100W95-C 949KB PDF
Syntor X9000 Supplement 68P80100W94-O 23MB PDF
Syntor X9000 Trunked & Conventional Manual 68P80100W90-O 2MB PDF
Syntor X9000E Operators Manual 68P80102W26-O 993KB PDF
MCX100 and Syntor Prom Information:
