Channel Expansion for the Maxtrac and Radius Mobiles


Okay, here it is, the long awaited codeplug modificatons to expand the
channel capabilities of some Radius or Maxtrac series radios.

The information contained within is intended for information purposes only.
It is against Motorola's Software Licensing Agreement to edit or modify
codeplug files or software. I am not responsible for what you do with this
information.

Believe it or not, the Radius and Maxtrac series of Motorola Mobiles are
essentially the same radio in a different case. The only real difference is
the firmware chip in the radio, the Radius line is less expensive and
generally does not include all the features of the Maxtrac. Even though
the firmware is slightly different, the channel information is basically
the same.

The purpose of this exercise if to expand the number of channels in your
radio. The easiest way to do this is to get your hands on some LAB software
for your radio and blank the board (make sure you use the Save Tuning Data
option) and start from scratch. For most people this is not possible, so
there is an alternative.

A couple of things you should know before you start are:

    - I have only tested this on a limited number of radios, you will have
    to try this out to see how far you can go with yours
    - everything you do can be reversed, as long as you MAKE A BACKUP OF
    YOUR SAVED FILE BEFORE YOU START!, that way it is really easy to put
    your old settings back in if things go wrong
    - don't try this on a 2 channel radio, you need at least an 8, 16, or
    32 channel radio
    - this modification will not work on a radio that doesn't have a 16 pin
    accessory connector on the back
    - the radio firmware will determine the maximum number of channels you
    can get, you may get the display to show it, but check to see if the
    channels are really there and not repeating
    - don't delete channels once you have hacked in more than the radio
    originally had, if you do, you won't be able to add them back.

Okay, here we go. First, BACK UP YOUR CODEPLUG FILE in a safe place, you
will need it if things go wrong and you want to stop. Second, you need to
prepare the codeplug file by loading it into RSS and doing a couple of
things to it:

    - erase all signalling systems and call lists
    - program all the channels that the radio is capable of with the lowest
    TX and RX frequency in the radio's bandsplit
    - set the I/O connector configuration to GENERAL I/O
    - set the time-out-timer to 60 secs
    - save the codeplug file to disk.

The next thing you need to do is grab a HEX editor (you can get one from my
webpage if you need a quick and dirty one that does a good job) and load
the codeplug file into it.

You will be editing the third line down in the file. Lookup the line in the
table below corresponding to the number of channels you currently have
programmed. Compare the information in the table to the information in the
third line of the codeplug file, you should see some similarities.


The table below is a lookup table for the 3rd line in a VHF Radius M208,
the columns with an asterisk should be the ones that are similar to yours:
                 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *     *  !  *
99  02 FF FF 00 78 10 80 2F 80 40 80 3F 3B 09 8F 00
98  02 FF FF 00 78 10 80 1A 80 2B 80 2A 3B 09 CE 00
97  02 FF FF 00 78 10 80 05 80 16 80 15 3B 09 0D 00
96  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F F0 80 01 80 00 3B 09 4C 00
95  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F DB 7F EC 7F EB 3B 09 8C 00
94  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F C6 7F D7 7F D6 3B 09 CD 00
93  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F B1 7F C2 7F C1 3B 09 0C 00
92  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F 9C 7F AD 7F AC 3B 09 4B 00
91  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F 87 7F 98 7F 97 3B 09 8A 00
90  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F 72 7F 83 7F 82 3B 09 C9 00
89  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F 5D 7F 6E 7F 6D 3B 09 08 00
88  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F 48 7F 59 7F 58 3B 09 46 00
87  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F 33 7F 44 7F 43 3B 09 86 00
86  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F 1E 7F 2F 7F 2E 3B 09 C5 00
85  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F 09 7F 1A 7F 19 3B 09 04 00
84  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7F F4 7F 05 7F 04 3B 09 43 00
83  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7E DF 7F F0 7F EF 3B 09 83 00
82  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7E CA 7E DB 7E DA 3B 09 C4 00
81  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7E 65 7E C6 7E C5 3B 09 03 00
80  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7E A0 7E B1 7E B0 3B 09 42 00
79  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7E 8B 7E 9C 7E 9B 3B 09 81 00
78  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7E 76 7E 87 7E 86 3B 09 C0 00
77  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7E 61 7E 72 7E 71 3B 09 FF 00
76  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7E 4C 7E 5D 7E 5C 3B 09 3E 00
75  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7E 37 7E 48 7E 47 3B 09 7D 00
74  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7E 22 7E 33 7E 32 3B 09 BC 00
73  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7E 0D 7E 1E 7E 1D 3B 09 FB 00
72  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7E F8 7E 09 7E 08 3B 09 3A 00
71  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7D E3 7E F4 7D F3 3B 09 7A 00
70  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7D CE 7D DF 7D DE 3B 09 BB 00
69  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7D 69 7D CA 7D C9 3B 09 FA 00
68  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7D A4 7D B5 7D B4 3B 09 39 00
67  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7D 8F 7D A0 7D 9F 3B 09 78 00
66  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7D 7A 7D 8B 7D 8A 3B 09 B7 00
65  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7D 65 7D 76 7D 75 3B 09 F6 00
64  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7D 50 7D 61 7D 60 3B 09 35 00
63  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7D 36 7D 4C 7D 4B 3B 09 74 00
62  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7D 26 7D 37 7D 36 3B 09 B3 00
61  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7D 11 7D 22 7D 21 3B 09 F2 00
60  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7D FC 7D OD 7D 0C 3B 09 31 00
59  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7C E7 7D F8 7D F7 3B 09 71 00
58  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7C D2 7C E3 7C E2 3B 09 B2 00
57  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7C BD 7C CE 7C CD 3B 09 F1 00
56  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7C A8 7C B9 7C B8 3B 09 30 00
55  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7C 93 7C A4 7C A3 3B 09 6F 00
54  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7C 7E 7C 8F 7C 8E 3B 09 AE 00
53  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7C 69 7C 7A 7C 79 3B 09 ED 00
52  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7C 54 7C 65 7C 64 3B 09 2C 00
51  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7C 3F 7C 50 7C 4F 3B 09 6B 00
50  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7C 2A 7C 3B 7C 3A 3B 09 AA 00
49  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7C 15 7C 26 7C 25 3B 09 E9 00
48  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7C 00 7C 11 7C 10 3B 09 28 00
47  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7B EB 7C FC 7C FB 3B 09 68 00
46  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7B D6 7B E7 7B E6 3B 09 A9 00
45  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7B C1 7B D2 7B D1 3B 09 E8 00
44  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7B AC 7B BD 7B BC 3B 09 27 00
43  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7B 97 7B A8 7B A7 3B 09 66 00
42  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7B 82 7B 93 7B 92 3B 09 A5 00
41  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7B 6D 7B 7E 7B 7D 3B 09 E4 00
40  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7B 58 7B 69 7B 68 3B 09 23 00
39  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7B 43 7B 54 7B 53 3B 09 62 00
38  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7B 2E 7B 3F 7B 3E 3B 09 A1 00
37  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7B 19 7B 2A 7B 29 3B 09 EO 00
36  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7B 04 7B 15 7B 14 3B 09 1F 00
35  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7A EF 7B 00 7B FF 3B 09 5F 00
34  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7A DA 7A EB 7A EA 3B 09 A0 00
33  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7A C5 7A D6 7A D5 3B 09 DF 00
32  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7A B0 7A C1 7A C0 3B 09 1E 00
31  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7A 9B 7A AC 7A AB 3B 09 5D 00
30  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7A 86 7A 97 7A 96 3B 09 9C 00
29  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7A 71 7A 82 7A 81 3B 09 DB 00
28  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7A 5C 7A 6D 7A 6C 3B 09 10 00
27  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7A 47 7A 58 7A 57 3B 09 59 00
26  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7A 32 7A 43 7A 42 3B 09 98 00
25  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7A 1D 7A 2E 7A 2D 3B 09 D7 00
24  02 FF FF 00 78 10 7A 08 7A 19 7A 18 3B 09 16 00
23  02 FF FF 00 78 10 79 F3 7A 04 7A 03 3B 09 56 00
22  02 FF FF 00 78 10 79 DE 79 EF 79 EE 3B 09 97 00
21  02 FF FF 00 78 10 79 C9 79 DA 79 D9 3B 09 D6 00
20  02 FF FF 00 78 10 79 B4 79 C5 79 C4 3B 09 15 00
19  02 FF FF 00 78 10 79 9F 79 B0 79 AF 3B 09 54 00
18  02 FF FF 00 78 10 79 8A 79 9B 79 9A 3B 09 93 00
17  02 FF FF 00 78 10 79 75 79 86 79 85 3B 09 D2 00
16  02 FF FF 00 78 10 79 60 79 71 79 70 3B 09 11 00
15  02 FF FF 00 78 10 79 4B 79 5C 79 5B 3B 09 50 00
14  02 FF FF 00 78 10 79 36 79 47 79 46 3B 09 8F 00
13  02 FF FF 00 78 10 79 21 79 32 79 31 3B 09 CE 00
12  02 FF FF 00 78 10 79 0C 79 1D 79 1C 3B 09 0D 00
11  02 FF FF 00 78 10 78 F7 79 08 79 07 3B 09 4D 00
10  02 FF FF 00 78 10 78 E2 78 F3 78 F2 3B 09 8E 00
09  02 FF FF 00 78 10 78 CD 78 DE 78 DD 3B 09 CD 00
08  02 FF FF 00 78 10 78 B8 78 C9 78 C8 3B 09 0C 00
07  02 FF FF 00 78 10 78 A3 78 B4 78 B3 3B 09 4B 00
06  02 FF FF 00 78 10 78 8E 78 9F 78 9E 3B 09 8A 00
05  02 FF FF 00 78 10 78 79 78 8A 78 89 3B 09 C9 00
04  02 FF FF 00 78 10 78 64 78 75 78 74 3B 09 08 00
03  02 FF FF 00 78 10 78 4F 78 60 78 5F 3B 09 47 00
02  02 FF FF 00 78 10 78 3A 78 4B 78 4A 3B 09 86 00
01  02 FF FF 00 78 10 78 25 78 36 78 35 3B 09 C5 00

If the line's look similar, then you are doing good so far, the next step
is to calculate the offset for your checksum byte. If you look at the top
of the above table, you will see a column that has a ! above it, this is
where the checksum byte is located. Look at the byte that is in this
location in your codeplug file, compare it to the one in the table, they are
probably different. Use a calculator in HEX mode to find the difference
between these two hex numbers, this is the number you will have to add to
the checksum byte in the table to get one that will work with your radio.

Pick the number of channels you want to try to program into your radio and
look up that line in the table, a good rule of thumb is that an 8 channel
radio should do 16 and a 16 channel radio should do 32, try and see.
Edit your codeplug by typing in the new information from the columns with the
asterisk above them (make sure your editor is in overstrike mode and not
insert mode). Calculate the checksum by adding the difference that you
previously calculated to the checksum in the table and enter the result into
the codeplug file (if your answer is over FF, truncate the 1 (ie 123 becomes
23)). Save your work and exit the editor.

Try loading your codeplug into RSS. If you get an Error 58, either your
checksum is wrong or something else is messed up, try recalculating the
checksum or try a few checksum's above and below your calculation. An Error
52 is another error you might get, but I'm not sure what it is.

If you get the file to load okay, take a look under Radio Wide Properties
and confirm the number of channels you have entered. Under your channel
setup, enter some frequencies that you can distinguish between (ie
different NOAA weather channels and such) at every 8th channel (8, 16, 32,
64, etc.) and try programming your radio. Test the radio and see what it
does beyond your original maximum, you may find the display goes up but the
channels in the radio are repeating in blocks of 8, 16, or 32, etc. (this
is where your programmed freq's come in to help you tell). If your channels
repeat, determine where they are repeating and re-hack the codeplug to this
maximum.

There you go, more channels (I hope). One thing that you may find is that
if you had scan features before, they may or may not work correctly, try it
and see (I have seen some strange things happen with scan in the past).

As always, this is not an exact science so you may have to do some playing
with things to get them to work. I have had good success in the past but
you may not be so lucky.

Enjoy,

Bat Wing
batwing@geocities.com
