Re: The Dual Program Cable Cluster (train wreck)
Dual jack/plug radio programming cables should now be
classified in the same category as small airplanes with
retractable landing gear.
Those who haven't landed with the gear up... will eventually
land with their gear up. It's just a matter of time...
****
Many of you/us purchase and use low cost dual (or more)
jack/plug radio programming cables. One purchased cable
allows you to program a number of different radio models.
Normally the radio programming software would be expected
to quickly check the attached radio/hardware for proper
version and model compatibility. If the returned information
doesn't properly match a desired (checksum) value the
program "kicks back" an error message.
****
3:30pm Friday on an inbound three day (holiday)weekend the
obligatory train wreck pulls into the station. (Sound of a
phone ringing...)
Upon our arrival it...
Turns out it is normal to read a repeater using one end
of the dual head programming cable and the proper software.
Minimize the programming software (In Windoze...) and open
a different radio program to then read a portable using
the other cable (yet unnamed person thinking the repeater
end of the programming cable was properly removed) plug.
No serious problems so far...
The portable programming is slightly modified (change a few
DCS codes and one frequency) and sent back to the portable
radio no problama.
Well... bartender the repeater also starts flashing a
catastrophic failure mode. Turns out the repeater end of
the dual programming cable was left plugged in and both
the repeater and the portable received the same portable
programming data file.
Not good...
Did I mention this was a busy Public Safety Repeater..?
****
When there is potential for this type of problem to happen,
it will happen. Just hope it's never a Police/Fire Repeater
(no back up of course) at 3:30pm on a Friday of a starting
holiday weekend.
****
Call in the horse-power and I set about rebuilding the
crashed repeater's brain, loading the proper firmware, the
normal operation template and then the specific customers
backup data file.
After a number of nail biting moments... a master restart
pressed and the repeater thankfully found it's mind, backup
programming information and returned to service.
I then password locked the local repeater programming access
port and off we went into the sunset (actually to hit the
horrible SF Bay Area Traffic). The wrong people with
programming cables and software can be a very bad thing.
You too can become famous using the dual/multiple head/jack
radio programming cables... but remember most radio shops bill
by the hour with travel time. And you hope we/they have the
capacity and resources in place to fix the above mentioned
catastrophic failure.
cheers,
skipp
skipp025 at yahoo.com
www.radiowrench.com
