Vertex 2200 Power up issue

[ljones135]

Anyone have an idea what would be causing a VX-2200 to attempt to do a system self test and then shut down? After it does that, it will not power up at all, until the power leads are disconnected and reconnected, at which point it starts a system self test and shuts down again.

[berkinet]

Wild guess is it is a power supply issue. But, regardless of the cause some flag bit is set when it fails and that bit is checked on startup. Powering completely down resets the bit.

[Radioguy7268]

In addition to checking the power supply you're using (make sure it's putting out 13+ volts even under a load) - what's the story behind the radio?

 

Is it new to you? Used to work fine before? Did you update firmware or programming? Ebay refugee?

[berkinet]

To be clear, and I probably wasn’t, my guess was the initial power management circuitry in the radio. Though, the power supply could well also be the cause of the problem.

[ljones135]

The power supply powers another 2200 just fine. I had just finished programming the unit prior to it's malfunctioning but another 2200 has the same programming and works fine. I had purchased 2 2200s from an Ebay seller. The first didn't transmit over 6.5 watts, right out of the box. This radio had been working fine. The problem started after I programmed it. 

[berkinet]

.... The problem started after I programmed it.

 

Ah, well that is probably significant information. Have you tried to do a full factory reset?

[ljones135]

Berkinet,

 

How do I do that?

[Radioguy7268]

#1 - Read a radio prior to programming it, if at all possible.

 

#1A - ALWAYS save the original codeplug. After you've saved it (in my world - once to the hard drive, 2nd time to a backup/thumb drive), then you can modify as you please, or write another codeplug (copy/clone) to it. You will always have something you can go back to or refer to.

 

Vertex software is often a little funky. It will sometimes allow you to do things that shouldn't be done - ie:  writing a codeplug for a "high side split" 450-512 Mhz radio into a unit that was originally built for the lower side 403-470 split. You can also run into some issues with a radio codeplug that was read from newer firmware not playing nice with a radio that still has older firmware in it - or vice versa.

 

Are both radios the EXACT same model version? What does the sticker say? ie: VX-2200-G725? VX-2200 AG7H-50? There was an LTR trunking version of the VX-2200 if I recall, plus I think there was a hack or update that would allow some models of the VX-2200 to be flashed up to the LTR version.

 

I'd also wonder if the radio that did 6.5 watts out of the box was a lower power version radio - because I don't think the high power units would go down that low. If the PA finals were blown out - you would probably get less than 1 watt from a high power radio. What did the software say the Frequency split and Firmware was on that radio? Can you still read the radio that's now powering down after a self-test? 

[berkinet]

How do I do that?

I have no idea... try: google factory reset vx-2200

[ljones135]

Radioguy,

 

No the radio shuts down even before the self test is complete, I think. It literally comes on for just a couple seconds,, then shuts down. Both radios are exactly the same. Vx-2200 AG7H-50 both were flashed with 2.07 Firmware in 2011. Both radios are also Passports, if that makes a difference. I just read a couple of posts about this very issue on Radio Reference and the person ended up sending the radios into Motorola, he had 3 that were doing this. I'm just trying to ascertain that it wasn't something that I did.

[Radioguy7268]

Sending them back to Motorola usually isn't a financially feasible option (Depot repair would cost more than replacing with nearly new old stock).

 

I'm not sure how to get past that powering down problem if it shuts down as soon as you go into self-test. Vertex is about 10% of my world, so I'm not an expert in it. There's probably a service manual online if you search it. Vertex is fairly good about putting in some useful details and troubleshooting info into their manuals.

 

Repeater-builder.com has a service manual online for a VHF version. Part numbers won't be useful, but there might be some basic information there that would still pertain to a UHF model. http://www.repeater-builder.com/yvs/pdfs/vertex-vx-2100-2200v-service-manual-2015.pdf

 

My quick google skills didn't pull up a UHF model -- do you have access to MOL (Motorola Online)?  

[ljones135]

Radioguy,

 

Nope no access to that. I think i'll just take them over to a place near me that repairs them. $80.00 diagnose/repair plus parts. 

 

Thanks everyone for their input.

[Radioguy7268]

$80 flat rate repair is pretty darn good.

 

I had a chance to go digging around on MOL - looks like current firmware for the LTR & Passport is Version 2.10  Do you use the FIF-12 interface or a common USB cable? Many of the newer Vertex radios require the FIF-12 interface/drivers to do firmware upgrades.

 

Are you using CE103 or CE94 software? Looks like both versions on MOL mention the LTR option - I swore there was one version for the LTR models - and another for conventional.