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Author Topic: MARS troubles for a flex radio owner  (Read 38417 times)

N4RMT

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MARS troubles for a flex radio owner
« on: June 14, 2012, 11:40:43 AM »

So I joined Army MARS recently, and received all my training materials.  When I received my call sign, I emailed flex for a MARS mod for my rig, an SDR-1000.  They said "we need a copy of your license".  So I ask, and am told trainees will not receive a copy of their ticket until the training program is completed.  Well, I can't complete training if I can't TX...   Sent flex a copy of the updated roster, which lists me, they said thats not good enough, we need your license.   I need one of those little emoticons that's bashing his head against a brick wall.  Jesus man if I was a CBer, I'd just buy a flea market CB and a hundred watt amp from the truck stop before I'd go to all this trouble...

Randy
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KG4RUL

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RE: MARS troubles for a flex radio owner
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2012, 06:06:52 PM »

Why are you even bothering with MARS in the first place?  It is in a death spiral as we speak.  The mandate to join the various services into a unified command structure will be the final nail in the coffin.
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W0FAA

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RE: MARS troubles for a flex radio owner
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2012, 09:46:35 PM »

It's a ham radio. You are authorized by your HAM license to modify any radio any way you want.
If you then use the radio to transmit, it is up to YOU to make sure you are complying with all FCC regulations including not transmitting on frequencies you are not authorized for.

I would be interested to know what regulation makes Flex think it needs your license.

If you have the know-how, you should get the source code, edit it as necessary to move (or remove) the band edge restrictions, and re-compile it. Maybe someone else has done it. Anyone know where the table containing band edges is located in the code?

Inquiring minds want to know.
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N4RMT

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RE: MARS troubles for a flex radio owner
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2012, 09:57:49 PM »

That's what I was thinking, but Flex makes it sound as though the FCC is going to come after them for "unlocking" my radio.   Flex finally said they would accept a letter on letterhead.  MARs said that was "not authorized." , and I should wait to receive a letter from the chief, which he apparently is not in a hurry to write.   I don't know, its all starting to seem like too much trouble, and I refuse to go buy another rig just for MARS usage.  I'm digging around in the source code now to see if I can find it.  I've heard its pretty well defined...
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W0FAA

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RE: MARS troubles for a flex radio owner
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2012, 10:05:49 PM »

I did some searching and found a discussion saying the transmit restrictions are contained in the radio firmware, not in PowerSDR. It was also hinted that the firmware is encrypted or in some other way locked.

What a pain.
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N4RMT

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RE: MARS troubles for a flex radio owner
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2012, 10:06:39 PM »

Not so for the SDR-1000.
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N4RMT

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RE: MARS troubles for a flex radio owner
« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2012, 06:28:17 AM »

Here's a link to the conversation with Flex on the subject.

http://helpdesk.flexradio.com/requests/1536
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K5DHL

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RE: MARS troubles for a flex radio owner
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2012, 09:06:44 PM »

I had similar problems when I first joined MARS (since withdrawn my association)....  Yaesu was more than cooperative with just an email of my emailed acceptance email notification from the state director....  they sent me the mods for my FT-897 & FT-2900 radios - NO PROBLEM.

But then I was considering another radio, i.e. the Flex-3000, but they wouldn't even reply to my requests.....  so I bought a ICOM-7410 radio instead (for less money) with mod info available...

BTW, my FT897 radio is modified (by me) and I found the public available internet info and pics better than what Yaesu sends out.

I am leaving my FT-897 mods in place for the time being, in case I elect to re-join at a later date,  but I am not modifying any other radios, since I have no need to access those freqs at this time.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2012, 09:32:25 PM by K5DHL »
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