Intro to the Maxtrac, MaxTrac 50, MaxTrac 100, MaxTrac 300, Radius M100, M214, M216, and GM-300 mobiles

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By Neil Johnson WBØEMU, edited by Mike Morris WA6ILQ

From an email from Neil to Mike:
I saw a mention on the yahoo AR902 group that you have added the 900 firmware part number to the Repeater-Builder MaxTrac series pages.

I have some additional notes about MaxTrac firmware and board part numbers I thought I would pass along.... I think the MaxTrac series of radios is of general interest to 'repeater builders' since they have many applications as repeater receivers, exciters, transmitters, control receivers, and links.

One item in these notes that I will draw attention to is the fact that the Radius M214 and M216 models are really identical to a MaxTrac except for a different plastic front and different firmware. The reason I note this is that the Radius firmware supports channel steering from the accessory port control lines. That makes it possible to easily use one of these units as a frequency agile (or PL agile) transceiver or link, controlled by output lines from your repeater controller. You can program up to four lines to give you 16 channels.

Using instructions you have on the Repeater-Builder site, a 16 pin logic board, the range RF board you want, and the right firmware, a person can 'create' a radio customized to just about any application.

Note from WA1MIK:
All VHF/UHF/800 models use the same control head components (microphone jack/volume control board, display board, loudspeaker, escutcheon, plastic parts, cables). The 900 MHz radio uses a different microphone jack/volume control board which also contains the HearClear module and circuitry. You could use a 900 MHz control head on a VHF/UHF/800 radio and disable the HearClear circuit by grounding pin 9 on the logic board's J8 connector (the one that feeds the mike jack/vol board). This is a spare pin on the VHF/UHF/800 boards. The HearClear enable line is one of the differences between the 900 MHz logic boards and all the others. Similarly, you could use a VHF/UHF/800 control head on a 900 MHz radio but you'd lose the spare pin and you would not have HearClear capability.

Notes follow:

Here is a list of the MaxTrac firmware that I've found in the radios that I've worked on. Some cautions apply to this list: For example, it is generally regarded that the version 5.34 of the HLN5569A conventional firmware is the latest that was used in non-900MHz mobiles. I verified that it was used in one of the newest MaxTracs I ever saw - one with a June 2000 date code, however, I have seen a chip labeled HLN5569B V.5.36 49 / 95. This "B" version chip was found in one of the two transceivers in a UHF Desktrac repeater housing. What could the difference be ? I have no idea!

The firmware version number will be on a label on a socketed EPROM chip that is under a metal shield on the logic board.

You might want to print and cut this page and stuff it in your pocket before the next hamfest...
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MaxTrac Series Firmware

Part # Application Version Checksum Date (1) Chip (3)

HLN9277A VHF / UHF / 800 Conventional 5 pin 4.00 (n/a) 1987 27C64

HLN5569A VHF / UHF / 800 Conventional 16 pin
This version supports high tier, signaling, and 32 modes and is the most common version found in the low band, high band and UHF MaxTracs. 5.34 (n/a) 1987 27C256

HLN9435A 800MHz Trunked 16 mode and conventional 54.03 (3FD0) 51/92 27C512

HLN9260C MaxTrac 840 (800MHz) 5 pin 52.07 (n/a) 1987 27C256

HLN9383F Startsite Smartnet Type 2 16 pin V71.25 (BEB3) 22 / 95 27C512

FRN4007B 900MHz Trunked V80.08 (44F3) 51 / 94 27C512

FVN4019A 900MHz Conventional V30.03 (BD00) 21 / 98 27C256

FLN6531A 800MHz Desktrac repeaters (two MaxTrac chassis in a box)
Tx & Rx radios use same firmware (see note 2)
Supports entry of 800 band repeater receiver frequencies V31.00 (90D0) 14 / 95 27C256

5102901S02 Intrac UHF MaxTrac V IL 1.014 (n/a) 1990 27C256

HLN9499B Radius M214 / M216 16 pin
This board must be programmed with RADMBL (Radius RSS) and supports 16 modes & channel steering from the 16 pin I/O connector 21.01 (n/a) 1987 1991 27C256

VLN5443A 99 channel low band Maxtrac (special made for Ontario Hydro, the electric utility in Ontario, Canada). This firmware requires additional RAM to be added to the logic board. The radio also required a special RSS to program it. 27C256

(1) The date can be in XX / YY format where XX is the week and YY is the year. For example, 51 / 94 is the 51st week of 1994.
(2) The low band, high band and UHF Desktrac repeater uses the standard mobile firmware in their transceivers - only the 800MHz units need the FLN6531 firmware - which makes sense since the VHF and UHF standard mobile frequency ranges cover the respective repeater input and output sub-bands whereas the 800 mobiles normally cannot receive the 800 repeater input frequencies.
(3) If you find a firmware chip labled with the part number of 27014 it is a house number for a standard 27C256.

MaxTrac Series Firmware
Part #	Application	Version	Checksum	Date (1)	Chip (3)
HLN9277A	VHF / UHF / 800 Conventional 5 pin	4.00	(n/a)	1987	27C64
HLN5569A	VHF / UHF / 800 Conventional 16 pin This version supports high tier, signaling, and 32 modes and is the most common version found in the low band, high band and UHF MaxTracs.	5.34	(n/a)	1987	27C256
HLN9435A	800MHz Trunked 16 mode and conventional	54.03	(3FD0)	51/92	27C512
HLN9260C	MaxTrac 840 (800MHz) 5 pin	52.07	(n/a)	1987	27C256
HLN9383F	Startsite Smartnet Type 2 16 pin	V71.25	(BEB3)	22 / 95	27C512
FRN4007B	900MHz Trunked	V80.08	(44F3)	51 / 94	27C512
FVN4019A	900MHz Conventional	V30.03	(BD00)	21 / 98	27C256
FLN6531A	800MHz Desktrac repeaters (two MaxTrac chassis in a box) Tx & Rx radios use same firmware (see note 2) Supports entry of 800 band repeater receiver frequencies	V31.00	(90D0)	14 / 95	27C256
5102901S02	Intrac UHF MaxTrac	V IL 1.014	(n/a)	1990	27C256
HLN9499B	Radius M214 / M216 16 pin This board must be programmed with RADMBL (Radius RSS) and supports 16 modes & channel steering from the 16 pin I/O connector	21.01	(n/a)	1987 1991	27C256
VLN5443A	99 channel low band Maxtrac (special made for Ontario Hydro, the electric utility in Ontario, Canada). This firmware requires additional RAM to be added to the logic board. The radio also required a special RSS to program it.				27C256

If you find an EPROM with a label reading "Scholer-Johnson", "Scholer-Johnson Inc.", "SJI", "CVT-2-400" that is an aftermarket LTR trunking EPROM designed for the Maxtracs (usually 800MHz, but occasionally seen on 900MHz, UHF or even high band). If you find one and want to convert it back to a regular radio you will have to replace the chip with the stock conventional firmware, and then you will have to blank and reinitialize the logic board with Maxtrac Lab. Occasionally you find the stock firmware in a antistatic bag stuck inside the radio but that is extremely rare. If you want to use the radio on an LTR system then you need the Scholer-authored RSS to talk to it (and you will need that anyway to read and save the tuning data before you blank the board). See the article on "Converting a Two, Six or Eight Channel MaxTrac or Radius M100 to 16 or 32 Channels" for information on blanking and reinitializing a board.

Logic Boards: (You may have to pop the metal shield off the CPU compartment to find the board number)

Low Band, VHF, UHF, 800 MHz (all these bands use the same logic boards)

HLN9313A or B, 16 pin - this is the preferred board
HLN5172A, 5 pin, trunking - If your radio has a 5-pin connector, pray that it has this board. The 16-pin firmware has been sucessfully used in this board to max out the channel capacity and you should be able to program pins 2 and 3 on the five pin connector (normally associated with emergency input and alarm output) for other functions just as if they were pins 9 and 4 on a 16 pin board.
HLN5173B, 5 pin, conventional - can be field upgraded to newer firmware but does not have an external EEPROM (i.e. it has limited channels)
HLN9123A, 5 pin, masked - this is the worst of the bunch - limited channels and not upgradeable (the firmware is part of the CPU chip)

900 MHz trunking and conventional
Note: Use only 900mhz firmware on 900MHz logic boards

FRN5529A or B, 16 pin (this logic board is unique to 900MHz radios)

RF Boards:

HLB4099A,B 29.7-36.0 MHz Can be pushed down to amateur radio 10 meters

HLB4100A 36.0-42.0 MHz Pretty useless for amateur radio except as parts, or as an IF frequency
HLB4101A 42.0-50.0 MHz Can be moved to 6 meter amateur radio, there is an article on this topic at this web site

HLD4321B 136-162 MHz Preferred board for 2m amateur radio, CAP, MARS and NOAA weather, but rare

HLD4322B 146-174 MHz Third best for 2m

HLD4322C 144-174 MHz Second best for 2m amateur radio, also rare

HLE4425A, B 403-430 MHz Perfect for 420-430 MHz links and control channels

???????? 430-450 MHz There is a consistent rumor that a 430-450 MHz board was made for the UK / European market. If anyone can confirm or deny the rumor, we'd like to know.

HLE9310A, B 449-470 MHz Can be stretched downward to cover 440-450, but a 438-470MHz GM300 is better.

HLF4095B RX 851-870 MHz
TX 806-825 MHz (800 MHz non-talkaround) marked DUPLX on the board. Useful only in an 800mhz commercial mobile (i.e. as the user radio in a repeat-only environment)

HLF9122A RX 851-870 MHz
TX 806-825 MHz and
TX 851-870 MHz (800 MHz talkaround) marked SIMPLEX on the board. This board has a dual range VCO and the talkaround oscillator can be locked on and used as the low side injection on a 900mhz repeater receiver

FLF5298A RX 935-941 MHz
TX 896-902 MHz and
TX 935-941 MHz There was only one 900 MHz board, and it has a dual range VCO and it can be retuned to allow receive in the 926-928MHz range and transmit in both the 902-903 range and in the 926-928MHz range.

Photos of the 800 MHz HLF4095 "DUPLX" and HLF9122A "SIMPLEX" boards are in the article titled Converting Other 800 MHz MaxTracs to the 900 MHz Ham Band".

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This web page, this web site, the information presented in and on its pages and in these modifications and conversions is © Copyrighted 1995 and (date of last update) by Kevin Custer W3KKC and multiple originating authors. All Rights Reserved, including that of paper and web publication elsewhere.

HLB4099A,B	29.7-36.0 MHz	Can be pushed down to amateur radio 10 meters
HLB4100A	36.0-42.0 MHz	Pretty useless for amateur radio except as parts, or as an IF frequency
HLB4101A	42.0-50.0 MHz	Can be moved to 6 meter amateur radio, there is an article on this topic at this web site
HLD4321B	136-162 MHz	Preferred board for 2m amateur radio, CAP, MARS and NOAA weather, but rare
HLD4322B	146-174 MHz	Third best for 2m
HLD4322C	144-174 MHz	Second best for 2m amateur radio, also rare
HLE4425A, B	403-430 MHz	Perfect for 420-430 MHz links and control channels
????????	430-450 MHz	There is a consistent rumor that a 430-450 MHz board was made for the UK / European market. If anyone can confirm or deny the rumor, we'd like to know.
HLE9310A, B	449-470 MHz	Can be stretched downward to cover 440-450, but a 438-470MHz GM300 is better.
HLF4095B	RX 851-870 MHz TX 806-825 MHz	(800 MHz non-talkaround) marked DUPLX on the board. Useful only in an 800mhz commercial mobile (i.e. as the user radio in a repeat-only environment)
HLF9122A	RX 851-870 MHz TX 806-825 MHz and TX 851-870 MHz	(800 MHz talkaround) marked SIMPLEX on the board. This board has a dual range VCO and the talkaround oscillator can be locked on and used as the low side injection on a 900mhz repeater receiver
FLF5298A	RX 935-941 MHz TX 896-902 MHz and TX 935-941 MHz	There was only one 900 MHz board, and it has a dual range VCO and it can be retuned to allow receive in the 926-928MHz range and transmit in both the 902-903 range and in the 926-928MHz range.