Service manual

Guide to ASTRO™ Digital Radios
ASTRO Digital Spectra™
The ASTRO Digital Spectra™ was released in approximately 1995. It shares the same vocon
design as the ASTRO Digital Saber™, however the boards are not compatible with each other.
ASTRO Digital Spectras™ manufactured prior to November 1996 included 512K of flash ROM
memory for the host firmware. The same story of the ASTRO Digital Saber’s™ evolution to a 1M flash
ROM and the vocon swap-outs after a depot visit also apply to the ASTRO Digital Spectra™. Please see
the ASTRO Digital Saber™ outline if you skipped down to this page.
Figure 5.1 A photo illustration of a Motorola Inc. ASTRO Digital Spectra™ in a W7 dash-mount configuration. Pictured is the 50W version.
The ASTRO Digital Spectra™ was manufactured in seven band-splits. They are:
J
136-162 MHz
K
146-174 MHz
Q
403-437 MHz (R1)
R
438-470 MHz (R2 15W only)
450-482 MHz (R3)
S
482-512 MHz (R4)
U
806-870 MHz
The band-split information is indicated in the model number as the fourth character.
Information about the configuration of the radio is also indicated as the first character. (D) indicates a
dash-mount radio, (T) indicates a trunk/remote mount radio and (L) indicates the radio is configured to
operate in a console (dispatch) configuration. There are also rarer (M) (motorcycle) configuration ASTRO
Digital Spectras™ in circulation. The main differences are a different plastic face which does not expose a
microphone connector and a low-power (15W) PA. Many are 438-470 MHz split radios.