A ? on the GE/MACOM Orion Radio

Forum dedicated to the Harris PSPC Product group items such as Orion, M7100/M7200/M7300, P7100/P7200/P7300, Harris Unity XG-100, GE Orion, GE Master Repeaters, EDACS Trunking, Pro Voice, PC Configure, RPM, and other topics relating to Harris, MA-Comm, Ericsson, GE products.
Post Reply
ScannerDan
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat May 11, 2002 7:11 pm
Location: Ventura County, CA

A ? on the GE/MACOM Orion Radio

Post by ScannerDan »

Hi all,

I'm new to the world of GE/MACOM radios. I'm into the Motorola Astro scean but I would like to get into the GE ORION arena. My question is what do I need to program a Orion radio ?

Do I need a RIB ?
Where can I get the software from ?
What type of programming cable do I need from the RIB to the radio ?

Thanks.

Dan..
User avatar
n_zero_ndp
Posts: 389
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2002 8:10 pm
Location: Where P25 Trunking is KING

Post by n_zero_ndp »

Dan,

You can program the ORION with the following:
http://www.priceindustries.com/r30c.htm

No Radio Interface Box is required with that cable.

I recommend you visit the following site for lots of GE, Ericsson & M/A-COM info: http://www.radtek.ws/
You are required to register but it is free......
User avatar
Pj
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2004 2:56 am
Location: Land of the western tornadoes

Post by Pj »

I bought one of those cables on a thrus, and it was at my door mon mornining. I thought I had a bum cable, but it ended up being a computer issue. He had a replacement cable up in no time.
From the Federal Signal Price Book:
"Warning: Sirens and Speakers may produce LOUD sounds necessary to request the right-of-way."

Really...You think?
talviar
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 10:09 am
Location: Uniontown, PA

Post by talviar »

I'll go one further, Highly recommend Price Industries at this point

I ordered the GE Orion cable last thursday (thursday before easter) cable arrived Saturday before easter. (2 days shipment)

Waiting for the orion to show up now to try programming. . .

Just a note to those wishing to construct their own cable (approach cautiosly) I built the cable as indicated on Hall Electronics web site used with a factory GE TQ-3370 and got smoke to come out of an Orion. . .
Seems the pinout has 12V+ from the radio going to ground in the rib and burns out a trace on an interconnect cable causing the IGN Sense line to no longer work. . . . (At least thats what happened with a lowband orion) Hence waiting for the next one to get here.

Later,
Tony
User avatar
rescue161
Posts: 130
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 7:51 pm

Post by rescue161 »

The cable schematic on Hall Electronics site is for use with a RIB.

The price industry cable is different and does not require a RIB.
Scott
talviar
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 10:09 am
Location: Uniontown, PA

Post by talviar »

As indicated in my post regarding the hall electronics pinout I am using a GE Factory RIB TQ-3370
Unless there is another rib to use with the GE Orion Factory Cable.

Regardless, the Price Industries cable worked out of the box first shot. . .

Tony
User avatar
rescue161
Posts: 130
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 7:51 pm

Post by rescue161 »

Sorry, I was half asleep when I read it.

Man, I don't know then. I've only used the Price Industry cable.
Scott
KB8QEU
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 8:39 pm

Re: A ? on the GE/MACOM Orion Radio

Post by KB8QEU »

Hi there!

A friend, who runs a radio shop, is giving me several Orions.

I went to repeater builders site but can't find info on them there.

I need to learn the model break down, or does GE do that as Moto does?

Does GE guard their RSS like Moto does?

Where can I find the specs on the models?

Will they be able to go into 29Mcs band, the 52Mcs bans, the 146Mcs band, the 224Mcs band and the 446Mcs band?

I do appreciate all the help you folks can send. Thanks in advance

Ed
KB8QEU
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 8:39 pm

Re:

Post by KB8QEU »

n_zero_ndp wrote:Dan,

You can program the ORION with the following:
http://www.priceindustries.com/r30c.htm

No Radio Interface Box is required with that cable.

I recommend you visit the following site for lots of GE, Ericsson & M/A-COM info: http://www.radtek.ws/
You are required to register but it is free......

I just went to http://www.priceindustries.com/r30c.htm and it did not have the programming software. In fact, it's for sale!

The link of : http://www.radtek.ws/, is not in the internet database as an active URL.

Both are dead.
dmette
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:10 pm

Re: A ? on the GE/MACOM Orion Radio

Post by dmette »

Hi all
I have look at the post for the Ge Orion most of the info is out dated does anyone have any current info for this radio
can it be programmed out of band and which software is best for doing it DOS or windows.. can it be done withe the shift E
like the MVS ..Our club was just given a large supply of these and I would like to move them into the 6meter band
any help would greatly be appreciated..
Dave W2ACC
User avatar
rescue161
Posts: 130
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 7:51 pm

Re: A ? on the GE/MACOM Orion Radio

Post by rescue161 »

To make the Orion go out of band, you'll have to use an SC4 file that tells the software to shift the frequencies during the programming process. Research SC4 files. I may have even posted a few here and there. You can make them yourself, you just have to do some calculations. Once you program a radio using the SC4 file, you will always have to just write to the radio using that file. If you try to read the radio, the frequencies will show the actual frequency, thus will not allow you to write back to the radio as it will throw an out-of-band problem message.

Also, after you use the SC4 file, you'll probably have to adjust the VCOs, especially if you moved more than a few MHz. I typically moved my lowband radios up to 54 from 50. If you move up 4, you'll lose 4 on the bottom end, i.e., if you take a 35-50 up 4 MHz, then the new bandsplit will be 39-54. The same goes for all bands on the Orion.
Scott
Post Reply