Resurrecting Dead SRM9000s (Sometimes)

[Rob_Brookes]

Before I go any further with this one, I have to emphasise that this works only for a specific fault that can occur with SRM9000 radios. If, when it's switched on, your SRM emits a high pitched rising and falling tone sounding like a battleship charging off to war then what's usually happened is that the start-up code has become corrupted and it doesn't know who it is any more. I've so far resurrected 3 SRM9000s using this method but it doesn't always work and even when it does, it sometimes takes a few goes at it before it comes out of its sulk and behaves. Sometimes the siren isn't heard but the display reads words to the effect 'PIC v5.04' or similar. Same fault usually.

Firstly we need to know which model of SRM you have. There are two we would usually encounter and the very quick but unreliable way to tell them apart is if the paper strip on the top of the case has the words 'P25 Enabled' on it. This indicates it's the newer version, Series 9. However the strips get lost or changed so it's not reliable.

A better method is to look at the serial number on the adhesive strip on the underside of the radio case. If the second character is the letter 'R' then you have a series 9 SRM if not then it's series 8.

Once you've established which one you have, fire up the programming software (FPP) and connect it and power to your radio. Turn down the volume so that the siren is tolerable but you do need to be able to hear it unfortunately.

Now try and read the config from the radio. It will fail but you need to know the error message you get. If this is along the lines of 'Can't communicate with the radio, is it switched on?' then we're probably onto a loser but if it says 'Communications Error, Try again' then we're in with a chance.

Use the menu bar to select <Options> <Upgrade Software>
On the dialogue box that appears, select <Get File>, click the button and a file list will appear. Depending on which model of SRM you have you need to select one of two files.

For Series 8, select 9kp_xxx.bin Where xxx is the number of the FPP version you are using but it's not critical at this stage providing the file is called 9kp_xxx.bin and nothing else, no additional letters or numbers in the name. If there isn't a file with the same numbers as your FPP version then pick the one with the highest value of xxx

For Series 9 SRMs the file name becomes 99p_xxx.bin where xxx is the same number as derived above for Series 8

Once you've selected your file, stop. Now get your assistant to unplug the SRM power connector and practice plugging it back in again in one smooth motion. Notice when re-connected, there's a sharp and quite loud click from the speaker before the siren re-starts.

Once you've got the timings in your head you need to hover your mouse over the <Download> button. Don't press it yet.

Your assistant now pushes the power connector back in and as soon as you hear the click from the speaker but before you hear the siren, click <Download>

If all goes well, and it quite often takes several goes at this before it does it correctly, the siren noise should stop and the progress bar should begin to show you that the file is being uploaded to the radio. If all goes well and it completes then that's fine but if it stops early on and the siren re-starts then just go through the whole process again until it behaves.

Once the file has been loaded into the radio the siren should mercifully cease and you now have to answer the dialogue box that's asking if you want to load another file, with ,Yes.

If the siren hasn't re-started then there's no need to disconnect the power again, just carry on without doing anything else.

This time select 9ks_xxx.bin for Series 8 SRMs where xxx is the same number you used for the last file.
For Series 9 SRMs, use 99s_xxx.bin, again, xxx is the same number.

Once the second file has been loaded into the radio, that's all you can do and the problem should now be resolved. However, just to be certain...............

Use the FPP to read in the config contained in the radio. Now write it straight back without carrying out any modifications. This should return the radio to the condition it was in before it lost the plot. It should now be OK