SETTING RF POWER LEVELS IN MOTOROLA TRANSCEIVER


                          (c)  1994 Damien Thorn

                             damien@prcomm.com


Here's the basic scoop on how to set the RF output levels in
various Motorola cellular transceivers manufactured after about
1988.  This text applies to phones that utilize the improved
single-command phasing routine implemented by Motorola starting
in about October, 1987.  If the transciever is not compatible
with the new phasing command, the firmware will display "ERROR."

To measure the output power, the antenna connector must be routed
through a watt or power meter attached to a dummy load. 
Performing this procedure with the phone's antenna connected will
result in interference to the cellular network, as the
transceiver will be transmitting during this test.

1)  Place the phone in manual test mode.

2)  Enter the pashing routine by keying 71# on the keypad.

3)  A three-digit decimal number will be displayed.  This is a
reference number relating to the output power settings currently
stored.  Early documentation supplied by Motorola indicates that
the number 175 is a fairly typical display.

4)  This number, indicative of the power output, can be
incremented by pressing a volume key.  When the power output is
at the proper level as determined by reading the power meter, the
setting is stored in the firmware by pressing the * key.


NOTES:

Pressing # will abort the procedure without saving changes.

Pressing CLR will reset to the value stored in firmware when the
phone was first placed in the phasing routine with the 71#
command.

The power output level (and thus reference number) can be
deincremented by pressing the SND button.

The power level should be adjust until a reading of the maximum
power level is acheived (example:  3 watts or 35 dBm for a bag
phone).

All other attenuation steps are adjusted automatically based on
this adjustment and setting of the 'zero attenuation' power
output level.