Nextel Linked to a Repeater????Can it be Done????/

[daveriffel]

Ok, Here is my thinking......Stay with me folks as I am not a tech.......I would like to take a Nextel handset and connect it to either our Emergency Management Repeater or our 2meter ham repeter......OK first of all, can it be done....obviously need a nextel with service and so forth got that... 2nd to go to our EMA repeater is a uhf 50 watt Motorola Repeater MSF5000 I think? Is this a plausable project? now on to the 2 meter repeater obviously there would be some licensing issues there as far as wrong numbers accessing the repeater and so on, and there my be a way to block all but certain numbers Direct connecting the phone.....

So if this is a possibility where do I start? I guess the biggest factor here is cost....I know there are commercial systems available for 6-7000 dollars and we just don't have that to spend I am thinking like no more than 500.00 and that's pushing it....Let me know what you think(politely please) you can email me directly if you wish [email protected] But I hope I am not the only one curious about this

[Dan562]

Hello Dave,

I think this is an interesting concept, interfacing the EMA 2 Meter Amateur Radio Repeater to a NexTel Subscriber Unit and their system. I think you may have overlooked some interesting points to do this project.

Who's going to pay for the individual subscriber unit allowing it to be added to the NexTel system? Who's going to pay for the Air Time since this is only one Subscriber Unit will be registered 24 Hours X 7 Days a Week in the NexTel System?

When the Unit NAM is programmed, What Digital Trunking Group will the Direct Connect (PTT Service) be assigned too? And how would the Unit's ID be selected if say you only had 4 or 5 people that you wanted to contact directly? You would need some type DVR announcement back through the VHF repeater that the NexTel Network gave you permission.

Let's not forget since the NexTel Unit is a Digital Trunking, there a short burst off 3 tones for access and 1 tone for denied access, How would the user on the EMA repeater know when they are keyed that they have the approval or denial audible signals? And how do you determine the digital delay times built into NexTel's and the Telephone Networks?

It seems you want Interconnect and Direct Connect features on this unit so who will build the required interface package and write the required software allowing both features to connect to the MSF5000 or whatever two-way equipment is being used?

I think it could be accomplished but say it might cost you roughly $49,500.00 more than the original $500.00 and probably 1 man year to build, write the special software and test the interface packages. You would also be required to have the NexTel personnel special program the Subscriber unit and their Network equipment to limit Area Codes for the Interconnect side. I'm have no idea what charges would incurr for those features. Interesting Idea.

Dan

[aaron_tech]

How about using a Centracom Gold Series console with a hard patch installed. Lets break it down. The Iden unit can be interfaced with an ICIM module (its serves the same basic function of an ACIM) and an audio juction block to the P2 conn. on the CEB backplane. Then you could hook your repeater/base station up to the P2 conn. in the CEB and use a CCII COIM and matching firmware and set it up with a hard patch. Since the COIM will never show at the console display it'll never be knocked down. Or you could create it in a normal config with a removable patch and both resources could then appear at the cosole to be patched or used as traditional resources. This is most likely over kill for your application. I believe the there are other consoles that the big /\/\ sells that could do this . I believe the MC 2500 remote using the correct digital junction box for IDEN will work also. The 2500 allows for four individual base stations to be controlled with similar functions of a scaled down console. With the MC 2500 I believe you can patch resources together. Hope this helps. But like I said all this is most likely overkill.

[aaron_tech]

I forgot to add in the the console config with respect to the IDEN unit you should have full functionality. Any of the motorola consoles can do this namely the CommandStar Lite, MCC5500, MC2500 and Gold Elite. This would be a very expensive project if there was no console system in place. I f you had to buy a console system I would look into the MC2500 its under 3k I believe. It would require an IDEN base station and a digital junction box configured(not sure about cost) for IDEN and you would also need to configure your base for Tone/DC keying. The MC2500 can control 3 tone station and 1 dc or four tone stations its configured with programming software.

[Dan562]

Hello Aaron_Tech,

I have a feeling you've never implemented an iDEN (Nextel) Mobile Switching Office (MSO) before to understand the complexity of the system. And I know you skimmed over Dave's post because he has only $500.00 to play with ... that wouldn't even pay for the standard required software! And which mode would Dave want for the Subscriber unit to operate, the PTT Direct Connect or Telephone Interconnect? Which talk group would you suggest to put the Subscriber unit on and then the Private I.D?

Now if you're thinking about using the BMR unit which normally gets sold with an Enhanced Base Transceiver System (EBTS), I haven't a clue how you would order one BMR without a system ... it would be interesting to know how much that unit would cost and who would program the BMR as it is considered to be a Test Unit for the MSO. I'll leave that up to you since I see that you're a System Technologist who probanly is employed by /\/\. Maybe you've got some contacts at /\/\ Arlington Heights that could fill you in on the interface and legality of what Dave wants to do on the Amateur Radio Repeater by tying it to a Commercial Digital Radio System. Like having a Reverse Autopatch unsupervised, some thing the FCC doesn't like for Ham Radio use.

Dan

[batdude]

i just can't wait to hear:


BONK - user busy in data A3

BONK - user busy in DC

BONK - user not available


or, even worse

BONK - SERVICE RESTRICTED



seems as though busy in data and service restricted are quite common down here in the south east..... i am guessing that service restricted is associated with all these southern linc sites around here.


damn nextel



(can't live w/o it)



doug

[Tom in D.C.]

"...some licensing issues..." is probably the understatement of the year. Like a snowball's chance in hell of ever getting approval for such a system, assuming all of the thorny technical issues could ever be worked out.

[allplowedout]

The Zetron 4000 dc allows exactly this, compatible with EDACS, p25 and possibly others, supports group talk and single party patches into any config of system, trunked, conv analog, conv dig, coded comms, etc...

Developed by Zetron, with some type of IDEN logic interface, provided with joint project with circle-/\/\, Quite an interesting concept on that unit by the way.

[RKG]

The JPS ACU1000 will also do it. But not for $500.

[aaron_tech]

Dan,
Its really a simple question can it be done the answer is yes I never said it would be legal or it was a good idea but there is equipment out there and its not a secret. As for ham on commercial radio several psap have created emergency action plan utilizing ham radios. It would be interesting discussion about hams integrated into a console system or a smartzone type system. I would think a radio engineer(also located in Northern IL) who most likely works for the big M be a little nicer.

[/\/\y 2 cents]

I can do it for you with $500 (for the interface and software) using ham-ish equipment but you must provide the nextel and the other radio (that's $500 alone!) and I will use my magic powers to make you a sweet system with many more features than just linking the (2) together. BTW you must provide an i730 as that is the only unit I have ohm'ed a speaker mic out to interface it to. I had a buddy of mine using it to talk to main dispatch over his nextel while off duty, a few of the upper brass saw it and bought the interface and software....miami-dade fd has a similar system but not nextel....just cell phone dial in....mine was sweeter but definitely home brew....worked like a champ though..