2 part xtl5000 question

[Radiogeek97]

folks
my department is trying to spec a mobile (xtl-5000) for use as a control station/back up radio to be co-located in our comm-center, I have read the specs and talked to a moto salesperson regarding the xtl mobileorigionally we were looking at a cdm because we wanted emerg decode aliasing call alert ect, but a bordering major city has some encrypted interagency channels in the pipeline so we figured go astro and if we need it it is there, well my question is #1 will the xtl mobiledo aliasing, and emergency decode, radio check ect, like the cdm does. I know some mdc features may be standard but some may be an option, have any of you set up an xtl to id-decode or alias, and if so was there an option that you had to have flashed into the radio? Another curious thing the salesperson told me which I dont think is true: he said that the radio comes out of the box "astro capable" and according to his explanation you have to just set up an astro channel in the cps???? Now i think he is mistaken i, I think "astro capable" means that if you flash that option in you will have it the "capable" meaning it "could" do astro..
the other question is as far asthe programming cable goes, has anybody built a "home-made" cable yet and if so how difficult is it? The cable and the cps are a line item in the bid, but if the cable was like a regular spectra I could build one, i just have not found any information on the cable yet.


thanks in advance for the help.

[Fuel4300]

I'm not 100% sure about your first question but as far as the the 2nd one when you order the radio you will have to purchase the individual options. One of these options is IMBE. If you order it, then yes, it will come "astro ready" right out of the box. Otherwise, the radio is capable of being upgraded to IMBE but it has to be flash upgraded.

Mike

[spectragod]

Another curious thing the salesperson told me which I dont think is true: he said that the radio comes out of the box "astro capable" and according to his explanation you have to just set up an astro channel in the cps???? Now i think he is mistaken i, I think "astro capable" means that if you flash that option in you will have it the "capable" meaning it "could" do astro..
the other question is as far asthe programming cable goes, has anybody built a "home-made" cable yet and if so how difficult is it? The cable and the cps are a line item in the bid, but if the cable was like a regular spectra I could build one, i just have not found any information on the cable yet.

Astro capable is just that, it will need flashed for that operation, just because your neighboring department is encrypted, that does not mean that they are IMBE digital, 2 different meanings there. You will need a UCM flashed for operation compatable with their system, you will also need a KVL and their key.

As far as the programming cable goes, it is ribless design, I would opt to purchase a factory cable for a high tier radio, as opposed to a home made POS, to many things can go wrong.

I don't deal with MDC or aliasing as we operate on a trunk sys, so I am no real familiar with it. I would say to ask your M rep, but he sounds like a goof if he thinks IMBE can be enabled with CPS software. You may want to call M tech support and get an answer there as to what flahs you will need for your paticular application.

SG

[radioinstl]

yes if you have enhanced digital ID it will do id display with aliasing . it will do 100 ids per list

[chiefhal3]

If you are looking at buying and XTL I assume you are going through the dealer who deals with the astro system you are going to want to operate on. He should have all the details of what flash options you need. If you are not going through the dealer that handles that system you should be refered to him as these units go direct and are not shelf items so to speak.

As for the cable, number one, you will have to buy the software first which you can order but it won't do you much good if you can't get the system key especially if the astro system is using the new system keys but either way you will need to be in contact with the system admin, why not just let them program it. Second, if you are going to buy a radio that expensive and then want to buy the software to program just the one radio, why not buy a factory cable and avoid the risk of creating the preverbial paper weight.

Just my advice from someone who has gone that path before. I thought it would be best to buy software and cables and all and by the time it is all said and done you really need to have a bunch of radios to make it worth while especially since for the most part once you program it once you are done.