MDC1200 encode/decode on Vertex radios

[craig]

I forgot to mention this during my post about the VX900 field programmable portable not having DCS. Cimarron technologies just came out with a new MDC1200 encode/decode chip for Vertex radios called the VMDE200. This chip will allow a radio user to encode the following mdc1200 data:
PTT ID
Selective call
Call Alert
Emergency
Man Down
Radio Check

and will do the folowing MDC1200 decode (will show ID on display and will alias from call list for all decoding functions):
PTT ID
Selective call
Call alert
Emergency
Radio Check
radio kill/revive
remote monitor

The chip will also do these same functions in GE Star and encode DTMF. The chip supports the following portable radios:
VX900
VX800
VX600
VX420
VX410

and the VX4100/4200 mobiles.

This is really cool for me. My agency currently uses Motorola Waris equipment and we are not overly pleased with the audio. We like the quality of the VX900 better and were reluctant to go with anything other than Motorola because we wanted all of the MDC1200 functions, especially radio kill/revive. This chip lets us migrate to Vertex radios. I always wanted a top display radio that would decode and display MDC1200 information, and now I have it. The VX900 will do everything I ever hoped my MT2000 A4 could do and more! Vertex and Cimarron have come a long way. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, the Cimarron chip just plugs into the back of the Vertex radio under the battery and is programmed while in the radio by a special version of Vertex programming software designed just for this chip. You use your standard vertex programming cables to do the programming.

[nmfire10]

Does it make a sidetone on the speaker so the user doesn't talk over the ID and front-end clip?

[craig]

Yes, it will do a sidetone.

[CuriousGeorge]

I forgot to mention this during my post about the VX900 field programmable portable not having DCS. Cimarron technologies just came out with a new MDC1200 encode/decode chip for Vertex radios called the VMDE200.

Is this a released product or one still in development? I note on their website http://www.cimtechcorp.com/ that they have no details about it yet but a crawler for Vertex dealers to call them about it.

Any idea on the cost? I have two VX-800s and would be interested.

We're also looking at buying VX-420s to replace Minitor IIs. We'd like MDC1200 PTT ID and the stored voice feature for the pages but it looks like you can have one or the other but not both in the same radio. In that case, our compromise is likely going be the stored voice option and DTMF IDs.

[Bob]

The MDC boards have been available for several of the Vertex radios for a while. I've been programming VX600s and VX900s with the MDC boards for at least 8 months now. They need to be purchased from a Vertex dealer, not Cimmaron. If I recall correctly, they were in the ballpark of $100 per unit.

Offhand, other than the 600 and 900, I'm not sure which radios these boards are available for. I'll have to check my documentation when I get home.

[CuriousGeorge]

The MDC boards have been available for several of the Vertex radios for a while. I've been programming VX600s and VX900s with the MDC boards for at least 8 months now. They need to be purchased from a Vertex dealer, not Cimmaron. If I recall correctly, they were in the ballpark of $100 per unit.

I know Vertex has had the encoders for a while but it sounds like Cimmaron's version has more features based on craig's post above.

- g

[Bob]

Every one that I have looked at has been capable of pretty much the full MDC suite. I'm not sure exactly which boards were in them because I had nothing to do with ordering the radios - I only reprogrammed them. I was told that they came from the factory that way. They were, however, able to be programmed directly via the Vertex software. I was successfully able to disable one via the console, as well as initiate remote monitor.

[craig]

I have bought three of these from Cimarron directly for $99.00 a piece. Quantity discounts are available and the salesman told me there is a chance that once they become more common, the price will likely drop even more with the increased production. Cimarron has been making the VME100 for some time now which is basically the same as Midian's MDC1200 board for the Vertex line, but the VME100 did not have any decode features. The VMDE200, to my knowledge has been undergoing developement for some time and most recently Cimarron identified a problem, (two weeks ago as a matter of fact) with the VMDE200 and the VX420/410 line. The problem consisted of a voltage drop after the release of PTT which was causing the board to "fail-out". Cimarron has corrected the problem with a hardware modification to the VMDE200. So if you are looking at putting this chip into a VX410 or 420, make sure you don't buy old stock of the VMDE200 and request the latest programming and flashing software from Vertex or Cimarron for both the radio and the chip. Cimarron flashed both my VX410 and VX420 for me so I have the latest of everything. I expect the radios to be here at the beginning of next week. I will post more info. if I have any once I get to play around with these two new radios. I am still waiting on my regular (non-keypad programmable) VX900 to arrive, backordered from Vertex until April. By the way, there are no compatibility problems with the VX900, VX800, or VX600.

[mark102]

Does the VMDE200 do data operated squelch and have an option to enable a preamble? We use MT2000s and CDM1550s with preamble so the DOS works better. I've been wanting to try Vertex for some time now but have held off because of no decode or data operated squelch to mute the ID burst.

[craig]

Yes, Cimarron advertises that the board does data operated squelch. I don't think it does a preamble. It will do pre-PTT signalling with a pre-holdoff time, but I don't see anywhere in the programming software to have a preamble sound during that pre-time. Do HT1550's and MT2000's do a preamble? I have owned both and don't remember seeing the option. The only radio I had that would do a preamble was a System Saber.

[craig]

I have my VX410 and VX420 both outfitted with the Cimarron boards and they are NICE! The DOS for MDC1200 works like a champ; not all "poppy" like the waris line. Very smooth access to alias list too, with lots of shortcuts to get around a long list. The downside is that you have to give up all four front panel accessory keys "A,B,C, and D". Cimarron is working to correct this, maybe a way to use the keys when not using alias list in the future. Otherwise, I am really happy. Still waiting for my VX900 to arrive, but I must admit, the VX420 gives the Motorola EX600 a run for it's money at under half the price!

[Nickdap]

Thanks Craig for your great review.


The VX420 looks like a great alternative to the EX600. The ONLY real flaw I can see is the loss of the four front programable buttons. Two side buttons doesn't leave you with much to work with. And without a 'menu' system there isn't much you can do.

It seems like it could require nothing more then a simple fix in the VX420's firmware. I hope they fix it soon because this radio looks fantastic. Having simple built in voice inversion and MDC1200 in the one cut price non Motorola package is perfect.

I've never used a Yaesu/Vertex but what is your take on the ARTS feature I've heard about.

Thanks again for the insight!

Nick

[olderookie]

it is listed as an option on the VX-800 on the vertex site but the only down side I can see is that vertex uses two radios to cover the entire band split where as mother M uses one and yes that is VHF. I would really like one if it had a wider band to it.

[Nickdap]

One last thing actually. This Built in Voice Inversion, will MDC1200 signalling work when the encryption feature is turned on and in use?

Oh yeah the band split could be wider. What is the go with the VHF split, is it easy to get down to 144 or at least 146?

Thanks

[craig]

I can only get my VX420 and 410 to go doen to 146mhz. I don't know about any hacks for it yet. One model covers 146 to 174, the different models listed dictate what antenna you will get with the radio. This has been the case with most Vertex radios manufactured after 1997. The front panel buttons do work on channels that you don't have the MDC1200 activated on. So if you need to do something global, do it on a channel with no MDC and it will take effect for the whole radio. This has worked for me until Cimarron fixes their firmware. I will let you know when I get the firmare update. I haven't used the ARTS feature yet, but plan to play around with it when I have some time. I do know that it works on PL tones, and specifically not the tones being used for the channel that you are on. So you never hear the radios checking in with each other on CTCSS or DCS channels. The band inversion in standard in all the 410s and 420s as well as 2-tone (QCII) encode/decode. I haven't tried MDC1200 with the band inversion, but I did with GE-star and it did not work. I shut the inversion off and it worked. So the Cimarron chip must grab the audio before it is descrambled, thus screwing up the FSK. NO big deal, I just won't use any signalling on the inversion channels. I assume that this is also the case for MDC1200, but I haven't tried it.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that you can assign up to four functions on the side buttons. The VX410/420 series allows you to assign a function to the short and long press of each button. Using the front panel on non-MDC channels and the short and long press on the side buttons, I have run out of features that I need to access. The features I have covered on non-MDC channels are Monitor, squelch off, bank select, follow-me scan, dual watch, scan program, LCD lamp, call 1, and keypad lock.

[Nickdap]

Thanks Craig.

I've requested some pricing locally. I wish the VX-4200 (mobile) had the inbuilt voice inverter so you didn't have to choose between MDC1200 or the other.

Anyway I don't think you can complain. They look and sound like great radios.

Nick