Console set-up Question

TheOCAstro · Post by **TheOCAstro** » Tue May 16, 2006 1:00 am

Hey Guys, can anyone help with this dilemma, we currently have several GM300 radios as base stations, we are on 450-470 conv. and use mdc id, and paging, we recently decided to upgrade to a console and have perty much decided on the Zetron 4010 console.

The problem is the dealer has informed me that the 4010 will not send out mdc paging to our mobiles (gm-300' & cdm 1250's) or portables (xts-3000 (3) & ht-1000's) {I beleive he refered to that as encoding} and had informed us that we can use dtmf to send out pages to the mobiles & portables.

So my question is do we have to set up our mobiles & portables to transmit MDC and receive DTMF (is that even possible) and if so does that mean our mobiles & portables will no longer be able to receive MDC id & pages from other mobiles or portables. or can we still have the mobiles & portables receive mdc id's & pages and they will also receive dtmf pages as well from the console?

oh yeah I'm a newbie to this radio stuff & trying to learn as I go so if you dont mind can you explain in the basic mode.

RFguy · Post by **RFguy** » Tue May 16, 2006 5:06 am

GM300 is not compatable with remote generated/received MDC.
We ran into this one before. Transmiting MDC is OK, but the firmware in the GM300 will mute the MDC data (so the console will not see it) as soon as it the radio "sees" MDC back from the field radios.
This happens even if no MDC is programmed into the radio.
We have had no such issues with the CDM1250's as base radios.

jwb8734 · Post by **jwb8734** » Tue May 16, 2006 5:06 am

If I am correct the CDMx50s will not decode DTMF without that option installed. The HT1000 I do not think do it at all. The GM300s I think need the option installed also. For the XTS I think you would need to have the flash code changed. Check around with other companies and see about other console companies besides Zetron

MassFD · Post by **MassFD** » Tue May 16, 2006 6:32 am

RF Guy Wrote

GM300 is not compatable with remote generated/received MDC.
We ran into this one before. Transmiting MDC is OK, but the firmware in the GM300 will mute the MDC data (so the console will not see it) as soon as it the radio "sees" MDC back from the field radios.

I have 3 GM-300's installed as repeaters and they do pass MDC both ways. The tone remote adapter is connected to the 16 pin connector on both the transmit and receive radios.

I do think the GM-300's have to be programed as base statons or as repeater tx or rx for it to work. If programed as mobiles the default may enable Data Operated Squelch, that would prevent receive MDC from being passed to the console.

As far as the Zetron 4010, No it can not do MDC on transmit, it can decode received MDC. Do you realy need the base to transmit MDC, I do not know of any base stations that transmit an MDC PTT id. If you are trying to do MDC Call Alert then no the 4010 is not for you. The 4020 can do full MDC but that's big bucks.

If you can live without the Transmit MDC and Call Alert the 4010 is a good solid console

TheOCAstro · Post by **TheOCAstro** » Tue May 16, 2006 11:27 am

excellant information, thanks. Youre correct about the mdc ID were not realy interested in sending out id from the console however we do like the call-alert feature it helps out with turned down radios or noisy enviroments.

would you know if the 4010 offers any type of individual radio paging (something similar to the call-alert)

MassFD · Post by **MassFD** » Tue May 16, 2006 6:08 pm

I think the 4010 is going to limit you to either 2 tone or DTMF as far as selective calling. In that case all the radios would need to have indidvidual and distinct receive ID's. If you are talking about more than 20 or so radios, DTMF would be the better choice.

Either way 2 tone or DTMF is going to be slower than MDC Call Alert and will be heard on the mobiles as their is no data mute (DOS).

Sounds like you need more than the 4010 to do what you want. I am currently replacing our 4010's with a 4020 system. It can do all the MDC features like radio disable, radio check, call alert and radio monitor. It can also do PTT Id but I still do not know why anyone would want that from a base station. It also has receive alising so the id's display in text rather than just a radio number (requires the touch screen console)I am still learning the in's and out's of the 4020 but their is lots it can do.

It's big bucks compaired to the 4010 but we are using it on a 10 channel system so it's a home run for us.

Zaputil · Post by **Zaputil** » Wed May 17, 2006 9:03 pm

Have you looked a the Command Star Lite? It has all the MDC features you are looking for. As far as the GM300 passing MDC, they will if configured to do so. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the jumper to change is JU551 on the logic board to disable filtering.

Good Luck!

SZ

TheOCAstro · Post by **TheOCAstro** » Wed May 17, 2006 11:54 pm

Yes, in fact I was all rah rah about the Command Star Lite, looked like it had everything I needed according to thier website, and I definately think its a sharper looking console (like that realy matters) plus I'm partial to Motorola anyways however I keep getting feedback that its being discontinued and was having problems, so I looked elsewhere.

Can someone with first hand knowlege give me some insight as to wether I should revisit the Command Star Lite possibility????

Zaputil · Post by **Zaputil** » Fri May 19, 2006 7:22 pm

I installed over a dozen in the last 2 years- been happy with the performance so far. I think they had some problems initially, but what doesn't? They discontinued the 4 channel model, so now they only offer the 8 ch. For a desktop console, it has the best MDC1200 features out there, imho.

Good Luck!
SZ

TheOCAstro · Post by **TheOCAstro** » Sat May 20, 2006 11:00 am

OK, Thanks, good to know, I guesse I will star getting quotes on a Command Star Lite system, anyone out there have a good source on a complete system??

d119 · Post by **d119** » Fri May 26, 2006 11:03 pm

Try talking to Day Wireless...