MDC Question

Flatbush97 · Post by **Flatbush97** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:02 am

All,
Anyone know of a radio that will monitor two MDC Groups at a time? The issue is we use MDC Groups to Call Alert radios for a particular area. There are some who are on the border of two areas and would respond to either area if they were alerted. Currently these people are forced to leave their radios in monitor mode losing the advantage of call signalling. The individual ID should be the same regardless which group is alerted, it is the group ID that there should be two of. Putting the groups in two channels and scanning is not an option as the radio would stop on the first frequency to unsquelch and decode the ID which is a 50/50 shot of being the right one.

I have looked at the PR1500 which seems to have a secondary MDC ID in it. The problem is that the functionality is not clear. There are many more charachters in the ID then would be in either an idividual or group id. Does anyone know the purpose? Is there another radio out there that would work?

Thanks
Aaron

HLA · Post by **HLA** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:54 pm

which radio are you trying to do this on? 1250's and 1550's can do that, just add a 2nd mdc and set the channel to mdc2 and the aliases to mdc2. you just can't have more than 4 mdc groups and 190 aliases. i think that's what you were asking for?

Flatbush97 · Post by **Flatbush97** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 1:18 pm

I am willing to use any radio. I have a 1550 as well as a EX600XLS. Im not sure if I understand your response. I currently have 2 areas set in my radio which is good if I am in a particular area. If I am on the border and want to be alerted to BOTH at the same time I am not sure how to do it. In other words, can one MDC alias decode 2 groups at a time? As I mentioned, the PR1500 has something called a secondary MDC... I just dont know what it does or how to use it

Thanks

jmr3865 · Post by **jmr3865** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:17 pm

2 different frequiencies or 2 different id's?

Flatbush97 · Post by **Flatbush97** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:17 pm

In a nutshell, it is a volunteer EMS agency that uses one frequency townwide. MDC is used so that one need not hear radio traffic unless a call ison your side of town in which case your group is alerted. My problem? I live on the border between two divisions and would like to be alerted if either of two groups are toned. I have yet to find a radio that monitors two groups. My individual ID is the same regardless of wfich division I answer on.

jmr3865 · Post by **jmr3865** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:19 pm

if it's the same freq and your id is trans to alert you for both groups, i don't see the problem.

Flatbush97 · Post by **Flatbush97** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:36 pm

Thats not correct. They do not alert me specifically unless they need me. They tone out a neighborhood and if I were available I would radio in. The alert is not on an individual basis, it is on a group basis which is why i would need to monitor two groups at a given time.

jmr3865 · Post by **jmr3865** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:39 pm

oh ok, I understand now. Ummm. Good question

Post by **HumHead** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:23 pm

We do something a little similar, although it actually requires a change in the way that the groups are numbered and encoded by dispatch, so it may not be a viable option in your case.

Here is how we handle it:
Group "A" ID- 53
Group "B" ID- 35
Supervisor (overlap) Group- 33

Paging any individual group ID gets you that group alone -BUT-, by using the "F" wildcard, paging group F3 alerts Group A and Supervisors while paging group 3F alerts Group B and supervisors. A fleet call alerts everyone.

It works like a champ for us but, as stated above, you have to set it up at the system level. Unfortunately, I do not know of any radio that will let you insert wildcard characters in the radio's group ID, although someone else may be aware of one that I'm forgetting.

Flatbush97 · Post by **Flatbush97** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 5:44 am

I actually recommended them issuing the Individual IDs differantly so that you could wildcard them as well. Unfortunately my $.02 was worth exactly that.