PM1500 Tone squelch issue

[Jim202]

Have a new PM1500 VHF trunk mount mobile.

Radio works fine in the scan mode. It will open the squelch
upon the correct PL tone. However if you take it out of scan
and leave it on a single channel, it won't open up the squelch
except for the first time on the channel. After that it make
take 2 to 4 minutes before the squelch will open with the
correct PL tone.

Have tried to swing the PL tone above and below the
correct tone. It will go about 2 to 3 Hz and drop like it should.

The RX sensitivity is good. Meets specs for opening the
squelch. Works just fine when in the scan mode. Seems
like it is resetting the tone decoder in the scan mode and
lets it work. But left on a single channel and add or remove
the PL tone, it just won't open up the squelch.

Have gone in and set the squelch settings from standard to
the other options in the personality window under unmute.
Doesn't seem to care.

Anyone have any ideas at this point. I am leaning to a
Motorola software issue on the PL decode.

Jim

[ard099]

Is your channel a wide band or narrrow band channel? If you program the channel for narrow band and it should be wide band, problems like that pop up.

[Jim202]

To my knowledge it is set up as wide, but I will go back and
check it again.

What really blows my mind is that if you set up a service
monitor to generate a signal into the radio, maybe 5 minutes
later, the squelch opens and you hear the signal.

Jim

Is your channel a wide band or narrrow band channel? If you program the channel for narrow band and it should be wide band, problems like that pop up.

[Jim202]

OK guys, here is the answer:


You will want to check out FSB10044, this is covered under
warranty. This is regarding the PL issue with the Astro25
Family radios. Below is a copy of the FSB from Motorola.

SUBJECT:
XTS/XTL/MT/PM 1500, 2500, 5000 and ASTRO Spectra
Plus – Intermittent PL Decode MODELS / SYSTEMS
AFFECTED:

All XTS2500/5000, XTS/MT/PR1500, XTL2500/5000,
XTL/PM 1500 family radio using ONLY Host R08.01.03
firmware utilizing the TPL feature are potentially
affected. Radios utilizing DPL are not affected.

SYMPTOM: There are a few possible scenarios where
the problem will be exhibited.

1) The radio properly decodes the first PL call. If the PL
then drops, the radio will mute as expected. However,
when the PL is reestablished the radio will not unmute
even though the call has the correct PL. Changing the
channel or mode switch will correct this issue and the
radio will correctly unmute to appropriate PL code.

2) The units will not open to traffic on the repeater
channel unless they are in Scan mode. (Again this is
similar to a channel change or mode switch which
causes the radio to properly unmute to PL again.)

3) Receive a good carrier with the correct PL signal.
The radio would unmute as expected. If the PL is then
switched to a different PL, the subscriber would mute
as expected. If the PL is then switched back to the
correct PL, the subscriber would not re-qualify the
signal and remained muted.

CAUSE: Firmware defect in the radio.

RESOLUTION: Upgrade radio firmware to R09.00.00
or later. The release R09.00.00 software upgrade kit
can be ordered at no charge by entering the requested
data in ALL fields of the following Software Refresher
Order form (last page of this document) and emailing
it to the System Support Center.

SEVERITY RECOMMENDATION:
High - Perform Immediately if TPL is used.

Guess I wasn't loosing my mind with this problem.

Jim

[wavetar]

Thanks for the update Jim. It certainly seemed like a firmware issue of some sort. The fact it only affects one specific firmware version explains why it isn't something commonly seen.

Todd

[pluto1914]

Yikes...

I had an XTS2500 upgraded to R09.00.05 recently...I am still having the same issue as Jim. Is there something in the CPS i should be looking for?

David