XTS3000 and NAC code F7E

[W4KRR]

I have successfully programmed my XTS3000 for a few local P25 digital amateur band repeaters. So I decided to fill some of the extra channels with some P25 digital public safety conventional channels, receive only. I'm not always sure of the correct NAC codes, so I programmed the personality as receive only, with the receive NAC code set for F7E, because I read that this code will allow any P25 signal to pass no matter what NAC code it uses. The problem is, it doesn't work. When there is a transmission, I see the red blinking light on the radio, but I hear nothing unless I set the radio to "PL Disable", then I hear the transmission.

What am I overlooking? Is there an additional setting that must be enabled for this to work properly? BTW, It's also strange that it will allow you to set a transmit NAC, even if the personality is set for "Receive Only" on the general settings tab.

[515]

The XTS3000 / Astro Saber / Astro Spectra series just treats F7E as any other NAC. The XTS5000/2500/XTL series support F7E as a "hear all" NAC.

If you don't know the NAC of something, you'll have to use "Digital CSQ" on the XTS3000 / Astro Saber / Astro Spectra. Or use that NAC decoding PC utility from radioreference.com.

[W4KRR]

Okay, so the NAC code F7E is indeed a "hear all" code, but the XTS3000 doesn't support it that way. I guess I will have to determine the codes using my PSR-500 scanner.

Thanks.

[Hartley]

Hi,

If you check "Digital CSQ", it will force the NAC to 293 (which is the predecessor to F7E) and allow decode of any NAC. The firmware in the XTS 3K supports the older Digital CSQ, not the revised F7E version (Moto was a big slow to pick up on that one - I don't think they fixed it until the USFS reported that it failed their testing...)


73 DE Hartley

[W4KRR]

Hartley, so if I change the squelch setting to "Digital CSQ" it will then receive any P25 transmission regardless of what NAC code is present? At that point is won't matter what appears in the "Network ID, TX and RX" boxes?

Thanks!

[Hartley]

Hi,

Yes - and you will find that it will force the NAC to 293 and not allow you to change it. In the later radios, it forces the NAC to F7E, but the XTS 3K (and everything earlier) works with 293.

73 DE Hartley

[dxon2m]

Did you check to see if your CPS supports F7E programming? I think it's a fairly recent addition.

[W4KRR]

Well, I'm not sure exactly what you mean, but yes, you can certainly program F7E as an NAC code.

Two things I noticed: Even if you make the personality a receive-only personality, you can still program a TX NAC code. I don't know why. The second thing: If you attempt to program F7E as the TX NAC code, you get a warning indication. Programming F7E as the RX NAC code is accepted without any warnings.

[dxon2m]

Well, I'm not sure exactly what you mean, but yes, you can certainly program F7E as an NAC code.

Two things I noticed: Even if you make the personality a receive-only personality, you can still program a TX NAC code. I don't know why. The second thing: If you attempt to program F7E as the TX NAC code, you get a warning indication. Programming F7E as the RX NAC code is accepted without any warnings.

Correct, well F7E is a monitor only NAC code, as described in the following from CPS R05.01.00:

- 'NAC Monitor'. This new feature implement the APCO standard for digital
carrier squelch based on a NAC value 0f $F7E. Whenever a subscriber has
been programmed with $F7E as a receive NAC value, the subscriber will
unmute to ALL Astro calls regardless of NAC setting or Astro squelch rules.

[W4KRR]

Yes, and that is exactly why I started this thread, because I discovered that using F7E as a receive only NAC code doesn't work. Someone else (above) says that the XTS3000 treats F7E just like any other NAC code. When I used F7E for the receive NAC code, the only way I was able to hear conversations was to disable the PL. The suggested workaround is to select "Digital CSQ" on the "Astro" tab of the Conventional Personality setup list. I have not yet actually tried this yet to see what happens.

[MotoFAN]

... I'm not always sure of the correct NAC codes, so I programmed the personality as receive only, with the receive NAC code set for F7E, because I read that this code will allow any P25 signal to pass no matter what NAC code it uses. The problem is, it doesn't work. When there is a transmission, I see the red blinking light on the radio ...

I have the same problem with my Astro Saber and CPS R05.02.00.

The XTS3000 / Astro Saber / Astro Spectra series just treats F7E as any other NAC. The XTS5000/2500/XTL series support F7E as a "hear all" NAC.

But if to trust Help file from CPS R05.02.00, it not so!

Code: Select all

[b]NAC Monitor = F7E (Hex)[/b]

When this Rx NAC ID (Network Access Code) is set to "F7E", the radio unmutes to any ASTRO call regardless of the call’s NAC ID or the radio’s ASTRO Rx Unmute Rule set for the current channel.

The factory default is 293 (Hex)

If you don't know the NAC of something, you'll have to use "Digital CSQ" on the XTS3000 / Astro Saber / Astro Spectra.

But if to trust Help file, "ASTRO Rx Unmute Rule" ceases to influence something if you have set Rx NAC ID = F7E!

If you check "Digital CSQ", it will force the NAC to 293
...
Yes - and you will find that it will force the NAC to 293 and not allow you to change it. In the later radios, it forces the NAC to F7E, but the XTS 3K (and everything earlier) works with 293.

No! I tried recently in CPS R05.02.00. Changing "Rx Unmute Rule" to "Digital CSQ" value doesn't changes anything includes Rx Network ID. I sure for 100%.

The firmware in the XTS 3K supports the older Digital CSQ, not the revised F7E version (Moto was a big slow to pick up on that one - I don't think they fixed it until the USFS reported that it failed their testing...)

You wish to tell, what it is mistake Motorola? That is they have simply created Help file with erroneous instructions? But then why they have not updated it in further versions of CPS, for example in R05.02.00 which were after R05.01.00?

... the only way I was able to hear conversations was to disable the PL

Where exactly? In the radio menu? In the CPS?