HT1250 HELP NEW TO PROGRAMING

[cole_gerhardt]

Hello all this is my first post. I just got an ht1250 and the software. I have played with it some and I'm having some problems. First of all, what is a zone? Second, how do I make more then one scan list? I know that's probab;y one of the easiest things to do but can you help please. Also I'm not good with all the radio terms thanks.

[Tom in D.C.]

Here are some thoughts that might be helpful:

1. Don't try programming the radio until you are pretty sure of what you're
doing. You risk making the radio into a "brick" if you mess it up which will
require a fix by Motorola costing you several hundred bucks.

2. Look at this site and learn about the 750/1250/1500 series radios:

http://batlabs.com/htpro.html

3. Do some web searches about the radio, starting with this site. There should
be a ton of information you can learn from.

4. There is probably a programming manual available from Motorola for your radio
and it would be tremendous help to you.

5. Last, as to your specific question, a zone is a group of channels, usually a
maximum of 16 in the newer radios.

Good luck.

[cole_gerhardt]

does anyone know any other good sites that i could learn about the ht1250

[escomm]

try reading the help file in the CPS it should answer most of your questions

[RKG]

Without meaning to contradict the previous advice, which, in fact, I second, eventually one learns that there is a "right way" to approach the programming of a new radio (i.e., from scratch, versus tinkering).

1. Start with paper. I use a spread sheet. Note Rx Freq, Rx Tone, Tx Freq, Tx Tone, whether NB, associated scan list, associated MDC system, and alpha tag.

2. Finish with paper: by which I mean, while still on paper do all of your tinkering and re-arranging.

3. The paper will also organize your zones, where a "zone" is a set of up to 16 channels that correspond to the 16 positions on the channel selector. You can have only one zone active at a time (though a scan list may contain members from any zone).

4. Now, go to the conventional personalities page and create X personalities, where X equals number of zones times 16. Note that this will create some personalities that you aren't going to use, whenever a zone has fewer than 16 members. This is OK; in fact, it is a good thing.

5. Now, create your personalities one at a time. As a newbie, use the format where each channel consists of a multi-tabbed screen, and do one channel at a time. (Later, you'll be able to use the table format and zip down the columns.)

6. When creating your personalities, leave the "scan list" parameter blank (i.e., none).

7. Now go to the zones screen and create your zones. A zone is populated by pointing each slot in the zone to one of your conventional personalities. If you do it my way, Zone 1 will be Personalties 1-16 (in order), Zone 2, 17-32, etc.

8. Now go back and create your scan lists. Note that, for public safety, scan lists should be short. Make liberal use of the fact that a selected channel can be a temporary member of the scan list, if the scan list is invoked from that channel. If you use priority scan, the selected channel should always be the first priority, and defeat "talkback scan." Note on scan lists: each personality is associated with either a scan list or "none." If the former, then this is the scan list that is scanned whenever scan is invoked from the selected channel. If none, scan is impossible when the channel in question is selected.

9. Finally, go back and fine tune buttons and menus.

Except for one missing feature ("Fill Value Down" and "Fill Value Up", which is in the Astro 25 CPS), the Waris CPS is one of the easier packages to use. But understand that these are very capable radios, and, therefore, programming them is a lot of work. Patience is helpful.

[HLA]

i wouldn't worry about bricking the radio if you're not updating firmware or using hacked software. if the radio or cps don't like something you entered it will tell you and won't let you write to the radio. when that happens click on the link in the taskbar to tell you what the errors are that you made and it will point you in the right direction. when you want to add a zone bring up the zone section and click on the + sign on the bottom task bar and it will add antother zone for you.

[cole_gerhardt]

thanks for the help i have the radio programed but im having scan problems i would like to make is so that 1 scan list scans the first 4 personaliteys then one of the other scan list scans all the chanals note i only have 15 channals . I know there is a way to do this im just not sure how . also if anyone would be willing to take a look at my codeplug email me at [email protected] thanks agein

[RKG]

Each "personality" can be tagged to one scan list.

This is the list that will be scanned if the personality is selected and scan is invoked.

If I read you correctly, create two scan lists: the 4-channel list (Scan List 1) and the other one (Scan List 2). Tag the channels you want to use Scan List 1 to Scan List 1, and vice versa.

Note: for my money, the "Selected Channel" should always be a member of the scan list. Usually, the "Selected Channel" is also Priority 1, and the designated Tx channel is also "Selected Channel."

[cole_gerhardt]

can i put more than 1 pesonality in more than 1 scanlist

[Tom in D.C.]

Yes, you can put a personality (channel) into as many scan lists as you want/need.

For example, you want to listen to your main dispatch channel no matter what zone
you're currently scanning, just put the main channel in each scan list.

[RKG]

can i put more than 1 pesonality in more than 1 scanlist

Each scan list can hold up to 15 channels (identified by zone and slot numbers) plus the selected channel.

Any given channel can appear in any number of scan lists.

Note that, it is because scan list members are designed by zone/slot that you have to first create the personalities and then create and populate the zones.

[cole_gerhardt]

can you give me the step by step how to do it from a blank codeplug?

[cole_gerhardt]

can you tell me how to asign a scan list to a zone i have the lists made i just dont know how to put them to a zone

[Tom in D.C.]

You don't assign the scan lists to a zone.
You assign a channel (personality) to a scan list.
Take a close look at the scan list and fill in the information requested.
The "relationship" between a scan list and a zone is the number only.
When you're on zone 1 and call for the radio to scan it will scan
scanlist 1, but none of the channels being scanned must be on
zone 1. Sort of hard to understand but that's how the new programmable
radios all work.

So, to recap:
1. You write up personalities.
2. You assign the personalities to zones.
3. You write up a scan list by assigning personalities to a scan list.
4. When you're on zone 1 and you scan you'll be scanning scanlist 1.

Much of the time people DO set up zone 1 to be the same, or almost the same,
as scanlist 1, but it doesn't HAVE to be that way.

[wirthnm]

You don't assign the scan lists to a zone.
You assign a channel (personality) to a scan list.
Take a close look at the scan list and fill in the information requested.
The "relationship" between a scan list and a zone is the number only.
When you're on zone 1 and call for the radio to scan it will scan
scanlist 1, but none of the channels being scanned must be on
zone 1. Sort of hard to understand but that's how the new programmable
radios all work.

So, to recap:
1. You write up personalities.
2. You assign the personalities to zones.
3. You write up a scan list by assigning personalities to a scan list.
4. When you're on zone 1 and you scan you'll be scanning scanlist 1.

Much of the time people DO set up zone 1 to be the same, or almost the same,
as scanlist 1, but it doesn't HAVE to be that way.

So what your saying is Zone 1= scan 1 and Zone 2 = scan 2 and so on

[Tom in D.C.]

That's exactly right.