MDC-1200 Question: Status, Message?

Mike 701 · Post by **Mike 701** » Sat Nov 10, 2001 12:08 pm

So what do these features do? I would think that the titles were self-explanatory but it isn't working to well. On my HT1250, I go into the menu & go to message and I hit PTT and nothing comes up: (TXing to a CDM1550 w/MDC Receive on) What do I have to do, or what am I doing wrong? Also, what exactly is status? When I go into the menu on either radio, when I hit PTT, it doesn't allow me to TX.

Post by **wavetar** » Mon Nov 12, 2001 12:13 pm

The MDC "status" & "message" can only be decoded by an actual dispatch console, such as a Centracom, and not another field radio. This quote comes straight from the HT1250 help files: **"Radio-users are then able to select and transmit these Messages from a dispatcher unit to a portable or mobile unit, or from a portable or mobile unit to a dispatcher unit. However, an MDC Message may not be sent from a portable or mobile unit to a portable or mobile unit."** The status help basically says the same thing, but it's only from field unit to dispatcher, not the other way.

Todd

Mike 701 · Post by **Mike 701** » Mon Nov 12, 2001 7:11 pm

Thanks for the response. I did see that quote on the fact that it can only go Field Unit to dispatcher, but didn't understand why. Any clues to why that is such? I don't understand why I can't go HT1250 to CDM1550 & vice versa.

Post by **wavetar** » Tue Nov 13, 2001 4:20 am

Good question, I have no idea. I originally tried to do the same thing you did. I guess it's just meant to be a private thing between field unit & dispatcher, and if a department used it a lot, your radio would have messages popping up on it all the time, and most of the messages would have nothing to do with you. Not to say you couldn't configure the messages to be useful to everyone, but that's just the way it is with Motorola most of the time, their way or the highway.

Todd

Post by Pj » Tue Nov 13, 2001 1:04 pm

The system was designed with the intent of relieving the radio system of voice traffic on congested systems of routine non-emergency messages.

This is where the message/status cames in. It was geared towards public safety, however it was the most popular in commerical services such as taxi's and service vehicles.

Why say "Unit 11 has arrived at the location", when you can press a button that is marked arrv and the screen would show it without hearing a word.

What seemed to kill it was that the CentraCom 2 display could not be aliased. If you send a message or status, the display will show M1 0011. The Mxxx would be the message (or S for status) and the lsat four would be the unit number.

No dispatcher would want to try to figure out was radio or unit is assigned xxxx and then know who it is before the next MDC would come in.

Also cops and ff's want to know who is where, and whats going on. Great idea, but would not catch on in the real world. Now there are depts that use on a daily basis, but most are smaller depts.

I believe with the newer Gold series systems, that you can alias them, but I do not know yet, and it may gain in popularity.