Batboard

Our dispatch system is run with a /\/\ Centracom Gold Elite system in conjunction with a 3rd-party CAD system.

We have two operator consoles – each one responsible for dispatch channels 1 and 2 respectively, along with a 3rd administrative channel. Our transmitters are here on the premises, so the system is wired together (no wireless links or control stations to contend with). Both consoles can talk on any 1 channel – any 2 or all 3 at the same time. For the most part the dispatchers use the foot pedals or the red button on the speaker/gooseneck mic thing – and largely ignore the Centracom client on their workstations.

One console (the Centracom client – not the hardware) decided at some random time it’ll just key up all 3 repeaters and stay there until the dispatcher rebooted her workstation. Our in-house radio tech replaced the console board to be sure that wasn’t the problem – and no change. Then a few days later the problem just “fixed” itself and hasn’t reappeared.

So the CAD vendor suggested we look at the CEB and reseat the COIM cards… fair enough, they’re all labeled – doesn’t take a genius to figure it what does what… but our radio tech’s last day is today (retiring) and the new guy isn’t up to snuff on this stuff yet. I’m more inclined to call the local /\/\ deaker, let them come in and see what’s going on as we don’t have any spare cards handy – don’t want to take the whole system down for a week ya know? This stuff is all about 5-6-7 years old.

We’ve pretty much narrowed it down to the Centracom stuff – don’t think our CAD system is causing it. Anything you guys can think of before we start making calls?

Thanks!

If the problem went away & can't readily be duplicated, I seriously doubt the local Motorola dealer will be able to find the source of the problem.

One thing to try next time, instead of rebooting the computer to clear the problem, try hitting the 'reset' button on the affected COIM card. If that clears the problem, it could point to a defective COIM as opposed to an Operating System/Centracom client issue.

If resetting the COIM doesn't work, and rebooting the computer does, I'd recommend reloading the computer, preferably from scratch...O/S and everything.

If it continues after that, try swapping to your spare console computer...if you have one. If not, it's not too big a deal to swap between a couple of console positions & changing the computer names, IP addresses & such to match. See if it follows the computer.

Motorola has special diagnostic software such as AppSite, which can track & identify problems as far as what's going on inside the computer. However, you'll need to open a CSR with their system support center & jump through the usual hoops before it'll get to that point.

Todd

Keep in mind if you rebuild a centracom computer - it has very specific set of hardware/software that it interacts with - if this isn't met then Motorola will take the "oh, well, you didn't do it to our spects where we have tested and guarenteed our software to work" answer.