MTX9000 Call Alert

bellersley · Post by **bellersley** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 5:18 pm

I have a media customer that has an interesting idea. There is a 900MHz SmartNET system in the area that has a number of commercial users, one of which is a competing media outlet.

The competing company uses private calls to call their news desk so they don't have to listen to all the traffic. He's already got an MTX9000 set for rx only (PTT set to Light and both A and B positions of the concentric switch set for TX Inhibit.

He wants to be able to receive the call alerts on his radio as well. If we were to program his radio with an unused (or even fake/made up) talkgroup and made the radioid the same as the base radio, would that work? My impression is that a call alert does not require the user radio to acknowledge the alert in order to receive it and beep. Is that correct? Thank you for the advice in advance!

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 5:57 pm

Hmm, so he's got:

A radio illegally programmed on a Motorola trunked radio system, violating copyright and IP laws/rules.
A radio configured to monitor a competing news organization, which is illegal (at least in the US, not sure about Canuckia).
A radio programmed with PTT at Light, which means it was almost certainly programmed with Lab RSS, another IP violation.

BUY A SCANNER. Hell, you can accomplish what you want to do and you can do it in a legal fashion.

Plus, you're posting about it in a public forum. Don't be surprised if he gets sent on a few wild goose chases once the other media outlet gets wise.

bellersley · Post by **bellersley** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:58 pm

Well, thanks for the one-sided blasting. I came looking for info if it COULD be done, not SHOULD be done. I've already received my answer from someone who isn't full of themselves playing arm-chair lawyer, so many thanks to him.

If anyone else has any constructive input, please post, but everytime someone opens their mouth about trunking someone comes along quoting why its wrong and illegal and such.

compuman81 · Post by **compuman81** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 11:29 am

considering the author of this thread has 205 posts, he's probably heard the buy a scanner thing over a hundred times. At LEAST. Somehow it seems this board gives out ethical advice much more often than technical information somehow. I'm sure he knows what's right and what's wrong, he's just trying to learn the ins and outs of the radio.

bellersley · Post by **bellersley** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 2:07 pm

Exactly. I KNOW the legalities, more than you probably think I do. I've heard the "buy a scanner" routine enough its giving me a headache. I'm simply asking if its possible. Let's just assume for a second everything is legit and there's no IP or any BS like that. If I wanted a lecture, I'd go back to University.

whatnext · Post by **whatnext** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 2:12 pm

Well if it's NOT digital, It is perfectly LEGAL to monitor it by whatever means you wish.. If the radio does not affiliate, it can LEGALLY listen.. No RF, No FCC...

Yes, Your idea should work..

Good Luck.. Prove 'em wrong again !!!

bellersley · Post by **bellersley** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 2:54 pm

Well, it works. It does not transmit when the call alert is sent out. It also will never transmit if an affiliate request is sent from the controller. It also won't respond to radio inhibit requests. Basically, it will never transmit. In speaking with someone at Motorola, the "TX Inhibit" option stops ALL transmissions, regardless if they are initiated by the user or the system. It's a safety feature incase the user is in a hazardous location, they can ensure their radio will not transmit anything.

So, thanks to those who helped, and to those who choose to troll and start the "buy a scanner", quit playing lawyer, I don't care even if you are a system admin, if the radio cannot transmit, it ain't illegal. And until someone can provide case law suggesting otherwise, heresay will remain just that.

mr.syntrx · Post by **mr.syntrx** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 9:24 pm

You could also disconnect the PA in the radio, just to make sure.