PR1500 Questions

precoislen · Post by **precoislen** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 7:45 am

Got a couple questions on the PR1500?

1. Scan List options- What is the maximum # of channels I can have in the scan list. I am figuring 16 if this radio is like other "M" radios.
While on this topic, I am going to have all 32 channels programmed in this radio, and was wondering if my scan list can do both "Zones" in scan mode at the same time. Say 8 from Zone 1 and 8 from Zone 2.

or will I be just limited to being able to scan what is in the current Zone or bank that I am operating in at that time?

2. Has the QCII option been fixed in these radios yet to where it will accept and recieve QCII tones?

3. Also I remember for previous postings that this radio did not have the LED visual indicator showing it was in scan mode like the lower tier Waris radios. Has this been rectified in the new PR1500's yet?

4. Also, can I use the Orange Emergency button to put this radio in Scan On/Off mode, and for Nuisance Delete?

5. Will this radio accept the HT1K antenna's and lapel mics? I understand some of the parts are backwards compatible with these radios. I have an hi gain antenna I would like to use from an HT1K if possible.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

HLA · Post by **HLA** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 8:20 am

yes you can put any channel in the scan list you want and you can use the ht1000 lapel mic. i'm not shure about the other questions.

Post by **wavetar** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 8:24 am

1) Yep, 15 channels in the scanlist, like most M radios. You can scan channels from different zones in the same list, no problem.

2) Not sure

3) Not sure

4) Yes, the orange button can be programmed for scan, or nuisance delete.

5) Yes, the antenna & speaker/mic are interchangeable. Batteries are not.

I'm sure someone else will chime in on the other 2 points.

Todd

Tony Soprano · Post by **Tony Soprano** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 8:36 am

The answers to both 2 and 3 are both negative.

Since it is a member of the Astro 25 platform of radios, I really doubt that it would become available. No Astro radios to my knowledge have ever been capable of QC II, even though the PR1500 isn't an Astro radio per se.

The scan indicator should be a no-brainer, but I have heard of no fixes to that yet. Maybe if enough people complain?

Two flaws, although important, to a superb handheld radio.

Tony

precoislen · Post by **precoislen** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 8:46 am

4) Yes, the orange button can be programmed for scan, or nuisance delete.

So I can have the functionality of both Scan and Nuisance delete on the Orange button at the same time? The Short Press/Long Press functions like the programmable Side Buttons.

What I'd really like to be able to do is use the concentric switch to do the following;

A. Zone 1
B. Zone 2
C. Scan

and use the Orange button for Nuisance Delete, but I don't think it is possible.

Only 15 channels in the scan list? That sucks...

5) Yes, the antenna & speaker/mic are interchangeable. Batteries are not.

So I can take an VHF hi-gain antenna from the HT1K and put on this radio?
That will work for me

Tony, wavetar, and HLA... appreciate your answers so far.......

precoislen · Post by **precoislen** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 7:06 am

Got a couple more questions on this radio with some programming features;

1. Can this radio be programmed to have the Talk Permit Tone operational similair to like the Trunking radios? Being that this is VHF and and this unit will not be talking to a controller and most of our operations are in simplex, I am not sure. I personally like that option, especially because I will have an PTT ID broadcast sent when pushing the PTT.

Can this be programmed on Analog VHF radios without any problems, and does it need anything additional programmed to make it work.

2. Also can the Busy Tone be programmed when the PTT is hit if the radio is receiving traffic on that channel. I like that option to.

Again, I know most trunking radios offer that functionality, but want to make sure this can be programmed into the radio before I ask for it to be done.

Tony Soprano · Post by **Tony Soprano** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 7:24 am

1) Sort of. Since you will be broadcasting PTT ID, you can opt for a sidetone during the MDC data packet transmission. It's a beep for the duration of the transmission.

It can be programmed to talk to any analog VHF radio.

2) Yes. PTT inhibit can be enabled on a per-channel basis, and for desired conditions.

precoislen · Post by **precoislen** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 2:49 pm

Okay guys, here a few more questions, now that I have my new PR1500 in hand.

1. I have an scan list programmed into the radio, and seems that if I have the radio on a channel that is not on the scan list and scan is on, that it will only recieve traffic on the channel that it is on, and not from the scan list. Is this normal?

2. The technician that programmed this radio said that the Long Press, Short Press was unprogrammable on these series of radios on the side buttons. Is that true?

3. With that being said, I am due for some programming changes because I can never tell when this thing is in scan. Can I program the concentric switch to have the A button as Zone 1, the B button as Zone 2, and the C button as Scan On?

HLA · Post by **HLA** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:10 pm

the selected channel may not be in the scan list but it will still recieve on that channel. you need to make shure the scan is enabled on that channel. and i don't think that radio has a long press but it does offer a sticky for monitor or nuiscence delete. it sounds like you need to fill out the paperwork and get your own software for it and be able to alter it any time you want.

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 6:19 pm

Just as most Moto radios, you can't put Zone select and other features on an ABC or concentric switch. So you wont be able to do that. Your only option is to use a channel position for scan, like the old GP350's did, and do Operator Select priority, instead of Selected Channel. Only downside is you have to enter the scan programming mode to change your priority channel. In general, scanning without a display or flashing light is annoying, unless your ear is trained for the traffic.

Ive wondered myself WHY in the world we cant see a scan on/off light or distintive beep in the high tier radios. If a CP200 or HT750 has this feature, you'd think..

Correct, there is no short/long press on these radios either, as there is on the Waris line.

One thing you can do if you hold down the scan button (side button) on an astro25 portable, it will let you do scan list programming, you just have to cycle power, or key the radio after your done.

Rayjk110 · Post by **Rayjk110** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:13 pm

For most recent Motorola Radios to have the rapid "beep-beep-beep",(like a trunk-permit tone or to have the radio sound like some of them do on the show "Cops") just enable the radio to Pre-Encode DTMF [3 digits...the number of DTMF digits = the number of beeps] at a rate of 42.10ms I think it is, and select "900hz Tone" (this is what I do on my VHF HT1000's so i dont cut off the first word or two on repeater or simplex)

Hope that helps

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 6:59 am

Good thought, but that really doesn't have anything to do with the issue at hand here. His issue is not being able to tell if the radio is in scan or not.

precoislen · Post by **precoislen** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:05 pm

Rayjk110 wrote:For most recent Motorola Radios to have the rapid "beep-beep-beep",(like a trunk-permit tone or to have the radio sound like some of them do on the show "Cops") just enable the radio to Pre-Encode DTMF [3 digits...the number of DTMF digits = the number of beeps] at a rate of 42.10ms I think it is, and select "900hz Tone" (this is what I do on my VHF HT1000's so i dont cut off the first word or two on repeater or simplex)

Hope that helps

This does help with one of my previous questions. Can this be done with radios that don't have an DTMF pad on them? Like I said previously I like the trunking type permit talk tone.

The radio currently has an long sidetone that comes on when the MDC is transmitting, but I'd prefer the talk permit tone on PTT press.

Rayjk110 · Post by **Rayjk110** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:21 pm

Correct, it can send on a radio without a DTMF pad (the HT1000's I do this to have no keypad) It sends only the DTMF digits that you program it to in the CPS Software.

precoislen · Post by **precoislen** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:21 am

Rayjk110 wrote:Correct, it can send on a radio without a DTMF pad (the HT1000's I do this to have no keypad) It sends only the DTMF digits that you program it to in the CPS Software.

Cool deal, I'll talk to the guy who programmed the radio for me to see if he knows how to do this.

The majority of the radios that these guys sell are the Waris series line, etc... They don't do many of the XTS series or the PR1500's, so I am not sure how keen they are on the programming aspects. There are some obvious flaws in the programming that I recieved that will need to be straightened out.

That's why I hate having somebody program something and I am not there to oversee and add input or get questions answered as we go along.

precoislen · Post by **precoislen** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 6:31 pm

I talked to the guy who did the original programming on this and he said it couldn't be done.....

The more I think about it, even though this is a nice radio....I should have gotten an HT1550 instead......

I should sell this and do that......

decisions,decisions, decisions......

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 8:45 pm

I'm also fairly sure there isnt DTMF signalling in the PR.

You can get MDC, or singletone (wonder who uses that these days). Thats about it.

Dont get me wrong if you truly *need* that feature, by all means trade for the 1550. But if its a gadget geek thing, keep the PR. It is in fact upgradable to P25, as was mentioned by someone obviously in the know earlier, and is a much better radio, as wavetar and others have mentioned.

On the other hand the 1550 offers FPP, and a slew of features that would appeal as well. Going to be a hard call.

If it were my choice, PR would be the one I would go with.

precoislen · Post by **precoislen** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 6:41 am

Jason.... points well taken. The PR1500 is an superb radio, and I like the feel of it, and trust it be a durable radio in the future. I do not have the same faith in the Waris line of radios. The 1550 would offer me more in ways of flexibility, but I don't really need all the extra bells and whistles that come with it.......

Another question. Why can't this radio have the Talk Permit Tone programmed in it for conventional operations? I have the side tone for when it sends the MDC packet, but I was told that it could not do the Talk Permit Tone.

I am not satisfied by the answer that the technician gave me as he didn't seem to really know....

Tony Soprano · Post by **Tony Soprano** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 6:47 am

precoislen wrote:Another question. Why can't this radio have the Talk Permit Tone programmed in it for conventional operations? I have the side tone for when it sends the MDC packet, but I was told that it could not do the Talk Permit Tone.

I am not satisfied by the answer that the technician gave me as he didn't seem to really know....

There is no real need for a talk permit tone for conventional ops. It's just not there. No conventional radio that I know of has that.

precoislen · Post by **precoislen** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:09 am

Tony Soprano wrote:
precoislen wrote:Another question. Why can't this radio have the Talk Permit Tone programmed in it for conventional operations? I have the side tone for when it sends the MDC packet, but I was told that it could not do the Talk Permit Tone.

I am not satisfied by the answer that the technician gave me as he didn't seem to really know....
There is no real need for a talk permit tone for conventional ops. It's just not there. No conventional radio that I know of has that.

So this radio is only provisioned to have that tone, if it's personality was set up for trunking, but not for conventional usage, correct?

Tony Soprano · Post by **Tony Soprano** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:24 am

Well since this radio isn't capable of trunking, it's a non-issue.

Take for example an XTS trunking portable. It can also do conventional ops. The talk permit tone can be placed in a trunking personality, but the option isn't there for a conventional personality.

Bottom line is there is no true talk permit tone in conventional modes.

precoislen · Post by **precoislen** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 8:04 am

Sounds like a plausible enough reason to me. Thanks !!!! I guess it confused me some that when I read the users guide, it shows that tone or group of tones being allowed for that radio, upon press of the PTT. I was given the answer that it just wasn't allowed in the programming and that is it.

Something else I noticed last night with this radio. I was testing out the TOT on it. I have it programmed at 60 seconds. After testing this out a couple of times, the battery felt hot to the touch in my hand. I removed the battery and felt the metal behind it and it was hot or warm to the touch.

I let it cool down and repeated the procedure and it did the same thing.

I've never noticed that with other radios before, but I've never had TOT programmed into them or had the need to continouly transmit that long before either. Anyway.....just an observation.....

sbfdchief91 · Post by **sbfdchief91** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 7:26 am

Hi, I have been ready about the PR1500. From what I am told and have read the radio will not do QCII. But when I read the Motorola Literature it is listed as a signalling feature along with MDC1200
Does the PR1500 do QCII pager signalling?
Any help!!!
Dont want to buy if I cant use as a pager

Lake Effect · Post by **Lake Effect** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:19 am

The earlier ones would not do QCII but per M notice, they should be out soon if not already available. We haven't gotten any for a while so I don't know for sure if they are available now.
Per M. notice I received:

"PR1500 Two-Way Portable Enhancements

Effective May 15th, 2006 the PR1500 radio will ship standard with an IMPRES™ battery and IMPRES charger. The IMPRES Smart Energy System is a unique battery charging and reconditioning solution that automates battery maintenance, optimizes cycle life and maximizes talk time.

In Q3 2006, PR1500 radios will also ship standard with Quik-Call II™ and DTMF signaling. "

WFD44 · Post by **WFD44** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 3:04 pm

And reportedly, sometime this month with the release of the latest firmware, all existing PR1500's will be able to do the same.

wkr518 · Post by **wkr518** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:46 am

Tony Soprano wrote:The answers to both 2 and 3 are both negative.

Since it is a member of the Astro 25 platform of radios, I really doubt that it would become available. No Astro radios to my knowledge have ever been capable of QC II, even though the PR1500 isn't an Astro radio per se.

The scan indicator should be a no-brainer, but I have heard of no fixes to that yet. Maybe if enough people complain?

Two flaws, although important, to a superb handheld radio.

Tony

You can send your PR1500 to factory to enable QCII.Also it is now possible to get the P25 upgrade,field install coming later this spring.$400 per unit to flash to P25.Free upgrade to QCII operation.They are working on Scan Indicator feature due to high level complaints.
Wayne

Mike@NEE,LLC · Post by **Mike@NEE,LLC** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:22 pm

Hello All. Quick question. I recently purchased a VHF PR1500. I believe it was built in 2005. My local Motorola dealer is working on programming it, and cannot get the 2 tone paging channel to properly activate. I'm guessing that the radio does not have the QCII software update. Can they update it in-house, or do I need to send it out to the factory. Thanks for your help.

wkr518 · Post by **wkr518** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 6:45 am

Mike@NEE,LLC wrote:Hello All. Quick question. I recently purchased a VHF PR1500. I believe it was built in 2005. My local Motorola dealer is working on programming it, and cannot get the 2 tone paging channel to properly activate. I'm guessing that the radio does not have the QCII software update. Can they update it in-house, or do I need to send it out to the factory. Thanks for your help.

Dealer field upgrade not due till early spring 07.They can send it into Factory for the upgrade for free for now.
Your dealer should call Motorola or open a case to expedite it.
Dealer request repair form should have in symptom area:QCII Upgrade/Refresh.It is a free service.
Hope this helps.I sent in 10 Monday for the upgrade/refresh
Wayne

Mike@NEE,LLC · Post by **Mike@NEE,LLC** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:16 pm

Dealer field upgrade not due till early spring 07.They can send it into Factory for the upgrade for free for now.
Your dealer should call Motorola or open a case to expedite it.
Dealer request repair form should have in symptom area:QCII Upgrade/Refresh.It is a free service.
Hope this helps.I sent in 10 Monday for the upgrade/refresh
Wayne

Cool, thanks Wayne

Mike@NEE,LLC · Post by **Mike@NEE,LLC** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 7:17 am

I have my PR1500 programmed for the PTT ID , but the tone is long. I would like a shorter tone, so I don't have to wait so long to speak. Is it possilbe to program a short PTT sidetone when transmitting. My Moto dealer said its only programmable with the long tone.

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