Federal Signal SS2000SM and XTL5000?

[alex]

So does anyone have information about this feature? Sounds like Motorola is trying to phase out their old siren offerings and switching to the Fed sig...

R12.00.00 (May 2008)

- Support for the Federal Signal siren/PA model SS2000-SM

[jmr061]

From the help screen:

Siren Operation
(Radio Wide, PA/Siren)
Selects the type of functionality for the radio’s siren mode. This selection applies on a radio wide basis.
Note: Siren Mode functionality can be assigned to a programmable "Sirn", "Airh", "Hilo", "Man", "PA", "Wail", "Xrad", or "Yelp" button-press.

When the radio is model / option capable.
Disabled
PA Only: The Siren is enabled through the Public Address System (PA) only.
Siren/PA: The Siren is enabled though the Siren and the PA System.
SS2000-SM: (This selection is only available when radio model/option capable)


Also it disables RS232 radio programming and you MUST use a USB cable to program it.

I am trying to find out what cables interface to the SS2000-SM. A DEK box controls all the functions of the SS2000-SM. After enabling SS2000-SM in the siren tab go to the DEK box area, add a DEK and look at the options for the buttons.

Jason

[alex]

Interesting. My guess it uses a serial interface similar to what the computer uses if you computer control the SS with a laptop....

However, there really isn't a provision in the head to control lights unless that's what the OVaporware head is supposed to do.

-Alex

[4n6inv]

Bears watching... I hadn't noticed the option until you posted it. I opened up one of the newest radios that I had just programmed, and sure enough - there it was! They use Federal Sirens out here, anyway, so I'd never had the need to go into that field.

Jason; I thought you said, at one point, that an O-3 head or a W-3 head had some limited siren functions in the programming. Maybe it's just the radio codeplug that I was looking at, but with either Siren / PA or the Federal option enabled; I wasn't able to program any buttons on the O-3 head to do siren. I even tried enabling and disabling a DEK box, but no joy. Is there something weird about the codeplug that you have to have to be able to control basic siren functions on a HHCH?

[jmr061]

The O series does it through the DEK box ONLY. The buttons on that are programmable for the SS2000 options.

I have my local MSS looking for literature and cost for any "kit" for this. They are interested as well.

Jason

[4n6inv]

Ah; OK. I just opened my W-3 (Astro Spectra) codeplug and saw that I could program the buttons on the HHCH for siren functions. I have a W-3 VHF with a DEK box that I'm currently using, but I'd like to eliminate the DEK box and put my "Wildcard" box where it currently is. I seldom use a siren, but having a "one touch" airhorn on my HHCH would rock! Do you HAVE to have the DEK box attached to the system for the siren functions to work off the W-3? I suppose I could put it inside the console, out of the way, if I had to... Also; are the Wail, Yelp and Hi-Lo buttons "one touch", or do I have to program a "Siren" and "Manual" button on the HHCH, as well to access them?

[alex]

Ah; OK. I just opened my W-3 (Astro Spectra) codeplug and saw that I could program the buttons on the HHCH for siren functions. I have a W-3 VHF with a DEK box that I'm currently using, but I'd like to eliminate the DEK box and put my "Wildcard" box where it currently is. I seldom use a siren, but having a "one touch" airhorn on my HHCH would rock! Do you HAVE to have the DEK box attached to the system for the siren functions to work off the W-3? I suppose I could put it inside the console, out of the way, if I had to... Also; are the Wail, Yelp and Hi-Lo buttons "one touch", or do I have to program a "Siren" and "Manual" button on the HHCH, as well to access them?

No, if I recall you can have the buttons assigned to the control head, but just like the DEK, you need to have a siren button to "ARM" the system, and then the buttons to control the siren. You can have an air horn button assigned easily to the actual W3.

Keep in mind for others reading - the 1185 sirens will not work with the W3/O3 heads. You will need to have the 1493 (I believe) siren and the interface cable that runs from the siren box up to the control head.

-Alex

[jmr061]

The 1185 actually does work on the W3 if controlled via the control head but you end up using most if not all the top and side buttons for siren functions.

The O3 has to have the 1439 from what I gather.

The difference between the 1185 and 1439 is the internal electronics. The 1439 adds direct control via the DEK via SB9600 commands or by ground inputs from Motorola's grounding siren control panel. It just uses ground inputs for that. You could make your own controls to control the siren via ground inputs. That is how I interfaced the 1439 siren to my computer controlled application a few years ago. Relays input grounds signals into the 1439 to make it go WOO WOO.

Jason

[4n6inv]

Cool on the HLN1439 box! That's what I have with the long DEK box cable for the siren. I might be able to cough up my DIR push button for a menu item to have Airhorn, but the other stuff is out of the question. I have to have access to SCAN, SEC, and NUS DEL at a quick touch.

Ironically; I was saying in my last post that I seldom use my siren. This evening; I've used it more than I have in the past three years. We're being clobbered by tornados. We're on state interop channels in analog. And; yes; I am neglecting my duties at the moment...