List of portables that support MDC-600 & Narrow banding.....

[scannersurf104]

I'm looking for a Motorola portable radio that supports both older MDC-600 signaling feature (not MDC-1200) as well as supporting narrow band for a conventional 460.xxx freq that is soon due for a narrow band switch over.

Any input on the exact model portable that would work greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[chrismoll12]

your going in opposite directions in history. MT500, MX300, MT1000, Saber radios are capable of MDC-600 and those radios were old when narrowband equipment was just starting to be manufactured.
You can still play with ancient MODAT on an astro saber or XTS3000

[scannersurf104]

I have MDC-600 set up right now on my MT1000 but with narrow-banding deadline approaching, this radio will soon be extinct.

The MDC-600 pre transmit tone sound almost identical to the GE-Star tone. Can be heard at this link : http://www.w2sjw.com/sounds/GE%20STAR.mp3

I am looking for a portable that can support both MDC-600 (not MDC-1200) and narrow-banding.

Any ideas....?

Maybe one of the later Saber Astro models? If so which model.....

Thanks!

[d119]

I hate to say it, but the features you want are more or less mutually exclusive due to age. Motorola phased out the MDC 600 format very rapidly after developing MDC 1200, I think the analog SABER series are the last that can actually do it. The flip side is that the analog SABER is not a dual-mode (wide/narrow-band) capable radio, and anything that would support dual mode operation would not support MDC 600.

That being said, you may be able to scare up a narrow-band analog SABER somewhere (if memory serves me there was such a beast), and that should do MDC 600, but it will be narrow-band only.

ASTRO SABER does not support MDC 600. MDC 1200 only.

Do you actually have a hardware decoder somewhere that decodes the MDC 600 or are you just doing things MODAT-style? (Nothing wrong with that.)

[scannersurf104]

"That being said, you may be able to scare up a narrow-band analog SABER somewhere (if memory serves me there was such a beast), and that should do MDC 600, but it will be narrow-band only."


Scare up as in modify the radio or try to find an exact model analog saber that was acutally produced thats supports narrow-band only as well as MDC-600?. If so any ideas on what to look for in the model number (ie. AN).

Thanks again for the input and assistance.......

[d119]

Scare up as in locate a unit, not modify one.

I seem to recall in creating codeplugs using normal SABER RSS there was a model that supported narrow-band only operation. Undoubtedly it supports MDC 600 as well, as I believe all radios in the SABER family did (both 600 and 1200).

If you could locate one of those narrow-band only units, you'd probably get what you want.

[com501]

Why MDC-600? What kind of infrastructure do you have than won't support or isn't capable of being replaced by MDC1200 equipment? Console? Decoder of some type?

There may be some easier alternatives than looking for a 20 year old 1% radio.

[scannersurf104]

Its just for personal preference. I use MDC-1200 all the time and it works the same, just trying to keep the 80's signaling theme alive. I guess its just a radio geek thing

For the most part our current MDC-1200 radios display older MDC-600 ID's (some not all) and they seem to be compatible for the most part. Just looking to keep the old signaling tone (MDC-600) with the narrow band compatible radio since the narrow deadline is approaching.

With everyones help and input, my search is down to an older analog Saber that supports narrow-banding. If anyone is familiar with the exact model that would work or know of one for sale please let me know. If not a model number or picture of one would also be great.

Thanks again for everyones time and input!

[Johnny Grep]

Move along to GE-STAR, it still sounds like a squealing pig, if you're into that.

[scannersurf104]

Moving over to a GE-Star compatible radio would be my second option. Any ideas of a list of Motorola radios that support both narrow band and Ge-Star signaling...............?

[Mfire39]

Moving over to a GE-Star compatible radio would be my second option. Any ideas of a list of Motorola radios that support both narrow band and Ge-Star signaling...............?

The MT/MTS2000 is one that comes to mind.


-Marc

[bezking]

I think a DN-revision HT1000 will work as well.

[d119]

I think a DN-revision HT1000 will work as well.

You are correct! He could also set a DN HT 1000 up for ATIS with a hell of a pretime on it and sound like an old Metrocom Spectra! *HOOOOOOOONK*

[motorola_otaku]

And if you want a mobile I have seen UHF model 1 MCS2000s with GE-STAR in the flashcode.

[HLA]

if it's all for personal use just keep in on wide band? do you need the radio to display the information?

[d119]

if it's all for personal use just keep in on wide band? do you need the radio to display the information?

Well if the system he is going to is switching to narrow-band, he *has* to narrow band as well. Otherwise he'll sound extremely over-driven and everyone else will be at half deviation to him. It may not seem like it when you have two portables next to each other, but get some distance/fringe area action going and these effects become extremely noticeable.

[Johnny Grep]

I think a DN-revision HT1000 will work as well.

You are correct! He could also set a DN HT 1000 up for ATIS with a hell of a pretime on it and sound like an old Metrocom Spectra! *HOOOOOOOONK*

What, ATIS is like a giant pig squealing?

Never heard it.

[d119]

ATIS is a strange bird. The only place I've ever heard it used was on an 800MHz transit system that was VERY old and has since been replaced with an ASTRO/Orbital solution.

It sounded like signaling that had a very long, loud tone of about half a second at the beginning, followed by a chirp of a higher pitch and then a burst of data, with everything happening in just under a second. It was sent post-voice.

The HT1000 portable is the only thing I know of that can do it these days. They were using old Metrocom radios in the aforementioned system if I recall correctly. Whether they were Metrocom Spectras or something earlier, I don't know as I never saw the physical transceiver, just the strange control head with a membrane keypad. It was black with white lettering and a gray housing and it had a slanted face. Keys labeled RTT and such were on it.

Some day if I get really bored I'll record an audio sample, I have some HT1000's at work.

[MayanWarrior]

I thought the HT series or others did the STAR decode? You set the tone up by changing the values to sound like the GE deal above. HT is also capable of the 12.5, at least the D models, Im not sure if the A models did. Id imagine if any radio has STAR on it you change the values in the settings and generate the old GE tone.

[d119]

Like MDC, GE STAR was available in two incarnations that ran at different baud rates. I don't recall what they were. You could define the baud rate within the HT 1000 RSS for GE STAR.

[Pj]

I've have never seen a field unit that actually decodes MDC600, in these lines of radio (caller ID). Encode yes obviously, but I don't think that display ID showed up until the ASTRO series. The only time you might see other radio ID's was typically on a call alert/page.

I only have one MTS2000, and I don't recall it having the display option.

[d119]

The MCS 2000 series could display decoded ID's, I have one that does it. At least with MDC 1200 ID's. Don't really have anything to test MDC 600 with.

[MT2000 man]

I know that the ID Display was available in the MTS2000 portables as well (pre the "Astro" line) with the proper flashcode package. I have an A4 top display that decodes MDC1200.

For example:
Your typical 000004-000000-6 flashcode (Smartnet only) will NOT decode MDC1200 ID's. Seems that most of the MTS2000's being sold (especially the Model I's) are being sold with the Smartnet only flash. However, an MTS2000 with a flashcode of 000001-0000000-9 WILL decode the ID's. However, MTS's with that flash is a bit rare to find.

MDC600 decode is another story entirely.