ever watch COPS ? what is that radio sound?

loki71 · Post by **loki71** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:14 am

I found a site once that had recorded sounds that radios make, everything from APCO trandmissions, MDC, to trunk data channels - but I can't find that site anymore, so I'm turning to you guys....

If you watch COPS - they very often play clips of what is supposedly the dispatcher calling, or other units talking, and there's a sound played (I think) before the transmission. Its not as scratchy as data (like MDC), it almost sounds like chimes.

Anyone know what that is?

Thanks,

Richard

d119 · Post by **d119** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 1:29 am

That sound is MODAT. It's a Motorola signalling format dating back to the 70's. It's dubbed over (meaning that it's not actually occuring necessarily when heard on the show, but is inserted after the fact by the editing staff at COPS to add effect).

MODAT is a 4-digit identifier that converts the numeric information into a tone sequence that is sent over the air, and decoded at a dispatch console equipped with MODAT decode functionality.

MODAT was originally available on the MT-500, MICOR, MX series, and a few other select radios. Currently it is available as an option on ASTRO series portables (Digital Saber & XTS 3000 that I know of), not sure if the newer ones offer it or not.

K8TEK · Post by **K8TEK** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 4:06 am

http://www.tkramer.com/modat.wav

va3wxm · Post by **va3wxm** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 5:19 am

http://www.kb9ukd.com/digital/

They also dub over the MODAT to cover up names/vital information of some of the "actors".

jackhackett · Post by **jackhackett** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 8:48 am

Batlabs ringtones

Post by **akardam** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 9:07 am

Heh... what about a medley of MODAT, DTMF, QCII, Singletine, and MDC w/ Pretime? >:)

AEC · Post by **AEC** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:02 pm

Odd to hear MODAT signals these days, depending on where you live, of course...

But to be completely odd, how about a string of GE-STAR and MDC data mixed?

Say STAR and MDC-600 so they dodn't sound TOO vastly different...

mr.syntrx · Post by **mr.syntrx** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 5:11 am

You'll often here the trunking system talk-permit tones on COPS, as soon as a cop keys up his radio.

It's a set of very rapid beeps.

Threeshot223 · Post by **Threeshot223** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 11:41 pm

You'll also notice that it's the same clip played repeatedly. It's to cover confidential information (outstanding warrants, last names, etc.)

Hightower · Post by **Hightower** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 5:49 pm

Last night, they used an old style phone ringing to cover some radio traffic. It sounded so out of place. That was the only time I've ever heard a phone ring used.

If anyone watched latsnight, the cops were looking for a young black dude breaking into some industrial area. The cop was driving slowly around the induatrial area looking for the dude. Right arounf the time the cop shut off his headlights (trying to be stealth like), you heard an old style phone ring at least 4 times.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:12 pm

akardam wrote:Heh... what about a medley of MODAT, DTMF, QCII, Singletine, and MDC w/ Pretime? >:)

I made one of those once. It was pretty funny. It had tone remote, MODAT, MDC w/Pretime, DTMF, & G-Star. I can't find it anywhere though.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:19 pm

Aww hell. I made another one.

http://www.kb1fpd.com/id.wav

LONG LIVE MODAT!

Jay911 · Post by **Jay911** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 6:07 pm

The natural gas plant near my house uses MODAT on one of its frequencies. The MODAT is on CSQ, and voice conversations have a PL tone.

OX · Post by OX » Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:48 am

Hightower wrote:Last night, they used an old style phone ringing to cover some radio traffic. It sounded so out of place. That was the only time I've ever heard a phone ring used.

Maybe it was a message indicator on the MDT or whatever they're called now. The new ones run with a Windows interface (CE?). I've heard an old style telephone ring come over the air when units are talking on the radio here locally and that's what it was.

How about that "world's worst criminals" show with the ex-sheriff doing all the talking. The overdubs are more annoying than Jane Fonda. It's magical how ALL of the helo footage has the same pilot doing the talking. I turn off closed captioning, mute the show and unmute the commercials.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 6:17 am

JOHN BUNNEL!

John Bunnell's police car after the real police tried to push his pompus ass off a parking garage.

wa2zdy · Post by **wa2zdy** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 10:22 am

He actually is/was a cop somewhere in the Pacific northwest. There are OLD episodes of Cops where he is on raid teams.

But yeah, all the overdubbing is annoying - on ALL those shows. Still I wouldn't mind having a radio that does MODAT. I remember as a teenager the police in the next town had MODAT and their MODAT strings were long and rather musical. Much moreso than I hear on any of the samples posted here lately.

Maybe it wasn't MODAT.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 3:14 pm

I believe he was a sherrif in Oregon. He was a pompus ass then, he's a pompus ass now. I've seen some of the old school COPS episodes with him in them and hasn't changed a bit.

Threeshot223 · Post by **Threeshot223** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:20 pm

nmfire10 wrote:I believe he was a sherrif in Oregon. He was a pompus ass then, he's a pompus ass now. I've seen some of the old school COPS episodes with him in them and hasn't changed a bit.

Honorary sheriff. Never got elected to office.