Why no MPL on ASTRO Saber?

007 · Post by **007** » Sat Dec 27, 2003 4:57 pm

I'm trying to come up with an acceptable way to program my AS3, and I was contemplating making 3 zones for the 145, 146 and 147 MHz repeater pairs.

Then I see there is no MPL option.

Is this a Flashport Upgrade, or just not an option? My damn X9000's have it, so why not the ASTRO?

Post by **alex** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 1:58 pm

r0f wrote:They also left out PTT-ID display on analog systems.

Um... I don't think your right on this one - I'm assuming you mean the ability to decode and display a MDC PTT ID.

They can and will do this. Had 3 different AS III's that did this, no problems. I've seen countless numbers of others who do this too...

-Alex

Post by **alex** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 2:51 pm

Righto.

Sorry.

-Alex

JohnG · Post by **JohnG** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 5:38 pm

r0f wrote:Motorola left this option out, as well as QCII, and other useful signalling options. They also left out PTT-ID display on analog systems. Who knows why? Poor engineering?

PTT-ID on analog trunking was likely left out because it doesn't work reliably. Only the initial grant and its repeats are dual-word and include the ID of the requester. Single-word updates don't include PTT-ID of the requester so if you were late entry into a transmission trunked or message trunked PTT-ID call, you would likely miss it.

Additionally, if the talkgroup you were using was message trunked without PTT-ID, only the first person to start a call would get a control channel grant and have their PTT-ID sent out. All follow-on replies during the same talkgroup call would never have the PTT-ID sent over the control channel.

Most users wouldn't understand this explanation of why it could never work reliably and would just say, "it just works some of the time... Fix it Motorola!" I can sure see why Motorola didn't include the feature.

As for QCII, I suspect it was a marketing call based on (lack of) customer demand and engineering resource availability.

Dale Earnhardt · Post by **Dale Earnhardt** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 6:02 pm

Oh Comon, you have 24 Channls, on that Astro Saber 3, make use of those chan you have, radio cant all have everything, unless you have a million to put a downpayment on custom radio hehe.

Will · Post by **Will** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 1:11 am

Opps, I thaught it was 256 channels, in 16 Zones of 16 chans, anyway my AS3 has the day off.

Post by **wavetar** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 4:50 am

JohnG wrote:
r0f wrote:Motorola left this option out, as well as QCII, and other useful signalling options. They also left out PTT-ID display on analog systems. Who knows why? Poor engineering?
PTT-ID on analog trunking was likely left out because it doesn't work reliably. Only the initial grant and its repeats are dual-word and include the ID of the requester. Single-word updates don't include PTT-ID of the requester so if you were late entry into a transmission trunked or message trunked PTT-ID call, you would likely miss it.

Additionally, if the talkgroup you were using was message trunked without PTT-ID, only the first person to start a call would get a control channel grant and have their PTT-ID sent out. All follow-on replies during the same talkgroup call would never have the PTT-ID sent over the control channel.
.

Everything you say is true John. However, it's still a feature just about any other trunked radio for the past 15 years has, so the question remains...why leave it out? Anybody who has used analog trunked radios for any length of time understands the limitations of the PTT-ID, and they live with it. Leaving out a seemingly integral feature doesn't make sense. Well actually it does, if the intention is to force people to use Astro trunked systems as opposed to analog.

Todd

Bugs Bunny · Post by **Bugs Bunny** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 5:39 pm

Talk with the boys in marketing. They are the ones who control the design and feature sets of the radios Motorola designs. You want a 20 channel scan list to be offered in an XTS3K, write the VP of Marketing. If he gets enough letters, he will ask the engineers to develop it.

Bugs

Dale Earnhardt · Post by **Dale Earnhardt** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 9:25 pm

holy crap, I didnt even read my post lol, I meant to say 255 channels lol. or was it 254.

I have way to many on mine, and have to many zone. just some have 23 channels in a zone.

sglass · Post by **sglass** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 5:02 pm

Dale Earnhardt wrote: I have way to many on mine, and have to many zone. just some have 23 channels in a zone.

huh?

how do you get 23 channels into a zone?

007 · Post by **007** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 1:51 am

That's what I did...

The rotary knob access my 16 zones, and the the "CHAN" key used with the arrows to select channels.

sglass · Post by **sglass** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 1:33 pm

I should have guessed that