New MDC format?

[WCHija]

My department recently fielded some XTS2500s and they make a noise that sounds just like a sonar ping when transmitting. Supposedly it is the MDC, but our old radios emit a sqawk. Is anyone familiar with this?

[alex]

Could be TPS (tactical public safety) enabled on the channels.

It's what FDNY uses on fireground so that they can use analog audio with 8 digits for unit id's instead of being restricted to the normal 4 of MDC.

-Alex

[WCHija]

thanks

[Rayjk110]

You may just be hearing the MDC DOS muting in affect. It makes the MDC "squak" sound more like a short bleep. I've never heard the FDNY TPS.

[JRUTA]

Could it be tone remote? sounds like super-quick two tone beep? I've heard the sound- almost like clinking together two glass bottles?

[alex]

It isn't specific to them, but that's also what the FDNY TX/RX tone set is used with. All it is is sending the astro unit identifier with analog voice.

-Alex

[WCHija]

The sound quite literally sounds like a sonar ping from a submarine movie. No kidding. We all thought that someone's radio was afu, but then all the new radios issued after a certain date are doing the same thing.

[alex]

You have the programming setup for this radio? If so read it, and see if TPS is turned on in the personality... It's a "different" sound.... or make a recording and post it.

-Alex

[WCHija]

I will try to get a copy of the code plug and update the post.

[Nexrad16]

Under the "Advanced" tab? Correct?

[alex]

It's on Radio Wide on the TPS tab, and then on the personality advanced tab.

I highly suggest if you want to play with it to read through the CPS help file on what it does and how to setup the personality.

Additionally, I think you MUST have IMBE in the radio for this to work. This will not work on the older XTS3000's/Astro Sabers/Astro Spectra, but should work on a 3500.

-alex

[Nexrad16]

Interesting. Thanks Alex. I was in the wrong section. Not really looking at enacting this the thread just sparked my curiosity.

Paul

[Nexrad16]

After sitting for several days recovering from a hernia surg I am completely bored. Thus, I'm trying this out. Like I said I have nothing to do.... Will post if there's anything to post.

[Nexrad16]

Looks as if there's a global change to "digital tx" even after marking the fg voice to be analog. Still testing...

[Nexrad16]

Can't seem to get any "ping" after making changes. So nothing further to post.

[WCHija]

I am waiting to hear from the tech who programmed the radios to find out what the story is. When I find out I will post.

[nmfire10]

I was also bored and wanted to test this. I configured some of my channels for TPS signalling. All it does is make a little data burst that is so quick, you might not even hear it. It is really about 50ms or so, very quick. No ping or sonar or other Red October like sounds.

Voice will go through in analog with PL/DPL. The PTT-ID and emergency ID will go through in astro. So obviously the receiving radios all need to have astro capability to decode and display the ID's.

[libuff]

we've discussed this way prior in the board... is this specific to the FDNY tone set? some TPS options are available w/o the FDNY tone set flash..

[alex]

we've discussed this way prior in the board... is this specific to the FDNY tone set? some TPS options are available w/o the FDNY tone set flash..

No, you can have TPS w/out FDNY tones set. The radio will react differently with the FDNY set in it AFAIK as they have a special logic flow designed for them to go with their man down protocols.

-Alex

[Rayjk110]

Speaking of FDNY stuff... has anyone ever gotten a P/N on that goofy looking SP Jedi mic they use?

[Nexrad16]

Good report nmfire10. That's what I'd say. If you hear anything it's very short and not like a "ping". I'll watch to see what the tech reports. Meanwhile back to the bat cave (cps).

Paul

[nmfire10]

I was really hoping it would make some cool noises. No such luck.

[WCHija]

Our radio Techs dont know why the radio is making the sonar ping.

[RADIO43]

Speaking of FDNY stuff... has anyone ever gotten a P/N on that goofy looking SP Jedi mic they use?

Part # : RMN5023DSP01

There was a topic on this a few months ago, here is the link:

http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.p ... ny#p328914

radio43

[radiokid]

Are the radio's secure?

Could it be TX Clear Alert Tone? It is just a beep when you transmit to tell you are in the clear and not encrypted.

That is underneath the Secure tab, then Advnaced tab.

[WCHija]

The radio operator does not hear the beep, the rest of the system does. The operator transmits and audio followed by a ping is heard. It sounds like trailing edge mdc except that the mdc sounds like a sonar ping.

[radiokid]

Ok, sorry misunderstood who was hearing the noise.

[nmfire10]

Can you make a recording of this?

[dxon2m]

MDC1200 with DOS muting?

[libuff]

just to add to this discussion... after participating and experimentating with the DVRS discussion on the astro board... and trying to listen on an Analog scanner, the data produced by DVRS to identify the radio, sounds EXACTLY like what the FDNY portables sound like in NYC. In Fact, i am quite sure this is what he's talking about... been discussed prior, Astro Signaling on Analog Channels.

[nmfire10]

Yea but that little astro burst doesn't sound like Captain Rameous sending a sonar bing to the Dallas.

[thebigphish]

Ramius.
(Sorry, can't resist.)

Never having PTT'd an XT series, what we are trying to track down is (essentially) a "Clear to send" of unknown etiology?

[motorola_otaku]

Late reply is late, but.. I'm pretty sure what the OP is talking about is single-tone RAC. I set it up in a 1C5E XTS3000 for grins once, and the default tone frequency sounds EXACTLY like the described "sonar ping".. in fact, I thought the same thing first time I heard it! You can double it with a MDC pre-key PTT ID so your radio goes "boopACK" or with the "boop" on pre-key and MDC on de-key.

I know it has to be enabled/disabled individually under Conventional Personality and the tone frequencies themselves are set up in a table somewhere else in the RSS tree, but I don't have my programming computer handy ATM to track down the specific steps.

[WCHija]

I will try to track down the radios making the ping and see if it is single tone or not. We do have one Department that uses single tone in this County (they cant afford a dispatcher so when it hits the fan they push the tone button to get a dispatchers attention) and maybe our radios got programmed wrong.