XTS 1500 emergency button question

[AL7OC]

Is there a way to require a long button press on the radio to activate the emergency function on an XTS 1500? I found a way to do it on a microphone, but not yet on a radio top bottom. We have a problem with some SAR folks hitting the button by accident. Radio flash 500008-000488-2. The problem is on trunked personalities. I would recommend at least a 2 sec button press.

Thanks for any feedback.

PL

[N4DES]

Look under Radio Wide and then Advanced II tab.

[K8TEK]

Look under Radio Wide and then Advanced II tab.

The field you want to change is Short Keypress Duration for Emergency (ms):

The long keypress duration needs to be > the short keypress duration.

Training the SAR goons not to hit the button on "accident" would be an equally effective solution.

[AL7OC]

Thanks. The SAR goons probably have the radio on their belts with their carabiners, ropes, and other crap dangling from their backpacks. I supect that stuff is banging on the top of the radio and causing the problem. The lead goon wants to have the emergency button deactivated altogether. In SAR, we are less likely to need it than a patrol cop, but it still could come in handy. I've been on searches that have turned into homicides, and you don't know who is out in the boonies watching you.(Isn't that the theme from Deliverence that I keep hearing?...)

PL

[Pj]

You may also want to consider a different carry solution. By design they are not the easist to activate, but are in a logical position on the radio. In short you need to make some effort to activate it. Most emer activations I've had at work were people playing around with the radio or "hey what does this do?"

Our solution was cases from http://www.radiotech.com/products/radiocases.html with a top foldover to keep it in the case. It was meant more to help deflect water from hitting the top of the radio, but also covered the controls so tools would stop hitting it (all were used with speaker mics anyways). I looked quick but did not see the cover option pic on the website, but they do offer it.

[AL7OC]

Thanks for the radio case idea. The top flap would work. We were doing SAR avalanche work with the K9s, and the top of my radio was getting pretty snow covered crawling in and out of snow caves. On occasion, someone would turn off their radio crawling around, and the top flap would prevent that too.

I never have had a problem myself with the E button, and I carry the radio in a hip holster or in a bib. Last time it was the ski patrol driving MATCOM dispatchers nuts. Maybe it's something to do with their equipment, where they wear it, and the dynamics of their skiing? The RSMs don't have the orange button. Go figure...