Astro Spectra / SmartZone scan question

[Pj]

Ok, I will be getting a W9 Astro Spectra shortly and I will want to monitor a local statewide Astro SmartZone system.

I know that if I program the radio for SmartZone operation, affilation becomes automatic. If I was to not hook up the TX igition lead to a power source, will the transmitter still key?

If this is not possible, what would the best AMSS settings be? Any help will be great. I am going to use this radio to monitor two different SmartZone systems (hopefully)...one Analog and the other Astro (3600) Smartzone. Any help would be great. Obvioulsy I do not want to xmit on either system.

Thanks in advance.

[wavetar]

If you program the radio as SmartZone initially, then change the coverage type to AMSS after the fact, the RSS will let you keep all 32 control channels. I haven't tested it myself, but r0f & a few others claim it works like a champ for all the control channels, not just the first 8.
I'm unsure if programming the ignition lead for tx inhibit will disable affiliation of not. I'm thinking no, if the radio is left as SmartZone.

Todd

[Pj]

Hmmm. That's a good place to start. I was thinking of doing that. I was just wondering, it the power on the lead was removed for the TX, would the SmartZone setting would override the phyical adjustment. Time for some experiments with a dummy load! Any other ideal's?

[Twisted_Pear]

Judging by the many other discussions on preventing TX when wanting to monitor SZ passively you may run into the problem of the radio just going to out of area when it cannot initially affiliate. I've got radios where toggling TX Inhibit works, but with many others it doesn't work.

-Wayne

[tj173]

I did the AMS trick on my xts3000 and it works without a hitch, and it allows you to set the concentric switch to tx inhibit without screwing anything up on the radio and cutting out the rx. I haven't tried it with the spectras yet, but I would think it works similar.