Batboard

Found something strange today.

Shortly after turning on my CDM 1250 (2 seconds or so), I pressed the Scan button several times. It dumped me in to a screen where it looks like I can change the channel spacing, and the squelch type for each channel. The changes never seem to be saved. On the left side of the display, I can scroll through CSQ,TPL,DPL,DTMF,Open,HSS,CMP,LLE. What are these last three?
In order to get out of this screen, you have to cycle the power. I just tried this on several of our other CDM 1250s and the same behavior occurs. After you let the radio sit for a min or so, you cannot enter this mode.

Top to bottom, L to R our buttons are programmed as Home, Mon, Scan, Dimmer. We have a standard plain type mic attached with no menu options enabled.

Anybody see this before? Any other things like this with this radio? Just curious.....

Thanks!

-Sonny

You've accessed the test feature. You've ended up in the RF TEST section (there's a CH TEST as well). Press the button five times to enter service.

CSQ = Carrier Squelch
TPL = Tone PL
DPL = Digital PL
DTMF = Generates a DTMF tone (can't remember which one)
Open = Open squelch
HSS = High speed signalling (trunking signalling, I think)
CMP = Compandering
LLE = Low-level expansion

You should be able to step through channels with one of the buttons, change channel spacing (12.5/20/25) with one, and step through the signalling modes with a third.

For those of us who know nothing about this mode's use... what is it for??

The test mode has been in Motorola radios for some time. It is designed to allow a tech to bring the radio up on preset test freqs, usually at the ends and middle of the specified range, for purposes of bench examination, without having to alter the program in the radio. So far as I am aware, most techs don't use it much any more; it is easier to save the customer's codeplug file, then overwrite a couple of channels with test freqs, and, when done, restore the customer's codeplug.

RKG wrote: it is easier to save the customer's codeplug file, then overwrite a couple of channels with test freqs, and, when done, restore the customer's codeplug.

And even easier to simply test the radio on the customer's frequencies. The only time test mode is ever really used is with trunking radios...be they LTR or Motorola trunked. You can test 95% of the radios circuits & functions in test mode, without needing a trunking capable tester to do it.

Todd

We use the test mode all the time to test the radios. We have a service monitor setup with all the test freqs, and its just a matter of dialing the require channel.

Saves a lot of staffing around if you have to read a radio. Plus some radios are now password locked.