800mhz Astro Spectra Type 1 operation?

[WB4JGI]

Will an 800mhz Astro Spectra do Type 1 with a H37 or H38 feature set, like a MTS2000? Or does type 1 have it's own feature set now?

[Jason]

NO,

Astro or Astro25 platform radios will not support type I trunking. Youll need a MCS2000, Maxtrac, Spectra, etc.

[Josh]

NO,

Astro or Astro25 platform radios will not support type I trunking. Youll need a MCS2000, Maxtrac, Spectra, etc.

Astro Spectra can do type IIi if I'm not mistaken. I know the XTS3000 I have can, back when there was a type IIi/I system over here I was able to set it up to work.

-Josh

[Jason]

Youre right, seems a 3K will do type IIi (no way to test, but I can change from II to IIi in CPS and get to size code/fleet ID screen (ahh! flashbacks!) The above not being possible in the Astro25 platform.

I dont have a mobile template handy to check.

[Josh]

True, but the regular Astro Spectra (not spectra plus) is not an astro25 radio, but the better question is: who still uses typeI these days!?

-Josh

[WB4JGI]

I asked because there is still a type 1 system here that we use a little. Can someone send me a codeplug of an Astro Spectra 800 with Smartnet or Smartzone feature set. I've got a VHF Astro Spectra but I can't make it do Type 1 for some reason.

[Josh]

I asked because there is still a type 1 system here that we use a little. Can someone send me a codeplug of an Astro Spectra 800 with Smartnet or Smartzone feature set. I've got a VHF Astro Spectra but I can't make it do Type 1 for some reason.

It's not going to do type I. It's going to be type IIi, which is a type I/II hybrid where there are both talkgroups and fleets/subfleets on the same system.

You'll have to use type IIi.

What is your current flashcode?

[WB4JGI]

The only Astro Spectra I have is VHF and the flashcode is 599108-145E00-0
I'm looking at getting a Astro Spectra 800 and was just curious if Type 1 was even possible. I see the Type II/i on my VHF Astro but can't select Type II/i in a trunking personality. I can only select it as a System Type in the Trunking system screen. I know were trying to switch to a conventional 800 repeater but, that probably won't happen for a while.

[Leadenwah]

A response to the question of whether the Astro Spectra could work in a Type I trunking system, said that one would need a Spectra, Maxtrac or MCS-2000.

Is there such a thing as a Type I Only MCS-2000 in 800MHz ?

[bellersley]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't a Type IIi radio work on a Type I system? There's a Type IIi hybrid system near me that has a mix of Type I only radios (MTX800s) and Type IIi (MCS2000s), so could you not just program it up as a Type IIi system, but only use fleet/subfleets instead of talkgroups?

[MTS2000des]

we have a type IIi system here in Atlanta (Fulton county TRS) and there are a few type I fleet-subfleets, just setup a trunking personality as IIi, then enter the fleet, size code and subfleet like you would any pure type I radio. The XTS3000 works fine on these systems.

[WB4JGI]

The system I'm trying to use it on is a Type I Privacy Plus. It will receive fine but, will not transmit. Last time I tried, I saw the TX light blinking about 10 times with no talk permit tone. It seems that the controller doesn't recognize the ISW coming out of the Astro Spectra. But, there again this radio has not be aligned with a service monitor. All I could check is the Wattage and it is showing around 25 or 30 watts out, can't remember off hand.

[Twisted_Pear]

Not all controllers will accept the IIi "commands" the radio sends. That's why there's a TX issue. You can piggy-back on the voice channel though.

And the MCS2000 will do vanilla Type I trunking. I have an 800 that does it.

[WB4JGI]

Well it seems your right, Twisted_Pear, I just "piggy backed" off of a voice channel. I had to key the subfleet with my portable and key the Astro Spectra before the voice channel dropped. It's Message trunking so I have 1-2 seconds before the voice channel drops. But, it does work, somewhat. Does anyone know how to modify the ISW so a Type I controller will accept an Astro Spectra, or should I ask if it is even possible? Thanks for the tip Twisted_Pear.

[Twisted_Pear]

Does anyone know how to modify the ISW so a Type I controller will accept an Astro Spectra, or should I ask if it is even possible?

This would be very difficult as you have to reverse engineer the code in the radio to do. Well beyond even our flashcode hackers.

Is it at all possible for you to contact the system's administrator and ask them if their system can even support it? My guess is you would need either somewhat newer firmware or a newer model controller; something like a 6809 SmartNet capable controller. I'm not so sure the older PP systems will do it. Someone correct me if I'm wrong as I'd like to know too.

[WB4JGI]

That's what I thought. I know the system admin and he won't update the controller to TypeIIi because of the number of users on the system, which is low.