Spectra Privacy Plus to Smartnet

[fire-medic8104]

I have a brand new just out of the box Spectra mid power remote mount. Model# D45KGA5JB7AK

I didn't realize until after I installed it that it is a privacy plus radio so I can't get it programmed to our system. Is there anyway to convert a privacy plus to be able to work on a smartnet system?

If not anyone have just the trunk mount portion of a C7 radio for sale that I could just switch the TR unit out?

I hate to have to remove all this stuff and really don't have room for a dash mount unit. I am hoping I can just swap something or load another codeplug and make it work, but I don't anything with motorola is going to be that easy.

[motorola_otaku]

Okay, lot of things to work with here..

First off, who's telling you that radio won't work, and in what capacity do they mean it "won't work?" Really there shouldn't be any radios going onto that system that aren't capable of full Smartzone operation, but if all you want is one-site operation, then that radio you have will work just fine in its current configuration. If the MLM is Version 6.16 or later, then you can even enable AMSS and get all the sites that cover your area loaded into one system. One BIG caveat is that the talkgroup you're talking on needs to already be affiliated with that site, or you're just going to be talking to yourself because only a Smartzone-capable radio can tell the Zone Controller to affiliate a talkgroup with a given site. Now if all you want is, say, L/E I & 2 and Fire/EMS, then I'd say you're good since they're going to stay affiliated with your two primary sites 100% of the time anyway. But.. let me play conscience again say that you really need to be using a Smartzone-capable radio, either an E-series Spectra or a MCS or XTL with the appropriate flash.

Now if we're talking receive-only, then game on.. that thing will scan all day long as-is.

Also, bear in mind that no Spectra can be rebanded, and should they decide to reband any of the current system before making the jump to 700 P25, you're going to be SOL.

[wavetar]

One BIG caveat is that the talkgroup you're talking on needs to already be affiliated with that site, or you're just going to be talking to yourself because only a Smartzone-capable radio can tell the Zone Controller to affiliate a talkgroup with a given site.

That is not correct. The zone controller simply looks for a valid ID from the radio at the site, nothing else. As long as the ID is valid, it will consider the radio affiliated & route audio to that particular site. This is at least true up to SmartZone/Omnilink v4.1 systems...I don't have any experience with 6.x or 7.x systems.

Todd

[fire-medic8104]

Well for some reason I can only select type 1 for the system which won't let me program the rest. We are getting a new system administrator for our county and he found it in a box of stuff in his office and was going to let me use it until we got some more XTLs in. He is not big on programming the spectras so basically he told me to play around with it until we could get the other radios in. We have several non-Smartzone radios running and we are working on converting them all.

I am not sure what the MLM version is, but I know it won't let me select AMSS because of the Type 1. How do I make it Type II?

[Victor Xray]

Something about your first paragraph doesn't make sense. The STARNET admins have not changed, and knowing what I know about them, they don't hand out trunked Spectras to "play around with" on their system.

I'm sure you know what you're doing, so I'm not going to get on the trunked-radio=danger high horse. I just have to call B.S. when I see it.

[fire-medic8104]

Our county is not on a lease program like all the other users. We had our own system that was migrated into the starnet system, therefore we have our own system administrator that handles our radios. We don't pay a lease and don't pay for airtime. That was part of the agreement. We don't pay extra for extra radios and we operate the rest of them like we normally do. We still have non-smartzone radios out from when we were on a single tower system of our own. We are currently in the process of updating all of them. The law enforcement and road & bridge have been done, with fire & EMS next. Honestly, I am not going to program this one to transmit, because I am getting a smartzone radio for that, eventually. But I have a handheld when I need it and it is not a smartzone radio. It actually belongs to me and the programming belongs to the county. I had to sign a contract to that affect to be able to use it. If at any time I want it off the system, or I quit the EMS then I have to take it to the system administrator and they will blank it.

I was really going to set it up just to scan and listen so I wouldn't kill the battery on my portable. I can see how you think it is BS, but I promise you it's not. It doesn't really look like I will be able to use it, so no big deal, will just wait for the next round of radios to come out. I am just not a patient person (LOL) so I will just keep using my handheld for now.

When I said play around, I meant with the radio to see if it would work at all for me. He didn't know if it was a dud or what the deal was. Call it like you think, I have no problem with people expressing their opinions, but I promise you that is the way it works.

[fire-medic8104]

Also, I am aware of the rebanding, and I know that it is coming sooner than later. This was just going to be temporary anyway.

[motorola_otaku]

I am not sure what the MLM version is, but I know it won't let me select AMSS because of the Type 1. How do I make it Type II?

You need to create a new system. When you do so, you have the option of setting the system type as II. F4 --> F4 --> F8 --> F8 from the main screen after reading or opening the codeplug.

MLM version is on a tag on the MLM itself under the top lid on the radio, or you can get it by pressing HOME 5 times after powerup.

[fire-medic8104]

Stupid me, I never thought about creating a new system. I just used the existing one and tried to change it to what I am using.

[fire-medic8104]

Figured it out, but the only question I have since I haven't used Spectra RSS for awhile, is when you go into the zone list and you don't have any zones, if you press F3 Add Zone it asks to add zone at position. What do you enter there? I have tried 00,01,02, etc and all say not valid entry.

[motorola_otaku]

Sounds like you have Zones enabled. (F2 - Radio Wide Options, iirc) Disable Zone Mode operation, then you can add personalities normally. If you want Zoned operation later, you can re-enable Zone Mode operation and assign personalities to zones after they're created.

[fire-medic8104]

I have all the personalities and modes set up. Go into zone, enable then press f6 (I believe) to access zone list. It asks what Position and that is where I get hung up.

[RKG]

From dim memory, there is a quirk in the RSS that requires you to hit <enter> after putting in the zone position -- or something like that. This used to be a recurring question.

[fire-medic8104]

I'll give it a shot and try to figure it out. Thanks