radio

Motorola MDC-1200 Radio Numbering Scheme

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009
by W8JKC

If your agency, or business is using Motorola MDC capable radios, then you can utilize this numbering scheme. This makes it easier to identify what type of radio and which unit # or radio # is transmitting at any given time.

I reccomend setting MDC to \”post only\” which will make the radio transmit the MDC at the end after the user releases the PTT on the radio.

First, lets start off with some background information. Motorola\’s MDC-1200 system is capable of using the characters A,B,C,D,E and numerals 0-9.

You can use any combination of these characters when setting the ID.

But lets make it simpler.

Let\’s assign these characters for certain radio types.

A – portable/handheld
B – base station
C – \”car\” or mobile
D – dispatch
E – EMERGENCY

Use these combined with the radio or unit #. For example.

My HT1250 portable is currently programmed to ID as A506. My unit number is 506 and its a portable radio.
My CDM1250 mobile is programmed to ID as C506.
Now I also have the \”emergency button\” programmed on both of these.

I programmed the ID on both so when the emergency button is pressed it reverts to the ID of 506E. (Notice the reversal)

Whenever either of my radios is in emergency mode, and I press the PTT it shows 506E.

Now if I cycle the power and reset to normal operation it will go back to A506.

This lets Dispatch know that my emergency button was pressed, and when I return to normal operation.

Now lets put this numbering scheme into use on an example department situation.

Lets say we have a small town fire department with 5 stations, 5 squads, 2 engines, a tanker, a tower, and a couple of other trucks. These apparatus are housed in 4 stations around the area. Our department has 30 portables also.

Each station has a base, each truck has a mobile, and each truck also carries 2 to 4 portables also.

Now we have already given each a unit number.

400 – Chief
401 – Asst. Cheif
402-409 Upper Staff
410 – Station 1
412 – Engine 1
415 – Medic 1
417 – Tower 1
419 – Grass Truck 1
420 – Station 2
422 – Engine 2
424 – Tanker 2
425 – Medic 2
430 – Station 3
435 – Medic 3
438 – Air/Scene Command (Truck 3)
440 – Station 4
446 – Utility/Support (Truck 4)
450 – Station 5
452 – Engine/Rescue 5
455 – Medic 5

For mobiles in each apparatus we put C and the unit number such as C446 for Truck 4. Truck 4 carries 2 portables so they both ID as A446.

Station 2\’s base would ID as B420.

At this point you can see how easy it is to set up MDC for every radio in your department.

If you find this information useful, or you want to suggest differently; please comment below or email me justin@helin_w8jkc.com

Quad County REACT goes to Suitland, MD

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009
by W8JKC

On Thursday, March 12th 2009, 8 members of Quad County REACT traveled to Suitland, MD to attend the annual meeting of REACT International on March 13th. We left around 1315hrs from Beloit, OH. Around 1745 we arrived in Washington, DC and decided to stop and check out the area, instead of heading straight to the hotel in Suitland. We visited the area of our nation\’s capitol for abour 2 1/2 hours. We then decided to continue on to the hotel, and after checking in, we decided to meet and discuss our agenda and topics for the meeting. Everyone retired to their rooms around 0130hrs to get some sleep for the meeting later that day.

At around 0730hrs everyone was up and getting ready to head over to the REACT International offices for the meeting which was slated to start at 0830. We had a little trouble finding room to sit down, but we did, and it became apparent to us that there was standing-room only left.

We each received copies of the agenda for that day, and minutes from a previous meeting (Nov. 25th 2007) that were to be voted on for approval. (The meeting agenda is attached, see link at bottom of page.) Around 1030hrs the Board adjourned for a 10 minute break. When the meeting was called back to order, such items as budjet, fundraising among many others were discussed. (See Meeting Minutes attached.) Around 1150hrs the Board decided to adjourn again for lunch and to resume at 1330hrs. It was also decided that the Visitor session would be the first matter to be discussed upon returning.

When we returned from lunch at the local Pizza Hut, the board asked Mr. Jim Dyke, President of our team to present our items. Mr. Dyke presented the following items: (See our agenda at the bottom of the page.)

Mr. Dyke began by quoting section 9.18 from the bylaws;

Section 9.18 Waiver of these bylaws. Since these bylaws are established for the protection of all Members, they may not be waived or suspended at any time.

and section 3.7;

Section 3.7 Denial or Termination of Membership. The Board of Directors may deny application for or revoke membership of any Member Team, Life Member, or Affiliate Member, or remove council recognition, for cause the Board deems prejudicial to the best interests of the corporation. A removal action taken will be in writing and mailed by certified mail to the applicant or Member. The applicant or Member will have forty five (45) days of receipt to appeal the decision stating why the action should not be taken. The Board of Directors will review the appeal and issue a final decision within sixty (60) days.

Mr. Dyke then presented a letter that Mr. Jason Boone of the Ohio REACT Council sent to the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce to all Board members.(The letter is attached below.) Basically, the letter stated that our tem charter was revoked, we were no longer a REACT team, and that MCRRT C260 was the team in Stark County, and was willing to assist with their events instead of our team.

Mr. Dyke also explained that this letter was a flagrant violation of the bylaws, and that Ohio REACT Council had no right, or authority to act on behalf of REACT Internation and issue/send such a letter. He also explained that we believed that Mr. Don Manlove may have been involved with this letter and the denial of our membership renewal.

Both of these persons (Boone and Manlove) had violated REACT International bylaws, citing section 3.7, and that only the Board can revoke or deny membership.

Mr. Dyke went on stating that we believed that the only way to resolve this issue was to suspend Ohio REACT Council, and complete and investigation into the matter. We also requested that MCRRT C260 be included in the investigation, and if it was found that they held any part in issuing or sending it, that charter be revoked. Mr. Dyke also requested on behalf of the team that Mr. Manlove have his own investigation, and for him to resign and/or the board take action to remove him from his position if he was found to have any part in the letter or denying our renewal as a team.

Several items were explained to the Board about MCRRT C260 such as them carrying badges, and other various issues that they have been involved with. These issues also include some Federally Illegal matters that were also brought up.

Note: A video of Mr. Dyke\’s presentation to the board with audio is attached. See the bottom of the page.

The Board was appalled that Ohio REACT Council would do such a thing, and a discussion on the matter was opened.

During the discussion it was brought up that Ohio REACT Council had similar suspensions and investigations at least 3 or 4 times in the past.

The Board motioned that Ohio REACT Council be suspended, and an investigation be completed on their actions. The motion passed.
The Board motioned that a letter of apology be written and sent to our team, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, and any agency in our area that we deem, and/or may have been involved.

After our issues were discussed and acted upon, we thanked the Board for the time on the floor and for their cooperation on the matter.
We left the meeting around 1530hrs and went to the hotel to check out. We decided to revisit Washington, DC on the way home for better photo oppurtunities, and to see attractions that we hadn\’t the night before.We visited The White House, The U.S. Capitol Building, The FTC/FAA Building in DC, then we left to visit the Pentagon and memorial. After we were done visiting, we continued on the long ride home. We stopped in Breezewood, PA for dinner around 2145. We arrived back in Ohio around 0130, and everyone finally arrived home around 0300hrs. The trip was deemed a success, and well worth it. We had fun, and when needed we got down to business.

Any Questions or Comments on the items brought up with the Board may be submitted to Mr. Jim Dyke (President) (330) 280-4857 jdyke@quadcountyreact.org.
Any Questions or Comments on the trip or other topics may be submitted to Mr. Dave Coleman (Vice President) (330) 704-0521 dcoleman@quadcountyreact.org; Mr. Matt Boudreaux (Operations Manager) (330) 685-5674 mboudreaux@quadcountyreact.org; or Mr. Justin Corner (Webmaster) (330) 806-6700 jcorner@quadcountyreact.org

From quadcountyreact.org, used by permission.

Stark County Trunked Radio System

Monday, February 23rd, 2009
by W8JKC

Recently, I have been monitoring the Stark County/Canton City 800Mhz Motorola Trunked Radio System.

This system id\’s itself as 8E0A. While information about talkgroups and such can be found on radioreference.com [LINK], some talkgroups are appearing on my system that are not listed.

I have found and am using 2 programs to decode the control channel, and find out the use of these new talkgroups. The first program is called Trunk88 and is DOS based. The second program is called Universal Trunker and while the version that I am using is based on DOS, there is a Win32 version available.

Both of these programs will display which Talkgroup, and Radio ID is on each of the trunking systems channels at the current time, which radios affiliate to which talkgroups, and other information that is sent over the control channel.

So far I have found about 10-15 different talkgroups that are not listed, and are being used.

Below is a list which includes these talkgroups and how many times it has been logged, and at what time it was logged.

Note: These talkgroups were monitored on the CROMER site, on 855.0375 Mhz.

TG ID —–# Hits ——First Logged ——- Last Logged
272               18                  Feb 21st                      Feb 21st
1024             13                  Feb 21st                      Feb 23rd
2096             1                    Feb 21st                       Feb 21st
2128              1                    Feb 20th                     Feb 21st
16576           1                    Feb 21st                      Feb 21st
16704           1                    Feb 20th                      Feb 21st
16736           1                     Feb 20th                      Feb 21st
17216            1                    Feb 20th                       Feb 21st
19376            1                    Feb 23rd                       Feb 23rd
41072            1                    Feb 20th                       Feb 23rd
41136             1                    Feb 20th                       Feb 21st
41168             1                    Feb 20th                       Feb 23rd
41200            1                    Feb 20th                       Feb 23rd
41264             1                    Feb 20th                       Feb 20th
41392             1                    Feb 23rd                       Feb 23rd
41520            4                     Feb 23rd                      Feb 23rd
41904            1                     Feb 20th                      Feb 23rd
41936            26                   Feb 20th                     Feb 23rd
42128            1                      Feb 20th                     Feb 23rd
65536            23                   Feb 21st                      Feb 23rd

These programs also require that you modify a scanner to get the baseband audio signal from the chip, before the filters that are to limit the audio for the humal aural range of sound.

All of these new talkgroups can be listened to on ScanAmerica.us [LINK], both Stark County feeds are provided by me.

If you happen to monitor this system yourself, and find anything out about these talkgroups, please let me know by leaving a comment or emailing me at 8E0A@helin_w8jkc.com.

Even something as simple as \”I heard 144 say that the intersection of 12th St and Market Ave. needs to be…\”, anything that may help to identify these talkgroups.