TRC konfig

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Radio Intelligence Agency
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2003 9:36 am

TRC konfig

Post by Radio Intelligence Agency »

Hi guys

I was wondering if anyone ever ran an Astro Spectra via TRC in a non-consolette konfig? I’m trying to figure out how it would work via a L1548A TRC adapter. I’m using a Command Plus console which runs via 600ohm to the adapter (RJ11 2 or 4 wire) and further on via the P2 (16-pin) to the radio which in this case is a W3 astro Spectra. The astro Spectra has the TRC ensbled in the CPS and hub defeats pl enabled. Upon self check it comes up with fail 1C/10 which I believe is a TRC problem. The adapter connects via J6 and in the CPS external ptt has been enabled via VIP1. Meanwhile there is no RX audio passed on to the console. The console has be konfig in rss as TRC on CH 3 and pin 8 and 9 is being used on the DB25 on the relevant ACC. Also the jumper setting for CH 3 is correct inside the console (2-wire). The High-level has be kept standard (default). When pressing ptt on the console the tone commands are being heard and the PTT Led lights up on the adapter but the radio dosn’t key. According to the TRC adapter manual pin 2 and 3 are being used for TX audio on J1 (RJ11). I’m not really into old phone lines but inside the adapter the outer pins 1 and 6 are N/C so leaves me with 4 pins. When reading that pin 2 and 3 were TX audio I counted from pin 1 which is N/C internally. That may be first mistake? Google learned me that when looking at 4 pins the two in the middle pin 2 and 3 would be the phone line pins?!? I need to understand how this works and how the 2-wire konfig is being controlled for both TX and RX. My first thought was that the Guard tone was being used to direct the signals on the 2-wire? BTW the console also lights up the MON Led when pressed.
On the adapter SWA 2 and 7 is up. If 7 is down the Leds don’t light up on the adapter if PTT or MON is being pressed.

The present konfig between the adapter and radio looks like this:

Adapter————————Astro Spectra J6
1 RX audio - —————18 Dig GND / Mic Lo
3 RX audio + —————6 Fil audio
6 PTT —————————1 PTT
7 Mic Hi ———————-12 Mic Hi
9 Mic Lo ———————-18 Dig GND / Mic Lo
12 GND————————-18 Dig GND / Mic Lo
13 DC + ————————22 SWB+
14 GND————————-18 Dig GND / Mic Lo
15 DC + ————————22 SWB+
16 GND————————-18 Dig GND / Mic Lo

Any ideas what could be wrong?
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d119
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Re: TRC konfig

Post by d119 »

If I recall correctly, the TRC option should only be enabled if the radio is in a consolette, and that consolette has a TRC board in it. It's a bit misleading.

There are also jumpers in the radio that have to be changed around in order to get things like filtered audio, etc. It may be worth consulting the service manual to make sure everything is configured properly.

That could also be the case for your external PTT, however if you have a "contact closure" type PTT on the Tone Remote Adapter, you may need to ground the other side of the PTT relay in order to pass that ground on to the radio and key it. I'd make certain your PTT line is actually going low and not high when you key the TRA via the console. If nothing at all happens, see if the PTT line from the TRA is a relay that needs the other side grounded.

I have never, and have never seen, PTT interfaced via a VIP connection. That should all be done via the rear DB15 connector.

See if any of this helps.
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Radio Intelligence Agency
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2003 9:36 am

Re: TRC konfig

Post by Radio Intelligence Agency »

Thank you awesome info. Yes it´s very confusing and it´s extremely difficult to find info about TRC down in details. What I´ve found out so far (learning a lot these days) is that the L1548A does pretty much what the DC adapter does. It keys the radio and passes audio and I don´t even think it supports 4W as the manual says it´s optional and on the board parts are clearly missing. That means back to the drawing board and re-consider the setup once again. I gave up on the Astro Spectra W3 there´s no way to use the J6 unless I re-route the audio and LF signal inside the radio or maybe at least on the interconnect board. Now I´m using an old analog Spectra and finally the radio did key up running it thru thw L1548A there´s something wrong though as the RX audio is max 5% of what it should be and the mic hi input on pin 12 is way too weak. Tomorrow I´ll re-konfigure the console and use ch 5 which is a seperate channal card just to exclude a possible failure on the card I´m using now. Also I´ll leave it as 2W and use pin 2 and 3 for TX audio on the L1548A J1 connecter (RJ11). If it dosn´t fix the problem I´ll have a look at my cable between the adapter and radio as I may have done something wrong there it´s possible anyway.

Reagrding the DB15 pinouts on the Spectra I never used it on a console. The use of J6 may not be such a good idea though as the interconnect boards vary a lot. Thing is the Spectra was never build for this kind of konfiguration but still it´s possible.
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d119
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Re: TRC konfig

Post by d119 »

RIA - Glad to help! Some of those TRA units were in fact two wire only to lessen cost for basic things. The thought was that there really would be no need to return tones or duplex audio back to a dispatch console or remote with something as simple as a conventional base station. These things were used in areas like schools or offices where multiple people had to be able to use the radio, but they only wanted one physical base station present (which makes good sense).

I'd HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY suggest you read up on the ASTRO Spectra/Analog Spectra accessory connectors (rear DB15 for low power/mid power units). Everything you need should be right there with no modifications OTHER THAN JUMPERS INSIDE THE RADIO to mess with.

Have a look at this page, paying attention to the word "Jumper" using your search feature in your browser. http://batlabs.com/spectra.html
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