entracom Terminology / Card Type Primer

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d119
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entracom Terminology / Card Type Primer

Post by d119 »

A description of common circuit cards & equipment used in Centracom systems.

OMI = Operator Multiplex Interface.
Older 6805 based card that is EPROM programmed (UV Erasable) and requires the Motorola CentraCom II Field PROM programmer to change the operator console configuration. The CCII FPP installs on an unused OMI card and interfaces via the RS232 card to a TTY to facilitate PROM programming.

Note: Good luck on this one. Finding the CCII FPP to reprogram a standard OMI is near impossible, and after speaking with experienced Motorola technicians, it's a real pain in the neck to work with.

TOMI = Trunked Operator Multiplex Interface.
This is the one to have for CentraCom II+ systems. This interface supports BOTH trunking and conventional operation. When equipped with EEPROMS instead of UV erasable EPROMS in the personality module PROM sockets, the card becomes user-programmable via "Motorola Centracom Series2 RSS". Using an RS-232 card installed above the TOMI card in the CEB and the Series2 RSS, you can manipulate the programming of the TOMI card and set up an operator position using DOS based RSS (The Series2 RSS).


*Note: This is STILL a major pain in the neck, because the operator position CCP's (Channel Control Panels) and CCM's (Channel Control Modules, the individual modules that install in an operator position) are all defined in the software by MODEL NUMBER (B1403 is a speaker, B1405 is a T1R1 CCM, etc). I'll post a conversion chart for these model numbers as I figure them out. This is really the only way to go for Buttons & LED's OP's, unless you can get ahold of COIM's.

BIM = Base Interface Module
BIM's are what connects CentraCom to the actual base stations. Signalling is performed via standard Tone Remote Control (TRC) or Direct Current (DC). BIM's in their default state are TRC BIM's, and use tone signalling. To accomplish DC signalling, a DC daughterboard that contains interface circuitry and a transformer is installed on the BIM. It is my theory that this daughter card does nothing but convert tone signalling to DC signalling, but I could be wrong, this is just a theory. BIM's can usually be identified as a card with a single adjustment pot on the front (the BIM output to the base station), and the standard red/green LED's below that.

TBIM = Trunked Base Interface Module
The TBIM interfaces to base stations in a trunking environment. Each trunked channel will have a corresponding TBIM in the CEB. It is my understanding that console audio does not route through the trunking central controller, but to each base station individually via a TBIM. I don't have much experience with TBIM's, so thats about all I know so far.

WWV BIM = WWV Base Interface Module
The WWV BIM attaches to a WWVB receiver in order to bring accurate system time to the CEB.

IBIM = iDEN Base Interface Module
The IBIM allows interface of an iDEN base station (NexTel). This allows the OP to control a Motorola LM3000AFU (Advanced Features Unit) base station to operate on an iDEN network. The IBIM, LM3000AFU and some interface pieces ALL require VERY special MATCHING firmware, and this is not a simple feature to install. I've got limited experience on the IBIM's, and they can be quite a pain. Once it's working though, it works fairly well, and you can send alert tones, etc. via the console out over to the iDEN units, and in theory you could do channel patches between iDEN and conventional channels.

DR or DRIM = Dual Receive Interface Module
DRIMS allow you to interface two receivers to Centracom for receive-only applications. The inputs are standard 600 ohm connections, and are VOX activated. What comes out of your receiver controls activity on the card. You can interface TWO receivers to the card, hence the "Dual Receive". Dispatch centers that employ these cards generally use them for talkaround receivers to hear units on car-to-car channels, but I've personally seen them used for other things, such as scanners on a fixed frequency, other agency "Receive Only" radios, and even cable television audio so that the TV audio can be muted when a call comes in and goes out, and so the dispatcher has easy access to the TV volume.

COIM = Console Operator Interface Module
A COIM is the Operator Interface Module that is used in Centracom Gold Elite systems. The COIM is by far the most desirable card to have, as it allows interfacing to Centracom Gold Elite CIE's (PC based dispatch), or Buttons & LED's consoles. They are very easy to program. The COIM is the standard Operator Multiplex Interface as of this writing.

SYSTEM TIMER = The system timer is the heart of the system. Most CEB's operate on two system timers: A & B. There are two system timers in the CEB for redundancy, and they hand off control at midnight every night and switch back and forth amongst each other. The CEB can be configured to operate with only one system timer, but this is not adivsable, because a failure of the system timer card in a CEB that only runs one system timer WILL BRING DOWN THE ENTIRE CEB, and I've seen it happen. Best to have two for redundancy ALWAYS.

LOMI/LORI = Logging Operator Module Interface
These cards are used in trunking systems for voice recording/logging. This card de-trunks the audio off the system and records specific talkgroups to the logging recorder. I don't have any experience with these, although I do have a few.

ROCI = Remote Operator Console Interface
The ROCI card allows interfacing of an off-premises console, in other words, a console that is not physically located within the immediate premises of the CEB. Linkage is by way of modems.

TIMI = Definitiion Needed (Trunking Interface Multiplex Interface?)
The TIMI card is the link between the CEB and a trunking system Central Controller. The TIMI card is essentially a TOMI card with different firmware in it to perform a different function. The TIMI carries all talkgroup information, radio ID's, etc. back to the CEB from the Central Controller. TIMI links are generally by way of Motorola UDS modems.

SPI/DPI = Smart Phone Interface / Direct Phone Interface
Provides control of a telephone line from Centracom OP's. Allow radio/telephone interconnect, call taking, etc.

AEI = Audio Expansion Interface
This board is necessary when using TOMI cards, as apparently the TOMI card does not have enough physical space on the board to handle processing & audio (per xmo in another post). The AEI sits adjacent to the TOMI card, and a "Y" cable is used to interface the AEI and TOMI outputs (AEI & Backplane 7 pair) into one 7 pair cable for connection to the console.

3/6 AUX I/O = 3 Input, 6 Output Auxiliary Input/Output
Allows 3 inputs or 6 outputs of relay contact closure (momentary or push-on/push-off). Door controls, voter controls, etc. This is a small card that sits in one of the little slots above all the other cards.

16 AUX I/O = 16 Auxiliary Input/Output
Similar to 3/6 Aux I/O but has 16 relays on it. This is a full-size card.

COMP = Comparator Interface
The COMP module interfaces to a Voting Comparator (analog SpectraTAC or analog/securenet DIGITAC) to allow display of the voted site, unsquelched sites, failed sites and disabled sites. It also allows manual disable of voting receiver sites and manual voting of voting receiver sites. This is one cool card once you've done all the wiring. It emulates the voting display on the front of the comparator on the actual console. This card is very similar to a 16 AUX I/O and may in fact be the same card, possibly with different firmware installed.

CORI =Console Operator Remote Interface.
Far end of the Remote Operator Console Interface (ROCI). Installs in the OP/CIE and allows linking back to the CEB by way of modems.

AIMI = Ambassador Interface Multiplex Interface
AIMI modules replace the standard CEB System Timer modules in CEBs connected to AEBs and provides T-1 linkage to the AEB.

AEB= Ambassador Eletronics Bank
The CENTRACOM Embassy Switch is intended for console systems which require access to more than 96 audio resources or would otherwise be suited for the use of multiple, potentially geographically separated, Central Electronics Banks (CEBs). In addition, the Embassy switch functions as the core audio switching equipment in Motorola SmartZone and Dimetra trunked radio systems.
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