Can Spectra Decode MDC?

Dale Earnhardt · Post by **Dale Earnhardt** » Mon Oct 22, 2001 1:29 pm

Hi everybody,

Just wondering, can spectra Decode MDC, am thinking of getting one in the UHF section probally above 450 range.

And can it do paging, where you use MDC to page?

Thanks in advance

Post by Pj » Mon Oct 22, 2001 2:39 pm

I *believe* that if an ASTRO spectra has it as an option, it will decode the ID. The regualar analog spectra cannot decode MDC1200.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Mon Oct 22, 2001 3:09 pm

If an Astro Spectra has been flashed with the option, it can decode MDC1200 IDs. I've been told that an E revision analog spectra might be able to decode MDC IDs because it's flash-upgradeable. I have not yet been able to confirm that though, as I have never seen an E revision analog spectra. Where I am, you see more white unicorns and leprechauns than E revision spectras. Unless you find an analog spectra with old firmware, most of them are capable of MDC paging. A friend and I have it set up on our spectras and it works rather well. We're trying to figure out MDC messaging.

[ This Message was edited by: Bob on 2001-10-22 19:09 ]

Dale Earnhardt · Post by **Dale Earnhardt** » Mon Oct 22, 2001 8:27 pm

Well, heck, that kind of ruin my day lol, wanted that option on a analong spectra, to decode MDC, would help me alot too. Paging i like, but no decoding, kinda bites in the butt, I guess I should get a CDM that has decode.

Oh BTW, on ebay I saw one guy selling a maxtrac, and he says it can decode mdc ID, and it will show on the display, that cant be true...

RObert

Post by **alex** » Mon Oct 22, 2001 9:18 pm

Oh BTW, on ebay I saw one guy selling a maxtrac, and he says it can decode mdc ID, and it will show on the display, that cant be true...

Maxtrac with 16-pin logic boards and 32 channels have the ability to decode MDC. I had two of them for a while...

I haven't come up with a proven way to insure that the model number matches a 32 channel/16 pin board. I think (off the top of my head) that D44MJA7JA5AK would be a full featured maxtrac. I'm not sure though, and it's off the top of my head.

I have a spectra now (I like it better than the maxtrac). I don't terribly miss the decode feature simply because it needed to be monitoring 1 channel to display MDC id's, and I'd almost always have the radio scanning.

Oh well.

Hope that helps!

-Alex

Dale Earnhardt · Post by **Dale Earnhardt** » Mon Oct 22, 2001 10:13 pm

So when it decodes, it shows the ID of the radio on the maxtrac display by scrolling?

Post by **alex** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 5:16 am

On 2001-10-23 02:13, Dale Earnhardt wrote:
So when it decodes, it shows the ID of the radio on the maxtrac display by scrolling?

Well, here's the deal. The maxtrac has a phonebook in it that's used for MDC Call, QCII paging, etc... In order for it to decode MDC properly, you have to put everyone's MDC ID into the phonebook. You also create "aliases" that will display. Example, I'm unit 56. However, my unit ID might be 1256. You put 1256 into the MDCID, and then alias "56". When you are not scanning, and I key up my radio "56" will flash on the screen for a few seconds. The maxtrac screen will not scroll. If you mess up the MDC ID or it's not in your phone book, the screen will flash "00".

This took me a few months to figure out how to get it working right. I remember posting to the old board about it, however, I don't think I got a solution to the problem. I came across how to make it decode by sheer luck!

Does that help?

-Alex

[ This Message was edited by: alex on 2001-10-23 09:18 ]

Dale Earnhardt · Post by **Dale Earnhardt** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 7:32 am

Hi Alex,

Thanks for that help, its very helpful, was kind of wondering about that, so yeah, it made very sence, I guess I should get one then, hehe, oh before I forget, I guess you do the same for paging too? have to create a phone book of the unit IDs, and just pull it from the menu and just transmit?

Post by **alex** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 9:11 am

Thanks for that help, its very helpful, was kind of wondering about that, so yeah, it made very sence, I guess I should get one then, hehe, oh before I forget, I guess you do the same for paging too? have to create a phone book of the unit IDs, and just pull it from the menu and just transmit?

Yup - if you hit "select" i believe, select a number, and hit sel until the option flashes that you want. Example:

I am unit 56. To page me, you'd hit Sel, and select 56. Now, (remembering here - someone who has one might be able to help me out) it should be flashing 56 and CA. CA stands for call. if you hit select agin, you should get 56 to flash, followed by CH for check. There's another 1 maybe 2 of them that I don't remember off the top of my head, but it all depends on how you set the radio up. Once you get it working right, it's pretty sweet.

The maxtrac is a good radio. The only real reason I went to spectra was because I wanted the A9 head, and alphanumeric display. I also like the scan better - it beeps on priority scan (helps to know what channel when the Fire dispatcher is also covering the EMS side of things). I also found myself not using the MDC decode very often because when the radio is scanning, it doesn't flash the number on the screen. It will squelch the MDC signal, but not display the unit on the screen. The only reason I would go back to using a maxtrac over a spectra is the fact that 2 people use the main dispatch channel here - Campus Safety and Wegmans. Campus Safety is PL'ed, however, whenever wegmans talks, the radio jumps to the channel and remains there, even though the PL doesn't match. Since I'm on campus more than off, it's always my high priority channel...

anyway - nuf said.

-Alex

Post by **alex** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 9:12 am

oh

Pressing the PTT should page the user

- forgot to include that sorry

HOWARD · Post by **HOWARD** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 9:45 am

The Maxtrac can be set to beep on priority and I don't know about the Maxtrac but my GM-300 decodes MDC on scan with no problem. I don't remember if their is a setting in the RSS for this option or not but it scans when it lands on a channel it decodes the ID. I have noticed that when scanning it almost never decodes on pre-key only post-key id.
Howard

Post by **alex** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 12:17 pm

Interesting. I play and played with that codeplug, and I couldn't get the decode and display to work right. My assumption is that when it's scanning, it can't grab enough of the databurst to properly decode the message. The only channel that would be excluded from this theory would be the priority channel, on the post squak because it would be able to completly grab it on dekey.

Thoughts?

-Alex

Dale Earnhardt · Post by **Dale Earnhardt** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 1:58 pm

Dale Earnhardt · Post by **Dale Earnhardt** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 2:01 pm

Humm that is wierd, that is true, its probally cause it cant grab the whole burst to decode it at all. The wierd thing is that, I guess on those HT1250 or sort, they say the mdc has to be in front for it to decode, rather then at the end, which in this case a maxtrac, decodes it better at the end, how wierd lol.

But thanks alex for all that help, I think am gonna get me a maxtrac pretty soon then, just want to get it out of band so I can monitor PD freq too aroud the 482 area, in the batlab, it says, you just have to hold down shift, an enter the freq, if that is correct, gues I will find out when I go buy the rss.

Post by **alex** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 7:19 pm

I think that'll work... check the maxtrac page, and i'm sure you'll find that info there... it's been a good 5-6 months since I've really programed a maxtrac so...

Good luck!

-Alex

HOWARD · Post by **HOWARD** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 8:28 pm

Get a GM-300 it's easier to take out of band...and my 1250 (7150) works equally good on pre and post ID. I'm still not sold on these radios yet, though.
Howard

Post by **alex** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 8:32 pm

I thought about getting one, but I feel like i would be taking a step down from my spectra. I guess i'll have to buy Astro at dayton this year... *shudder* I forsee many a hacked radio...

HOWARD · Post by **HOWARD** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 8:38 pm

I never heard of an Astro Spectra decoding MDC. Hello, Elroy can you answer this one? As far as stepping down the Maxtrac and the GM-300 is virtually the same radio. If you need the MDC Id display and Alpha numeric consider a CDM 1250 or a Pro 5100.
http://members.aol.com/crobbinsnc/promobile.html Just make sure you know what you are buying!
Howard

[ This Message was edited by: HOWARD on 2001-10-24 00:39 ]

Dale Earnhardt · Post by **Dale Earnhardt** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 9:55 pm

Hummm I might thinking about the GM300, but found out that they only go up to 16 channels, and usually I need alot more channels, at least 25.

Can the GM300 go over 16 channels or is it pretty much stuck on there?

Dale Earnhardt · Post by **Dale Earnhardt** » Tue Oct 23, 2001 10:16 pm

So, CDM radios are also consider PRO series? can the same CDM software work on the PRO radios?

Post by **alex** » Wed Oct 24, 2001 5:47 am

As far as I know, they are of the same product line... Maybe not the best way to describe it, but they go hand in hand...

Interms of the Astro Spectra decoding MDC, I thought it was able to (much like an Astro Saber). I do remember a discussion where the a4-a7 heads (or w4-w7 in this case) were only allowed to be used because of the firmware in the head. The a/w9 head couldn't support decoding MDC on the screen.

I think we have this conversation on batlabs about once every month - two, maybe there's someone out there who can finally clarify this.

-Alex

HOWARD · Post by **HOWARD** » Thu Oct 25, 2001 11:18 am

The "Pro" Series are the Export version of the CDM radio. Same radio less money.
Howard