Radio Inhibit in the field

[pfd radio]

I am the radio tech for a fire department and they asked me if I can "stun or kill" a lost or stolen portable. They are using XTS2500 & 5000's they are on conventional simplex channels, so the dispatch radio cannot transmit to the them.
Radio inhibit is enabled in CPS.
How can I inhibit a lost or stolen radio and how can I revive it if it is recovered? What will I physically need for this?

PS - I have a B1666 MDC1200 Box, I don't know if it can encode what I need
Thanks

[HLA]

typically you have to use the console that inhibited the radio to un inhibit it but if you don't have a console capable of it check around and see if another local disbatch has one. and i might be wrong on this but on conventional channels the radio has to be turned on when the inhibit signal is sent out for it to work so if somebody stole it and wore the battery down or it it's out of range it won't work

[wavetar]

they are on conventional simplex channels, so the dispatch radio cannot transmit to the them.

You'll have to clarify this line...if dispatch cannot transmit to the field radios, then you won't be able to inhibit them.

Assuming dispatch CAN transmit to the field radios, you generally require some sort of console such as a Stat-Alert capable C200, MC2000/2500, CommandStar/Lite, etc to send the MDC inhibit/revive commands. They are 'standard' MDC commands, so you do NOT need the same console which inhibited the radio in order to revive it.

Todd

[sethcwilliams]

From the R12 Astro 25 CPS help file, might help you out if you're using ASTRO signalling. There's no doubt a myriad of tweaks and configuration changes/additions you may have to make (provided your radios are option/hardware capable), but you can initiate a KILL/STUN command from any radio. This might get you pointed in the right direction.


Tactical Inhibit Kill Encode
(Conventional Personality, ASTRO Call)


Enables the radio to transmit a Tactical Inhibit Kill command to a specific radio or group of radios. The over the air Kill command is initiated with a CPS-programmed "KILL" menu item selection. Only radios programmed to decode this Kill command are in fact Killed (see Kill Decode). Targeted radios are selected (by the radio-user) from the ASTRO Call List or by a direct entry of an ASTRO System, Radio ID (from the radio’s keypad). The feature applies only while operating in ASTRO Signaling mode and when on the current Conventional Personality.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The "KILL" menu item selections must be CPS-programmed in order for the radio-user to have access to this feature.

The initiating radio-user must successfully enter the CPS-defined Tactical Inhibit Encode Password in order for the radio to transmit the Kill command.

Note: Secure Encryption or Clear may be selected in the Packet Data Secure/Clear Strapping field.

ACCESSED ONLY:

When the Tx Voice/Signal Type field is set to "ASTRO", and

when the Display & Menus, Tactical Inhibit field is enabled.

APPLIES ONLY:

When the currently selected ASTRO System has its Packet Data Capable System field enabled, and its Packet Data Mode field set to "Direct" (ASTRO Systems are selected for individual Conventional Personalities from the ASTRO System field.)

[pfd radio]

they are on conventional simplex channels, so the dispatch radio cannot transmit to the them.

You'll have to clarify this line...if dispatch cannot transmit to the field radios, then you won't be able to inhibit them.

Assuming dispatch CAN transmit to the field radios, you generally require some sort of console such as a Stat-Alert capable C200, MC2000/2500, CommandStar/Lite, etc to send the MDC inhibit/revive commands. They are 'standard' MDC commands, so you do NOT need the same console which inhibited the radio in order to revive it.

Todd

This is the scenario - Their using MDC1200 for the signaling type. I am in a vehicle and within range of the target radio(MDC #1234), verified by doing a radio check. Would I need a stat alert console connected to a mobile radio programmed on the same channel? If this is the case do I need a big Command Plus size unit or is there something smaller (like your typical tone remote size)?

Mike

[pfd radio]

From the R12 Astro 25 CPS help file, might help you out if you're using ASTRO signalling. There's no doubt a myriad of tweaks and configuration changes/additions you may have to make (provided your radios are option/hardware capable), but you can initiate a KILL/STUN command from any radio. This might get you pointed in the right direction.


Tactical Inhibit Kill Encode
(Conventional Personality, ASTRO Call)


Enables the radio to transmit a Tactical Inhibit Kill command to a specific radio or group of radios. The over the air Kill command is initiated with a CPS-programmed "KILL" menu item selection. Only radios programmed to decode this Kill command are in fact Killed (see Kill Decode). Targeted radios are selected (by the radio-user) from the ASTRO Call List or by a direct entry of an ASTRO System, Radio ID (from the radio’s keypad). The feature applies only while operating in ASTRO Signaling mode and when on the current Conventional Personality.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The "KILL" menu item selections must be CPS-programmed in order for the radio-user to have access to this feature.

The initiating radio-user must successfully enter the CPS-defined Tactical Inhibit Encode Password in order for the radio to transmit the Kill command.

Note: Secure Encryption or Clear may be selected in the Packet Data Secure/Clear Strapping field.

ACCESSED ONLY:

When the Tx Voice/Signal Type field is set to "ASTRO", and

when the Display & Menus, Tactical Inhibit field is enabled.

APPLIES ONLY:

When the currently selected ASTRO System has its Packet Data Capable System field enabled, and its Packet Data Mode field set to "Direct" (ASTRO Systems are selected for individual Conventional Personalities from the ASTRO System field.)

They use the MDC1200 signaling (County standard) Can you have both signaling types on the same channel?

[sethcwilliams]

You can set the personality up for mixed-mode RX, but from reading through the CPS, it seems to imply that the TX voice/signal type has to be ASTRO //EDIT// (to decode or encode the tactical kill/stun) //EDIT// which wouldn't work for you if you're encoding MDC with your channels. You might be able to do some magic with the scan function by setting up an all ASTRO personality strickly for this function, but if you're scanning anything else during normal operations I'd probably recommend against it. Since trying this out would probably require additional options purchased for your radios anyway, sounds like you might be much better off sticking with MDC.

[wavetar]

This is the scenario - Their using MDC1200 for the signaling type. I am in a vehicle and within range of the target radio(MDC #1234), verified by doing a radio check. Would I need a stat alert console connected to a mobile radio programmed on the same channel? If this is the case do I need a big Command Plus size unit or is there something smaller (like your typical tone remote size)?

Mike

The Motorola C200 & MC2000 models I mentioned in my earlier post are standard sized remotes. As long as they have the Stat-Alert option in them, you'd be good to go. Since MDC1200 is no longer proprietary, there may be other 3rd party options out there that I'm not aware of as well.

Todd

[pfd radio]

Thanks for all the help - I'll get one of those remotes and set it up for my mobile radio.

[wavetar]

Thanks for all the help - I'll get one of those remotes and set it up for my mobile radio.

The MC2000 is the current offering from Motorola, the C200 isn't available from them any more. But, you may still be able to source the C200 style (a little smaller than the MC2000) directly from Gai-Tronics, as they manufactured them.

[Batwings21]

As a side note, we have many c200 and mc series remotes in service and the mc series (cml made) is definitely not as reliable as the gai-tronics made ones.

[HumHead]

As a side note, we have many c200 and mc series remotes in service and the mc series (cml made) is definitely not as reliable as the gai-tronics made ones.

I will second that.

[RKG]

1) The C200 tone remote is still available from Gai-Tronics; I forget the model number.

2) A Cimarron C Plus III MDC decoder can be optioned to send extended MDC commands via any radio that it is connected to.

[pfd radio]

Thanks again - Perhaps that's an avenue worth pursuing. I think the Cimarron will do an "Ambush" (When the target radio shows - It sends the inhibit command")

[dsheli]

Have you looked under the back seat of the chiefs car? Everytime one of our radios goes missing thatsusually where we find it.