MotoTRBO Messages while Scanning

[Sierra Delta]

I've been experimenting with some of my subscriber radios (XPR7550e FW R02.09.00.0001) and it has left me somewhat confused. I hope someone with much more knowledge on this can help me or at least explain why this isn't working.

I'm trying to accomplish having the ability for my subscriber radios to receive messages while scanning.

What I currently have setup is all of my subscriber radios are set on an analog simplex channel by default. I then have a digital simplex channel setup in the same zone where each subscriber radio has a scan list setup with the digital simplex channel set to priority #1. While the simple solution would be to keep each subscriber radio on the digital simplex channel, unfortunately they need to stay on the analog simplex channel for compatibility reasons with the other analog radios that are being used in the same area.

The issue I'm having is that the messages wont send out from another radio on the digital simplex channel even though all other radios are actively scanning for that digital simplex channel. However, I can send a call alert, radio check, and radio enable/disable just fine. If all the other digital signaling features work in this configuration, why wouldn't the message function work? Any help would be very much welcomed.

 

[Mars]

You probably have "Data Call Confirmed" enabled, which means unless an acknowledgement is received, the message will not send. "Se end Failed" or whatever. Also, do you have talkback or selected channel as your PTT type (during scan)? That could impact the ability to do confirmed data calls.

 

[gMan1971]

I've been experimenting with some of my subscriber radios (XPR7550e FW R02.09.00.0001) and it has left me somewhat confused. I hope someone with much more knowledge on this can help me or at least explain why this isn't working.

I'm trying to accomplish having the ability for my subscriber radios to receive messages while scanning.

What I currently have setup is all of my subscriber radios are set on an analog simplex channel by default. I then have a digital simplex channel setup in the same zone where each subscriber radio has a scan list setup with the digital simplex channel set to priority #1. While the simple solution would be to keep each subscriber radio on the digital simplex channel, unfortunately they need to stay on the analog simplex channel for compatibility reasons with the other analog radios that are being used in the same area.

The issue I'm having is that the messages wont send out from another radio on the digital simplex channel even though all other radios are actively scanning for that digital simplex channel. However, I can send a call alert, radio check, and radio enable/disable just fine. If all the other digital signaling features work in this configuration, why wouldn't the message function work? Any help would be very much welcomed.

Also, make sure the CAI address and CAI group is the same on ALL radios. Also, PDU must be the same as well. I ran into a similar issue that my 6550s that couldn't send messages to the 5550e, turned out the 5550e was in a different CAI...

Here is a thread that might be relevant:

Question, is the XPR 5550e text message format different than Gen1 TRBO radios?

I recently acquired an XPR5550e UHF, firmware version R02.07.03.0000. Radio seems to work very well, but for some unknown reason, to me at least, none of my 6550 can send text messages to the 5550e, nor the 5550e can send messages to the 6550. The 5550e shows the "waiting" animation until it...

communications.support

Hope this helps.

G.

 

[Sierra Delta]

You probably have "Data Call Confirmed" enabled, which means unless an acknowledgement is received, the message will not send. "Se end Failed" or whatever. Also, do you have talkback or selected channel as your PTT type (during scan)? That could impact the ability to do confirmed data calls.

I actually tried with and without "Data Call Confirmed" and there doesn't seem to be any difference with this particular setting. I do have talkback enabled in the scan setting as well. I just have "Selected" set as the "TX Designated Channel". I briefly tried switching it to the digital channel, but then it automatically snaps to the digital channel and won't TX on the analog channel, so that wont work. I did try another setting in the scan section labeled "Rx Unconfirmed Group Data All Scan Members", but that didn't seem to do anything either. It sounded promising when I notice that setting wasn't originally checked, but sadly, it didn't do anything.

 

[Sierra Delta]

Also, make sure the CAI address and CAI group is the same on ALL radios. Also, PDU must be the same as well. I ran into a similar issue that my 6550s that couldn't send messages to the 5550e, turned out the 5550e was in a different CAI...

Here is a thread that might be relevant:

Question, is the XPR 5550e text message format different than Gen1 TRBO radios?

I recently acquired an XPR5550e UHF, firmware version R02.07.03.0000. Radio seems to work very well, but for some unknown reason, to me at least, none of my 6550 can send text messages to the 5550e, nor the 5550e can send messages to the 6550. The 5550e shows the "waiting" animation until it...

communications.support

Hope this helps.

G.

I did check on these settings as well and they all matched. I did read that other thread with your original issue, so I also tried setting the "Max Tx UDP Size" to all the different options and that didn't seem to do anything. Per your thread, I also tried the "Compressed UDP Data Header" options along with the "Text Message Type" and still nothing.

I'm not crazy right? Shouldn't this theoretically be able to work, especially when I can send our radio checks, call alerts, radio enable/disable?

 

[gMan1971]

I have one last bullet in the chamber.... lets make it count... LOL

The TX radio might need a higher preamble to "ensure" the RX scanning radio stops and gets the message at the channel.

So...
General Settings -> Battery Saver -> Preamble ===> Make sure its enabled.
General Settings -> TX Preamble Duration ===> Here is a chart that shows recommended preamble values when the other radios in the network are scanning X number of channels.



G

 

[Sierra Delta]

I have one last bullet in the chamber.... lets make it count... LOL

The TX radio might need a higher preamble to "ensure" the RX scanning radio stops and gets the message at the channel.

So...
General Settings -> Battery Saver -> Preamble ===> Make sure its enabled.
General Settings -> TX Preamble Duration ===> Here is a chart that shows recommended preamble values when the other radios in the network are scanning X number of channels.
View attachment 15247


G

Thanks for chart and the other setting to try. I just tried it and it doesn't seem to do anything either. I'm wondering if somehow it just won't work in general. The reason I'm wondering is because when the radio is set to an analog channel, the message option isn't available in the menu unless the radio is parked on a digital channel. Another interesting thing that I discovered while testing is that when I send out a group message, the scanning radios show the Rx green light and signal indicator as if it is receiving something, however the screen does not light up and the radios don't acknowledge a message has been sent.

 

[gMan1971]

Maybe you can try reducing the time spent on each channel... so it doesn't take too long, I think set mine up to 50 ms (the lowest)

Maybe that is the last bullet?

G.

 

[phonebuff]

@Sierra Delta

Sanitize and post you code plugs so someone can take a look for you - Note which version of the software you use to read and save them ..

 

[Sierra Delta]

@Sierra Delta

Sanitize and post you code plugs so someone can take a look for you - Note which version of the software you use to read and save them ..

Thanks phonebuff. I’ll post them later today once I get back to my office.

 

[Sierra Delta]

Okay, so here's the link for 2 sanitized codeplugs. They have been programmed using CPS V16.0 Build 828. Hopefully you guys will be able to spot what I have done wrong and/or what I haven't set properly. Thanks for all your time and input everyone!

9.95 MB folder on MEGA

3 files

mega.nz