R02.50.04 for 2nd Gen Radios Pulled from Production

[dh6kq]

Maybe the bigger question is why do companies continue to invest in Motorola systems when things like this continue to happen time after time. Just asking.

Unfortunately in most companies it is kind of accpeted that solely sales people specify gateways and deadlines for development, no matter if this is hardware or software or whatever.
Sometimes these timelines are even shortened through the course. If that happens a few times without negative impact, then these reduced phase are nominated as "the new standard" - at that point in time everything deteriorates...

No spare time for thorough testing, not even all primary functions (probably at least the ones which are key functions or characteristics), usually neither all possible combinations nor with all typical reprentatives of key user groups...
If a nonconformance might be detected (by lucky chance! remember: no time for real testing) it's even worse, because there is no spare time to implement immediate corrective actions or correction loops to processes and schedules.

Screw-ups usually are "bridged" or explained as unintended function, then these are renamed as "feature"... mostly in Sales meetings.
All of the above is my personal experience, no matter if it's all about bulk rubber material or candy bars, automotive components or radios... just my 2 cents.

 

[escomm]

Also Motorola seems to have a pretty big boner for itself pushing 2 major releases per year, perhaps that is somewhere integrated into some huge contract for a big customer like Disneyland or something, even still they shouldn't push this crap out unless it's fully vetted and it's clear to me they don't even seem to have a basic vetting and validation process because how the hell do you not test writing a codeplug from new CPS to a radio with older firmware? They ended up having like 4 or 5 firmware releases last year because of the interim bugs and crap

 

[com501]

Motorola Solutions Partners = Firmware Beta Testers

 

[Mackinaw]

In addition to the issues described in the FSB, has anyone experienced issues with analog channels? Specifically, since upgrading, channels that should only unmute with matching PL or DPL behave as if they are set to CSQ.

 

[phonebuff]

Coming back to an MOL Account near you !

R02.50.05 --

 

[Mars]

Coming back to an MOL Account near you !

R02.50.05 --

Thanks, phonebuff! Discussion about this release can continue, here.

 

[syntrx]

Here's what the LCP issue looks like when it hits, for anyone who's curious.

https://youtu.be/I6ntAP5eMtA

 

[com501]

It also did that with regular Capacity Plus too. Interesting thing happened the other day, a warranty 7580 came back from the Depot and when it was programmed back to the customer's system, it exhibited the exact same systems as the video. Firmware 2.50. I opened a case, and send the codeplug to support. They called back and told me that the radio had been flashed with the WRONG REGION at the Depot and to return it for reflash.

Odd that it was perfectly happy to be programmed from our archive....

 

[Mars]

The Depot has no idea what they're talking about.

It cannot be flashed for the wrong region, yet readable with North American CPS. Impossible. Unless the CPS is modified.

Thanks for the video syntrx. Those are the exact same issues I had two months ago, when I was putting our LCP on the air. I thought I had done something wrong. Unfortunately, I guess I involuntarily signed up to participate in Motorola's beta testing program.

 

[nje431]

What? Someone at the depot doesn't know what they're talking about!? Surely you jest

 

[syntrx]

Thanks for the video syntrx. Those are the exact same issues I had two months ago, when I was putting our LCP on the air. I thought I had done something wrong. Unfortunately, I guess I involuntarily signed up to participate in Motorola's beta testing program.

Even when you set up CP/LCP exactly as per the documentation, there are still weird bullshit oddball firmware bugs in their repeaters that will present similar symptoms to this...

 

[Mars]

Even when you set up CP/LCP exactly as per the documentation, there are still weird bullshit oddball firmware bugs in their repeaters that will present similar symptoms to this...

And even with R02.50.05 firmware, I'm still noticing intermittent (and very infrequent) access issues. It manifests as a busy (high-low tone on sub TX) and I can't get a channel grant. Yet, I grab an identically programmed radio and I can key into the system no problem.

I figured I had a programming issue, but after reviewing the codeplug, I've done nothing wrong. I occasionally breath through my mouth, but not in this instance. I'm putting a friendly bet on seeing a Linked Capacity Plus "bug resolution" in the next firmware release.

Bitching and moaning aside, I am fairly happy with the overall functionality of LCP. CPS needs to be tweaked so as to rename the Capacity Plus ---> Sites folder, to "Talkgroups" or something similar, to make it less confusing for newbs.

For anyone not familiar, the Sites folder contains a "Capacity Plus Site List" for each talkgroup (or standby channel, aka no group assigned; useful for private call, text message or call alert standby only) you intend to use. Each "Capacity Plus Site List" must have a list of all permissible LCP sites, the radio is allowed to access for the associated voice/data/group list. It's somewhat confusing, but once you understand the theory behind it all, everything falls into place.

It's still confusing and could be much easier to configure. If programming talkgroups/RF sites into a P25 radio was this confusing, people would give up. To make it even more annoying/confusing, you cannot copy/paste Capacity Plus Site Lists. That means you have to manually add/specify up to 20 sites (assuming Extended LCP enhancement) for each talkgroup you add!

When I email users on our LCP network to advise a new wide or regional talkgroup has been provisioned, the majority of them aren't capable of properly programming their radios' for the new channels. It's too technical/confusing. Yes, a system admin should handle the programming, but not all users are local and not all users are using the same CPS regions or EID activations. This means a codeplug template is out of the question.

It is my hope Motorola will make LCP programming a little more logical in the future. We also need the ability to utilize more than one RID per radio, especially when LCP/CP and IPSC systems are programmed into the radio. One RID doesn't cut it.

/rant

 

[nje431]

Mars,
On your intermittent keyup problem, this may not be the cause in your case, but......

On our Connect Plus system, we have seen the same thing many times. It usually effects the base station (the heaviest use station, of course). I can't think of a single case where we haven't found the culprit to be an Astron linear power supply married to an XPR5550. Replace the power supply with a properly sized switching model and life is good. I'm not sure why the 55xx is so sensitive, I don't ever recall this problem with the 45xx series.

YMMV.

Cheers

 

[Mars]

nje431: Thank you for your advice. In my application, the culprit is an XPR7550. R02.50.05. Factory radio, aligned.

 

[com501]

Three different systems on two different bands, the Gen II radios even with upgraded FW are having this issue, as you, very intermintently but seemingly NOT the Gen I radios. I am wondering if this is a rest channel problem, which seems to have been an issue on and off since 2.3 something.