Minitor pagers losing tones

LED138 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 06:09 PM

Hey everyone,

I have been experiencing several pagers(3,4,and 5's) that have been working fine and for no reason at all one day they fail to open up. I did the programming correctly as they worked fine up until recently. I have asked a few people(dealer included) and they haven't heard of the issue. Could this be a board problem like something the contacts coming undone?

Also I get an error when I try to program M3 and M4's. It reads fine, but when I write it comes up data transmission error!. Whats this all about?

Aaand, all of the hardware/software is genuine M.
-Steve

Chauffeur6 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 06:22 PM

If you're having trouble with multiple pagers all not working correctly at the same time, it sounds like an issue with the radio system, not the pagers themselves. Check to see if the dispatch center has recently done any work to their system. They could very well have made the change to narrowband equipment, which would negatively affect the ability of the pagers to alert and would diminish audio quality on non-narrowband compliant hardware. Does the audio sound low on the pagers now? Maybe they got new consoles or reprogrammed them, with the incorrect tones. There are numerous possibilities, but I would start by eliminating a change/problem with the dispatch center before you go nuts trying to "fix" pagers that aren't actually broken.

BTW, you can program Minitor V's to operate in narrowband mode by unchecking the "Wide Band" boxes on the Function Switches tab of the software. See if that makes any difference. Unfortunately, the III/IV are not narrowband compliant.

LED138 · #3 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 08:17 PM

The console hasnt been upgraded (narrowbanded or modified) within the last 15-20 years or so. I've worked there since 1997 so I know its not that. The problem is that either the pager opens on activation and automatically resets(I check the programming and its not set to do that) or the tones do not activate at all. They can monitor but they receive no alerts(either vibrate or tone) when the tones go off.

They were programmed at different stages over the last few years and as I said they are a mix of M3, M4 and M5's... Its extremely wierd.

-Steve

gewecke · #4 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 08:28 PM

I read in a repair article elsewhere here on RR that this can be a problem with cold solder connections on the main board. I have a minitor v and so far it always tones out. The article suggests applying pressure directly over the speaker while a transmission is being received to see if you lose audio or signal. Maybe this affects programming as well?
N9ZAS

u4ia420 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 12:55 AM

I have had the same Minitor 4 for 3 years now. I had 4 separate sets of tones programed. It lost one set at one point and needed to be reprogrammed but it has only happened once.

fineshot1 · #6 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LED138

The console hasnt been upgraded (narrowbanded or modified) within the last 15-20 years or so. I've worked there since 1997 so I know its not that. The problem is that either the pager opens on activation and automatically resets(I check the programming and its not set to do that) or the tones do not activate at all. They can monitor but they receive no alerts(either vibrate or tone) when the tones go off.

They were programmed at different stages over the last few years and as I said they are a mix of M3, M4 and M5's... Its extremely wierd.

-Steve

1. Does this happen to all of these pagers at the same instant(each paging incident) or one pager at a time?

2. Is it the same fire co/ems squad tones each time?

If so it could be an issue with a specific paging encoder being used at the time(assuming there is more
than one encoder).

If there is more than one encoder try and isolate it to the offending unit. If there is only one encoder
perhaps its an intermittent issue or perhaps there are some paging procedure errors taking place
such as new personnel being trained and making errors(i have seen this one many times).

LED138 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 08:08 PM

We do have 3 different encoders at my HQ. None have been updated. As far as the pagers, Im not sure. I get told by the members or company reps that so and so said his/her pager didnt go off for "x" call. I have 4 pagers now and they dont work. I had my pager and one that I repaired on me and set off a test page. Mine activated fine, the other didnt activate at all. No tones, nor did I get anything but squelch when I pressed the squelch button during the transmision....This is seriously starting to bug me now!

-Steve

fineshot1 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LED138

As far as the pagers, Im not sure. I get told by the members or company reps that so and so said his/her pager didnt go off for "x" call. I have 4 pagers now and they dont work. I had my pager and one that I repaired on me and set off a test page. Mine activated fine, the other didnt activate at all. No tones, nor did I get anything but squelch when I pressed the squelch button during the transmision....This is seriously starting to bug me now! -Steve

What I can tell you is that you should never take it for granted what someone else says is the way
it is. I have had some people walk in my shop and tell me that their pager is dead. When I open up
the pager there are no batteries in the battery compartment. The guy says " Oh, I did not know
it needed batteries". Go figure!

I always test & confirm for what others claim is so and then move on from that point because many
times I find the claims they make are bogus. Most of the time paging problems are with the individual
pagers. If the problem is with the encoders or paging transmitter then most the time all of the FD or
squads would be having the same or similar problem.

LED138 · #9 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 05:19 PM

I agree that its not my communications center.. The only usual problem is the operators... That said, I have like 5 pagers that are not working.. Has anyone else dealt with this? Should I just send them back to M and have them check them out?

Also, no one answered my 2nd question with the software. Why am I getting a Data Transmission Error when I program minitor 3 & 4's?

smokeeater861 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-13-2009, 11:03 PM

LED..you could be losing contact with the contacts at the bottom of the pager when you go to reprogram the 3/4..I have only ran into that with the 3/4 cradle but just hold pressure down on the 3/4 in the cradle and make sure the red light on the RIB stays on.