Maxtrac: How do I use scan?

[Anderegg]

I must sound like an idiot, but I cannot figure out how to make my Maxtrac scan. I have 5 channels programmed in it. First I started with the mode slaved scan feature turned off. I turned on the radio, and held down the scan button until the channel number began blinking. I then went through each channel, and pressed select until the bar on the left was lit up for every channel. I then pressed scan again to exit programming mode, and then scan again until the bars next to scan and usr were lit. I put the radio on channel 2, with another radio on channel 1. With channel 1 in the scan list, while initiating scan from any other channel, channel 1 transmissions never come through, even though i was picking it up on the second radio.

I then went into the RSS, and enabled the mode slaved scan list, including all 5 channels in all 5 mode slaved scan lists. I then tried to scan again, tried manually selecting the bars, and even deselecting them for all channels, still, no luck.

Am I missing something here? I used to own a bunch of Maxtracs, but I never remember having this problem.

Paul

[ramal121]

Sounds like you're programming the list correctly. When you press scan, are the horizontal bars lit solid, or do they alternate with the channel number?

[mmckenna]

You need to put the mic on the clip. Most Motorola radios, most higher end LMR radios for that matter, have this function. The radio will scan when the mic is on the clip. When you take the mic off the clip, the scan stops.

Some radios need the mic clip grounded, some don't. I believe the Maxtracs just need the clip, doesn't need to be grounded, but my memory is sometimes corrupted...

If you are using the radio for RX only, and don't have a microphone connected, there is at least two ways to fix this. One involves using a RJ-45 plug with a jumper in it to make the radio think the mic is on the hook, the other one involves a minor modification on the circuit board. The RJ45 plug, if I remember correctly, needs a jumper between pin 3 and pin 4. Nothing else. Plug the "dummy plug" in the mic connector and it should scan.

Or, just hook the mic up and keep it on the hook.

[Anderegg]

MM, I think you nailed the problem! I have a mic shorting plug right here, but I did not plug it in because I enabled full time PL in the RSS......but I forgot about the stupid off hook features........I hate "business" radios! :-P

Paul

[mmckenna]

Glad to hear it was an easy fix. I guess that makes up for some of the hair pulling that occurs when I don't get enough sleep and end up spending most of a day chasing an issue.