Moscad?

[pro-97]

what is Moscad?

 

[fineshot1]

what is Moscad?

Its a Motorola Software/Hardware package that monitors and reports alarms on a Motorola Trunk System and can page out techs for certain severity alarms.

 

[nd5y]

It is a lot more than that and doesn't just work on trunked systems.
http://www.moscad-systems.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCADA

 

[pro-97]

ok. thank you!

 

[troymail]

MOSCAD

Motorola Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

Apparently, a specific implmentation of something known as "SCADA":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCADA

I'm sure there are better answers but basically its an "over the air" data signal that can be used to control devices remotely.

I believe in most "public service" applications (like fire departments) it is being used to send dispatch information to a printer or other device. It may also be being used to activate alerting or other devices in places like firehouses.
http://www.motorola.com/governmenta....aspx?navigationpath=id_801i/id_827i/id_2258i

 

[N_Jay]

It's usually expensive overkill (Did I say that out loud?)

It's a cross between SCADA (Look it up) and a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)

 

[mikeATtleccdotnet]

The Motorola MOSCAD and now the newer version the Ace3600 is a Remote Telemetry Unit (RTU) that is fully built by Motorola, vs. making a separate PLC, Modem and Radio work together. Yes, the unit is expensive if you just look at the cost of the MOSCAD. If you look at placing a Allen Bradley SLC503 over Modem and Radio, it really costs about the same for the equipment. Where the devices excel is in troubleshooting, as it’s all Bat Wing equipment, I have great support from Motorola. I have MOSCAD’s installed that are over 12 years old and the INTRAC (Prior to MOSCAD) for over 25 years. The stuff is really good equipment.

So, what can it do? When used in a repeater site, say on the Colorado State DTRS system, it monitors all of the radios, power, microwave link’s, generator and any other thing that you can look at. In Water and Waste Water, it will allow you to turn on pumps, measure the volume in a tank, provide feedback as to the flow and pressure just to name a few. It’s great equipment! I’ve been using it for well over 10 years now.

 

[grem467]

MOSCAD rules!

 

[CCHLLM]

Over the years of instrumentation and control work, I've been involved in several Intrac/Moscad/Ace systems, the largest of which is a municipal water and sewer SCADA system that runs 3 water plants, all of the 116 pump and storage tank sites, the two wastewater plants and all of the 60 lift stations, the forced main sections, the stormwater monitoring sites, the 12 weather stations, and does all of it without a piece of oversold, overpriced Allen-Bradley equipment in sight. In fact, it was megabucks cheaper than the proposal that included A-B.

Using Moscad to monitor trunking sites is kinda overkill, but is a natural considering it's a MotherMoto communications product that directly interfaces the radio side. Using Moscad for station alerting is kinda like using your 3 gig computer to blink a light, but again, as a part of a whole system, it makes sense from an operability standpoint.

Sorry 'bout the A-B blast, it's really great equipment, but it's frequently oversold.

 

[matthewtomek]

We use Moscad for alerting fire stations here in Memphis.

 

[pro-97]

ok thank you

 

[902]

(snip) I have MOSCAD’s installed that are over 12 years old and the INTRAC (Prior to MOSCAD) for over 25 years. The stuff is really good equipment. (snip)

Mike,

Does MOSCAD work in a trunked (or conventional, for that matter) P25 environment?

 

[mikeATtleccdotnet]

If it's a Motorola Radio, except LTR, generaly it can be made to work.

 

[pro-97]

is there a way to make your scanner decode it ?

 

[mikeATtleccdotnet]

I've seen some talk about slicing it up, but as I have a huge stock of MOSCAD gear, I just use the MDLC Protocol analyzer to decode it. Otherwise, unless you know how it makes data go over the air and what it means, it would do you no good.

 

[N_Jay]

If it's a Motorola Radio, except LTR, generaly it can be made to work.

Have you SEEN it used over the air in P25?

Not saying it can't, just have not seen it or have heard of it being proposed.

 

[mikeATtleccdotnet]

Have I seen the MOSCAD on P25, No. Will I be setting up the MOSCAD on P25, yes. With the XTL5000, we now have a Astro 25 option for conventional and trunked. As some grants for our customers mandate that the radios be setup on 25, we must.