Need help programming a Motorola PR1500

[fonestar]

Hello,

I have a Motorola PR1500 that I am trying to program.

I want Zone 1 to be Public Services, Business and Trucking channels

I want Zone 2 to be HAM 2M Repeaters and Simplex channels

When I go to program that, it won't let me use the A/B/C switch for zone select. It just goes red and says "Invalid Fields" and CPS doesn't give me any further details.

Why can't I use the A/B/C switch for zones? That's usually what it's for.


....oh and I forgot to mention the Zone selection wizard or whatever is greyed out from the menu. But I can still program Button 1 and Button 2 for "zone up" and "zone down". But I don't want to use those buttons for zones because then I have no visual indicator of what zone I am on.

 

[kayn1n32008]

I don’t have an answer for you, but for those that are reading, he is referring to trucking(LAD1, LAD2 etc.) He is in Western Canada where it is much more common for truckers to use VHF rather than CB. He is not referring Trunking or trunking Systems.


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[fonestar]

Hi Kay... that is right most truckers here use VHF. It's very rare that you can contact any on CB 19 anymore unless they are from Alaska or the lower 48 States.

Also, I am licensed for all of the channels I program in my radios or use RX only.

 

[N4KVE]

What VHF freq do truckers talk on?

 

[fonestar]

LADD 1 and LADD 2 (154.100 and 158.940) rarely LADD 3 and 4.

I really hope someone can tell me what's going on with this radio though. Why toggle buttons will let me select zones and the A/B/C switch will not?

 

[N4KVE]

Because the 3 position switch is used when you have a radio capable of 3 zones. Since the PR1500 can only have 2 zones, you cant use the 3 position switch. Of course, you could have the radio upgraded to a no display XTS2500, where you would have 48 freq's, & then use the 3 position switch for 3 zones. Do the truckers need some kind of license to transmit on 154.10, & 158.94?

 

[kayn1n32008]

Do the truckers need some kind of license to transmit on 154.10, & 158.94?

They do, depending on which province or territory, there are 10-15 different frequencies legitimately available to use @30w mobile to mobile. The two channels I listed are two of them. In Alberta there is 8 legit mobile to mobile frequencies you can be licensed for, and if needed, you can apply for a list of +/-400 frequencies used in BC/Alberta for resource road use.



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[N4KVE]

I wonder if there is a similar service for truckers in the States?

 

[kayn1n32008]

I wonder if there is a similar service for truckers in the States?

Only in Alaska.

If you look in the Alberta database in the Province wide at the ‘trucking common’ there is a list. They are called he ‘basic ten’ all have geographic restrictions of one form or another.


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[kayn1n32008]

Hi Kay... that is right most truckers here use VHF. It's very rare that you can contact any on CB 19 anymore unless they are from Alaska or the lower 48 States.



Also, I am licensed for all of the channels I program in my radios or use RX only.

Very aware. I work in the oilfield in Alberta, and grew up in BC and use LMR for oil/logging roads quite extensively.


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[fonestar]

Because the 3 position switch is used when you have a radio capable of 3 zones. Since the PR1500 can only have 2 zones, you cant use the 3 position switch. Of course, you could have the radio upgraded to a no display XTS2500, where you would have 48 freq's, & then use the 3 position switch for 3 zones. Do the truckers need some kind of license to transmit on 154.10, & 158.94?

Hmm... are you sure? I can configure 3 zones in this radio. I cannot seem to label those zones though.

I will try configure 3 zones and set the A/B/C to each be a zone...

But then I am back with the original problem... I would have no way of seeing if this radio is in scan mode or not. I can see why this radio wasn't exactly a "smash hit" with LEA/FD, etc...

 

[fonestar]

Very aware. I work in the oilfield in Alberta, and grew up in BC and use LMR for oil/logging roads quite extensively.


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As I understand it... the LADD's cause some problems for people living in the Northern USA where some of those are regular business frequencies.

 

[fonestar]

Because the 3 position switch is used when you have a radio capable of 3 zones. Since the PR1500 can only have 2 zones, you cant use the 3 position switch. Of course, you could have the radio upgraded to a no display XTS2500, where you would have 48 freq's, & then use the 3 position switch for 3 zones. Do the truckers need some kind of license to transmit on 154.10, & 158.94?

Okay that worked... seems kind of obvious now. I guess I will program my top button for scan although that is still a PITA not knowing whether it is in scan mode or not.

But I've gone from 16 channels to 48 so I guess that's a positive thing.

 

[kayn1n32008]

As I understand it... the LADD's cause some problems for people living in the Northern USA where some of those are regular business frequencies.

Not just the LAD channels, just about ANY mobile to mobile, or (HCP) Hand Carried Portable frequency can and is heard being used illegally in the US.

My company channels we are licensed for (140.730MHz and 169.710MHz are heard being used by truckers in the US plus many many more.


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