PR400 questions

[Avery93]

Thinking about getting the 32 channel version of this for light duty FD use but have a couple of questions...

1st off, these seem to be nearly identical to the CP200XLS, is there any major differences apart from the number of channels? I have a CP200XLS used strictly for GMRS and although I haven't really put it to the test, it feels pretty solid. Is the PR400 built basically the same? I notice the PR weighs about an ounce less.

Does the PR400 have call alert with voice? I read somewhere that the CP200XLS did not but the PR400 did, however I can't find where I read that now.
I basically need something like in this video except it remains muted until the correct tones are received, and hopefully a more attention grabbing initial alert tone.
I'm planning on getting the PR400 to supplement or replace my second FD issued Minitor V that is trying to fail, so it needs to decode Quick Call tones reliably.

Also is there any way to have a repeater channel set to receive CSQ but transmit a PL tone in talk around, WITHOUT creating a separate simplex only channel? With Icoms there is no way of doing this but I read some Motorolas could.

Thanks for any help!

 

[firefive76]

Thinking about getting the 32 channel version of this for light duty FD use but have a couple of questions...

1st off, these seem to be nearly identical to the CP200XLS, is there any major differences apart from the number of channels? I have a CP200XLS used strictly for GMRS and although I haven't really put it to the test, it feels pretty solid. Is the PR400 built basically the same? I notice the PR weighs about an ounce less.

Does the PR400 have call alert with voice? I read somewhere that the CP200XLS did not but the PR400 did, however I can't find where I read that now.
I basically need something like in this video except it remains muted until the correct tones are received, and hopefully a more attention grabbing initial alert tone.
I'm planning on getting the PR400 to supplement or replace my second FD issued Minitor V that is trying to fail, so it needs to decode Quick Call tones reliably.

Also is there any way to have a repeater channel set to receive CSQ but transmit a PL tone in talk around, WITHOUT creating a separate simplex only channel? With Icoms there is no way of doing this but I read some Motorolas could.

Thanks for any help!

The CP200XLS radios do have quick call capabilities. The fire department I am on has several of these radios.

About the other question, not quite sure what you are asking. You can transmit PL and receive CSQ, just not sure what you mean by a repeater channel doing this in the simplex mode. You can assign a button on the radio as a "talkaround" button which will drop the repeater offset. Is this what you mean?

 

[Avery93]

The CP200XLS radios do have quick call capabilities. The fire department I am on has several of these radios.

About the other question, not quite sure what you are asking. You can transmit PL and receive CSQ, just not sure what you mean by a repeater channel doing this in the simplex mode. You can assign a button on the radio as a "talkaround" button which will drop the repeater offset. Is this what you mean?

Sorry, I should have worded that better. I'll give you an example of what I'm talking about: On my Icom F3161, I have some of the repeater channels set to receive CSQ due to how the system is set up; however Icom uses the RX PL for talkaround, so in my case it doesn't transmit a PL in talkaround. This is a problem because not all radios are CSQ receive. On my Icom I have to create separate simplex channels because of this. I was wondering if the PR400 was the same.

Do you know if the CP200, or PR400 has what i believe is called "call alert with voice"? Where it alerts when the tones are received, unmutes for dispatch traffic, and continues beeping at regular intervals until you press a key?

 

[coling223]

CP200xls and PR400 have identical call alert w/voice (page only function). Just takes a simple software change. Assuming your dealer is doing this? Or are you? If you need help with specifics, shoot me a PM.

 

[Avery93]

CP200xls and PR400 have identical call alert w/voice (page only function). Just takes a simple software change. Assuming your dealer is doing this? Or are you? If you need help with specifics, shoot me a PM.

So the CP200XLS does have what I'm describing? That may change my plans to buy the PR400, which would cost me $30 more.

And yes I'm going to have the dealer program it. Would I just tell him to program my paging channel as call alert w/voice, and for it to remain muted until the tones are received?

 

[coling223]

Yeah, you could tell them that. OR you could just dumb it down to their level (like several of the dealers in my area are) and tell them that you want a channel that will function as a pager would- silent until toned, then tones... and the auto-reset option is up to you, although personally I like to have it not auto-reset because I like to know if I missed a call.
One could be of the mindset of needing 128 channels (even though you can only scan 16 at a time) and the newest and best thing that maybe still has a few bugs to be worked out? (CP200xls). Or you could go with the tried and true (I'm assuming limited keypad?) PR400. They are basically the same radio with different options. Supposedly the PR stands for professional, but it is not programmed by the "professional" software that does the HT's EX's and CDM's.
Sorry, I'm ranting and maybe someone with ha more inept knowledge base can sort out all of this, but the bottom line is, they are both good solid radios with the same basic features that sound like they will both suit you equally well.
Good luck!

 

[Avery93]

Alright, one more quick question: Is the standard/non-standard PL reverse burst set per channel or is it radio wide?

Thanks for all your help!

 

[coling223]

Quick answer: It is on a per-channel basis.

Direct from the CPS help: (TPL=PL)
TPL Reverse Burst
(Expert Feature)
Causes a Tone Private Line (TPL) code to be transmitted at the end of a transmission - once PTT is released, and while operating on the current Conventional Personality. This sub-audible tone causes the receiving radio to mute its speaker before loss of a carrier is detected. Muting the speaker eliminates unwanted noise (squelch tail) during loss of carrier detection.

Choices available are:
None
Standard
Non-Standard

Notes
Available when Tx Squelch Type is set to TPL.
Available when Receive Only is unchecked.

 

[Avery93]

Thanks again for your help! These Motorolas seem to have way more options than the Icoms that I'm use to.

I ended up getting the PR400, by the way.

 

[coling223]

Thanks again for your help! These Motorolas seem to have way more options than the Icoms that I'm use to.

If you like the additional features that /\/\ has, you should look into the Kenwood line of radios, they are more tweekable and significantly less expensive.
Good choice with the PR400. If you ever need help with it holler at me!

 

[Avery93]

Just an update and yet another question...

I've had my PR400 for a couple of weeks now and really like it except for one thing I haven't been able to figure out.

When I received it the call alert did not work like I expected. Once alerted it would keep beeping even while the channel is busy at an interval of about 5 seconds. I was expecting it to not beep while the channel is busy, but start beeping after the carrier dropped.

I took it to a local dealer to get this and a couple of other things fixed, but we couldn't figure out any way to set it so it doesn't keep beeping while a carrier is present, or even change the beep interval. So I had him change the call type to plain old SelCall, but this isn't as attention grabbing as Call Alert.

Is there any way to program the Call Alert to only beep after the carrier drops, or change the alert interval?

Thanks

 

[coling223]

I'm really sorry it's taken me this long to get around to looking at the CPS for 2 minutes and responding to your query. Been busy. Really busy. Right out straight busy.

In CPS in EXPERT MODE. If you click on "Signaling" there is one field there- Auto reset timer. -- Set the time there. You may have to play around with it a bit. I would assume one or two seconds would do you since usually there is a short pause between tones and dispatch, or at least there is here.
Under your QCII system you have to enable auto reset to "Auto w/ carrier override".

Hope this helps!
Colin

 

[Avery93]

Don't worry about it!

I've got used to SelCall, and I'm probably not taking it back to the dealer to try and get the call alert fixed unless I need something else changed.

However, if/when I get it reprogrammed, I'm not sure I understand those directions. I thought "Auto Reset" returned the radio to standby or "muted" mode after a certain time or after carrier dropout. I don't want it to do that, I want it to stay unmuted until I press the monitor button or change channels.

I did think of something else that could have been causing my problem: After setting off the tones, our 911 almost always lets the repeater drop before keying up again to give the call. I can't remember if my PR400 started beeping again as soon as the repeater dropped the first time or not, but the XTS1500 in the example video I linked in my original post started as soon as the carrier dropped. I wonder if the call alert portion of the PR400 "ignores" any further transmissions, and that's why it kept beeping while 911 was giving out the call?

I think I may just stick with SelCall. There's no confusion and two beeps followed by two seconds of 669.9Hz should be enough to get my attention!

 

[lucas2121]

Just curious how the F3161 is working for you, I've been wanting to get one. I have been pleased with my other Icom radios for the last 4 years.

 

[Avery93]

I really like it. I've had it for about 2 years including 1 year of FD use and it's held up great. I did somehow manage to break(?) the channel selector sometime during the April 27th tornado event or days afterward. It developed a lot of "play" and is too easy to turn in the first half, while the second half got stiffer and is almost difficult to turn. It's not too bad of an annoyance but I need to get it fixed.

About the only thing I don't like is the priority scan: It has a long priority sample time. Longer than my F33G and much longer than my new PR400. In fact if I have the priority loopback time set any shorter than 1 1/2 or 2 seconds I find it hard to understand traffic on non-priority channels. My F5021 is the same way.

Another thing is I have never been able to get it (or any Icom) to work reliably with my county's Quick Call tones. Works fine with other county's tones but not ours. Every other kind of radio I have seen (Motorola, Vertex, Midland P25) works perfectly with them.

Hope that helps!

 

[lucas2121]

I really like it. I've had it for about 2 years including 1 year of FD use and it's held up great. I did somehow manage to break(?) the channel selector sometime during the April 27th tornado event or days afterward. It developed a lot of "play" and is too easy to turn in the first half, while the second half got stiffer and is almost difficult to turn. It's not too bad of an annoyance but I need to get it fixed.

About the only thing I don't like is the priority scan: It has a long priority sample time. Longer than my F33G and much longer than my new PR400. In fact if I have the priority loopback time set any shorter than 1 1/2 or 2 seconds I find it hard to understand traffic on non-priority channels. My F5021 is the same way.

Another thing is I have never been able to get it (or any Icom) to work reliably with my county's Quick Call tones. Works fine with other county's tones but not ours. Every other kind of radio I have seen (Motorola, Vertex, Midland P25) works perfectly with them.

Hope that helps!

Yeah thanks, people always wanna knock Icoms durability but I haven't had a problem with them. I don't even mess with the quick call on my Icoms, that's why I have a pager haha it's not very noticeable anyway on them. I can get the Quick call to work for our First Responder tones witch is 2-tone but not the Fire which is a long tone.

Good luck with the PR400, we just got 5 of them and I can't decide what I think of them, I dont like the side connector very much just seems like a problem waiting to happen. I mainly use my f33g which has the same connector but has a screw over cover...Whatta you think of your F33g just curious

 

[Avery93]

I haven't had any problems with the connector cover unintentionally coming open or anything. I have read not to use any audio accessory's with Motorola radios with 2-pin connectors due to them breaking easily though. Overall I like the radio about equally well as my F3161 and it works perfect for what I use it for.

My F33 on the other hand has always seemed kind of cheap to me. Icom original batteries don't have a tight fit on it, the volume knob lost it's firmness quickly and the PTT is too easily pressed. There are a lot of software/firmware limitations I don't like either. For example the scanning features leave a lot to be desired, I was never able to setup a non-priority scanlist so that it would always transmit on the selected channel.

If you currently have a F33 then the F3161 would be a big upgrade. It is more durable, has much more refined software features, better audio and a little better TX/RX quality. If I was going to buy it all over again I would have a hard time choosing between it and a Kenwood TK-2180 though.

 

[2009KVFD976]

I too am looking into the pr400 or the cp200xls vhf. I have the ht1250 and a pm400 and cant complain about them. just looking into something different. I have cps for both radios and can do almost anything I want to them. im just curious as to how well the pr400 and cp200xls compares to what I have now. thanks for yalls info, now to make my decision!!! if I cant decide, il more than likely get both.

 

[lucas2121]

We recently started using 2180s and if programed right they're great! Several of my friends who used to swear by the ht1250s don't even use them anymore.

 

[2009KVFD976]

Our vfd went with 2180 and 7180 several years ago and they are great!! Lots of good features only.problem is they wont decode motorola mdc1200 and vice versa..