P25 Emergency Signaling

[scanningisfun]

Why wouldn't the current digital scanners have an option set a specific alert whenever an emergency button is pressed. Yes, I know on Motorola Type II systems you are able to, but that is because the actual talkgroup is shifted whenever it is in emergency status. The scanner can see this and alerts you if you have it set up to do that.

On full P25 systems, you cannot do this. Why wouldn't Uniden take advantage of this on full P25 systems, or even conventional P25 channels? If an emergency bit is there, why wouldn't you be able to set an alert on those types of systems too? Would a firmware update add that capability? It is not a real deal breaker, but it would enhance the scanner.

Jacob

 

[AZhummer]

i think your asking a similar question i posted on in another thread.. i wonder if its even possible without having an actual p25 radio.. heres the thread i started..


http://forums.radioreference.com/ge...w-multiselect-handled-p25-phase-1-9600-a.html

 

[troymail]

I do believe it's possible with a scanner. I'm 99.9% certain that you can see ENC and EMER indicators from the CC/data stream when using Pro96Com.

I suspect that it's just not a feature the vendors (GRE/Whistler, Uniden, etc.) have implemented (yet).... so keep asking!!!..... I like and use this also!

I have my local Motorola system's police and some other talkgroups locked out but have the status bits enabled and the specific talkgroup IDs for priority dispatch patches and the EMRG button enabled....

 

[mikey60]

I don't know if the emergency indicator is available on the voice channel data stream. I would guess that it's there somewhere.

On the control channel for P25 systems, it's only there on the initial voice grant message. It's not there on the update messages that radios and scanners use to join a conversation in progress.

Mike

 

[ofd8001]

The following is copied and pasted from page 73 on the Uniden 996XT Manual (though it didn't copy to round arrows or right arrows):

Setting the Emergency Alert Option

[MENU] �� Program System ��F
�� Select a Motorola Type I, II or EDACS Wide/Narrow system ��F
�� Edit Sys Option ��F
�� Emergency Alert ��F
Off — the scanner does not alert you to emergency transmissions.
Alert 1 - 9 — the scanner sounds an alert beep to notify you of the emergency
transmission. The default alert is Off. You can choose any of 9 different beep
types. Once you choose an alert tone, next:
�� �� Set Level �� F
Auto — the scanner automatically sets the emergency alert beep to the master
volume level.
Level 1 - 15 — the scanner adjusts the volume you hear to the level you select.

 

[doctordialtone]

Setting the Emergency Alert Option

The OP is asking about the Emergency (Distress) button on the transmitting radio - not alerting on a certain frequency or group on the scanner - unless, like he states, the radio shifts to another frequency or group in distress mode, in which case you can program the scanner to alert on that frequency or group.

Mikey and Troy are on the right track.

 

[W8RMH]

That is what the Emergency Alert Option does - includes a tone/light when a radio's emergency button is press.

The OP also stated they are aware of this ability but questions the scanner's ability to do this on a P25 system.

I do not see this option in the Menu for P25 systems as I do for Motorola systems. I do not know the technical reasons for this, but yes it would be nice. I use it on all my Motorola systems.

 

[ofd8001]

I probably know just enough about emergency buttons on P25 radios to make me dangerous.

The radios used by the fire department from which I retired about five months ago were P25.

If I remember correctly, there were a couple of different ways the system could be programmed to handle transmissions associated with the emergency button. There could be a revert feature which re-assigned the radio to another talkgroup (which we didn't use our radios remained on the same talkgroup). Or they could be programmed with an open mike option.

Whenever someone pressed their emergency button, an audible and visual alert appeared on all of the consoles at the dispatch centers (or at least those configured for fire). Also all of the portable and mobile radios in the field audibly alerted when someone pressed their emergency button and the radio ID was displayed along with the word "Emergency". As a fire chief I found that feature valuable as I was able to see someone in a possible bad situation at the same time the dispatchers did. (Though 99.9% of the time it was an inadvertent button press).

This "emergency status" continued until the person pressing the emergency button cleared it by holding the emergency button down for a period of time (3 seconds maybe). That was the only way to clear the emergency - turning the radio off and on would not clear it.

The good part was that a person pressing the emergency button could pre-empt or over-ride any on-going conversations on the talkgroup. So the person with the emergency could talk whenever he or she needed to even if the channel was busy (if I remember correctly).

With all the different ways a P25 "emergency button" situation can be handled, that MAY be a reason why scanners don't "deal" with them. In other words, P25 emergenciy functions may be different than Moto type I or II.