basic questions

[u2c]

My organization recently converted an older analog system to a Mototrbo system with a local radio provider. We have experienced a few significant problems since converting and the provider has given us information regarding the install that I would like to validate. I am not a radio professional and I apologize if this is not a good place for someone like me to ask questions but I'm trying to verify if we are receiving accurate information. I've researched as much as possible, answering many of my questions and have 2 remaining questions I was hoping for a quick hand with from someone experienced with the Mototrbo line.

We have xpr7580 mobiles and xpr-5580 base units and our provider appears to be using an XRC9000 and MTR3000 infrastructure. We cover multiple areas and several towers serve our footprint.

Question #1- We have a base unit with a Zetron Worldpatch telephone bridge. The provider states that DTMF tones to dial through that unit can not be sent across the network from radios to dial through the bridge because the infrastructure is in trunked mode, which does not allow sending of DTMF tones. Is this accurate?

Question #2- We experience FAR worse voice quality including cutting-out and garbled speech on the Mototrbo digital network for operators with decent signals. The provider states this is normal but the quality is so poor that I question if there is a misconfiguration. In your experience, is this correct?

Thank you for any insight you can provide. We are looking at many options and I simply need to know if these issues are indeed par for the course or if the provider needs to be encouraged to seek further assistance because their information may not be up-to-date.

 

[SCPD]

If i'm reading this right, I would find me another vendor.
First things first, you're not "married" to one vendor. (I'm assuming radio provider is someone selling you radios).

This vendor is saying that "cutting out and garbled speech" is acceptable.
Is this who set this system up? If so, find another vendor. Don't even mess with them. And don't let them give you any noise about not giving you passwords for programming anything you own (if you're not leasing), they have to give the passwords to your new vendor, the new vendor will fight that fight for you.

Motorola vendors are plentiful, if you care to share a general location, l'll recommend a couple.

 

[u2c]

Thanks, Wyandotte. That's what we're considering, but we are partial owners of the company and wanted to give them a fair shake, although this is turning into a safety issue as much as a performance problem and we may need to find another provider. Is their statement true that DTMF tones can't cross the network when trunked accurate? Thanks again for the response and it is in-line with our potential direction, which is why I'm looking for some validation first. In the spirit of professionalism, I didn't want to share the location or company name publicly, but if things go South, I may msg you. The time you spent replying is greatly appreciated.

 

[JRayfield]

Your system is a MOTOTRBO Connect Plus trunking system. I don't remember if using Connect Plus in mobiles and portables results in losing DTMF capability, but that is a possibility. I haven't worked with a Connect Plus system myself, so I would need to look this up.

As to "cutting out and garbled speech", if the coverage of the sites isn't enough, then that may be what you're hearing. But, if it's not a coverage problem, then there's definitely some other problem. I've personally been involved in re-designing and 'fixing' five MOTOTRBO systems that never worked properly (three of these systems had been operational (I use that word 'loosely') for 2 to 3 years, and the dealers who had installed them were never able to get them to work properly).

Private Message me and I'd be happy to get on the phone with you and visit a bit more about your system. MOTOTRBO systems can (and do, when properly designed and installed) work great, and I hate to hear of people who have invested a lot of money in systems that are not working as well as they should be working.

John Rayfield, Jr.

My organization recently converted an older analog system to a Mototrbo system with a local radio provider. We have experienced a few significant problems since converting and the provider has given us information regarding the install that I would like to validate. I am not a radio professional and I apologize if this is not a good place for someone like me to ask questions but I'm trying to verify if we are receiving accurate information. I've researched as much as possible, answering many of my questions and have 2 remaining questions I was hoping for a quick hand with from someone experienced with the Mototrbo line.

We have xpr7580 mobiles and xpr-5580 base units and our provider appears to be using an XRC9000 and MTR3000 infrastructure. We cover multiple areas and several towers serve our footprint.

Question #1- We have a base unit with a Zetron Worldpatch telephone bridge. The provider states that DTMF tones to dial through that unit can not be sent across the network from radios to dial through the bridge because the infrastructure is in trunked mode, which does not allow sending of DTMF tones. Is this accurate?

Question #2- We experience FAR worse voice quality including cutting-out and garbled speech on the Mototrbo digital network for operators with decent signals. The provider states this is normal but the quality is so poor that I question if there is a misconfiguration. In your experience, is this correct?

Thank you for any insight you can provide. We are looking at many options and I simply need to know if these issues are indeed par for the course or if the provider needs to be encouraged to seek further assistance because their information may not be up-to-date.