Analog/P1/P2/DMR/NXDN/NEXEDGE/IDAS VA.Users
GENERAL QUESTION FOR THE GROUP:
Given the amount of DMR, NXDN, IDAS and MotoTrbo format comms in the region, starting a separate thread as an informal 'scorecard' to document who has switched to this format? Possibly even making it a sticky?
Then in the longer term, the members and moderators can fully document the agency's data to the database as time allows.
Comments anyone?
Mark C. KB4CVN
Amherst County
----------------------------
All,
I have been documenting FCC new and modified licensees to include emission codes since 1985. Until approximately 2007-8 life was simple until I added the first DMR license. Subsequently, to a much lesser degree, NXDN licensees and the various additional emission code configurations appeared i.e., P1/P2, Analog, P1and P2, etc., which now number 20 and documented in the user's manual. Within the past 6 years there has been an increasingly new and/or modified number of FCC licensees authorizing either a new or modified license emission code(s). 2016 was the greatest number of new and/or modified licenses yet.
As I previously posted, most DMR licenses are not solely for MOTOTRBO but are Analog/MOTOTRBO. In some licensees, to a much lesser degree, there also are other emission mode configurations, i.e., MOTOTRBO/P1,etc.
I do not attempt to second guess whether or not a licensee authorized for analog/MOTOTRBO/NXDN/NEXEDGE/IDAS actually uses a specific emission mode, but what the licensee authorized emission mode(s) are. Subsequently, if the user has been confirmed using DMR, I document that user's license, if known, as appropriate with its' attributes where known. If the user is unknown I document it as such.
For me, the authorized emission mode for the licensee's use of MOTOTRBO only is the one which lists DMR as the only emission mode. That being said, if a licensee subsequently modifies its' licensee additionally for DMR and/or NXDN, etc. operation, the odds are good the licensee also intends to use the non-analog emission mode(s) to some degree if not 100%. Otherwise, why waste the time and money?
Others may document data differently which is fine, but the above discussed method has proved to work quite well for my documentation and format requirements during these past 32 years..
----------
I recommend a separate "sticky" link within the VA forum and a thread one each only for DMR, NXDN, NEXEDGE/IDAS licensee/user. Additionally a standard agreed to template data format is to be used for structured each element which with poster entries can be modified for enhancements, corrections, etc. The VA Forum Moderator shall make the final determination, subject to change, of the data field formats and layout. For example, in the below "strawman" recommendation as to each appropriate content and format field, only ONE thread of record will be allowed for that callsign i.e.(WABC1234) licensee or unknown user unless the VA Forum Moderator decides otherwise. If not controlled, in time individuals will forget the original WABC1234 thread and post additional whatever info as as a new related thread. The solution to that is do a RR search by callsign or user name and parse it down from there to the correct thread.
Further unless the VA Forum Moderator approves otherwise, no out of state posters are solicited or desired within each of the aforementioned "sticky" emission post sections. Again, I recommend only direct pertinent info for the target license configuration info be posted and then that thread post will be the "official thread record post" for that license/unknown user.
All license or known or unknown user personal license/monitored content attributes and related chat comms are to be confined to the original non-sticky thread for that license/known/unknown user. See the below format for an unknown user header info example.
Otherwise, in my opinion, anyone browsing the DMR "sticky" thread uncontrolled may go from page to page of previously commented posts that basically will "muddy the waters" and be a detriment to the original objective, a "clean" post of the subject callsign or known/unknown user. The poor individual browsing attempting to ascertain just the basic DMR/NXDN/NEXEDGE/IDAS configuration/user consolidated attributes most likely will have to waste time wading through page after page ad infinitum of mind boring posts which seem to have no end. Don't believe me? Some RR forums are full of them. For example, before the formal announcement of Uniden's support of DMR 436/536 modifications, start reading the various threads from last summer with that subject and see where you end "mousetrapped" in the different morasses of related subjects.. Remember UPMan does not respond to personal emails. I finally realized I was wasting my time and ended it. Now that Uniden formally has announced the process for upgrading, I will do just the DMR upgrade.
To recap I recommend two threads. The first is the "regular" non-sticky thread which is open to all for posts on the subject licensee/known or unknown user to everyone everywhere in or out of state. The second thread is a "sticky" thread which is restricted to VA forum members only, no non-DMR/NXDN/NEXEDGE/IDAS monitoring capable vacationers; no out of state posters to be solicited or desired unless the VA Forum Moderator in a moment of weakness "opens the flood gates" to everyone everywhere.Then you have the beginnings of another sticky-thread of posts which defeat the original purpose of the sticky thread. Again a "sticky" thread post only can contain data entries which pertain directly to the licensee and/or multiple users for either DMR, NXDN,NEXEDGE and IDAS as appropriate.
-----------------------------
AN EXAMPLE ONLY:
The below "strawman" partial fixed format example for DMR/MOTOTRBO is offered for adding/change/deleting:
(DMR) Callsign: WABC123 or if unknown enter a year/month/day sequence
and number, i.e.,"2016/01/02#1"
DMR Decode Used: (Y/N)
Licensee: COMMRADIO, INC.
Location: Midtown, Chesterfield Co.
System Type= Connect Plus
More Emissions Auth=Y/N
Frequencies Mhz.:
461.3125
461.4125
461.4500
461.8125
462.2625
463.9375
462.5000
463.8625
464.6875
464.9750
----------------------
User #1 Confirmed=(Y/N) Day/Night Medical Transport, Inc
Slot 1= 1 | Slot 2= N
CC= n, or n, etc.
TG1234= Unknown
TG5678= Engineering
TG8910= Security....., etc.
TG=21000 Van text comms to base
TG=21001 Van to van text comms
Comments: Active 24/7.
----------------------
User #2 = Joe's Auto Parts, Inc.
Slot 1= N | Slot 2= Y
CC= n, or n, etc.
TG=6661= Dispatch
TG=6662=Van 1
TG=5552=Van 2
TG=5553=Van 3
TG=5655=Unknown Van No.
Comments: Van 3 has poor audio quality.
------------------------
etc., for each separate DMR, NXDN,NEXEDGEand IDAS "sticky" section.
John
W4UVV
