Dual APX "Hot Red Receiver"

[ElroyJetson]

I have to wonder...

Create this hot red radio setup. Now disconnect the second radio unit from the system and install it as a single radio. Will it function on its own?

 

[cpg178]

You don't even need to have a second radio, if you have 1 with the Dual Radio enabled in the flash, you will have an extra menu pop up in I think Radio Wide with option to set it as Primary, Secondary or Standalone. When you select secondary you can then uncheck the box 'Enable Secondary Radio TX". You will have a constant message on the bottom where the radio alias normally is saying that the primary radio is missing however. While I am sure it was not designed to be used this way, it can be done. Or you can have 2 bricks with one being for Ham, or whatever transmitting your doing, and the second being your NAS brick.

Unless you need the full range of UHF you can get a VHF/UHF and a 7/800 brick cheaper than an APX8500, so you can NAS on your 7/800 and use your 7500 for HAM or what not, of course how you program that NAS into your radio is a grey area (Sys Key) but that's not what the focus of this thread is so I do not want to go there. I have also seen that you can do dual radio with the O2 head, I was previously under the impression it only worked with O7/E5, I will need to get my O2 hooked back up to it to verify this.

 

[monitor142]

You are correct, Orange County, CA is/was the primary driver for the "Hot Red Radio" package. This goes back to the UHF days with the Micor that had a secondary receiver hanging off the back. Through the years there was the SP'd Syntor 9000 (UHF), and then the Astro Spectra package when they went 800MHz Smartzone. While it still retains the HRR designation, it's finally came to the point that it's just a dual radio option controlled through the O7 head (Thank God). Both radios do affiliate to the system when turned on. The secondary radio is a single talkgroup receiver but has OTAR/OTAP capability.

As for the price point, yes it's basically close to the same cost as buying two mobile radios. It's just the way Orange County has done things.

Thats exactly the setup every LE vehicle in Orange County, CA has. Primary APX radio for the particular agency day to day use. The "Hot Red" APX radio is parked on the Countywide Red talkgroup for Countywide BOL's, SigAlerts, and Pursuits. Goes back to the analog Spectra days on the old 460MHz system, and even before.

 

[cpg178]

Both radios do affiliate to the system when turned on. The secondary radio is a single talkgroup receiver but has OTAR/OTAP capability.

I was going to ask why they would have the second radio affiliate if its just parked on a countywide TG, but it would need to affiliate for OTAR/OTAP which makes sense... I wonder if any other locations use the HRR function.

 

[gary123]

Also it needs to affiliate for the CC to accept a talk request from that brick.

 

[ThreatLevelMidnight]

I have to wonder...

Create this hot red radio setup. Now disconnect the second radio unit from the system and install it as a single radio. Will it function on its own?

Can Confirm this works, however, you have a constant (and quite annoying) "Primary Missing" message scrolling at the bottom of the screen.

 

[monitor142]

Yep but that can easily be solved via the CPS. I run two different dual radio setups. Dual 6500's and an 8500/6500 combo. It's nice to minimize the real estate in my console having 4 radios active on 2 O7 heads.

-M142

 

[monitor142]

I was going to ask why they would have the second radio affiliate if its just parked on a countywide TG, but it would need to affiliate for OTAR/OTAP which makes sense... I wonder if any other locations use the HRR function.

In the P25 world, it needs to affiliate either way for it to receive audio in addition to receiving any updates from RM or the KMF. I don't know of anyone else doing it the Orange County way with two 800 radios but it's no longer a SP scenario so to each their own. You could have any band 6500 or 8500 set up this way as needed.

 

[gesucks]

In the P25 world, it needs to affiliate either way for it to receive audio in addition to receiving any updates from RM or the KMF. I don't know of anyone else doing it the Orange County way with two 800 radios but it's no longer a SP scenario so to each their own. You could have any band 6500 or 8500 set up this way as needed.

This is not true. If programmed as a HRR, it will Rx with no problem. Same way a BK radio will if programmed for Rx Only. Yes it will not update from the RM or KMF but will Rx just fine.

 

[cpg178]

This is not true. If programmed as a HRR, it will Rx with no problem. Same way a BK radio will if programmed for Rx Only. Yes it will not update from the RM or KMF but will Rx just fine.

This is only if you check the "Disable Secondary Radio TX" box, if you don't do that then it will still affiliate.

 

[merlin]

That is a LOT of money for the aditional reception.
I did a dual radio setup with a couple Astro 25s, two different bands. It worked.
I am on an XG-100 now, one brick and 3 bands and far cheaper.

 

[cpg178]

I think it all really comes down to the end user needs/wants. A dual brick setup has its place just like a single brick multi band radio does

 

[ThreatLevelMidnight]

Yep but that can easily be solved via the CPS.

Care to share?

 

[cpg178]

Care to share?

If you are only running one radio in a dual brick set up, that message is not going to go away. The only fix I think is is to get a second radio

 

[ThreatLevelMidnight]

If you are only running one radio in a dual brick set up, that message is not going to go away. The only fix I think is is to get a second radio

Yeah, But if someone HAS found a work around, I'm all ears.

 

[monitor142]

Care to share?

Sure, you need to go into the Radio Wide tab, scroll down to the Dual Radio section and switch the single brick to "Standalone Radio" in order to get rid of the blinking message.

 

[TJX400]

Sure, you need to go into the Radio Wide tab, scroll down to the Dual Radio section and switch the single brick to "Standalone Radio" in order to get rid of the blinking message.

That defeats the point of this thread. Setting the radio to secondary is what allows the user to make the radio rx only. Changing it back to standalone will allow the radio to transmit.

 

[monitor142]

That defeats the point of this thread. Setting the radio to secondary is what allows the user to make the radio rx only. Changing it back to standalone will allow the radio to transmit.

OK. Got it. Just trying to solve the scrolling message. In my case, I don't need to worry about transmitting.

Regards.
-M142