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frenaud3

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I've been asked to manage a Motorola Connect Plus radio system. Unfortunately, I don't have a background in radio communications.

I need to pull the list of FM frequencies that the radios use. I can read the Codeplug and Frequency data from a working radio in CPS. That gives me a list of TX and RX frequencies, but we have multiple Zones. How do I get the frequencies from all the Zones?
 

mikewazowski

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I've been asked to manage a Motorola Connect Plus radio system. Unfortunately, I don't have a background in radio communications.



I need to pull the list of FM frequencies that the radios use. I can read the Codeplug and Frequency data from a working radio in CPS. That gives me a list of TX and RX frequencies, but we have multiple Zones. How do I get the frequencies from all the Zones?



Are you using TRBO CPS or Connect Plus CPS?

Connect Plus CPS will give you a frequency file which will detail site and frequencies.
 

TampaTyron

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Oh man, as a radio guy, I feel for you. Definately get an MOL (motorola online account), log in and read manuals and what not. You may also be able to engage a local dealer for some help and/or Motorola often offers classes for system maintenence/design/instllation. Could you share how many sites or channels are in the system? TT
 

Project25_MASTR

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Love hate connect plus. One of my customers has contracted me to migrate their existing 5 sites of capacity plus to connect plus along with adding a handful of additional sites. We tried to talk them into capacity max but they were rather adamant about going connect plus (and they are beginning to realize that providing the coverage their customers demand where the new sites are is costing them more on connect plus).

Pretty well laid out though for the most part on the infrastructure side. On the subscriber side it's a little bit of the pain because it requires both TRBO CPS and Con+ CPS.

One confusion you'll run into, connect plus uses the first 16 channels in the first zone. They are slaved to the GOP. Next in the list must be the channel pool. Then other zones may follow. This is all in TRBO CPS I should add.

Then comes Connect Plus CPS...

Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk
 

frenaud3

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Are you using TRBO CPS or Connect Plus CPS?

Connect Plus CPS will give you a frequency file which will detail site and frequencies.

Connect Plus CPS.

I did load the frequency file from a working radio. It shows the frequencies for the 3 sites, but we have multiple zones per site. How do we get the frequencies for the other zones?
 

Firebuff880

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Wow -- Connect Plus is a beast.. That's why it's end of life. Specifically for your freqs and since you are now responsible, I wold read and build a repository of all the Repeater code plugs and take the Freqs from there to make sure you have an accurate list. The hard way is to visit each site. But you can get the IP EID for CPS and read them all over the network if that support was enabled in the repeaters (an if it's not you should turn it on first chance you get). This will also give you a way to build a good hardware and firmware version inventory.

You need three parts to work with a Connect Plus system. You need the CPS for the Radio / version of firmware, you need the Connect Plus CPS which you use for the Option Board to load and configure the Connect Plus specific code, and you need the XRC / XRT management tool. There is a pair of these antiques at each site, All should be avilable on MOL.

I will say your RF background is probably less important than your IT and network background, you can get RF help through a local shop or the MSS. An learning Services will be your best friend for the rest.

-----

I've been asked to manage a Motorola Connect Plus radio system. Unfortunately, I don't have a background in radio communications.

I need to pull the list of FM frequencies that the radios use. I can read the Codeplug and Frequency data from a working radio in CPS. That gives me a list of TX and RX frequencies, but we have multiple Zones. How do I get the frequencies from all the Zones?
 

Firebuff880

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As they said on StarTtrek "It's dead Jim"

Bringing online a new Connect Plus system is really an exercise in futility at this point. An the cost of five set's of XRC / XRT controllers alone version a primary and redundant set of CCMS / RM / MNIS boxes I would think would support an ROI business case, but I do not sell this stuff only support it. If they will not go Cap Max why not Linked Capacity Plus (Multisite Capacity Plus)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_Dead,_Jim
==============

Love hate connect plus. One of my customers has contracted me to migrate their existing 5 sites of capacity plus to connect plus along with adding a handful of additional sites. We tried to talk them into capacity max but they were rather adamant about going connect plus (and they are beginning to realize that providing the coverage their customers demand where the new sites are is costing them more on connect plus).

Pretty well laid out though for the most part on the infrastructure side. On the subscriber side it's a little bit of the pain because it requires both TRBO CPS and Con+ CPS.

One confusion you'll run into, connect plus uses the first 16 channels in the first zone. They are slaved to the GOP. Next in the list must be the channel pool. Then other zones may follow. This is all in TRBO CPS I should add.

Then comes Connect Plus CPS...

Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk
 

Project25_MASTR

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Wow -- Connect Plus is a beast.. That's why it's end of life. Specifically for your freqs and since you are now responsible, I wold read and build a repository of all the Repeater code plugs and take the Freqs from there to make sure you have an accurate list. The hard way is to visit each site. But you can get the IP EID for CPS and read them all over the network if that support was enabled in the repeaters (an if it's not you should turn it on first chance you get). This will also give you a way to build a good hardware and firmware version inventory.

You need three parts to work with a Connect Plus system. You need the CPS for the Radio / version of firmware, you need the Connect Plus CPS which you use for the Option Board to load and configure the Connect Plus specific code, and you need the XRC / XRT management tool. There is a pair of these antiques at each site, All should be avilable on MOL.

I will say your RF background is probably less important than your IT and network background, you can get RF help through a local shop or the MSS. An learning Services will be your best friend for the rest.

-----

Connect Plus is not EOL. Now, within the next 5 to 7 years it likely will be but remember, it was only a month ago that Capacity Max was expanded from 16 sites to 255 sites so for the first year of it's North American availability it wasn't even a solution for large networks.

IT background is important. One of my customer's Connect Plus sites is co-located with one of their competitors Connect Plus sites (same antenna network and everything). One of our techs went down there to grab a config (it's a standalone site currently) and mistook the competitor's rack for the customer's (they are 2ft apart from one another). Long story short, no port security, all ports were active, router handing out dhcp, admin/admin user/pass on the XRC.
 
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frenaud3

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As they said on StarTtrek "It's dead Jim"

Bringing online a new Connect Plus system is really an exercise in futility at this point. An the cost of five set's of XRC / XRT controllers alone version a primary and redundant set of CCMS / RM / MNIS boxes I would think would support an ROI business case, but I do not sell this stuff only support it. If they will not go Cap Max why not Linked Capacity Plus (Multisite Capacity Plus)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_Dead,_Jim
==============

Thanks for the tips everyone. When I say "inherited", I meant "inherited management of it". It's fully up and running, but I'm struggling to figure out how it works exactly. I'll sign up for the Motorola website and start reading up.
 

Firebuff880

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Connect Plus is not EOL. Now, within the next 5 to 7 years it likely will be but remember, it was only a month ago that Capacity Max was expanded from 16 sites to 255 sites so for the first year of it's North American availability it wasn't even a solution for large networks.

@MCore -- Better check your calendar. The 250 site announce 2.7 was six months ago. An has been shipping for much of that. If they stick to schedule, the next release should be any day, with a lot of "migration" support and then six months or a year from now (+3 release) probably the last software release that will have Connect Plus support. Yes the Hardware and systems probably have another 10 years or more support behind them. But from a technology and enhancement view point I suspect they are about done..
 

Project25_MASTR

Millennial Graying OBT Guy
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Messages
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Location
Texas
As they said on StarTtrek "It's dead Jim"

Bringing online a new Connect Plus system is really an exercise in futility at this point. An the cost of five set's of XRC / XRT controllers alone version a primary and redundant set of CCMS / RM / MNIS boxes I would think would support an ROI business case, but I do not sell this stuff only support it. If they will not go Cap Max why not Linked Capacity Plus (Multisite Capacity Plus)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_Dead,_Jim
==============

Long story short, the MSS I work for was bought out by a larger company. We had 5 sites of Capacity Plus (not linked) with one being co-located with a Privacy Plus system. Locally we purchased airtime at wholesale from another shop for Connect Plus. Well, the new company sold off all of our airtime to this new customer. The new customer had a thrid party consultant who was telling them standalone Connect Plus. So they had us put up the first two sites and migrate customers (they had 4 or 5 racks completed that they purchased off a company that went under in Colorado). So they are wanting everyone to standardize...plus the 95% of the customers running first gen radios which are still making money (loss of money upgrading them to 2nd gen).

@MCore -- Better check your calendar. The 250 site announce 2.7 was six months ago. An has been shipping for much of that. If they stick to schedule, the next release should be any day, with a lot of "migration" support and then six months or a year from now (+3 release) probably the last software release that will have Connect Plus support. Yes the Hardware and systems probably have another 10 years or more support behind them. But from a technology and enhancement view point I suspect they are about done..

I'll have to check into that a little more. Regionally, no one is running a network consisting of more than 15 sites and the only Capacity Max system I know of currently is 6 sites. That system owner is trying to convince others to partner up with him to make a statewide system.
 

Anderegg

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Fren, did you inherit managing the radio fleet, or the whole server side thing sites and such as well?

Paul
 
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