Kenwood's DMR OVCM - Open Voice Channel Mode

[RK3AAG]

Ho it actually works? I've Googled and read the manual. But still have no ideas how it works and what I must get finally.

Open Voice Channel Mode

Open Voice Channel Mode (OVCM) allows you to configure whether to enable the capability to send a signal with OVCM applied, or to hear the conversation when the transceiver receives a signal with OVCM applied even if the IDs do not match.

Range:

Check (Enable):

Pressing the OVCM key, or selecting "OVCM" in Menu Mode enables or disables OVCM. The transceiver can transmit a signal with OVCM applied while OVCM is enabled.

When the transceiver receives a signal with OVCM applied, the user of the transceiver can hear the conversation even if the IDs do not match.

Uncheck (Disable):

Neither pressing the OVCM key, nor selecting "OVCM" in Menu Mode enables or disables OVCM. Therefore, the transceiver cannot transmit a signal with OVCM applied.

Even if the transceiver receives a signal with OVCM applied, the user of the transceiver cannot hear the conversation unless the IDs match.

Default:
Checked (Enabled)

Note:
This function can be configured for a transceiver having firmware version 2.00.00 or later.

And a few questions about:

- What is the right procedure to test it?
- What is the scenario to use it in real network?
- What IDs they are talking about? GID? UID?
- Is it proprietary feature of Kenwood? Motorola won't receive call with OVCM feature enabled even when matching CC & GID.

And FYI: DSD doen't show anything new in event log when I transmit OVCM.

 

[otobmark]

I noticed that too. In Moto the use of "ALL CALL" seems to serve same purpose. M all call everybody on the channel hears call. So, it looks like a Kenwood version of ALL CALL except the receiving radios can choose to receive the OVCM broadcast by having it enabled. Haven't tried it but I guess the ALL CALL ID works on kenwoods as well (16777210 ID).

 

[mmckenna]

From the indepth manual:

Open Voice Channel Mode (OVCM) is the function to hear a conversation even if the received ID does not match when the transceiver receives various voice calls (individual call, group call, broadcast call).
When the use of OVCM is permitted for the transceiver receiving the various voice calls, the transceiver can hear the conversations even if the received ID does not match.
This function is used for transceivers other than the transceiver of the specified ID to participate in a conversation.
To use this function, Open Voice Channel Mode must be enabled by using KPG-166D/DN. Press the OVCM key to send out a signal that is applied with OVCM.

Configuration - Description
Enabled - Transmit Operation: Calls by OVCM can be enabled or disabled by pressing the OVCM key. The transceiver can transmit a signal with OVCM applied while calls by OVCM are in the enabled status
Enabled - Receive Operation: Conversations can be heard even if the ID does not match when the transceiver receives a call with OVCM applied.

Disabled - Transmit Operation: Calls by OVCM cannot be enabled or disabled by pressing the OVCM key. Therefore, the transceiver cannot transmit a signal with OVCM applied
Disabled - Receive Operation: Conversations cannot be heard if the ID does not match even when the transceiver receives a call with the OVCM applied.

Configuration using KPG-166D/DN
-Assign functions to the PF keys (Edit > Key Assignment)
-Configuring the Open Voice Channel Mode to be enabled or disabled (Edit > DMR > Conventional 1)

 

[mmckenna]

And a few questions about:

- What is the right procedure to test it?

1. Set up Transceiver A to enable OVCM Mode and enable Call by OVCM.
2. Set up Transceiver B to disable OVCM Mode and disable Call by OVCM.
3. Set up Transceiver C to enable OVCM Mode and disable call by OVCM.
4. Set up Transceiver D to disable OVCM Mode and disable call by OVCM.

Send call direct from radio A to radio B, call should go through since radio ID's match.
Because OVCM is enabled, radio C can communicate with radio A even if the ID does not match.
Because OVCM is disabled and the ID does not match, radio D cannot communicate with radio A even if the ID does not match.

- What is the scenario to use it in real network?

Supervisor wanting to listen in on employees.
Sort of like opening tone squelch on a community repeater.

- What IDs they are talking about? GID? UID?

UID.

- Is it proprietary feature of Kenwood? Motorola won't receive call with OVCM feature enabled even when matching CC & GID.

I don't know. It's been a few years since I've touched a MotoTrbo radio. Wouldn't surprise me if it didn't work.
Not sure if this is a DMR standard or not.

 

[otobmark]

Of interest, when i tried to create an ALL CALL group ID with the mototrbo value (16777215) the KPG-D1N would not accept the value and substituted 16776415 instead. The Trbo radio all call opens squelch on Kenwood but so far the kenwood will not all call trbo radio. Kenwood does have a group id "ALL" but it didn't work on trbo radio. So, trbo XPR7550 can make all call to kenwood but not the reverse. This seems more buggy than by design.

 

[otobmark]

I don't know how to edit my last post. I believe that at least some of the time I got Kenwood to "all call" xpr. I'm leaving on trip so I'll have to get back to it later. ALL CALL is part of our local Auxcomm radio plan so I need to see if this can work reliably. My software is locked to my shop computer or I'd play with it some while gone.

 

[RK3AAG]

mmckenna

Thanks for info and help. But this info is not answering on all my questions and a bit conflicting. Example, you can't set your radio for OVCM. AFAIK, you only can turn it on by keypress. But not set it up via FPU. Even more, OVCM will disappear when scan run.

Anyway, I will do more tests soon.

otobmark

Please do NOT mix-up OVCM with All Call. These are 2 different things that absolutely not related. All Call can be send and received from Kenwood with no issues and it's compatible with Motorola. Looks like OVCM is proprietary Kenwood feature and will work between Kenwood radios only.

 

[mmckenna]

mmckenna

Thanks for info and help. But this info is not answering on all my questions and a bit conflicting. Example, you can't set your radio for OVCM. AFAIK, you only can turn it on by keypress. But not set it up via FPU. Even more, OVCM will disappear when scan run.

Anyway, I will do more tests soon.

Got it. Yeah, I'm not running DMR on any of my radios, so that's all I can offer. That's out of the indepth manual from Kenwood.
Would be interesting if you can get this to work. It would seem that Kenwood would benefit from making sure these are 100% (or as close as possible) to be compatible with the Motorlas in non-trunked mode.

 

[BG6WQG]

mmckenna

Thanks for info and help. But this info is not answering on all my questions and a bit conflicting. Example, you can't set your radio for OVCM. AFAIK, you only can turn it on by keypress. But not set it up via FPU. Even more, OVCM will disappear when scan run.

Anyway, I will do more tests soon.

otobmark

Please do NOT mix-up OVCM with All Call. These are 2 different things that absolutely not related. All Call can be send and received from Kenwood with no issues and it's compatible with Motorola. Looks like OVCM is proprietary Kenwood feature and will work between Kenwood radios only.

how to send "All Call" from kenwood to mototrbo ?

 

[RK3AAG]

how to send "All Call" from kenwood to mototrbo ?

It's easily can be done via radio menu. Broadcast item.

 

[BG6WQG]

It's easily can be done via radio menu. Broadcast item.

I use "Broadcast" with a DMR Repeater which is confined to "All Call", it doesn't work.

I have posted a thread, please help to check it.

https://forums.radioreference.com/k...elect-all-call-when-config-dmr-nx-5300-a.html

 

[kd4efm]

I use "Broadcast" with a DMR Repeater which is confined to "All Call", it doesn't work.

I have posted a thread, please help to check it.

https://forums.radioreference.com/k...elect-all-call-when-config-dmr-nx-5300-a.html

How you making out now that you got the programming guide?

Also note, Blank, 1 to 16776415 or ALL (decimal) (in steps of 1) are the valid GID's for DMR in Kenwoods,
ALL is either typed in, or can be scrolled to.