MCS2000 800 mhz question.

[N1SQB]

I just put into service for RX purposes in my shack, an MCS2K that I picked up really cheap. I have it programmed for a few analog 800 departments ( yes, they still exist ). I have no issues to complain about. I just have one question that has been bugging me. When you first power up the radio and it goes through it's self test you see this screen below. It seems to show a signal meter type bar indicator on the far right. However, when monitoring a channel that has activity, you don't see it. Why is that?

 

[GTR8000]

As is the case with most Motorola radios, the signal strength meter is for trunking only.

 

[N1SQB]

My experience with Moto radios has been with the CDM 1550 and the HT 1550 lines both of which have RSSI that work in analog mode. That is why I ask.

Manny

 

[KG4INW]

Some lines have RSSI all the time while others only in trunking. Generally, it's been the high tier radios that only offer it in trunking but the new APX firmware allows for conventional RSSI (but I believe it's not in the usual form we're used to).

 

[GTR8000]

The APX conventional RSSI displays a numerical value only, no bars.

 

[N4KVE]

Those bars do nothing on my MCS2000 that's used on a 900 trunking system.

 

[IAmSixNine]

I believe the signal bars work on the MCS when your trunking and affiliated with a smart zone or smart net system.

 

[N4KVE]

I can tell you it does nothing on a Smart Net system. Don't know about Smart Zone.

 

[IAmSixNine]

I had a mode 3 unit many years ago. Was a volunteer fire fighter and had 2 systems in it. 1 was a standard type 2 and never saw signal strength. The other was a wide area smart zone and it would affiliate and show the signal meters.

 

[N1SQB]

No big deal...

Well, honestly, I never really pay the RSSI bars any mind with regard to accuracy. I was just curious why I see them on the CDM mobiles I have but not the MCS, that's all. With the kind of signal levels I get, it's always on full strength anyway.

Manny

 

[MTS2000des]

I had a mode 3 unit many years ago. Was a volunteer fire fighter and had 2 systems in it. 1 was a standard type 2 and never saw signal strength. The other was a wide area smart zone and it would affiliate and show the signal meters.

Bingo, the RSSI indicator only appears on wide area (AMSS/SmartZone) systems. Same for XTS3000.