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Motorola DMR system question

Pr999

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This may be a stupid thing to ask, but can you use any brand other than Motorola on any Motorola trunking system, whether MotoTRBO or any of Motorola's pseudo-trunking systems like CAP, CAP+, CAP MAX, CON, CON+, etc.?
 
Last edited:
Solution
Connect+ and Capacity+, no. Only Motorola radios will work on those.

CapMax should be Tier 3 compliant, so non Motorola radios should work.

kayn1n32008

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Connect+ and Capacity+, no. Only Motorola radios will work on those.

CapMax should be Tier 3 compliant, so non Motorola radios should work.
It can be licensed to be tier 3 compliant, other tier 3 compliant radios will work on it.

However Capacity Max, out of the box, is not fully tier 3 compatible.
 

MichaelFromKY

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This may be a stupid thing to ask, but can you use any brand other than Motorola on any Motorola trunking system, whether MotoTRBO or any of Motorola's pseudo-trunking systems like CAP, CAP+, CAP MAX, CON, CON+, etc.?

In general, using non-Motorola radios on Motorola trunking systems is not recommended and often not possible. Here's a breakdown by trunking system type:


1. MotoTRBO:


  • Not Recommended: MotoTRBO is a proprietary Motorola digital trunking system using specific protocols and encryption. While technically possible to interface some non-Motorola radios with MotoTRBO through third-party gateways, it's typically complex, expensive, and prone to compatibility issues.
  • Exceptions: Some specific models from Hytera and Tait Communications have achieved MotoTRBO certification, allowing them to interoperate with MotoTRBO systems seamlessly. However, these options are limited and require careful verification with the system administrator.

2. Motorola Pseudo-Trunking Systems:


  • CAP, CAP+, CAP MAX: These are analog trunking systems with open standards, allowing some compatibility with non-Motorola radios. However, interoperability is not guaranteed and depends on several factors:
    • Specific implementation: System configuration may limit compatibility to specific Motorola models or require additional configurations for non-Motorola radios.
    • Feature support: Non-Motorola radios may not support all features of the system, leading to limited functionality.
    • System administrator approval: Using non-Motorola radios often requires permission from the system administrator due to concerns about compatibility and potential interference.
  • CON, CON+: These are digital pseudo-trunking systems similar to CAP+ but with additional encryption. Non-Motorola radios are generally not compatible due to the proprietary encryption and signaling protocols.

Overall:


While using non-Motorola radios on Motorola trunking systems might be technically possible in some cases, it's generally a risky and often impractical approach. You can expect limited functionality, compatibility issues, and potential challenges in obtaining approval from the system administrator.


Therefore, unless you have a specific reason and have confirmed compatibility with the system administrator, it's strongly recommended to stick with Motorola radios for Motorola trunking systems.
 

mikewazowski

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Not Recommended: MotoTRBO is a proprietary Motorola digital trunking system using specific protocols and encryption.

MotoTRBO is just Motorola's trade name for their DMR offerings. Yes, they can be trunked and encrypted but they can also be conventional and unencrypted.

This may be a stupid thing to ask, but can you use any brand other than Motorola on any Motorola trunking system, whether MotoTRBO or any of Motorola's pseudo-trunking systems like CAP, CAP+, CAP MAX, CON, CON+, etc.?

Motorola offers Capacity Plus, Connect Plus and Capacity Max. No such thing as CON or CAP and they're not pseudo trunking. AFAIK, the only manufacturer offering Pseudo Trunking is Hytera.

These are the correct answers:
Connect+ and Capacity+, no. Only Motorola radios will work on those.

CapMax should be Tier 3 compliant, so non Motorola radios should work.

It can be licensed to be tier 3 compliant, other tier 3 compliant radios will work on it.

However Capacity Max, out of the box, is not fully tier 3 compatible.
 

KevinC

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In general, using non-Motorola radios on Motorola trunking systems is not recommended and often not possible. Here's a breakdown by trunking system type:


1. MotoTRBO:


  • Not Recommended: MotoTRBO is a proprietary Motorola digital trunking system using specific protocols and encryption. While technically possible to interface some non-Motorola radios with MotoTRBO through third-party gateways, it's typically complex, expensive, and prone to compatibility issues.
  • Exceptions: Some specific models from Hytera and Tait Communications have achieved MotoTRBO certification, allowing them to interoperate with MotoTRBO systems seamlessly. However, these options are limited and require careful verification with the system administrator.

2. Motorola Pseudo-Trunking Systems:


  • CAP, CAP+, CAP MAX: These are analog trunking systems with open standards, allowing some compatibility with non-Motorola radios. However, interoperability is not guaranteedand depends on several factors:
    • Specific implementation: System configuration may limit compatibility to specific Motorola models or require additional configurations for non-Motorola radios.
    • Feature support: Non-Motorola radios may not support all features of the system, leading to limited functionality.
    • System administrator approval: Using non-Motorola radios often requires permission from the system administrator due to concerns about compatibility and potential interference.
  • CON, CON+: These are digital pseudo-trunking systems similar to CAP+ but with additional encryption. Non-Motorola radios are generally not compatible due to the proprietary encryption and signaling protocols.

Overall:


While using non-Motorola radios on Motorola trunking systems might be technically possible in some cases, it's generally a risky and often impractical approach. You can expect limited functionality, compatibility issues, and potential challenges in obtaining approval from the system administrator.


Therefore, unless you have a specific reason and have confirmed compatibility with the system administrator, it's strongly recommended to stick with Motorola radios for Motorola trunking systems.
What????
 

K2NEC

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Yes, you are correct. I am an AI assistant powered by ChatGPT, designed to provide helpful and informative responses to user inquiries. If you have any questions or need assistance with anything, feel free to ask, and I'll do my best to assist you.
No I meant his response lol
This whole thread has gone pear shaped
 

kayn1n32008

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In general, using non-Motorola radios on Motorola trunking systems is not recommended and often not possible. Here's a breakdown by trunking system type:


1. MotoTRBO:


  • Not Recommended: MotoTRBO is a proprietary Motorola digital trunking system using specific protocols and encryption. While technically possible to interface some non-Motorola radios with MotoTRBO through third-party gateways, it's typically complex, expensive, and prone to compatibility issues.
  • Exceptions: Some specific models from Hytera and Tait Communications have achieved MotoTRBO certification, allowing them to interoperate with MotoTRBO systems seamlessly. However, these options are limited and require careful verification with the system administrator.

2. Motorola Pseudo-Trunking Systems:


  • CAP, CAP+, CAP MAX: These are analog trunking systems with open standards, allowing some compatibility with non-Motorola radios. However, interoperability is not guaranteedand depends on several factors:
    • Specific implementation: System configuration may limit compatibility to specific Motorola models or require additional configurations for non-Motorola radios.
    • Feature support: Non-Motorola radios may not support all features of the system, leading to limited functionality.
    • System administrator approval: Using non-Motorola radios often requires permission from the system administrator due to concerns about compatibility and potential interference.
  • CON, CON+: These are digital pseudo-trunking systems similar to CAP+ but with additional encryption. Non-Motorola radios are generally not compatible due to the proprietary encryption and signaling protocols.

Overall:


While using non-Motorola radios on Motorola trunking systems might be technically possible in some cases, it's generally a risky and often impractical approach. You can expect limited functionality, compatibility issues, and potential challenges in obtaining approval from the system administrator.


Therefore, unless you have a specific reason and have confirmed compatibility with the system administrator, it's strongly recommended to stick with Motorola radios for Motorola trunking systems.
Almost everything you wrote here is entirely wrong.
 

EWC_BDN

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My understanding is that you'll need special permission from Motorola to get a Motorola radio onto a non Motorola system. And the reverse. you'll need special permission to make a CapMax system that lets Kenwood and Tait on.

They want to have their cake and eat it too. So they are in theory compatible, but they have added some special changes to make them not. It's referred to as Cap Max advantage. A very funny name for what it is. Because the advantage is you need to buy only Motorola radio to work on the capmax advantage systems. Motorola only sells Cap max advantage systems and radios.

The open system and open radio options are for when they need to swoop in on a Kenwood or Tait system customer. If they will get more sales by selling radios or systems as open than as Advantage. That's where open comes in.

Cap+ is just no
connect+ I have no experience with, but I think it's also no.

I'm open to being very wrong here, but this is the impression I got from the price pages and talking to motorola guys in 2016 when Capmax came out.

conventional duplex repeaters in DMR. yes, but if you add any special sauce offerings from either side. results vary. stuff like Tx interrupt and over the air alias can make stuff not work at all in mixed systems.
 

kayn1n32008

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My understanding is that you'll need special permission from Motorola to get a Motorola radio onto a non Motorola system. And the reverse. you'll need special permission to make a CapMax system that lets Kenwood and Tait on.

They want to have their cake and eat it too. So they are in theory compatible, but they have added some special changes to make them not. It's referred to as Cap Max advantage. A very funny name for what it is. Because the advantage is you need to buy only Motorola radio to work on the capmax advantage systems. Motorola only sells Cap max advantage systems and radios.

The open system and open radio options are for when they need to swoop in on a Kenwood or Tait system customer. If they will get more sales by selling radios or systems as open than as Advantage. That's where open comes in.

Cap+ is just no
connect+ I have no experience with, but I think it's also no.

I'm open to being very wrong here, but this is the impression I got from the price pages and talking to motorola guys in 2016 when Capmax came out.

conventional duplex repeaters in DMR. yes, but if you add any special sauce offerings from either side. results vary. stuff like Tx interrupt and over the air alias can make stuff not work at all in mixed systems.
It's Cap Max Advantage because it offers features that are beyond the tier 3 standard.

For Cap Max to be tier 3 compliant, you require software licenses from Motorola. Of course Motorola wants you to use Motorola radios, and vendor lock you and doesn't want you to use other vendors radios, so they really don't want to sell you tier 3 compliant system.l
 

TampaTyron

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Cap Max has 2 modes, Advantage and Open mode. Advantage (the default mode) is Moto only and will not work on non-Moto radios. Open mode require special licensing with the repeaters and subscribers as it allows non-motorola radios ontot he system. This approval requires VP approval. TT
 
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