Motorola DTR700 Portable Digital Radio 900Mhz

[khp5568]

Can anyone help my out? I am quite disappointed from what I have found with my new DTR700s so far. I have found that in order to talk on a private group with the DTR700, both sending radio and receiving radio must be on the same private group (actively selected on the radio). My DTR650s will receive if a message is sent to the private group regardless of the currently selected group/channel on the receiving radio. This ability to send to who you want, regardless of the receiver's currently selected "channel" is the best feature of the DTR radios.

Is there any way to get a DTR700 to receive a transmission to a private group (that it is a member of) even if the receiving radio doesn't have the group selected? I understand that this traditional channel based send-receive might be beneficial to some users, but I would hope that it could be turn on or off. This is a huge issue for me and may be a show stopper for upgrading to DTR700s.

 

[fireemt55]

Can anyone help my out? I am quite disappointed from what I have found with my new DTR700s so far. I have found that in order to talk on a private group with the DTR700, both sending radio and receiving radio must be on the same private group (actively selected on the radio). My DTR650s will receive if a message is sent to the private group regardless of the currently selected group/channel on the receiving radio. This ability to send to who you want, regardless of the receiver's currently selected "channel" is the best feature of the DTR radios.

Is there any way to get a DTR700 to receive a transmission to a private group (that it is a member of) even if the receiving radio doesn't have the group selected? I understand that this traditional channel based send-receive might be beneficial to some users, but I would hope that it could be turn on or off. This is a huge issue for me and may be a show stopper for upgrading to DTR700s.

It really sounds to me like you're talking about the SCAN feature that the DTR650's have. It allows you to be on one Talkgroup but "scan" and hear transmissions on other Talkgroups programmed (and then immediately talk on that Talkgroup if so desired.) Unfortunately, the DTR700's don't have that feature (unless some firmware update has happened I'm unaware of.) The loss of the SCAN feature was a bummer for sure, I really miss it.

The other feature that the DTR700's lost is the ability to see what radio is transmitting on a Talkgroup. We have a lot of users that end up with open mic's and it was great to know who it was, but that doesn't happen on the DTR700's unless you are in PRIVATE mode.

Both of these features REALLY need to come to the DTR700's!

 

[khp5568]

Yes, it does sound like a scan feature. I don't see where to turn it on or off on the DTR650, and I don't have any scan lists set up, but we definitely rely on it as one of our normal radio functions.

I agree that not seeing who calls on a talk group is also a big loss. They gave the radio a new color screen, and then only use half of it for information when a talk group transmission comes in.

My three biggest issues with the DTR700:
- Loss of the "scan" feature
- No indication of caller on a private group call
- Loss of the ability to re-program contact names over the air. We use this often to rename the radios for special events.

I don't have high hopes that Motorola will correct these things soon so I may be returning my new 700s and looking for more 650s. Its great that the DTR700 has been refreshed with some newer tech, but it just doesn't live up to the great functionality of the 650s.

Does anyone know of a good place to post these concerns to Motorola?

 

[n1das]

The DTR650 is always "scanning" private groups, even if talkgroup scan is not enabled. The scan list for talkgroup scan is for scanning public groups on the same hopset used by one or more private groups.

The DTR 600/700 models don't have any scan features. The DTR 600/700 models are set up to operate more like simple channelized conventional radios from an end user perspective. I suspect it also has to do with Motorola adopting the DLR way of programming going forward. The scanning features of the DTR650 might be incompatible with the Profile ID features in the new models.

I love the scanning features in the DTR650 and wish they were in the DTR 600/700 models. I am just happy that Motorola is keeping the DTR product line going.


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[fireemt55]

Does anyone know of a good place to post these concerns to Motorola?

When I talked with the two (yes, 2) guys supporting this product at Motorola, they said it has to go through a dealer to provide feedback to Motorola. I could tell them my feedback all day long, but they weren't "allowed" to do anything with it. But if someone else knows different, I'd love to submit some feedback (both positive and constructive) to them about this product.

 

[khp5568]

I love the scanning features in the DTR650 and wish they were in the DTR 600/700 models. I am just happy that Motorola is keeping the DTR product line going.

Its doesn't seem like they are keeping the DTR line going, but rather they are changing the DTR to be more like the DLT, and leaving the old DTR product line behind.

 

[n1das]

Its doesn't seem like they are keeping the DTR line going, but rather they are changing the DTR to be more like the DLT, and leaving the old DTR product line behind.

The DTR 600/700 programs like the little DLR radios. My gut feeling is that's why there is no scan capabilities in the DTR 600/700 models.

I recently sold my fleet of DLRs to a friend for his business but I'm keeping my fleet of DTR650s and my fleet of DTR700 radios.

The little DLR radios aren't going away. I'm finding increasing use of them in retail stores. Most users are using them right out of the box at the factory default settings like FRS bubble packs. I can tell they are at factory default settings because they respond to Call All Available and Page All Available commands. The local Costco Wholesale in my area uses the DLR radios and they were using them before the DTR 600/700 models came out. The older DTRs don't have Call All Available and Page All Available features so I am reasonably certain that Costco in my area is using DLR radios.

The older DTRs are feature rich but they often are too much radio for the average business radio user. The DLRs are Motorola's answer to that. DLR = Digital Lightweight Radio according to Motorola.

I don't know how much longer the DTRs will be around but the little DLRs aren't going away anytime soon.

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[khp5568]

Ok, DTR700s don't have scan, so they won't receive if their channel isn't selected to the same group as being called by another.

The DTR650 always scan. Can I turn this off?

How can anyone say that these radios are "fully compatible"? The only situation that I can see that they can work together is on a single group/channel. I don't see any way to effectively program select groups or multiple channels that a user can choose to be part of one or the other.

If I program select groups of radios, the DTR650s will work on the groups (receive if part of a group that is transmitted to), but the DTR700s will only work when set to the matching channel/group regardless of the group structure.

If I run several channels (will all radios assigned to all groups/channels) the DTR700s will receive when they are on a selected channel, but the DTR650s will hear everything on all channels/groups at all times.

Groups seem worthless with the DTR700s and multiple channels are worthless when the DTR650s always scan.

Am I missing something here, or are DTR700s even more dumbed down, channel based, and nothing like the DTR650s than I thought?

 

[khp5568]

When I talked with the two (yes, 2) guys supporting this product at Motorola, they said it has to go through a dealer to provide feedback to Motorola. I could tell them my feedback all day long, but they weren't "allowed" to do anything with it. But if someone else knows different, I'd love to submit some feedback (both positive and constructive) to them about this product.

After submitting a question/request to motorolasolutions (Contact Us - Motorola Solutions ) I got this response today. This is great news, but I may have to wait a while to get these fixes.

"
Hello Sir,
bellow are the features engineering is working on. Some if not all will come out in the next release in Qtr3

• Scan
• Quick Text
• Group and Caller ID
• Call Alert
• Remote Monitoring (only for DTR700 and DTR720)
• Remote Enabling/Disabling (only for DTR700 and DTR720)
• Ringer Tones and Volume

"

 

[n1das]

After submitting a question/request to motorolasolutions (Contact Us - Motorola Solutions ) I got this response today. This is great news, but I may have to wait a while to get these fixes.

"
Hello Sir,
bellow are the features engineering is working on. Some if not all will come out in the next release in Qtr3

• Scan
• Quick Text
• Group and Caller ID
• Call Alert
• Remote Monitoring (only for DTR700 and DTR720)
• Remote Enabling/Disabling (only for DTR700 and DTR720)
• Ringer Tones and Volume

"

These are phase 2 features that were mentioned in early documentation but no further information was available. Nobody knew what phase 2 was at the time.

Will these features be available to existing DTR 600/700 radios as a firmware update? My fleet of DTR700 radios are among the first batch of them built.


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[Meestor_X]

The DTR650 always scan. Can I turn this off?

Groups seem worthless with the DTR700s and multiple channels are worthless when the DTR650s always scan.

Am I missing something here, or are DTR700s even more dumbed down, channel based, and nothing like the DTR650s than I thought?

"Scan" is a bit of misnomer when using private groups, I think. As are "channels"...
I wrote up some info on how I believe the private groups work on my website. Certainly multiple groups and IDs are very usable on the DTR650.

 

[n1das]

After submitting a question/request to motorolasolutions (Contact Us - Motorola Solutions ) I got this response today. This is great news, but I may have to wait a while to get these fixes.

"
Hello Sir,
bellow are the features engineering is working on. Some if not all will come out in the next release in Qtr3

• Scan
• Quick Text
• Group and Caller ID
• Call Alert
• Remote Monitoring (only for DTR700 and DTR720)
• Remote Enabling/Disabling (only for DTR700 and DTR720)
• Ringer Tones and Volume

"

Anybody heard any updates on when these Phase 2 features will be released?

 

[khp5568]

It looks like a new firmware update is out, according to Magnum Electronics (I don't yet see it available direct form Motorola). I have not yet tried to update mine. I will soon.

Motorola DTR700 Firmware Update Tool and Customer Programming Software R07.01

The new Motorola DTR700 digital radio requires a firmware update and customer programming software. This new version provides the features and capabilities below: 1. Scan – radio stay on a ch…

blog.magnumelectronics.com

 

[fireemt55]

It looks like a new firmware update is out, according to Magnum Electronics (I don't yet see it available direct form Motorola). I have not yet tried to update mine. I will soon.

Woo hoo! I just downloaded and updated our DTR700's. Can confirm that Scanning talkgroups on the same hopset does work (make sure you have the talkgroups in the Scan List though - I originally didn't and thought it wasn't working. You have to switch to ADVANCED in the Business Radio CPS software to see the scan list.) Word of caution, you can only add a max of 10 talkgroups to the Scan List.

Can also confirm that you can FINALLY see the radio ID of the person calling when using a Public Group. Soooooo helpful to identify those that dead key alot!

One issue that I have noted for a while is, in a fleet of mixed DTR700's and DTR650's, the DTR700's get a really garbled speaker when a user on the DTR650 eats their microphone or is just very loud when talking. Sounds like the DTR700 speaker wants to bust out of it's housing sometimes. Anyone else experience this issue? Didn't get better with the firmware upgrade like I was hoping, but we might be going all DTR700's soon anyway...but curious if others have this issue.

 

[Aaron_B]

Some more good news in regards to the DTR 700, looks like they listened to the stubby antenna requests.

 

[fireemt55]

Some more good news in regards to the DTR 700, looks like they listened to the stubby antenna requests.

Another Woo Hoo! for today!!

 

[n1das]

This is GREAT news. I will have to download and apply the FW update to my fleet of DTR700s.

One issue that I have noted for a while is, in a fleet of mixed DTR700's and DTR650's, the DTR700's get a really garbled speaker when a user on the DTR650 eats their microphone or is just very loud when talking. Sounds like the DTR700 speaker wants to bust out of it's housing sometimes. Anyone else experience this issue? Didn't get better with the firmware upgrade like I was hoping, but we might be going all DTR700's soon anyway...but curious if others have this issue.

I have noticed this too. The older DTR 410/550/650 models and the DLRs don't have any automatic gain control (AGC) in the transmit audio. The DLRs are the worst or all.

From my experimenting, Motorola appears to have added AGC to the transmit audio in the DTR 600/700 models. Try listening to yourself on the DTR650 when talking into a DTR700. Set the DTR650 volume to about 2/3 to 3/4 and place it about 10 feet away from you. Then talk into the DTR700 in a normal voice and about 2-3 inches away from the mic. Then talk right up into it and practically eat the radio as you talk with the same normal voice. You'll notice the DTR700 will sound about the same either way. Also try it while talking loudly. You might notice the audio gets compressed slightly as the AGC works to keep Tx audio under control when climbing up on it or talking loudly. Then try the same experiment on the DTR650 while listening to the DTR700. You'll notice a BIG difference due to the lack of AGC in the DTR650 Tx audio. The DLRs are even worse with the Tx audio. I have also experimented with the mic gain settings and found it best to leave them all at the default setting (Medium in the DLRs and DTR 600/700).

The DTR 600/700 models have the best transmit audio thanks to Motorola adding AGC to the Tx audio. The DLRs have the worst audio when you climb up on them and the DTR 410/550/650 models are somewhere in between. Motorola really needs to add AGC to the Tx audio in the DLRs.

I'm looking forward to updating the FW in my fleet of DTR700s.

 

[n1das]

Woo hoo! I just downloaded and updated our DTR700's. Can confirm that Scanning talkgroups on the same hopset does work (make sure you have the talkgroups in the Scan List though - I originally didn't and thought it wasn't working. You have to switch to ADVANCED in the Business Radio CPS software to see the scan list.) Word of caution, you can only add a max of 10 talkgroups to the Scan List.

Can also confirm that you can FINALLY see the radio ID of the person calling when using a Public Group. Soooooo helpful to identify those that dead key alot!

What cable did you use for the FW update? Did you use the HKKN4027A CPS cable? The update instructions mentions using a PMKN4154A cable. Are they the same cable? I am itching to apply the FW update to my DTR700 fleet ASAP.

EDIT: I did some digging around and found this about the HKKN4027A CPS cable kit.

• Genuine Motorola USB programming cable kit
• Model HKKN4027A
• CPS/flash switch
• Includes PMKN4154A and PMLN6639A cables

It looks like the PMKN4154A CPS cable itself is a subset of the HKKN4027A CPS cable kit. I am not where I can take a look at my CPS cable at the moment.

I think I answered my own question.

 

[n1das]

Some more good news in regards to the DTR 700, looks like they listened to the stubby antenna requests.

Yes, some MORE good news for today! I may not bother with a stubby antenna for my DTR700s. I like the stock half wave antenna on the DTR 600/700 plus it is already a little shorter than the 1/2 wave antenna on my DTR650s. It depends on how stubby the stubby antenna for the DTR 600/700 is.

Now if they could do a FW update for the DLRs to add AGC to the Tx audio like the DTR 600/700 has. It would really clean up the audio in the DLRs.

 

[n1das]

What cable did you use for the FW update? Did you use the HKKN4027A CPS cable? The update instructions mentions using a PMKN4154A cable. Are they the same cable? I am itching to apply the FW update to my DTR700 fleet ASAP.

EDIT: I did some digging around and found this about the HKKN4027A CPS cable kit.

• Genuine Motorola USB programming cable kit
• Model HKKN4027A
• CPS/flash switch
• Includes PMKN4154A and PMLN6639A cables

It looks like the PMKN4154A CPS cable itself is a subset of the HKKN4027A CPS cable kit. I am not where I can take a look at my CPS cable at the moment.

I think I answered my own question.

I took a look at my CPS cable at home and confirmed it is a PMKN4154A CPS cable, part of the HKKN4027A CPS cable kit. This confirmation is good news because it means no special cable is needed for firmware updates.