Motorola XTS 5000 Trunking Scan

[AK4FD]

Regular SmartZone operation causes an antenna to show up on top left screen with a coverage meter, similar to like AT&T signal bars on a phone. It won't show the antenna using the scan method but setting Coverage Type to SmartZone causes the radio to constantly search for a tower Site, it may not even register on UniTrunker, but to verify all you have to do is look at the top LED light on the radio. If you see it flash red then that's telling you the radio is attempting to affiliate... Why even take the chance, just follow the 3 steps I posted above and you'll be good as gold, won't miss any transmissions and be safe from affiliating... It's a no-brainer.

 

[SCPD]

I never seen mine flash at all so i dont know what to tell You

Sent from my LG-H343 using Tapatalk

 

[rivera293]

Well I attempted to follow the steps you listed but it’s not letting me program them in..

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SCPD]

https://youtu.be/zQcr3Ju3ZdA follow this

Sent from my LG-H343 using Tapatalk

 

[rivera293]

Will do it step by step this afternoon. It’s just very frustrating how I keep missing radio chatter. I get some but not all


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SCPD]

It can be

Sent from my LG-H343 using Tapatalk

 

[AK4FD]

I just replied in private message what to do. Try this: On the same Personality on the next tab to GENERAL, under the EMERGENCY tab, right under the tab under Protocol Type, it says Tactical, that should be unchecked. That will fix the problem.

If it still has the error after that, the other issue could be your Scan List. Go ot whichever Scan List that particular Personality uses, open that Scan List and under the first tab GENERAL, go towards the bottom, where it says Designated Voice TX Member, make sure it isn't SELECTED CHANNEL, change it to Talkback, you won't be transmitting anyways so you don't need it. Either, or both, of these should kill that error!

 

[rivera293]

I did see that and will give it a try ether today or tomorrow when i get a chance, i will reply with what comes up and if this works.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[rescue161]

I just replied in private message what to do. Try this: On the same Personality on the next tab to GENERAL, under the EMERGENCY tab, right under the tab under Protocol Type, it says Tactical, that should be unchecked. That will fix the problem.

If it still has the error after that, the other issue could be your Scan List. Go ot whichever Scan List that particular Personality uses, open that Scan List and under the first tab GENERAL, go towards the bottom, where it says Designated Voice TX Member, make sure it isn't SELECTED CHANNEL, change it to Talkback, you won't be transmitting anyways so you don't need it. Either, or both, of these should kill that error!

It should never be changed to "Talkback" as that WILL allow the radio to transmit. Select will force the radio to transmit on the selected RX-Only conventional channel not matter what it is hearing. If you set it to talkback and it is hearing a trunking TG and you hit the PTT, it will transmit on that TG.

Also, SmartZone will not make the antenna signal strength indicator show up if you have the radio programmed for hidden scan method CORRECTLY. Trust me, as I manage a wide-area multi-site/multi-state trunking system and I get to test all sorts of things.

 

[exkalibur]

Regular SmartZone operation causes an antenna to show up on top left screen with a coverage meter, similar to like AT&T signal bars on a phone. It won't show the antenna using the scan method but setting Coverage Type to SmartZone causes the radio to constantly search for a tower Site, it may not even register on UniTrunker, but to verify all you have to do is look at the top LED light on the radio. If you see it flash red then that's telling you the radio is attempting to affiliate... Why even take the chance, just follow the 3 steps I posted above and you'll be good as gold, won't miss any transmissions and be safe from affiliating... It's a no-brainer.

It's fairly obvious you aren't following the instructions properly. If you sit on a talkgroup, the radio will try and affiliate. You must scan the talkgroup from a conventional channel. Doing so will ensure it doesn't try and affiliate/transmit.

 

[rivera293]

alright i followed the steps and it seems a little better, i just miss a little bitty of the transmission but its better than it was. now i compared the radio to a scanner and it seems like the problem might not been fully from my XTS since the scanner misses transmissions too. maybe the system uses another talk group.

 

[AK4FD]

That's why I said in 1 of my above comments I said REGULAR SmartZone operation shows the antenna & coverage meter. No need to jump on me, I'm assuming it's already known that this post is about no affiliate scan method, when you set the radio to TG/AG DISABLED then under the scan list the Designated Tx Voice Member CANNOT say Selected Channel so it has to be anything other than that. I was just trying to list ways to make sure this OP covered all bases to make sure his radio doesn't transmit or affiliate! I've set my radios up that way and haven't had an issue yet. Whether you scan from a Conventional channel or not, there's still precautions to take. I go as far as also making sure my Concentric Switch is always set to Tx Inhibit. I was just trying to help this person and I didn't see anyone else jumping in so I offered what I've done in all my years being involved in radios and scanners.

 

[rivera293]

MedicDavid78 I appreciate all your help and suggestions. The radio is working better thanks to you but i have to figure out why i keep missing traffic in the XTS and scanner.

 

[AK4FD]

MedicDavid78 I appreciate all your help and suggestions. The radio is working better thanks to you but i have to figure out why i keep missing traffic in the XTS and scanner.

Have you confirmed you have all the proper Control Channels programmed, both Primary & Alternate? If it keeps happening try programming all the channels including voice.

 

[rivera293]

nope. because the system is almost brand new and there is not a whole bunch of information. but ill double check it with what i have.

 

[AK4FD]

nope. because the system is almost brand new and there is not a whole bunch of information. but ill double check it with what i have.

I suggest running a program called UniTrunker, if you aren't familiar with it, read up on it. It can give you a wealth of info about that system, including all the channels, Control and Voice, that is linked to it! Maybe you will find more frequencies you weren't aware of. Usually if the XTS and the scanner are missing transmissions usually that means a missing frequency or 2. Just my experience.

 

[rivera293]

ill run a check on the system

 

[rescue161]

There is no such thing as "regular" SmartZone. And "TG/AG Disabled" does nothing to stop the radio from affiliating. It is meant for legit radios that do not have a need to talk on the system, as in media.

There is a need to stop misinformation as it will cause folks a lot of grief if they follow bad advice and end up with a brick or in legal trouble. Nobody was jumping on anybody, but please don't pass bad info.

 

[rivera293]

What if this system is partial phase 2 system. would this cause the problem

 

[clbsquared]

What if this system is partial phase 2 system. would this cause the problem

Yes. Because the XTS is not phase 2 capable. Is your scanner Phase 2 capable?

Sent from my HTC One A9 using Tapatalk