Palmetto 800 Question

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Carolina_boy1

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So if anyone can answer my question since this is pretty much all i can find that would be close to what im trying to find out.


as a Volunteer fireman in Sc i know they use the palmetto 800 on vhf. would a VHF xts2500 be used to transmitt and recive on this once programed for fire/rescue use. i know the only low band UHF that is still in use in the paging system casue its old the only time you hear the dispatchers is if they mash the button to patch over after they set off the tones. reason being is for the pager to activate other than that from what i understand on the VHF side is the Moscad is used in house to alert us for calls any help would be greatly appriciated

Brandon
 

KE4ZNR

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Brandon,
Welcome to RR.com!
I have moved your thread from the NC forum to the SC forum.
Please keep an eye on where you post questions in the future. :)
Thanks and Happy Monitoring!
Marshall KE4ZNR
 

INDY72

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The Palmetto 800 is an 800 MHz TRS, not VHF... If there was an patch set up from your VHF conventional system to the Palmetto 800, then you could talk on the system that way. But other than using an patch, an VHF conventional radio can not talk on an 800 MHz trunked system. Now if you had say an APX 7000, you could have it programmed with both the VHF Conventional, and the Palmetto 800. As to the XTS2500, it is not designed for multi band usage, with the exception of 700/800 MHz combinations used on various P-25 systems. If I understand basically what your saying, your agency is toned out on UHF, and then responds on VHF... which is simulcast over the Palmetto 800 vias an patch?
 

brian

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Columbia FD doesn't use any VHF radios that I'm aware of. They use Palmetto 800 analog (on 800MHz, appropriately enough) for all communications other than tone-out on their old UHF frequencies. I don't think a VHF radio is going to be of any use. The XTS line is available in 800MHz, of course, and that is what you'd need to communicate. And that would need to be programmed and authorized through your department.

If you can get by with just listening and not transmitting, any old analog trunk-tracking scanner will work.
 

jeffmulter

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>> If there was an patch set up from your VHF conventional system to the Palmetto 800, then you could talk on the system that way.

From the Budget and Control Office guidelines for the Palmetto 800 system:

" The Palmetto 800 Radio System and its licensees prohibit two-way interconnecting or the connecting of the Palmetto 800 System to other radio systems, telephone systems, cellular systems or any system that brings additional/outside loading to the system without written approval of the 800 MHz Advisory Committee. See the interconnect guideline links above for additional information. "

Basically, users can monitor a dispatch talkgroup that is simulcast on VHF or UHF, but cannot talk to 800 users via a patch.

The requirement is simply to prevent unintended users on other bands - including malicious jammers - from locking up a talkgroup on the system, and a frequency on each affiliated site.
 

Caesar

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So if anyone can answer my question since this is pretty much all i can find that would be close to what im trying to find out.


as a Volunteer fireman in Sc i know they use the palmetto 800 on vhf. would a VHF xts2500 be used to transmitt and recive on this once programed for fire/rescue use. i know the only low band UHF that is still in use in the paging system casue its old the only time you hear the dispatchers is if they mash the button to patch over after they set off the tones. reason being is for the pager to activate other than that from what i understand on the VHF side is the Moscad is used in house to alert us for calls any help would be greatly appriciated

Brandon

Since you said MOSCAD, are you a volley with CFD? You would have to get a 800Mhz radio, get something cheap like the MTS2000 or something 800Mhz Trunked Analog only, no keypad etc basic. Once you get said radio talk to Cothran to get it programmed with key so you can transmit.
 

Carolina_boy1

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Ok, thansk guys for the help. the reason i was asking is that i have seen some of the guys have HT1000 radio, and most have the Xts2500 radio. i asked someone from Comsped about it and they said a vhf can be programed. if anyone can be of any more help and give as much info as possible it would be greatly appreciated. since im not familiar with this system as i am with the one ised in onslow County Nc from where i grew up and what not. thanks

Bradnon
 

Caesar

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Ok, thansk guys for the help. the reason i was asking is that i have seen some of the guys have HT1000 radio, and most have the Xts2500 radio. i asked someone from Comsped about it and they said a vhf can be programed. if anyone can be of any more help and give as much info as possible it would be greatly appreciated. since im not familiar with this system as i am with the one ised in onslow County Nc from where i grew up and what not. thanks

Bradnon

It has to be a MTS2000 or similiar model, unless they just used a ht1000 case to recase it, if they are using ht1000 it is recieve only b/c even if they transmit no one is listening once the 90 seconds reset..
 

Carolina_boy1

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Ok well that could be, but i do know that most of the hand hel radio's are xts series my buddy that i run wih all the time has a molde 2 xts and his antenna says vhf on it and cant find it on the radio cause we been looking but i know for a fact he can transmit and talk on it cause depending on the call we will check enroute and he has constant commo with columbia cent and the engines. he can even go as far as talking on the sumter net and also being able to get over to Lex.... and like i said i talked to com spec ans asked them they said yes on the vhf can be used but not sure. im just trying to figure this all out b4 i purchase my own radio since right now its so hard to gain equipment from down town
 

jeffmulter

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... You would have to get a 800Mhz radio, get something cheap like the MTS2000 or something 800Mhz Trunked Analog only, no keypad etc basic.

The MTS2000 radios with a 256k controller are not rebandable for the Palmetto 800 system. If you wish to acquire an MTS2000, you'll want to confirm it has a 512k controller. The firmware version and production date will give you some indication, but reading the radio configuration is the only sure way to know what you're buying.
 
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SCPD

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FYI.... the Palmetto 800 folks charge a fee per radio ID to access the system. Not sure if they allow individuals access or just government agencies only.
 

rescuecomm

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Yeah, I presume that individuals are still prohibited from using Part 90 communications. Only public safety and/or business users such as medical transport and utilities are listed on the talkgroup lists.

Bob
 

Caesar

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Ok well that could be, but i do know that most of the hand hel radio's are xts series my buddy that i run wih all the time has a molde 2 xts and his antenna says vhf on it and cant find it on the radio cause we been looking but i know for a fact he can transmit and talk on it cause depending on the call we will check enroute and he has constant commo with columbia cent and the engines. he can even go as far as talking on the sumter net and also being able to get over to Lex.... and like i said i talked to com spec ans asked them they said yes on the vhf can be used but not sure. im just trying to figure this all out b4 i purchase my own radio since right now its so hard to gain equipment from down town

I can't speak for Sumter but it has to be an 800Mhz radio b/c Lexington Co is on 800Mhz with VHF patch, Richland Co is on 800Mhz with UHF for Dispatch so a VHF radio is not going to be able to communicate with both, only one. take a phone pic and post it or something. Have you talked with Cothran or Tinsley thought? most volleys have the XTS2500 radios and they should be able to get your one. Which station are you with? 26 or 27 area?
 
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