XTL/XTS5000 Simplex Emergency Programming

[thisguyneedsabeer]

I have a licensed business frequency where we use P25 for communication where cell phone reception is spotty or out in the field. Everything is Simplex, all the HT's are XTS5000 needing to have their emergency button programmed have the Flashcode: 560001-001387-3.

Note: This is how the radios came to me, I have not "upgraded" any of the features or modified them in any way.

Decoded by the akardam.net Flashcode Decoder v5
Platform: XTS5000 & XTS4000
Flashcode: 560001-001387-3

Q806: ASTRO IMBE Digital Operation
H14: Enhanced Digital ID Display
Q52: Federal Government FPP
H869: Hardware Multikey Encryption
H35: Conventional Systems Operation
Q947: APCO Packet Data Interface
Q53: FCC FPP And Radio Cloning
Q387: Conventional Voting Scan
Q361: ASTRO 25 9600 Baud Trunking
Q445: Fireground Accountability Software
Q446: Fireground Voice/Channel Announcement
Q667: ADP Software Encryption

My goal feels like it is fairly straight forward:

1. Designate one of our four frequencies as a "emergency channel"
   1. All radios will scan this channel in lieu of a dispatch console
2. An operator can hit the emergency button on the top of the radio and the other radios receive an Emergency Alert
3. Keep all communication digital if possible as to not have to maintain an ASTRO system and an MDC1200 system on the HT's.

I'd say I'm "intermediate" within the ASTRO CPS, but I've never attempted any sort of EID/EMERGENCY programming as I've always been on frequencies where that would be frowned upon (mostly GMRS/MURS, things like that).

I reviewed this video:

where the user covered both ASTRO and MDC1200 EID programming however I cannot get my radios to pick up the alert on the ASTRO side. I can receive an MDC1200 alert just fine. The video also never shows a working ASTRO emergency alarm being sent with the shown configuration.

My current radio configuration is as follows (Note: Zone 2, Channel 3 is the designated Emergency frequency, with conventional personality 19 attached to it)

Radio Configuration:

• Radio Wide
  • Emergency
    • Silent Alarm > Unchecked
    • Keep Alive > Unchecked
    • Man Down > Unchecked
  • TPS
    • Emergency Alarm Rx Indicator Type: Alert & Display
• Buttons
  • Top Button
    • Conventional > Emergency
• ASTRO System 1 of 2 (2 of 2 configured the same way)
  • Emergency
    • Emergency > Checked
    • Emergency Type > Alarm Only
    • Acknowledge Alert Tone > Checked
    • Revert Zone #1 > Z2-C3
    • Revert Zone #2 > Z2-C3
    • Revert Zone #3 > Z2-C3
  • Advanced
    • Emergency Alarm Rx Indicator > Checked

Conventional Personality 19 Configuration:

• Rx Options
  • Rx Voice/Signal Type > ASTRO
• Tx Options
  • Tx Voice/Signal Type > ASTRO
• Secure
  • Secure Voice/Signal Type > ASTRO
• Secure II
  • Secure/Clear Strapping > Secure (I have tried this clear as well)
  • Key Selection > 3 (3 matching AES256 keys are loaded into each HT, radios can communicate on this channel OK)
• ASTRO System
  • ASTRO System > 1 (cannot change to 2)
  • Emergency Revert > Selected Chan
  • Digital Modulator Type: C4FM
  • Rx Unmute Rule: Normal Squelch
• ASTRO Call
  • Decode
    • Call Alert Decode > Checked
    • Selective Call Decode > Checked
    • In-Call User Alert Enable > Checked
  • Encode
    • Call Alert Encode > Checked
    • Selective Call Encode > Checked
    • Auto Sel Call Transmit > Checked
    • ASTRO Unlimited Calling > Checked
    • ASTRO Call ID List: 1 (Same in all HTs)
• ASTRO Talkgroup Options (I have tried to get this to work with and without a Talkgroup strapped or even selectable)
  • Talkgroup > Checked
    • Selection Type: Strapped
    • Talkgroup List: 1 (Same in all HTs)
    • Talkgroup ID: 4 (Same in all HTs)

Talkgroup Configuration:

• Talkgroup Entry #4
  • Talkgroup ID: 38003
  • Talkgroup Alias Text: EMERGENCY
  • Voice Secure / Clear Strapping: Secure (I have tried clear as well)
  • Key Select Reference: 3 (same key strapped to Conventional Personality 19)

If I've omitted anything please let me know, I am happy to provide screenshots. Again, this is not for emergency personnel or 911 usage. This is just a backup in the event someone in the field working in a pair can't get to their phone or has no cell coverage. It's never something I've had working, just something I'd like to learn more about to get more use out of these radios before shelling out the big money for modern APX radios.

I want to make it clear to I have searched the word "emergency" up and down the Motorola forum here as well and dug through all of the posts returned. I've checked the other "usual" places too (Reddit, Forums etc.) I have not been able to locate a definitive resource for simplex emergency ID programming without a dispatch console that I could get working. That is all to say, I welcome all feedback and criticism, just know that I have searched and attempted to be self-sufficient before coming to, what I consider to be the "experts."

Thank you.

 

[thisguyneedsabeer]

I was able to resolve this after reviewing all of my settings and ensuring that my scan settings were placing the proper priority on the appropriate channels. Now, every EID is properly received and decoded timely even if a user is on a different frequency that we lease. If anybody comes across this thread in the future and has questions, I am happy to discuss- but only if this is for non-911 purposes (ex. commercially/hobbyist usage/learning).