Switching from Astro Saber & XTS3000 to XTS2500 ... a few questions

[sefrischling]

Two XTS3000 radios are being replaced with XTS2500 radios. I know they are similar, yet completely different, especially in setting them up ... if I may, a few questions

1) I know the CPS is completely different (I should look up what the new CPS is and download that) , I finally figured out drag-n-drop from one XTS3k/Astro Saber to another, I assume I cannot drag and drop an XTS3k code plug into a 2500, correct?

2) Is there an easy way to set up two-tone paging for the XTS2500, or is that firmware specific?

3) Can the XTS2500 simultaneously scan two different 800 trunked systems, or am I limited to listening to one at at time like the XTS3k?

4) I can't find anything definitive stating if an XTS3k System Key can be used in a 2500, or if I need to find a way to generate a new 2500 compatible SysKey

Final question ... for now ... 5) Is the XTS2500 capable of disabling TX entirely for trunked systems? I have my XTS3k PTT buttons physically disabled.

Any other tid bits of wisdom are greatly appreciated

Thanks

 

[ElroyJetson]

No, you can't drag and drop between models. You can drag and drop from one file to another if the radios types and flashcodes are the SAME.

System keys are the same. Except for if they're Advanced System Keys.
I'm going to just assume that you are authorized to possess the system keys. Just not going to ask.

Use the hidden talkgroups method for safe, no affiliate, no TX scanning of trunking systems. The XTS radios are not different from the Astro Sabers in that respect. The only truly safe method of disabling transmit is the hidden talkgroups method. Even physically disabling the PTT buttons is NOT an assured way to avoid undesired transmissions. Do NOT rely on that method!

I've never dealt with programming two tone paging or scanning multiple systems at once so I can't help you there. I suspect such things are possible.

One thing that is different is the setup of personalities and the zone/channel assignments. It's been simplified in the Astro25 software. You'll see.

 

[RKG]

The XTS offers three flavors of scan lists:

Priority Monitor: one trunked system, optional priority.
Conventional: non-trunked channels only, optional priority.
"Talkgroup": can mix talkgroups from different trunked systems, or trunked talkgroups and conventional channels. No priority.

Thus, while you can make scan list that bridges two trunked systems, there are costs. One is the loss of priority, which I consider a virtual necessity in a public safety radio employing scan. A larger problem is that the radio can monitor only one control channel at a time; basically, the radio will park on a given control channel until it sees a long enough period of no channel grant OSWs, at which point it shifts to another control channel. This means that you can have an "audio hole" of some significance, even though the radio is silent.

For what I do (which is 99% public safety), there is only one set of acceptable scan parameters for trunked systems: Priority Monitor scan type, uncheck "Talkback Scan," set Priority One for "Selected Channel," and (most of the time) disable Priority Two.