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TYT MD-380 CPS for commercial use basic help

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Machado

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Hi all. I would like to learn how to program a single channel on my MD-380, as I only find information about setting ham repeaters with hundreds of channels. I need to know how to enter a single (commercial) station parameters, so I can start learning how to program from the very beginning. For example, let's say I want to program the MD-380 with a single commercial repeater. I know the color code (11), the group code (14650), it uses both slots, and, of course, I know the rx and tx frequencies. How do I enter that information on the codeplug? Please, help. I've been searching the internet for he information, but I only find information on programming hundreds os repeaters, a very complicaed task for a beginner like me.

Thank you in advance.
 

bharvey2

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Here is a quick synopsis:

1. Program your talkgroups or users into the Digital Talkgroups list
2. Program the Channels Information with the RX and TX frequencies, color code and time slots. There will
be a channel for each talkgroup. The RX, TX, and color code should be the same. The time slot and
talkgroup will be different
3. Program your Zone Information. Each Zone will contain the list of channels available on that repeater. If
there are more than 16 channels, you'll need more than one zone.

Keep in mind that the TYT MD380 will not be capable of working with many commercial repeaters because it lacks the capabilities of some of those systems. In some cases, you may not be able to monitor the system either. I would suggest that you research some of the DMR HAM repeaters in your area and see if working codeplugs are available online for those repeaters. You can download the codeplug and study it and probably get a pretty good handle on how the codeplug sections relate to one another.
 

Machado

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Thank you very much! I programmed it ok, and finally am able to listen to the utility station I wanted to. DMR/MOTOTRBO is a completely new field to me. But now I am starting to get the hang of it.
Thanks again.
 

bharvey2

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Glad your making progress. One point however and it is one that I follow. When programming systems of which you aren't a member, leave the transmit frequency blank. Then you won't accidently key up. Listening is fine. Transmitting is a no no. BTW: Do you have a amateur radio license?
 

Machado

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Tytera's cps has an "rx only" option and I leave it ticked. I do have a ham licence (py1vhf), but I am not within the range of any amateur radio dmr repeater.
 

jonwienke

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For a single-channel commercial application, forget dealing with ham radio codeplugs, they will be too complex and have a lot of unnecessary crap.

TYT CPS calls the section with contacts and talkgroups "Digital Contacts, not Digital Talkgroups. Each entry in this list can be a talkgroup (Group Call) or an individual radio (Private Call). Each talkgroup your company uses (Security, Maintenance, Dispatch, etc) needs to have an entry in this section with a unique ID number, tagged as a Group Call. You should probably have a "Paging" or similar entry tagged as All Call if there is ever a need to broadcast to everyone's radio.

Every radio on the system needs to have a unique ID number. If you're not talking on a HAM repeater network like DMR-MARC, you DO NOT need to get your ID from them, you can assign your own. Each Radio ID should have an entry in Digital Contacts tagged as a Private Call with a friendly name like Maintenance 1, Dispatcher, Security 2, etc.

You'll want to have an organized system for talkgroups and radio IDs. Pre-planning is very important. I would suggest something simple like talkgroups being even multiples of 100 or 1000 depending on how many radios you expect to be in the largest talkgroup), and then radios assigned to a talkgroup assigned IDs within the talkgroup range.

For example, you could assign Dispatch to talkgroup 100, Maintenance to talkgroup 200, and Security to talkgroup 300. So your first four Digital Contacts would be Paging/Broadcasting tagged as All Call (if you have any need to broadcast to every radio in the company all at once), followed by Dispatch (ID 100, tagged as Group Call), Maintenance (ID 200, tagged as Group Call), and Security (ID 300, tagged as Group Call). Then you start entries for individual radios. Dispatch 1 and Dispatch 2 would be IDs 101 and 102 respectively, tagged as Private Call. Maintenance 1 and Maintenance 2 would be IDs 201 and 202, tagged as Private Call as well. Security 1 and Security 2 would be IDs 301 and 302, etc.

Once you have your contacts entered (at least all of the talkgroups), you can start creating RX Group Lists. You'll need these. For example, Maintenance needs to hear all Maintenance talkgroup traffic, but they probably would need to hear Dispatch as well so they know where they need to go. So you would create an RX Group List that contains the Dispatch and Maintenance.talkgroups. Security would want to hear all Dispatch and Security traffic, so you would create a Security RX Group List that contains the Dispatch and Security talkgroups. And Dispatch would need to hear everyone, so you would create a RX Group List for Dispatch that contains the Dispatch, Maintenance, and Security talkgroups.

Now you can start configuring channels. You'll probably want to configure several channels, each corresponding with a talkgroup or user role--a channel for Dispatch, a channel for Maintenance, a channnel for Security, etc. In a simple one-frequency system, each channel will have the same frequency and color code, but will have different talkgroup settings. Repeater slot doesn't matter unless you are using a repeater.

The frequency will be whatever you're licensed to use. If you're not using a repeater, the same frequency will go in the TX and RX boxes. Admit Criteria should be set to Color Code. This will allow users to key up if there is interference, as long as no one else is talking on the frequency using the same Color Code. Allow Talkaround should be checked, if you're not using a repeater, or if you're using a repeater and want to allow simplex communication to bypass the repeater. (This can be handy if the repeater fails.) If your radios have GPS, leave Send GPS unchecked unless your repeater is connected to a computer that tracks radio locations. Check Receive GPS on radios that you want to use to view other radios' GPS coordinates (like the dispatcher's radio).

The Private Call Confirmed box is mislabeled; checking it enables the radio to make direct calls to an individual other radio when that channel is selected. Emergency Alarm Ack enables the radio to alarm if another radio broadcasts that it is in Emergency Mode. It should definitely be checked on dispatch and security radios, but not necessarily everyone else's. Leave Emergency System setting on NONE for now, that's a more advanced can of worms.

Contact name is the default talkgroup or radio that will be contacted when the user keys the mic. It will be an individual talkgrouip or radio ID. Group List is the list of all talkgroups the radio will monitor. In this example, the Maintenance channel would have the Maintenance talkgroup selected as the Contact Name, and the Maintenance RX Group List described earlier. The same principle would apply to the Security and Dispatch groups.

I assume you'll have more questions, but this should get you started.
 

Machado

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Thank you very much. Very good information, man. Actually, I will print it and read carefully. I've been looking for this kind of info, to no avail. Most information about dmr I find on the internet is 1- very basic, teaching only how to load a codeplug, or 2- very complex, meaning good only for very experienced radio guys.
By the way, I've just downloaded the MotoTRBO System Planner and am enjoying it very much. It's a whole new world for an analog guy like me.
Thanks again.
 

bharvey2

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jonwienke - You're correct, TYT calls them Digital Contacts. I'll have to say you went above and beyond in your explanation. It may be worth having its own "Sticky"
 

jonwienke

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Moderator, feel free if you think it would be useful. I actually misunderstood the OP's question, thought he was trying to set up radios for a business to use, rather than simply trying to monitor a business.
 
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