Verizon Center--Digital Modulation on Biz Freqs?

[dtscho]

The Verizon Center is apparently using some kind of weird modulation on their business freqs (461.0750, 461.1500, etc.). They used to use regular analog voice with DCS tones, but when monitoring them this evening, the frequencies had some kind of (digital?) modulation I've never encountered before.

Not having any kind of recorder with me, I wasn't able to record a sample. I checked the Digital Modes Samples page (http://www.kb9ukd.com/digital), but none of the samples matched what I was hearing. It sounded like a buzzsaw sound, like some of the older Motorola control channels. And no, the BCD396T wouldn't decode it as P25.

Anyone have any idea what this could be? To hear it, you have to be within a few blocks of the Verizon Center, as their repeaters don't carry very far.

I'm going to post this on Scan-DC as well, in case anyone there has an idea.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[DiGiTaLD]

MotoTRBO

Might be MotoTRBO TDMA digital. MotoTRBO is Motorola's new marketing push for business radio. http://business.motorola.com/mototrbo/mototrbo.html

 

[dtscho]

Thanks for the info. I did a lot of reading about it on Motorola's website, and that's probably what they're using.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get an up-close look at one of the radios last night. Then I'd probably know for sure. But it seems to make sense, in that the Moto digital radios operate from 403-470 MHz and use repeaters, just like the Verizon Center.

I guess we won't be monitoring this anytime soon...

Dave

 

[DiGiTaLD]

Nope, about the only way to listen to it would be to have a MotoTRBO radio, and they aren't cheap. Add in the means to program it (if they'd even sell you the RSS) and you have quite an investment there. The XPR-series portables are like $700 apiece.

My employer was/is looking at a switch from analog UHF to MotoTRBO TDMA digital. Somehow they were convinced by the Motorola dealer that it will solve their in-building coverage problems. If they ever come up with the funding to switch over, it'll be interesting to see how well it works - or doesn't.

 

[dtscho]

If they're charging about $700/unit, that doesn't really make them comparable in price with analog models. The fact that they are comparable seems to be a big argument in favor of the digital radios on Motorola's website.

Dave

 

[DiGiTaLD]

Motorola may claim they are comparably priced, but I don't see how. Of course everything Motorola sells is already overpriced in the first place, but the MotoTRBO line goes above and beyond that. The XPR6300, which is the most basic MotoTRBO portable, is selling through Gately Communications right now for $801.33, and that's a "sale price". List price is $1,010. That's the bottom of the line model with no display and no accessories. The more feature-rich models only get pricier. The same dealer is selling a basic analog portable like a CP200 for $350 and up. The only analog portable I see on that list that even comes close to the price for the bare-bones MotoTRBO XPR6300 portable is the HT1250LS+, at $780, and that's fully loaded with features.

For some reason, the mobiles are cheaper than the portables. The cheapest mobile is $601.33 from that same dealer.