APX Visual Signal for a Denied Talkgroup on APX radios?

[HM1529]

Is there a way to have an APX8000 radio visually display something to indicate the talkgroup it's be turned to is not currently available?

For instance, the primary system our radios are used on is a wide area system with geographically limited talkgroups. The radios contain talkgroups that may not be available in a particular area of the state.

Right now, the only way to know you've turned to such a talkgroup is the radio switching towers trying to find one that can carry the requested talkgroup. This ocassionally generates a NO COMMS message as it tries to talk to farther and farther towers, but then it cycles somewhere else and that goes away.

Obviously, the user would get a deny tone when they try to PTT since the talkgroup can't be carried where they are. But, I suspect most users would not pay attention to the radio jumping from tower to tower and was hoping there was some way to make it more obvious to them that the talkgroup they want just isn't going to be available.

I have cheat sheets set up for my agency advising which talkgroups are limited. But, for other agencies whose talkgroups we have in the radios, I have no such guidance to provide so that they know ahead of time so I was hoping to make it obvious on the radio.

 

[GTR8000]

For some reason I thought they would display Out Of Range if unable to affiliate with a talkgroup at a particular site, but I guess not. Or in your case, the radio is going on a wild goose chase looking at however many other VHF/800 sites in the area, which is less than ideal. Imagine the radio affiliates with one of those talkgroups on a fringe site, audio probably full of bit error, then you move 2 feet to the left and the signal is gone and it's on another site with affiliation denied. What a headache.

 

[nikronzo]

Yea moto provides no user indication of a certain TG being site disabled. Out of Range is the behavior and the subscriber will continue to ping adjacent sites for TG availability until it runs out of sites within CC hunt distance, and will continue to say out of range. Btw that only works with Smartzone and and Smartzone omnilink enabled settings in the trunking system. So for the end user they are SOL whether they are Out of "Signal" Range or Out of "Talkgroup Denied" Range indication. I know harris subs will say TG or PTT denied for the same situation, dont know about KW or tait.

If you want the TG that bad just hit the dispatcher appreciation button and it works on all sites

 

[HM1529]

Just seems silly that what they do eventually see is an indicator telling them the signal is bad. The casual user isn't going to understand that this time that just means the talkgroup they were trying to use is disallowed versus the issue being signal coverage related. Oh Moto.

 

[mountaincomms]

Just seems silly that what they do eventually see is an indicator telling them the signal is bad. The casual user isn't going to understand that this time that just means the talkgroup they were trying to use is disallowed versus the issue being signal coverage related. Oh Moto.

Makes no sense why that's not a standard feature on Motorola's public safety systems. TRBO Connect Plus (and I think Cap Max) shows "Talkgroup Not Available" on a restricted site.

 

[kayn1n32008]

For instance, the primary system our radios are used on is a wide area system with geographically limited talkgroups. The radios contain talkgroups that may not be available in a particular area of the state.

I have cheat sheets set up for my agency advising which talkgroups are limited. But, for other agencies whose talkgroups we have in the radios, I have no such guidance to provide so that they know ahead of time so I was hoping to make it obvious on the radio.

Talk to the owners of those talkgroups and find out what sites are available in their coverage class(es) and add them to your cheat sheet.

 

[HM1529]

Talk to the owners of those talkgroups and find out what sites are available in their coverage class(es) and add them to your cheat sheet.

Yes, thanks. I'm aware of the obvious. I've also dealt with these agencies for years and know the amount of effort involved isn't what I have time for...one of these i'll get to it when I get to it type situations. Some things are exponentially harder than they should be.

 

[Mikek]

Not exactly what you are asking for but... how about geo-named zones with the geo-limited talkgroups in them?

 

[kayn1n32008]

I've also dealt with these agencies for years

Then it should be pretty easy to figure out the talkgroups coverage classes if there is a uniform formula for determining sites a given talkgroup can be used on.

Some things are exponentially harder than they should be.

It wouldn't be Motorola if was easy and it really shouldn't be that hard.

Having some sort of visual/audible indication of being granted registration, but refused affiliation on a given talkgroup is kind of a critical piece of information. It honestly surprises me there isn't something like that.

It's not like geographically limited coverage is something new to wide area trunk systems. It's widely used with our provincial system.

 

[KevinC]

Just asking, how/when would a TG denied indicator be displayed in a SZ type of system?

Every time it tries a site? That will just annoy/piss off people.

I'm not defending the way it currently works, just curious how you'd think this could be implemented.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Not exactly what you are asking for but... how about geo-named zones with the geo-limited talkgroups in them?

I like this idea, but depending on who's doing the programming and access to ASK's and the required privileges could make it difficult to roll out

 

[talviar]

I like this idea, but depending on who's doing the programming and access to ASK's and the required privileges could make it difficult to roll out

Don't forget- a Talkgroup can be repointed from the Master Site to provide access to other RF Sites and make the division of Geo Names zones not so useful....