what model numbers for maxtrac, radius, spectra???

[SARUM]

Hi im trying to figure out the programming thing for these radios
what i want to get:
Toronto, Ontario: Police
they use 800mhz trunking

i have heard of all kinds of people using: Maxtrac, Radius, and spectras.

I am not sure of the model numbers i should be looking for.
this much i know:
first three digits
D or M
3 (15watts) 4(35watts)
5 (800 mhz)

but i get totally confused on the rest, how you tell if it is trunking or conventional.
also can i use a 15watt or 35watt for toronto police?

TIA

please no one say get a scanner
i have one BCT8, and it sucks, there is a store that sells motorola for this purpose, but they want wayyyy to much $
i want to learn all i can about this hobby, and this seems like the best place to do that, tons of friendly knowlagable people here

 

[Josh]

Well, since you want to learn, I suggest you study up on the radios and trunking formats here on the main site and about the radios in question at www.batlabs.com/2way.html

You're not going to want a MaxTrac or Radius for 800Mhz, but I'm sure you're going to learn a lot just by checking out the sites mentioned above.

-Josh

 

[avfd2922]

Well, to save you alot of headaches, get a scanner. Sorry. You haven't specified what type trunking system their using. Type I, II or what? For the moto radios, what you are looking for are last 4 numbers of the model be it a A?AK, B?AK, or C?AK. The question mark is for a number which also designates number of channels. The A is conventional, B is trunking, believe type I, C is trunking, good smartnet radio. A example of all this is a D45xxxxB7AK, this radio does 11 groups, 11 sub groups, 11 conventional channels. Whew!!! Now for the bad part, you can have all the freqs, pl codes, software and all but without the system key you have a big paper weight. More yuck news, without a disk from the radio administrator or radio programmer guys, your paper weight gathers more dust. I know of cases where people have bought MTS2000 radios and hacked them with RSS but I won't say where or how that's done.

 

[mikewazowski]

there is a store that sells motorola for this purpose, but they want wayyyy to much $

There's a reason they're charging wayyyy too much: they're not supposed to be doing it.

Once you locate a radio, you'll have to buy a rib box, a programming cable and the rss to program it. I'm assuming you've got a good ole DOS computer lying around as well.

Then you'll need the system key to be able to enter in the trunking system parameters. Good luck getting that.

Have you figured out how to keep the radio from affiliating on the system? One wrong ptt burst and you could end up with a bricked radio.

15w or 35w? Are you planning on transmitting on the system?? Why would you care what power level the radio is unless you're planning on transmitting on the system?

If you're asking about model numbers, then you haven't scratched the surface yet in what's involved in programming one of these radios properly for the system.

Good luck. Sometimes a scanner is the best way to go.

 

[Josh]

[If you're asking about model numbers, then you haven't scratched the surface yet in what's involved in programming one of these radios properly for the system. ]

Yeah, that's why I told him to check out those other sites, that way he could learn for himself.

People have and do use Moto radios for trunking scanning, but it's not for beginners!!

-Josh

 

[mikewazowski]

Yup, they really are nice but if you don't know what you are doing, you could end up with some serious legal difficulties.

 

[SARUM]

Thanks for for all the great advice, i have learned so much already
thank you for pointing out 15w -35w only matter if transmitting...

this of course will have to be TOTALLY disabled before i even think about turning it on

i have quite a few friends that have mod'd trunked maxtrac's, radius' and spectra's they have all bought them at one place (i think)
is it possible to get the system key from their radios?

i guess what im asking for now, till i can blow up one of my own, is
what are the radios i should be looking at buying

the places i want to scan for the most part do not have splinter

here is what i have found so far on this site
i changed it to York regional police because all the info is here for it:
basically i what it to recieve district 2 and 5 on one radio. what should i be looking for in my ebay/yahoo travels? D or M 35 (first three letters in the model number) and B5, B6, B7?

System Name: York Region
Location: York, ONT
County: York
System Type: Motorola Type II Smartnet
System Voice: Analog
Sysid: 3419

YRPD Simplex Channel: 868.9125 Mhz (192.8hz)

YRPD Talkgroups

DEC HEX Description
16 001 Courts
48 003 District 1 (Note 1)
80 005 District 2 (Note 2)
112 007 District 3 (Note 1)
144 009 District 4 (Note 1)
176 00b District 5 (Note 2)
208 00d Support
240 00f Investigative
272 011 Special 1
304 013 Special 2
336 015 Public Order Unit
368 017 Traffic
400 019 Search and Resuce
432 01b SSU
464 01d Intel
496 01f DVE (encrypted)
528 021 ERU/K9
560 023 ?????
592 025 One
624 027 Two
656 029 Three
688 02b Four
720 02d Training
752 02f Holdup



thanks... you guys are the best... this wont take me too long im now officailly obsessed
soon i'll be helping all you guys out with newbie questions like im asking you now

 

[avfd2922]

Since you have friends that have mod'd radios, see what their using. Get exact same model and clone with LAB RSS. One final tip, Smartnet = "C" model radio.

 

[mikewazowski]

is it possible to get the system key from their radios?

No it is not possible.

 

[SARUM]

is it possible to get the system key from their radios?

No it is not possible.

system key is used to log into the system correct?
i don't want to log into the system just listen to it.

avfd2922,
thanks i will try doing that at first, but my main goal is to do this on a completely different compadible radio...
(there seems to be hundreds of different model numbers for motorola 800mhz trunking radios

 

[mikewazowski]

system key is used to log into the system correct?
i don't want to log into the system just listen to it.

Without the system key, the rss will not let you program in the trunking system parameters.

Without the trunking system parameters, you cannot listen to the system.

 

[SARUM]

understood, thanks for the great info,...
there must be a work around to accessing the system key...
there are many doing it, so it can't be impossible...

if i do like avfd2922 says and clone a friends radio, what do i do about the system key if it doesn't copy over?

 

[mikewazowski]

understood, thanks for the great info,...
there must be a work around to accessing the system key...
there are many doing it, so it can't be impossible...

Not impossible but most people don't like to discuss it in public due to it's legal ramifications.

if i do like avfd2922 says and clone a friends radio, what do i do about the system key if it doesn't copy over?

It won't copy over. The system key is a small file that resides on your hard drive. The RSS checks to see if you have the file before it will allow you to change the parameters of the trunking system.

 

[rescue161]

The system key is only used to open up the trunking programming options in the rss. The system key is not needed after the radio is programmed.

There are several options for the system key issue.

1) Use LAB RSS, it doesn't need system keys as all options are available in LAB RSS.

2) Use a system key generator.

3) Make your own system key.

or,

4) have someone else program your radio.

#4 is probably your best option as you can really mess up a trunking system if you program the radio wrong. You also need to be very careful because radios can affiliate even if the PTT is not pressed. Read up on the subject on Batlabs and make sure you understand everything before you start. Good luck.

 

[SARUM]

rescue161,
now that just saved me a dozen or so hours of reading and searching.
thank you rescue161

yes choice #4 would be the easiest, but, i really want to do this and figure out how to do this myself.
I have bought a couple of maxtracs off of ebay and am not afraid of killing them

but i am afraid of affiliating them on the system, so i'll make sure i find out as much as possible before ever i plug it in... (be prepared for some more dumb questions)

 

[Heterodyne]

system key is used to log into the system correct?
i don't want to log into the system just listen to it.

If you're still asking questions like that, you're on the path towards some serious legal problems unless you do some serious study into the subject.

I certainly don't mean to be rude, but unless you know exactly what you are doing, you should probably stick toscanners. Motorola radios typically make bulky, inefficent and limited scanners that, if used improperly, have the potential of interfering with the very system you want to listen to.

Just stick to a scanner. You'll be saving yourself a lot of time, money and trouble - plus some difficult questions if you get questioned by the police on your setup.

Doing this isn't a lark, a game or a "fun side project". You've got the potentional of doing damage and getting yourself into trouble if you don't do it right. There are many people that knew what they were doing and have gotten into trouble. It's not worth it just to listen to the police on a "real" looking radio. Why would you trade in a scanner with hundreds of memories and the flexibilty to re-program and edit scanlists on the fly for a radio that is not only difficult to program, but has very limited scanning capabilities. There's a reason that Motorola has investigative branches that do nothing but look for people who are using their hardware to access unauthorized system users.

If you insist on going the whacker route and using a Motorola as a scanner, then PLEASE get one that's already programmed by someone who knows what their doing. The police have more important things to do than deal with interference on their system caused by a hobbyist who's just playing around. This is exactly why Motorola is pushing new customers towards digital systems.... systems with encrypted control channels.... It's ruining it for the rest of us.

 

[SARUM]

Heterodyne,
I understand completely,
but i do disagree with you, it is a hobby, but like many, can potentially be dangerous, in this case legally.
as stated before, i am and will be very responsible, and will not mess with anything till ALL the i's are dotted and the t's crossed.
this is a very wide spread hobby, just do a search on the net and you'll see.
i'm not interested in messing with a system, but i am interested in expanding my knowledge in this field, just like everyone else here.
my goal is to be one of the ones that "knows exactly what they're doing" and rest assured, i will be before i ever even plug it in.

btw, you're from TO, you must know opp has gone digital, this has not stopped hobbyists from expanding that way either, and i'm not talking about listening to digital scanners, such as the BC796D. at least so i've been told.

 

[Heterodyne]

I'm aware - I used to be all into the Motorola thing, until I realized that... well... it wsan't worth it. If I wanted to add a new talkgroup all I needed to do was enter it directlyinto the scanner... not dragging out the dino... hoping I've got a fresh nine volt in the RIB so I don't end up turning my $2000 Astro Saber into a paperweight... Being limited by very limited scannng capabilities... Not to mention the fact that the new 100% digital SmartZone systems that are slowly being introduced will make it impossible to use Motorola radios (XTS5000s) as scanners, as it's impossible to prevent them from affiliating (an unauthorized radio affiliating on a system will usually result in the system adminiatrator sending a KILL command to the radio, which will result in your investment being reduced to an expensive paperweight)

Trust me, I know from what you speak, and it's not worth it. Stick with the scanners.