MOTOTRBO database?

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ka3jjz

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A question came up just recently - I can't seem to find the post - about whether a MOTOTRBO related database exists somewhere.

The wiki has the beginnings of one. This category shows all the states for which we have TRBO information;

Category:MOTOTRBO Information - The RadioReference Wiki

Drill down from the state and you will see all the individual entries within that state that have TRBO information. You should note that there are several articles with 'DMR Bandplan' in the title. These articles are used for TRBO trunks, and show the frequency, color code and usage for each slot - something that the RRDB can't do.

If you have specific information about TRBO usage in your area that won't fit in the current RRDB structure, you can put that information here. This includes conventional TRBO frequencies - and at some point, we probably should have a template to standardize how these are displayed, much as we do now for TRBO trunks.

Mike
 

ecps92

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Mike, it was probably
http://forums.radioreference.com/pennsylvania-radio-discussion-forum/322103-local-dmr-database.html

A question came up just recently - I can't seem to find the post - about whether a MOTOTRBO related database exists somewhere.

The wiki has the beginnings of one. This category shows all the states for which we have TRBO information;

Category:MOTOTRBO Information - The RadioReference Wiki

Drill down from the state and you will see all the individual entries within that state that have TRBO information. You should note that there are several articles with 'DMR Bandplan' in the title. These articles are used for TRBO trunks, and show the frequency, color code and usage for each slot - something that the RRDB can't do.

If you have specific information about TRBO usage in your area that won't fit in the current RRDB structure, you can put that information here. This includes conventional TRBO frequencies - and at some point, we probably should have a template to standardize how these are displayed, much as we do now for TRBO trunks.

Mike
 

RayAir

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I'm finding many frequencies licensed to tower companies who lease time on their system. I have about 15 unidentified TGs. These are MotoTRBO single site and IPSC systems.

Also have about 60-70 unidentified TGs on two local Connect Plus systems and few unid NXDN stragglers I found.

I'm thinking if we have a good template to go by I'd like to get my list together and post it in the Wiki.

Last time I checked the Wiki, it was pretty dated and I had trouble logging in.

I think with the large migration to DMR, this would be a good project and a big one too.
 

ecps92

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If these were to go into the Wiki, I would advocate for some field on the end to indicate a last heard/validated date. As many of these are Rentals, they come - n - go depending on who provides the best price. A TG active this year might belong to someone else next year



I'm finding many frequencies licensed to tower companies who lease time on their system. I have about 15 unidentified TGs. These are MotoTRBO single site and IPSC systems.

Also have about 60-70 unidentified TGs on two local Connect Plus systems and few unid NXDN stragglers I found.

I'm thinking if we have a good template to go by I'd like to get my list together and post it in the Wiki.

Last time I checked the Wiki, it was pretty dated and I had trouble logging in.

I think with the large migration to DMR, this would be a good project and a big one too.
 

ka3jjz

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Such data can be easily inserted into the comments entry in the Trbosys table. It was left deliberately wide so that virtually anything - including date of last heard trans - could be put there......
 
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RayAir

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I had to throw the towel in on entering new unid TRBO systems in the Wiki. I couldn't log in even after selecting accept all cookies.

Unfortunately it also seems no one goes there as it has a lot of deprecated systems still shown and reminds me of a late 90's throwback site.
 

QDP2012

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I had to throw the towel in on entering new unid TRBO systems in the Wiki. I couldn't log in even after selecting accept all cookies...

If I remember correctly, I think the Wiki-login has trouble with the underscore ( _ ) character. If so, one of the Wiki Admins might have a recommendation on how to handle the situation, but it might involve asking Mr. Blanton to update your username across the RadioReference systems to remove the underscore character.

Hope this helps,


...Unfortunately it also seems no one goes there as it has a lot of deprecated systems still shown...

When a system gets marked in the RRDB as deprecated, the related Wiki page should also be marked as deprecated, and recategorized as deprecated, to separate it from the current systems.

Please let us know here, which system(s) you found deprecated, so we can properly mark them.

Thanks for your help,
 
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RayAir

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I'll try and look around in the wiki this week, but I still cannot log in.
 

cg

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I would hesitate to call the WIKI listing a database as there is already the main searchable database on RR. Why would a separate database location be created for this? I for one would much rather see the main database be adapted/upgraded to include all digital entries ad be searchable by all parameters (fore example, you cannot search by NAC now but the information is there).

chris
 

ka3jjz

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Keep in mind that the format of the RRDB is static, and unfortunately, hasn't kept up with the times. Our 'database' (and yes, it's stretching the typical definition) is very flexible and the format can be modified on the fly without major reprogramming. And I did say it was the 'beginnings' of one...

In fact, and most don't know this, Mediawiki is a database application - it runs on Oracle, PHP, DB2 and a number of other database platforms. It is NOT a Notepad-like operation, as so many have erroneously thought.

Mike
 
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ka3jjz

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I'll try and look around in the wiki this week, but I still cannot log in.

Ray while you're waiting for your userid to get resolved, you can pre-code everything you need in any good text editor (even Notepad will work, albeit it's pretty limited in what it can do). There are many good free ones -- I use Notepad ++ myself.

What TRBO types are you working with? Conventional or trunked? I can point you to the formats you will need to use, and you can code them up and store them for when you get your ID straightened out.

Mike
 

DanRollman

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Keep in mind that the format of the RRDB is static, and unfortunately, hasn't kept up with the times.

Exactly. Pretty sad, really. RR's predecessor trunkedradio.net (and lcblanton.com before that) was a real pioneer in organizing what was then the next generation in radio communications programming information (Motorola fleet maps and talk groups). Those websites made a real name for themselves in part because the Police Call books and other websites were failing to really update their formatting to accommodate the future of radio communications (remember, Police Call just threw a "wiki-like" set of pages in the back of the book where they haphazardly dumped talkgroup and fleetmap info).

For whatever reason, for now it seems RR has decided not to take the next generation in radio communications (NXDN/DMR/MotoTRBO, conventional and trunked) seriously this time around - stuffing color codes, slots and talkgroups into pretty random places wherever they can be tucked in or hidden away, instead of thoughtfully updating the database architecture to accommodate modern radio systems.

I love RR and hope it catches up with the times quickly. Lindsay and his team are extremely talented, so no doubt RR can cure this problem very quickly once they give it the necessary focus.

Dan
 

blantonl

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For whatever reason, for now it seems RR has decided not to take the next generation in radio communications (NXDN/DMR/MotoTRBO, conventional and trunked) seriously this time around - stuffing color codes, slots and talkgroups into pretty random places wherever they can be tucked in or hidden away, instead of thoughtfully updating the database architecture to accommodate modern radio systems.

I love RR and hope it catches up with the times quickly. Lindsay and his team are extremely talented, so no doubt RR can cure this problem very quickly once they give it the necessary focus.

Dan

A lot of this stuff is still evolving, including the tools to discover these data points. Also, the audience for these types of technical data points is extremely limited right now, due to no scanners on the market that can decode these systems.

Our approach right now is to wait and see how usage of the data evolves as the systems evolve before we begin to accommodate these data points in a structured format. The last thing we want to do is have to go back and retrofit a ton of data after the fact.
 

RayAir

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If I remember correctly, I think the Wiki-login has trouble with the underscore ( _ ) character. If so, one of the Wiki Admins might have a recommendation on how to handle the situation, but it might involve asking Mr. Blanton to update your username across the RadioReference systems to remove the underscore character.

Hope this helps,




When a system gets marked in the RRDB as deprecated, the related Wiki page should also be marked as deprecated, and recategorized as deprecated, to separate it from the current systems.

Please let us know here, which system(s) you found deprecated, so we can properly mark them.

Thanks for your help,

I don't know how I can change my name here, but I do have my notes on the Connect+ system I've been working on during my spare time since June. I have been saving my notes on my computer (Notepad).
So far I have around 130 talk groups with notes on maybe 65-70% of them and about 20 with positive IDs.

Trying to get more company ID's, but it is hard. If I'm out and about I had to resort to jumping a few tow company's calls just to see the name on the side of the truck that shows up, lol.
 

RayAir

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Ray while you're waiting for your userid to get resolved, you can pre-code everything you need in any good text editor (even Notepad will work, albeit it's pretty limited in what it can do). There are many good free ones -- I use Notepad ++ myself.

What TRBO types are you working with? Conventional or trunked? I can point you to the formats you will need to use, and you can code them up and store them for when you get your ID straightened out.

Mike

Hi,

I have one multi-site wide area MotoTRBO Connect Plus system and several unidentified DMR conventional repeater systems where I know the scope of what business they are in, but do not have an ID for the actual company. Some are businesses, one is an unid EMS company doing mostly patient transfers and the others are schools using rented equipment from a radio shop just north of me.

I'm also starting to look into another Con+ a bit further away.

The Wiki has some of the Comsource site info (frequencies) in it and in the actual database, but the site frequency for the Auburn Hills tower (422.2125 uses color code 3, all others are cc2). 422.2125 is listed as cc2 in both wiki and db. This needs to be changed to cc3 for that site freq.

And yes, I agree with Dan's comment that this is a great site and you guys do a very good job. But due to the rampant migration to these digital systems it would be nice to see this site accommodate disseminating the information about these systems a bit better in the database.
DSD+ is a simple and powerful tool where you can take the information it give you then program up a real radio and have a MotoTRBO/DMR or NXDN scanner in your hands.

Great job to everyone that made DSD+ and the work of the system admins and mods on here that make this site the leading radio site on the internet.
 
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wa8pyr

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A lot of this stuff is still evolving, including the tools to discover these data points. Also, the audience for these types of technical data points is extremely limited right now, due to no scanners on the market that can decode these systems.

Our approach right now is to wait and see how usage of the data evolves as the systems evolve before we begin to accommodate these data points in a structured format. The last thing we want to do is have to go back and retrofit a ton of data after the fact.

Ditto Lindsay's comments. . . he beat me to it.
 

ka3jjz

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<snip>

The Wiki has some of the Comsource site info (frequencies) in it and in the actual database, but the site frequency for the Auburn Hills tower (422.2125 uses color code 3, all others are cc2). 422.2125 is listed as cc2 in both wiki and db. This needs to be changed to cc3 for that site freq.

</snip>

I'll take care of the wiki tonight, but you will need to submit a ticket to the team to have the color code changed in the database.

Mike
 

ka3jjz

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I can't put my finger on any TRBO conventional data in the wiki at the moment (I really need to create a template for this), but we have a number of templates that you can use to build your TRS information. Each of these templates has a link at the bottom to documentation on how to use it, and coding examples that you can use as a model (if you use VIEW SOURCE, just copy the data between the pre tags and you can model off of that)

Template:Infobox TRS MultiCounty - The RadioReference Wiki

Template:Tracker DMR - The RadioReference Wiki

Template:Table Trbosys - The RadioReference Wiki

Mike
 
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