Batboard

Okay weird question...I have a Centracom Gold System that I'm getting around to setting up.

HOW EXACTLY does the Centracom CEB, etc., find out which radio has what programmed? Does it read the radio through the serial connection?

Regards,

-Frank C.

Nope, you have to do all the programming of the console via Console Database Manager, CDM. The consoles are not designed to do that. I think some of the ACIM cards can poll the radio, but, I've never built that config. This same method of logic is true even through the MCC7500 series consoles today. Zetron has some cool solutions with it's Max console which will read the radio, but, even then it requires a mapping table in the gateway to Pair the channels.

Thanks Alex! I'll have to dive back into the manual and read up on the CDM then. I must've missed that portion...

Regards,

-Frank C.

alex wrote:Nope, you have to do all the programming of the console via Console Database Manager, CDM. The consoles are not designed to do that. I think some of the ACIM cards can poll the radio, but, I've never built that config. This same method of logic is true even through the MCC7500 series consoles today. Zetron has some cool solutions with it's Max console which will read the radio, but, even then it requires a mapping table in the gateway to Pair the channels.

I must not have the CDM portion of the manual. Do you have a quick "step guide" to changing what is show in the Elite software??

Regards,

-Frank C.

Off hand I do not but my best recall of the details is below.

You have to open up CDM, find the resource you want to edit, and then look through the screens in there. You may have to double click one of the options you can add to a resource and the list if I recall is in there. If you have a current list you should be able to just dig through CDM and find it. Make sure you backup your CDM before making any changes. You will have to go through and restart each console position, allow it to MUPL, and that should show you the change. If you are adding channel selection where one didn't exist you also have to add that as a option to the elite screen using Elite Admin. This assumes you have a central server with all the workstations pulling the configuration from the same source. Otherwise you'll have to dupe out the database to each workstation. Make sure that you do one console position at a time as MPUL process can take a bit. That should be all you have to do (besides any station configuration & changes to handle the channel steering selection(s).

alex wrote:Off hand I do not but my best recall of the details is below.

You have to open up CDM, find the resource you want to edit, and then look through the screens in there. You may have to double click one of the options you can add to a resource and the list if I recall is in there. If you have a current list you should be able to just dig through CDM and find it. Make sure you backup your CDM before making any changes. You will have to go through and restart each console position, allow it to MUPL, and that should show you the change. If you are adding channel selection where one didn't exist you also have to add that as a option to the elite screen using Elite Admin. This assumes you have a central server with all the workstations pulling the configuration from the same source. Otherwise you'll have to dupe out the database to each workstation. Make sure that you do one console position at a time as MPUL process can take a bit. That should be all you have to do (besides any station configuration & changes to handle the channel steering selection(s).

Sounds a little complicated. I think I found the "central server" computer, and have set that up. It has CDM and the Elite Admin on it. I am connecting this to a XTL5000 Consolette that had only 5 or 6 channels in it. The computer it was hooked to has the same info as the Consolette. I have since changed the XTL radio to what I want and need to re-create the channel lineup, etc. It sounds like I do that in CDM, but I don't want to select the wrong settings. Most are ham channels.

Regards,

-Frank C.

In the Resource Configuration screen of CDM, you should have "Frequency". You use "Frequency" to determine how many channels the console has access to, and what the names of the channels are.

Following up again...Each Frequency list should be to each zone in the radio, correct? I'm still trying to work things out.

Regards,

-Frank C.

Well more than likely you are using tone control to key the radio. Aside from an ACIM connection, if you are using that, there is no serial communication between Centracom and the attached radios.

You need to program the number of channels you want into the first zone of the radio, and then program CDM to match the channel names on the radio so that everything lines up. Example:

Radio is programmed in Zone 1 for DISPATCH - TAC 1 - TAC 2

In CDM, you need set Frequency 1 for DISPATCH, Frequency 2 for TAC-1, Frequency 3 for TAC-2, etc. They don't have to be the exact same name as what is on the display of the radios (W9 consolettes don't even have displays), but you want what the user selects on the console to be whats in the radio in the right order.

Just a 4 pin setup off ONE of the DB-25 ports on the back, so assuming it's tone control? A buddy gave this setup to me and I'm piecing it back together. I have to re-build the Consolette side of the DB-25 cable as it just came apart as I was finishing up putting all the wires together. I have no diagram of which wire goes where, or which DB-25 port to plug into...

I have the first zone all programmed up, but what if I want to go to ZONE 2?

Regards,

-Frank C.

d119 wrote:Well more than likely you are using tone control to key the radio. Aside from an ACIM connection, if you are using that, there is no serial communication between Centracom and the attached radios.

You need to program the number of channels you want into the first zone of the radio, and then program CDM to match the channel names on the radio so that everything lines up. Example:

Radio is programmed in Zone 1 for DISPATCH - TAC 1 - TAC 2

In CDM, you need set Frequency 1 for DISPATCH, Frequency 2 for TAC-1, Frequency 3 for TAC-2, etc. They don't have to be the exact same name as what is on the display of the radios (W9 consolettes don't even have displays), but you want what the user selects on the console to be whats in the radio in the right order.

Just sent you a PM to keep things clear of the board.

Regards,

-Frank C.

If I remember correctly, there are 2 channels that Motorola screwed up on when the set up the tone remote control. I think it's channels 3 and 4, or 5 and 6, but I could be wrong. Been a few years since I have played with a package like we are talking about. But they are reversed. Blew my mind when I first ran across it. Was using a service monitor making sure I didn't fat finger the programming of the radio.

Jim

Thanks Jim. That is on the XTL Consolette radio?

Regards,

-Frank C.

It's not that Motorola screwed up on them, it's that Motorola has it's own non-standard tone plan for tone keying with Centracom.

Simply set the DIP switches on the consolette tone remote control board for "Centracom" and it all lines up.

However, not all XTL consolettes have tone remote control boards. Could be digital, could be a local remote board, or a TRC board. Need to look at the part number on the consolette remote board inside it (under the radio) and find out what you have.