Evacuation tone (FD)

[fman74]

Hey guys,

I have been asked to put in a evacuation tone in our department radios. We have CDMA1250’s. I have heard one that is a alternating long tone. Sounds like a phone 1,9,1,9,1,9 etc. The tone for both the 1 and the 9 are long. Does anyone have a idea on what I can do?

[john9912]

There are a few different ways of doing DTMF touch tone signalling through a CDM1250. I would suggest # 2 or 5. Of course there are other signalling configurations also available, other than DTMF.

• 1. The CDM1250 has DTMF encode capability built in. You can set a DTMF Call in the call list. This is a little difficult to access quickly in times of an emergency. You would need to program either a menu (select/enter) button or call on the control head. Press the menu or call button scroll up and down through the different calls in the list. Pick the evacuation call then key up the radio. Then you have to have an exit button programmed or wait for the menu to timeout to use the microphone for a voice message. The menu timeout should be changed from the default 30 seconds.
  
  2. Install an external DTMF encoder such as a Secectone ST-809. A third party DTMF encoder can be programmed (with separate cable and software, sold separately) and installed to your existing radio. If you are using it for an evacuation tone, this might be a good idea. Install a momentary push button somewhere and it will be very easy to quickly send the tone if you need to. It may be difficult in a stressful situation trying to remember which sequence of buttons to push to send the tone from the call menu. It can be wired internal to the radio or to the 20 pin rear accessory connector.
  
  3. Use a CDM enhanced microphone (p/n AARMN4026B) on the radio and manually push 1,9,1,9,1,9 on the mic. For this option you will need to activate a Phone System in the programming for that personality.
  
  4. Use a non CDM DTMF micropone. (p/n: HMN1037B). These have a DTMF encoder built into the microphone.This is a more expensive than the CDM enhanced microphone. You could manually push 1,9,1,9,1,9 from the microphone. This microphone can located in a different place than your radio. It can be wired as a second microphone to the rear 20 pin connector. This may be convenient if you are using a radio in somewhere other than the cab.
  
  5. Program a second personality in your radio. Label it EVACUATION. Program a DTMF signalling configuration and add it to the channel as a PTT ID. Set the PTT ID as 19191919. You can set the duration of the touch tones to what you want. Once it is setup, switch the radio channel to "EVACUATION" and key the microphone. It will send the preprogrammed touch tone PTT ID and it is not too many steps to try and figure out in an emergency situation.

Hopefully this information helps. Good luck and stay safe.

[crazyboy]

Do you mean cdm1250's? Is having dispatch send the evac tone out of the question?

[kb9suy]

Illinois statewide mabas. mutial aid box alarm system. utilizes a 1500hz singletone for evacuation statewide. It is up to the infividual department to program and utilize this function. It can be programmed in almost all new and older motorola radios either as a quick call or a singletone programmed on a side button which i did with all my department radios.

[xmo]

Obviously the term "Evacuation Tone" has many different meanings. Some departments have a procedure whereby the incident commander requests dispatch to activate a tone or sequence understood by the responders as 'evacuation tone'.

In other areas the incident commander initiates this on scene such as with Motorola's Fireground Communications product.

In some cases it is desired that individual firefighters - inside a structure or as applicable - can initiate an alert. That feature is available in Motorola's high tier public safety grade radios - for example XTS5000.

Here is what the CPS says about the feature:

Evacuation Tone (Radio Wide, Advanced)

Enables the Evacuation Tone (a high/low sound) to be heard on the transmitting radio and on any radio that is able to receive the tone instruction. The tone begins and is transmitted when the PTT button and the “orange button” are simultaneously pressed. This evacuation tone instruction is transmitted to the radio’s entire talkgroup (for the current channel); the type of talkgroup is dependent on the radio’s current call mode. Once the tone begins to sound, if the orange button is released the tone continues to alarm until the PTT button is released.

Accessed when:

(When the radio’s current Conventional channel has its Tx Voice/Signal Type set to “Non-ASTRO”, and when the current channel is operating in “Clear” mode (not Secure Encrypted)).

Or

(When the radio’s current Trunking channel has its Protocol Type field set to “Type II”, and when the Trunking Personality Tx Voice/Signal Type field is set to “Analog”, and when the current channel is operating in “Clear” mode (not Secure Encrypted)).

When the radio is model/option capable.