Ericsson EDACS M-RK I Operator's Manual

LBI-38733C

Operator’ s Man ual



EDACS

M-RK I

PORTABLE RADIO

e

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SAFETY INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

BATTERY CHARGING AND CARE . . . . . . 7

FOR BEST PERFORMANCE . . . . . . . . 9

EXTENDED OPERATIONS . . . . . . . . . . 10

FCC LICENSING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

TRANSCEIVER SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . 11

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

USER INTERFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

BUTTONS AND KNOBS . . . . . . . . . . 17

INDICATO RS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

UNIVERSAL DEVICE CONNECTOR (UDC) 21

ALERT TONES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Call Originate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Autokey (Trunked Mode Only) . . . . . . . 21

Call Queued (Trunked Mode Only) . . . . 22

System Busy (Trunked Mode Only) . . . . 22

Call Denied (Trun ked Mode Only) . . . . . 22

Carrier Control Timer . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Low Battery Warning . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Low Battery Alert (Transmit Lockout) . . . 23

Low Battery Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Key Pr ess Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

This manual is published by Ericsson Inc. without any warranty.
Improvements and changes to this manual necessitated by typo­graphical errors, inaccuracies of current information, or improvements
to programs and/or equipment, may be made by Ericsson Inc. at any
time and without not ice. Such changes will be incor porated into new
editions of this manual. No part of this manual may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying and recording, for any purpose, without the
express written permission of Ericsson Inc.

Copyright© January 1993, Ericsson GE Mobile Communications Inc.

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT)

OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

TURNING ON THE RADIO . . . . . . . . . . 24

SYSTEM/GROUP/CHANNEL SELECTION . 25

BUTTON REASSIGNMENT . . . . . . . . . 25

EMERGENCY/HOME BUTTON DEFINITION 26

Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

AEGIS AND VOICE GUARD OPERATION . . 27

Voice Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Clear Mode s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Aegis Digital Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

AEGIS P RI VATE AND V O I C E GUARD

PRIVATE MODES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Transferring Keys Into The Radio . . . . . . 31

Key Zero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

PRIVATE OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Receiving An Encrypted Call . . . . . . . . 33

Transmitti ng An Encrypted Call . . . . . . . 33

Scanned Group Calls . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

LAST SYSTEM/GROUP OR
CHANNEL RECALL
(SUPERVISORY RADIO UNITS ONLY) . . . 34

EDACS TRUNKED MODE OPERATION . . . . 35

RECEIVING A CALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

SENDING A CALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

CONVENTIONAL FAILSOFT . . . . . . . . . 37

SCAT OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

EMERGENCY OPERATION . . . . . . . . . 38

Receiving An Emergency Call . . . . . . . 38

Declaring An Emerge ncy Call . . . . . . . . 39

Clearing An Emergency Call . . . . . . . . 39

SCANNING TRUNKED SYSTEMS . . . . . . 40

Wide Are a System Scanning . . . . . . . . 40

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT)

ProSound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Priority Sy stem Scan . . . . . . . . . . . 41

SCANNING TRUNKED GROUPS . . . . . 41

PROGRAMMABLE ENTRIES . . . . . . . . . 43

SPECIAL CALLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Receivin g And Respon ding To A Special Call 43
Initiating And Sending A Spec ial Call . . . 44

PORTABLE DATA OPERATION . . . . . . . 45

Data Off Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Data On Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Exiting Data Calls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 7

Scan Lockout Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Data Lockout Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

ProFile Select Option . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Option Availability . . . . . . . . . . 49

STATUS/MESSAGE OPERATION . . . . . 50

Status Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Message Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

EDACS CONVENTIONAL P1 SCAN . . . . 51

DYNAMIC REGROUP OPERATION . . . . 52

Emergenc y Operation . . . . . . . . . . 52

MACRO KEY OPERATION . . . . . . . . . 53

CONVENTIONAL MODE OPERATION . . . . 55

RECEIVING A CALL . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

SENDING A CALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

EMERGENCY OPERATION . . . . . . . . 57

Using 5- Tone Si gnal ling F or Emer gency

Declaration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

TONE ENCODE TRANSMISSION . . . . . 59

SCANNING CONVENTIONAL CHANNELS 59
TYPE 99 DECODE (CONVENTIONAL ONLY) 6 1

4

TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT)

OPERATING RULES AND REGULATIONS . . . 63

OPERATING TIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

INTRINSICALLY SAFE USAGE . . . . . . . . . 65

BATTERY PACKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

ACCESSORIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

GLOSSARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

WARRANTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

NICKEL-CADMIUM BATTERY WARRANTY . . 75

5

SAFETY INFORMATION

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC),
with its action in General Docket 79-144, March 13, 1985,
has adopted a safety standard for the human exposure
to radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic energy emitted
by FCC regulated equipment. Proper operation of this
radio will result in us er exposure far below the Occupa­tional Safety and Health Act and Federal Communication
Commission limits.

DO NOT hold the radio in such a manner that the
antenna is close to, or touching, exposed parts of the
body -- especially the eyes or face -- while the radio is
transmitting.

DO NO T operate the radio near unshielded electrical
blasting caps or in an explosive atmosphere, unless it is
a type specifically designed and qualified for such use.

DO NOT operate the radio unless the antenna con­nector is secure and any open connectors are proper ly
terminated.

DO NOT allow children to operate transmitter­equipped radio equipment.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC
rules. Operation is subject to the condition that this
device does not cause harmful interference.

6

BATTERY CHARGING AND CARE

Do not dispose of the battery pack in fire - it may

explode, causing injury or death.

Do not replace the battery in hazardous atmosphere

locations.

Do not carry battery loose in your pocket or purse.
Do not attempt to repair battery.

The product you have pur­chased contains a rechargeable,
recyclable battery. At the end of
its useful life under various state
and lo cal laws it m ay be il le ga l t o
dispose of this battery into the
municip al was t e s tr e am .

Check with your local solid waste officials for details
concer ning recycling options or proper dispos al in your
area. Call Toll Free 1-800-8-BATTERY for information
and/or procedures for returning rechargeable batteries in
your state.

Your radio comes supplied with a Ni-Cd battery pack
which can be recharged from 500 to 1000 times before
requiring replacement. The actual number of charge/re­charge cycles var y depending upon usage. We recom­mend that the battery be charged 14 to 16 hours on the
first charge cycle and then in accordance with the
charger model instructions thereafter.

7

To remove the battery pack, push up on the battery
latch and slide the batter y pack to the right. To replace
the battery, align the battery on the track and slide to the
left until a click is heard, indicating the battery is correctly
installed.

Figure 1 - Installing and Removing the Battery Pack

If the battery is to be charged on the radio, tur n the
power switch on the radio to the off position before
charging. F ailing to turn the power switch to off during the
charge cycle will result in a less than full charge condition,
which will noticeably reduce the operating time between
charges!

Normal batter y operation time is 8 hours. This may
vary depending upon how much the receiver audio is
present and how much you transmit. The actual time may
vary from day to day depending upon operational re­quirements.

8

FOR BEST PERFORMANCE

1. Charge battery to full capacity, 14 hours at the
standard C/10 rate (capacity X .10). For "rapid"
chargers, allow additional time (2-3 hours) for "top­ping off" the charge after it switches from "fast" to
"slow".

2. Use the battery soon and use as much of the battery
capacity as possible or practical. A battery that is
charged and discharged completely will maintain
the longest running time capacity. Also, several
charge/discharge cycles are recommended to bring
a new battery up to its rated capacity.

3. Store and charge the batteries at room temperature
65°F to 75°F. Batteries that have been stored for
over a month should be recharged before putting
into service due to chemical self-discharge which
occurs at a rate of appro ximately 1% per da y . Do not
charge cold batteries (40°F or below).

4. Reduced capacity or "memory effect" may result
from repeated identical shallow discharge/full re­charge cycles. If such a condition is suspected, run
the battery until the instrumentation loses all power ,
then fully recharge and discharge again. Repeat this
cycle 3-4 times.

9

EXTENDED OPERATIONS

When operating in "Fringe Areas" at some distance
from the System, the other party may not receive your
transmission clearly. Also, you ma y notice that the back­ground noise will increase on received signals. Moving
to higher ground or moving closer to the System will help
alleviate these problems. If moving closer to the System
is not practical, communication may be improved by
moving away from shielding structures. If you are in a
building interior , move closer to a window (pref erably one
generally in the direction of the System). At 800 MHz the
wave length is very short, sometimes moving a few
inches to a fe w f eet can make significant signal strength
changes. Finding the best location can also be done
while listening to the background noise while moving
about. Attempt to find a spot where the background
noise is reduced to a minimum or eliminated entirely . This
may make the difference from not being heard, to being
heard loud and clear when operating in the fringe areas
of your System coverage.

The fringe distance will vary greatly from plains areas,
hilly terrain and mountain top sites.

10

FCC LICENSING

This unit may or may not require a specific FCC
license to operate. The FCC requires all transmitt ers
in the conventional and some Trunked Systems to be
licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.
Some Trunked operations are now exempt from indi­vidual lic en s in g r e qu ire me nts but must be oper at ed in
a licensed System.

Consult your dealer regarding specific licensing infor­mation, or contact the Federal Communications Com­mission.

For more information regarding the FCC license ap­plication (Form 571), call 717-337-1212, or contact the
FCC District Office nearest your location.

TRANSCEIVER SERVICE

There are no user serviceable components inside the
radio. Altering the internal components or adjustments
may result in illegal emissions, including off-frequency
operation, or damage to the radio.

Should any of the indicators fail to light, turn the
POWER ON-OFF/VOLUME control OFF then ON to
reset the microprocessor. Ensure that the battery is fully
charged and check that the antenna is securely tight­ened.

If the unit still fails to operate properly, refer to an
Authorized Service Center for servicing.

11

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12

INTRODUCTION

This manual descr ibes the operation of the EDACS
M-RK l Portable Radio. The M-RK l is a synthesized,
microprocessor-based, high-performance portable FM
radio providing reliable two-wa y communications f or En­hanced Digital Access Communications System
(EDACS) trunking environments and conventional com­munication systems.

In the EDACS or trunked system mode the user
selects a communications system and group. In this
mode, radio channel selection is transparent to the user;
it is controlled by digital communication with the EDACS
site equipment. This provides advanced programmable
features and fast access to communication channels.

In conventional mode , the user selects a radio chan­nel and directly communicates on that channel. In this
mode, a system refers to a set of channels. A channel is
a transmit/receive radio frequency pair.

The radio’ s exact operation will depend on its current
operating mode, its programming, and the particular
radio system. Many features described in this manual
can be enabled or disabled through programming. Con­sult the system administrator for the particular features
that are programmed into the M-RK l.

13

POWER ON-OFF/
V O LUME knob

SYSTEM/GROUP/
CHANNEL knob

Antenna

EMERGENCY
button

OPTION button

CLEAR/MONITOR
button

Push-To-Talk
(PTT) button

Battery latch

Indicators

Universal
Device
Conector
(UDC)

Microphone

Battery

Figure 2 - EDACS M-RK 1 Portable Radio

14

Speaker

USER INTERFACE

M-RK l operating controls are located on the top and
side panels of the radio. The top panel houses a rotary
SYSTEM/GROUP/CHANNEL knob, a POWER ON­OFF/V OLUME control knob and a protected red EMER­GENCY button. Controls located on the left side panel
(viewed from front) include an OPTION button, a
CLEAR/MONITO R button and a Push-To-T alk (PTT ) but­ton. The Universal Device Connec tor (UDC) is located
on the right side panel (viewed from front). This connec­tor is utilized for accessory connections. Maintenance
personnel also use the UDC to program the radio.

The speaker, microphone and three (3) illuminating
indicators are located on radio’s front panel. These indi­cators light-up to show various operating conditions such
as transmitter on, channel busy, scanning, or a low
battery.

15

Figure 3 - Top and Side Panel Views

16

BUTTONS AND KNOBS

This section describes the basic functions of the
button and knob controls.

SYSTEM/

GROUP/

CHANNEL

KNOB

POWER

ON-OFF/

VOLUME

This 16-position rotary control is primarily
used to select the systems and groups or
conventional radio channels programmed
into the radio. If the radio is programmed to
make special calls, this knob is also
u s ed to select the programmed special
calls. Special calls include trunked mode
individual calls and telephone
interconnect ca l l s . See the ’OPERA­TION’ section for specific details.

Applies power to the radio and adjusts the
receiver’s volume. Rotating the control
clockwise out of detent applies power

KNOB

to the radio. A single alert tone sounds ( if
enabled through programming) to
indicate the radio is operational.

Rotating the control clockwise increases
the volume level. Minimum volume levels
may be programmed into the radio to
prev ent missed calls due to a low volume
setting. W hi le adjusting the volume, the
display will momentarily indicate the
volume level ( i.e., VOL=31).
range is from a minimum

programmed level

The volume

of zero (displayed as OFF in the display) up
to 31 which is the loudest level.

17

EMERGEN-

The EMERGENCY/HOME button is used

CY/ HOME

BUTT O N

OPTION

BUTT ON

to automatically select a desired Group
and/or System by pressing and holding the
button for a pre-programmed duration.
The EMERGENCY/HOME button is also
used to declare emergencies by pressing
and holding the button for a
pre-programmed duration. Emergency
messages may only be issued on EDA CS
systems .

This button can be programmed to
provide a toggle feature or to enable
special call mode.

If the OPTION button is programmed for a
toggle feature, pressing it will toggle the
programmed feature between two
different states (for ex ample: on and off).
The toggle features that can be
programmed are: scan on/off, sys­tem/group/channel bank 1/2, repeater
talkaround on/off, data on/off, Pri­vate/clear, status on/off, message on/off,
P1 Conv. Scan on/off, and tr ansmit output
power high/low. The button can only

toggle o n e f e a t u r e .

Trunked mode individual calls, and
telephone interconnect calls are special
calls that can be programmed into the
radio. If the OPTlON button is
progra mmed to enable special call mode ,

18

the particular special call must first be
selected using the SYSTEM/ GROUP/
CHANNEL knob.The special call is then
initiated by pressing the OPTION button
a n d t h e n t h e P T T b u t t o n .

CLEAR/

MONITOR

BUTTON

The CLEAR/MONITOR BUTTON serves
several purposes depending on the
operating mode.

In the trun k e d m od e , the CLE AR/MONI­TOR B UTTON exits t he cu rren t oper atio n
and remo ves all displ ays associate d with it.
The radio and display then return to the
group receive state. In conventional mode,
pressing this button unmutes the receiver
so activity on the selected channel can be
monitored. When pressed and held for
approximately 3 seconds, this button
toggles conventional channel decod­ing/encoding (Channel Guard, Digital

PUSH-TO-

TALK

BUTTON

Channel Guard, T99) on and off, if
programmed, for the selected channel.

Pressing this button enables the radio’s
(PTT) transmitter . Releasing PTT returns
the radio to the receive mode.

19

INDICATORS

The three (3) indicators on the front panel of the radio
light-up to show various operating conditions such as
transmitter on, channel busy, scanning, or a low battery.
Each indicator can flash or light continuously (not flash)
in different color combinations to indicate various modes
as defined in Table 1.

TABLE 1 - Indicators

OPERATING CONDITION INDICATOR CONDITION COLOR

Transmitting TX/BAT Continuous Red

Battery Low Warning TX/BAT Flashes Red

Busy BSY/SCN Continuous Green

Call Queued* BSY/SCN Flashes Green

Scanning BSY/SCN Flashes Red

BankSelect Enabled OPT Flashes Green

Talkaround Enabled OPT Flashes Green

Special Call Enabled* OPT Continuous Green

High Po wer Transmit On OPT Flashes Green
Emergency Transmit Enabled* OPT Flashes Green
Emergency Receive Enabled* OPT Flashes Red

Private OPT Flashes Red

No Data* OPT Flashes Green

Status/Message OPT Flashes Green

Conv. P1 Scan OPT Flashes Green

*Trunked Mode Only

20

UNIVERSAL DEVICE CONNECTOR (UDC)

The UDC provides connections for external accesso­ries such as a headset or a speaker-microphone. When
the radio is locked in a vehicular charger/repeater, the
UDC provides the audio and control connections be­tween the radio and the vehicular charger/repeater. The
UDC is also used to program and service the radio.

ALERT T ONES

The M-RK l radio also provides audible alert tones or
"beeps" to indicate various operating conditions. Alert
tones can be enabled or disabled through programming.

Call Originate

A shor t mid-pitched aler t tone sounds after keying
the radio (after pressing the PTT button). At this time, the

TX/BAT indicator lights red and, in trunked mode, the
BSY/SCN indicator lights green. T his indicates the radio

has been assigned a working channel or that the radio is
transmitting on a conventional channel and voice com­munication can begin immediately . In conventional mode,
this alert tone may be delayed slightly after the PTT
button is pressed due to GE-STAR signalling (if GESTAR
is enabled through programming).

Autokey (Trunked Mode Only)

After being placed in queue or releasing the PTT
button prior to a working channel assignment, the site
calls the radio when a channel becomes availab le. At this

21

point, the radio automatically keys the transmitter
(autokey) for a short period to hold the channel. The radio
sounds a mid-pitched tone when it is clear to talk; imme­diately press the PTT button to keep the assigned chan­nel.

Call Queued (Trunked Mode Only)

A high-pitched tone will sound and the BSY/SCN
indicator will flash green if a call request is placed in
queue after PTT activation. The receiving unit(s) also
hear(s) the tone to notify them that a call should be
received shortly. If the PTT button is released when a call
is queued, the radio will autokey whenever a channel
becomes available (see "Autokey").

System Busy (Trunked Mode Only)

Three low-pitched beeps will sound if the radio is
keyed when the system is busy, if: 1) no channels are
av ailable f or sending the message; 2) if the call queue is
full; or 3) an indiv idual c all is being attempted to a radio
that is transmitting. Release the P TT button and re-key
the radio to initiate a new channel request.

Call Denied (Trunked Mode Only)

If the radio is keyed and a lo w-pitched tone is heard,
then the radio is not authorized on the system that has
been selected.

22

Carrier Contr ol Timer

If the programmed time for continuous transmission
is exceeded, five short high-pitched warning tones fol­lowed by a long low-pitched tone will sound. The trans­mitter will shut down shortly after hearing the alert tones.
The TX/BA T indicator will turn off, and communication is
interrupted. Release and re-ke y the PTT button to main­tain communications. This will reset the carrier control
timer and turn the transmitter back on.

Low Battery W arn ing

If the batter y pack’s charge is/becomes low, a low­pitched tone will sound and the TX/BAT indicator will
flash red. The radio will continue to receive and transmit
normally; however, the battery pack should be charged
or replaced as soon as possible. If the radio is keyed
during this time, the TX/BAT indicator will light continu-
ously (not flash) to indicate the radio is transmitting.

Low Battery Alert (Transmit Loc kout)

If the radio is keyed and the user hears either a
low-pitched tone or two tones and the TX/BAT indicator
flashes, the battery is discharged and the radio will not
transmit. Pressing the PTT or CLEAR button will reset
the TX/BAT indicator if either is pre-programmed to
perform this function. The radio will still be able to receive
calls until the battery is discharged beyond the point of
operation, after which the battery will need to be re­charged to resume normal operation.

23

Low Battery Alert

If the battery pack’s charge is too low to allow the radio
to transmit (usually after a low battery warning), the radio
will sound a low-pitched tone, (continue to) flash the
TX/BAT indicator red and disable any transmission. The
radio will continue to receive calls until the battery pack
is discharged beyond the point of operation.

Key Press Alert

A short low-pitched alert tone will sound if no action
is taken when a button is pressed. For example, if the
currentIy selected conventional channel has the channel
busy transmit lockout feature enable and the radio is
key ed when the channel is busy, the radio will sound this
low-pitched alert tone to warn the operator that no trans­mission is occurring.

OPERATION

TURNING ON THE RADIO

Rotate the POWER ON-OFF/VOLUME knob clock­wise, out of detent to turn the radio on. (Ensure the
antenna and battery pack are properly connected prior
to power on.) A short beep (if enabled through program­ming) indicates the radio is ready for operation. The
display indicates, if programmed, the last selected sys­tem name on line one and the last selected group or
channel name on line two.

24

SYSTEM/GROUP/CHANNEL SELECTION

The M-RK l is programmed with

system/group/channel selection methods:

The radio is programmed with up to 16 different

•

system/group or channels that are selected with the
SYSTEM/GROUP/CHANNEL knob. Radios pro­grammed in this manner use the OPTION button to
provide a toggle feature
mode.

The radio is programmed with up to 32 different

•

system/group or channels selected in two (2) differ­ent banks of 16. If programmed in this manner, the
OPTION button is used to toggle between the two
banks and then the SYSTEM/GROUP/CHANNEL

or to enable special call

one of the following

knob is rotated to select the system/group or chan­nel. No special calls can be initiated by a radio
programmed in this manner.

BUTTON REASSIGNMENT

Pre-programming the radio using the PC Program­ming Software permits the reass ignment of button and
keypad key functions. The EMERGENCY, OPTION,
CLEAR/MONITO R and PTT buttons, along with the front
panel keypad keys, can be reassigned different func­tions.

25

The operating procedures that follow assume the
buttons and ke ypad keys operate as marked. If they ha ve
been reassigned, Table 2 should be completed to show
the new function(s). Substitute the new assigned keys
when using the operating procedures.

Table 2 - Button and K ey Assignments

STANDARD ASSIGNMENTS REASSIGNMENT

OPTION (Side)

CLEAR/MONITOR

PTT

EMERGENCY

EMERGENCY/HOME BUTTON DEFINITION

The EMERGENCY/HOME button can be pro­grammed in one of the following conditions:

1. Emergency Enabled and Home Enabled - The radio

will switch to the programmed home System and/or
Group and send an emergency transmission.

2. Emergency Enable and Home Disabled - The radio

will send an emergency transmission on the current
System/Group.

3. Emergency Disabled and Home Enabled - The radio

will switch to the home System and/or Group.

4. Emergency Disabled and Home Disabled - the b ut-

ton is not active.

26

Home

The radio can be programmed to automatically switch
to a home System and/or Group by pressing and holding
the EMERGENCY/HOME button for the pre-pro­grammed duration. The radio will also transmit an emer­gency message on the home System and/or Group if
programmed (see the Emergency Operation section).

AEGIS AND V OICE GUARD OPERATION
Voice Modes

Each system (trunked or conventional) in the radio is
programmed for either Aegis or Voice Guard communi­cations. Aegis programmed systems have three (3) dif­ferent voice modes: clear (analog), digital, and private.
Voice Guard systems have two (2) voice modes: clear
(analog) and private. The voice modes are programmed
on a per-group basis within each trunked system and on
a per-channel basis within each conventional system. A
radio must be equipped with the encr ypt/decr ypt option
before it will operate in Aegis or Voice Guard modes.

27

TRANSMIT/RECEIVE MODE COMPATIBILITY

FOR AEGIS OPERATION

GROUP/CHANNEL

PROGRAMMING

(TRANSMIT)

CLEAR Yes No No

DIGITAL Yes Yes No

PRIVATE Yes No Yes*

CLEAR

RECEIVE

DIGITAL

RECEIVE

*assumes the proper cryptographic key is loaded

TRANSMIT/RECEIVE MODE COMPATIBILITY

FOR V OICE GUARD OPERATION

GROUP/CHANNEL

PROGRAMMING

(TRANSMIT)

CLEAR

RECEIVE

PRIVATE

RECEIVE

PRIVA TE

RECEIVE

CLEAR Yes No

PRIVA T E Yes Yes*

*assumes the proper cryptographic key is loaded

NO TE

Conventional Aegis or encrypted channels
require Channel Guard on the channel to operate
correc tly.

28

Clear Modes

Aegis clear and Voice Guard clear modes are identi­cal voice modes in which the radio transmits and receives
only clear (analog) voice signals. These analog signals
are non-digitized and non-encrypted. Clear mode trans­missions can be easily monitored by unauthorized per­sons. Groups or channels programmed for clear opera­tion cannot transmit or receive Aegis digital or private
messages.

Aegis Digital Mode

Aegis digital mode allows the radio to transmit and
receive digitized voice signals. Aegis digital signals pro­vide improved weak signal perf ormance and they cannot
be easily monitored with a standard receiver . Groups and
channels programmed for Aegis digital operation trans­mit only digital signals. Private calls cannot be received
or transmitted when the radio is in the Aegis digital mode
because the radio does not know the cry ptographic key
used. Message tr unked group calls and individual calls
will be answered back in the mode they were received,
assuming the call or hangtime is still active. Individual,
phone, all and emergency calls will be transmitted clear
if digital mode is disabled or inoperative.

1. If receiving an analog message trunked call, the radio

will respond in analog mode during the hang time on

the working channel.

2. If receiving an analog I-Call, the radio will respond in

analog mode during the hang time.

29

AEGIS PRIVATE AND VOICE GUARD
PRIVATE MODES

The Aegis private and Voice Guard private modes
allow the radio to transmit encrypted messages and
receive clear or private transmissions. The radio will
transmit private if the group/channel is programmed for
private operation and forced operation is pre-pro­grammed. If autoselect operation was pre-programmed
and the radio is in private mode, the radio will transmit in
the mode of the received call if the hang time is active. If
no hang time is active, the radio will transmit private.

Aegis transmissions cannot be received by a radio set
to receive a Voice Guard transmission. Accordingly, a
Voice Guard transmission cannot be received by a radio
set to receive an Aegis transmission.

Cryptographic ke ys are transferred to the radio using
a cryptographic Keyloader. Up to seven (7) different
cryptographic keys, numbered 1-7, can be transferred
from a Keyloader and stored in the radio. An individual
key is automatically selected on a per-group/channel
basis according to the radio’ s programming. Groups and
channels within Aegis systems c an be programmed for
keys 1-7. Groups and c hannels within Voice Guard sys­tems can be programmed for ke ys 1-7. Up to 8 banks of
7 keys can be stored for Aegis (DES and VGE) systems
and up to 4 banks of 7 keys for V oice Guard systems. The
bank is specified per system.

DES radios require a DES Keyloader (Option V4025
with software version 3.N or later). VGE radios require a

30

V GE K eyloader (Option V4028 with software V ersion 2.N
or later).

When operating on a group or channel programmed
for private mode, all transmiss ions will be private trans­missions and the radio will receive clear and private
signals. The OP T indicator flas hes green when the pri­vate mode is enabled. If the selected group or channel is
programmed for autoselect capability, the mode may be
toggled between private and clear with the OPTION
button. Radios programmed for forced pr ivate operation
do not allow a change of the transmit mode; therefore,
the OPTION button has no effect.

Transferring Keys Into The Radio

The following procedure outlines bas ic key transfer­ring steps.

1. Turn the radio off.

2. Plug the modular connector of the Keyloader cable

into the K eyloader modular jack.

3. Connect the Keyloader cable to the UDC on the radio .

4. Press the PWR button on the Keyloader and wait for

the Keyloader to display "MASTER MODE".

31

5. Press the TRN button on the Keyloader . If necessary,
select a different cryptographic key to be transferred
into the radio.

6. Tur n the radio on. A beep will indicate that the Key­loader is connected.

7. Press the EXE button on the K eyloader to transfer the
key. The Keyloader will display "GOOD 1.x TRANS­FER" where "x" is the selected cryptographic key
number.

8. Disconnect the cable from the r adio’ s UDC. The radio
will change to the selected group or channel as
indicated in the display.

Key Zero

All cryptographic keys can be zeroed (erased from

radio memory) by pressing the MONITOR/CLEAR button
and while still pressing this button, press and hold the
OPTION button. Press both buttons for 2 seconds. A
series of beeps will begin at the start of this 2 second
period and then switch to a solid tone after the ke ys have
been zeroed. The display will indicate "KEY ZERO."

If the cr yptographic key(s) are zeroed, one or more

keys must be transferred from the Keyloader into the
radio before private communications may continue.

32

PRIVATE OPERATION
Receiving An Encrypted Call

When receiving, the radio automatically switches be­tween clear or private operation. If the transmission being
received is an encrypted transmission, it will be de­cr ypted, the OPT indicator will flash green, the receiver
will unsquelch and the message will be heard in the
speaker . For this to occur, the selected group or channel
must be programmed for private operation and the cor­rect cryptographic key must be loaded into the radio.

Transmitting An Encrypted Call

1. Select the desired group or channel.

2. Place the radio in private mode by pressing the

OPTION button. When private mode is enabled, the

OPT indicator will flash green.

If the last state of the radio was private mode, the

private mode will be enabled on power up. Also, the

private mode will be enabled if forced operation has

been programmed in the radio.

If the radio does not have the correct encryption key

loaded, "NO KEY " repetitive tone will sound and the

call will not be transmitted.

33

3. Continue with standard transmission procedures. A
private mode access tone will be heard when the PTT
button is pressed.

Scanned Group Calls

Receiving a scanned group call is the same as receiv-

ing a selected group call. During the scan hang time, if
the radio was programmed f or autoselect, it will transmit
back in the same mode it received the call. F or example ,
if a clear group is entered in the scan list, it will only
receive clear calls. If the same group was available in
private and entered in the scan list, it can receive clear
and private calls, provided autoselect was programmed
in the radio. The user can select transmitting on the
scanned or selected group. If a group is entered in the
scan list more than once and in different modes (clear,
digital, private), only the first occurrence of the gr oup will
be used.

LAST SYSTEM/GROUP OR CHANNEL RECALL
(SUPERVISORY RADIO UNITS ONLY)

This feature enables the user to recall the last se-

lected system/group after an EDACS emergency or
home function, a conventional emergency or home func­tion or system/group key function. This featur e must b e
pre-programmed as "Enabled" to function. For exam­ple, if t he Ho me but ton (p re-p rogram med) is pr es sed,
the rad io will go to the desig nated Home system/group
or channel. If the Home button is pressed again, the
radio retu rns to the pre vious syst em/group or chan nel.
At this time the user can toggle between the Home
system/group or channel and the previous system/group
or channel.

34

ED A CS TRUNKED MODE O PERATION

Digital trunking provides fast communication access
at all times, even during busy hours. In this mode the
operator selects a communications system and group,
and the audio communication channel (working channel)
is automatically allocated digital signalling with the site.

RECEIVING A CALL

1. Turn the radio on by rotating the POWER ON-

OFF/VOLUME k nob clockwise (out of the detent). A

short alert signal (if enabled through programming)

indicates the radio is ready to use.

2. Adjust the POWER ON-OFF/VOLUME knob to the

desired volume level.

3. Select the desired system and group. The radio is now

ready to receive group and individuaI calls.

4. When a Call is received, the radio will unmute (un-

squelch) on the assigned working channel and the

BSY/SCN indicator will light-up green. Adjust the

volume as necessary.

5. GROUP CALL - If the call is a group caIl and a repIy

is necessary, follow the instructions outlined in the

section entitled "

Sending A Call" (Steps 2 - 3).

6. INDIVIDUAL CALL - An individual call is a call di-

rected to only one radio. The radio may be pro-

grammed to ring when it receives a call of this type. If

35

not answered, the ring will continue until the call-back
hangtime (programmable) expires.

Responding to an individual calI prior to the call-back
hangtime time-out will automatically direct the call to
the originating unit on an individual basis. The OP T
indicator lights green during the call-back hangtime.
See the section entitled "SPECIAL CALLS" for ad­ditional details on individual calls.

SENDING A CALL

1. Turn the radio on and set the desired volume level.
Select the desired system and group.

2. Press and hold the PTT button. The radio will perform
signalling required to obtain a working channel. When
transmitting, it will light the TX/BAT indicator red.

3. When the working channel is assigned, the radio will
sound the shor t mid-pitched call originate aIert tone
and light the BSY/SCN indicator green.

NOTE

If two or more tones, or a high pitched tone is
heard, the system may be busy and the call
request has been placed in queue or the request
has been denied for some reason. Refer to the

"ALERT TONES" section for more details.

36

4. After the call originate alert tone sounds, hold the
radio approximately three inches from the mouth and
speak in a normal voice into the microphone.

5. Release the PTT button when the transmission is
complete and listen for a reply.

CONVENTIONAL FAILSOFT

In the unlikely e vent of a f ailure of the EDACS system,

communications may take place in conventional failsoft
mode. The radio will be automatically directed to a
communications channel set up for this purpose. An
increase in activity on the channel during conventional
failsoft operation may be noticed, so be careful not to
transmit until the channel is clear.

Operation during conventional failsoft will be the

same as operation on a conventional system, except that
it will not be possible to selec t a communications chan­nel, or use emergency and special call. When trunking
is restored, the radio will automatically be returned to
normal operation.

NOTE

Emergency and Special Call are not operational
during conventional f ailsoft. Also, the GR OUP control
will not operate.

37

SCAT OPERATION

A SCAT(Single Channel Autonomous Trunking) Sys­tem operates with the same set of features as a standard
EDA CS system. The only significant user change relates
to the BSY/SCN indicator. Since only one channel, oper­ating as both control and working channel, exists in a
SCAT System, the BSY/SCN indicator will be ON when
the SCAT channel is in the working channel mode. When
the transmission on the channel is completed, the indi­cator turns OFF and indicates the return of SCAT control
channel signaling.

EMERGENCY OPERATION

The radio’ s ability to declare an emergency , clear an
emergency and remain locked on an emergency system
and group can each be enabled or disabled through
programming. When an emergency is declared, scan­ning will stop and restar t only after the emergency has
been cleared.

Receiving An Emergency Call

The radio will sound an alert beep and flash the OPT
indicator red when an emergency call on the selected
system and group is received. Follow standard emer­gency procedures.

38

Declaring An Emergency Call

To declare an emergency call on the selected system
and group (or on a pre-programmed [optional] emer­gency group), proceed as follows:

1. Press and hold the red EMERGENCY button that is

on top of the radio in front of the antenna, for approxi-

mately one second. This time is programmable and,

therefore, could be longer or shorter ; check with the

system administrator. The radio will transmit an emer-

gency call request with the radio ID until an emer-

gency channel assignment is received.

2. When the working channel is assigned, the radio

sounds a single beep (Autokey aler t tone), the OPT

indicator lights red, the TX/BAT indicator lights red

and the BSY/SCN indicator lights green. This indi-

cates the radio is ready for voice transmissions. The

OPT indicator will remain lit until the emergency is

cleared.

3. Press the PTT button and speak into the microphone

in a normal voice. The TX/BAT indicator will continue

to light red as the radio is transmitting.

4. Release the PTT button when the transmission is

complete and listen for a reply.

Clearing An Emergency Call

If the radio has supervisor privileges (enabled
through programming) an emergency can be cleared by

39

pressing and holding the CLEAR/MONlTOR button fol­lowed by pressing the EMERGENCY button, and then
releasing both buttons.

SCANNING TRUNKED SYSTEMS

The following features allow interaction with systems
other than the selected system to meet specific customer
needs. Wide Area System Scan and ProSound are mu­tually exclusive options; however, Pr iority System S can
will operate while ProSound is active.

Wide Area System Scanning

The M-RK l may be programmed for wide area
system scan operation for multi-site applications. Upon
the loss of the currently selected system’s control chan­nel, the radio can be programmed to automatically scan
the control channels of other systems. lf a new control
channel is found, the radio will switch to the new system
and sound an aler t tone. If the radio is programmed for
wide area system scan operation, the SYS­TEM/GROUP/ CHANNEL knob is

normally programmed

to select only groups and channels, not systems.

ProSound

The radio ma y be pr ogrammed f or ProSound system
scan operation for muti-site applications. ProSound
scanning is an enhanced replacement for wide area
system scanning. This algor ithm ensures that the radio
continually receives high quality audio. When the se­lected system degrades to a pre-programmed level, the

40

radio changes to the new system and sounds a tone.
Should the control channel be lost completely, the radio
will scan the adjacent systems until a suitable one is
found.

Priority System Scan

The radio may also be programmed for priority sys­tem scan. A priority system may be assigned among the
systems programmed into the radio. Radios programmed
in this manner will check f or the priority trunked system’ s
control channel at a programmable rate ranging from one
to 16 minutes. This priority scan timer is reset each time
the PTT button is pressed or when a c all is received. If
the priority system control channel is found, the radio will
automatically switch to the priority system.

SCANNING TRUNKED GR OUPS

If the radio is programmed to scan, each system will
normally be programmed with a fixed scan list that con­sists of some or all of the
(16 maximum if one bank, 32 maximum if two banks).
However, each system in the radio can be programmed
with a fixed scan list of up to 64 groups. The following
rules apply to trunked mode scanning:

The BSY/SCN indicator flashes red when the radio

•

is scanning.

selectable groups in the radio

The operator cannot add groups to or delete groups

•

from the fixed scan list(s).

41

The OPTION button may be programmed to toggle

•

scan on and off.
The radio will continue scanning if a new group is

•

selected when scan is on.
The currently selected group has priority over the

•

groups being scanned. Therefore, if the radio detects
a call on the selected group, it will switch to this group
for the duration of the call. After the caIl is compIeted,
the radio will resume scanning.

Depending upon programming, pressing the PTT

•

button when the radio is scanning wilI cause it to
transmit on the currentIy selected group
scanned group (during the scan hangtime).

When a group call is received on one of the groups

•

being scanned, the radio will stop scanning, unmute
on the assigned channel, and alternately flash the
BSY/SCN indicator green and green/red. If the radio
is programmed to transmit on scanned groups, the
operator can respond (transmit) to the scanned
group call before the scan hangtime (programmab le)
expires by pressing the PTT button.

lf a particular system is programmed to scan groups

•

that are not selectable from the SYS­TEM/GROUP/CHANNEL knob, it will only be possi-

or on the

ble to transmit on these groups before the scan
hangtime expires.

42

PROGRAMMABLE ENTRIES

Individual call ID numbers, telephone numbers and
other number sequences for overdialing are stored in the
special call lists when programming the radio.

SPECIAL CALLS

Individual calls and telephone interconnect calls are
handled using the radio’ s special call mode. An individual
call is directed to only one radio. Individual calls are
always handled when the radio is in trunked mode. The
radio can be programmed to handle telephone intercon­nect calls when it is in tr unked mode and when it is in
conventional mode. A conventional channel must be
equipped for telephone interc onnect capability before a
telephone interconnect call can be placed on the chan­nel.

Receiving And Respo nding To A Special Call

The radio may be programmed to ring when it re­ceives a special call. If not responded to (answered), the
radio will continue ringing until the call-back hangtime
(programmable) expires. After time-out the radio will
return to group receive operation.

When a special call is received, the BSY/SCN indi­cator will light green and the OPT indicator will light
green. The OPT indicator will remain lit until the call-back
hangtime expires or the operator cIears the special call
mode by pressing the CLEAR/MONITOR button or by
changing the system or group.

43

To respond to a special call, press the PTT button
before the call-back hangtime expires and then use
standard transmission procedures. The call will be auto­matically directed to the originating unit on an individual
basis. When the call is completed, momentarily press the
CLEAR/MONITOR button to hang- up or simply wait for
the hangtime to expire.

Initiating And Sending A Special Call

The radio can be programmed with up to 16 special
calls (individual calls and telephone interconnect calls).
Special calls can only be initiated by the radio if the
OPTION button is programmed to enable special call
mode. The f ollowing procedure outlines procedures nec­essary to initiate and send a special call.

1. Each position of the SYSTEM/GROUP/CHANNEL

knob can be programmed with a different special call.

Rotate the knob to the position that corresponds to

desired special call.

2. Press the OPTION button to place the radio in the

special call mode. The OPT indicator will light green

to indicate the radio is in the special call mode.

3. Press and release the PTT button.

4. INDIVIDUAL CALL - When the signalling is complete

and it is clear to transmit, the radio will sound the call

originate aler t tone. With the PTT button depressed,

speak into the microphone in a normal voice. Con-

tinue with standard transmission procedures.

44

TELEPHONE INTERCONNECT CALL - The tele­phone rings will be heard until the called party an­swers, continue with standard transmission proce­dures.

5. When the call is completed, momentarily press the
CLEAR/MONITOR button to hang-up or simply wait
for the hangtime to expire.

NOTE

The M-RK I radio is capable of simplex
communications only. The callee can only hear the
radio if the PTT button is pressed (the radio is
transmitting) and the callee can only be heard when
PTT is released (the radio is receiving).

PORTABLE DATA OPERATION

When operating in the EDACS configuration, M-RK

radios permit either voice or data calls to be transmitted
or received. The radio can handle only one type of call
at a time; however, selection of either data or voice is
selected transparently by the operator through normal
usage of the radio. Data communications is not sup­ported in the conventional mode. D A TA, RS2-Type DATA,
and ProFile are EDACS enhanced, separately pur­chased features that when turned on can be used to
configure M-RK radios.

"Data" now applies to two classes of data: Exter-

nal De vice Data Appl ications (M obile Data Terminal s)
and Radio Destined Data Applications (ProFile). For

45

External Device Data Applications, both destination and
source are from applications external to the radio. For
Radio Destined Data Applications ( ProFile) one side of
the conver sation is an e xternal device (i.e., ProFile Man­gager), but the other side is now an application internal
to the radio . Data applications can be common between
both application classes, or specific to a data application.
Each programmable data option is organized as the
following:

• Universal Options - Apply to ALL data applications.

• Specific Options - Apply only to either ProFile or MDT.

The radios can be connected to Mobile Data Ter mi­nals (MDT) or to a host computer/radio. A host radio
routes all data (MDT and ProFile) externally . Any RS-232
compatible device that supports the Radio Data Interface
(RDI) protocol (V ersion 1.91 or higher) may be connected
to the radio. Suppor t for MDT’s or host c omputers is a
programmable option per radio. A dditionally, radios pro­grammed for host computers may also be programmed
for data only operation (no voice calls transmitted or
received).

Data Off Operation

DATA OFF suspends TX/RX data activity until it is
re-enabled via DATA ON. When the data state is disabled,
the radio beeps and the OPT indicator will flash green.

46

The radio can be placed in the data disabled state by any
of the following methods:

Declaring an emergency (not to be used unless an

•

actual emergency condition exists). Alert tone will
sound.

Pressing the OPTION button (if pre-programmed as

•

a no data button). Alert tone will sound.

NOTE

If DATA OFF is active, neither Profile nor MDT will
function.

Pressing the no data (ND) key (pre-programmed).

•

Data On Operation

DATA ON/OFF applies to all radio data (i.e., MDT and
Profile). The data state is enabled b y one of the f ollowing
(depending on how it was disabled):

Pressing the OPTION button (if pre-programmed as

•

a no data button) toggles data state on or off .
Clearing an emergency (valid only if emergency

•

caused data off operation).

Exiting Data Calls

Under normal conditions, the radio enters the scan
lockout mode and returns to the control channel after

47

completion of a data call (transmit or receive). If during a
data call one of the following conditions occurs, the data
call is immediately terminated and the radio performs the
desired function:

PTT activated.

•

Emergency declared by pressing the pre-pro-

•

grammed emergency button.
A group or system change.

•

Scan Loc kout Mode

Follo wing the transmission or reception of a data call,
if scan is enabled, scanning will stop temporarily [two
independent pre-programmed times (after receive data
call and after transmit data call)]. During this time the
BSY/SCN indicator will flash to indicate that scan is
enabled but temporar ily suspended. This mode is nor­mally exited when the pre-programmed time expires;
however, the following actions will terminate the scan
lockout mode before the time-out is completed.

•

The clear button is pressed.

•

The PTT is pressed.

•

A group or system change.

•

Phone call mode is entered.

•

Individual call mode is entered.

•

A new emergency assignment has been received.

•

An emergency declared or cleared.

•

An individual or phone call is received.

48

• Agency, Fleet or System All Call is received.

• The OPTION button is pressed to turn scan on or off .

Data Lockout Mode

During the voice call scan hang time (pre-pro-

grammed) the radio will not receive data calls.

ProFile Select Option

The ProFile Select Option enables/disables all Pro­File reading and writing functions. ProFile Select can be
mapped to a key on the radio.

NOTE

ProFile Off terminates any ongoing
conversation(s) with ProFile Manager. If this
occurs, ProFile Manager must restart
communication with the radio from the beginning

- it does NOT restart where it was interrupted as
DATA OFF does.

If the MDT cable is not attached when ProFile On
is selected, the radio is now capable of receiving
ProFile data - calls.

Option Availability

If the ProFile Select Option is not mapped to a key, or
par t of a macro, the option will not be available. Also, if

49

the radio is in one of the following modes, ProFile is not
available:

• Radio Disabled

• Conventional Failsoft

• Transmitting V oice

• Diagnostic/Test Keyload

• All Conventional Modes

• PA is PTT’d

STATUS/MESSAGE OPERATION

Status and message operation is possible with the
M-RK radio unit. The radio OPTION button must be
reconfigured and pre-programmed for status/message
operation. The radio can operate in either status or
message but not both and can only transmit one status
condition or one message text.

Status Operation

Status operation permits the transmission of a pre­programmed status condition to the EDACS site.

To send a status condition, press the OPTION button
to select the pre-programmed status. After the time-out
expires, the status will be transmitted to the site or stored
in the radio memory where it can be polled by the site at
a future time. If the site does not receive the status
properly, the radio will sound a low-pitched tone.

50

The status selection can also be cancelled by press-

ing the CLEAR button prior to the time-out period.

Message Operation

Message operation permits the transmission of a

pre-programmed message text to an EDACS site.

To send a message, press the OPTION button to
select the pre-programmed message text. After the time­out expires, the message text will be transmitted to the
site. If the site does not receive the message properly,
the radio will sound a low-pitched tone.

The message text selection can also be cancelled by
pressing the CLEAR button prior to the time-out period.

EDACS CONVENTIONAL P1 SCAN

This feature permits the radio user to scan a pre-pro­grammed conventional system Priority 1 (P1) channel
while the radio is selected for ED ACS trunked system. If
activity is detected on the conventional P1 channel, the
radio will unmute and remain on this conventional chan­nel for the programmable hang time.

The radio must be pre-programmed to designate a
key f or scan on/off operation. In addition the scan condi­tion must be programmed to unmute on squelch only
clear voice (quick check mode) or unmute for both clear
and digital voice (complete check mode).

51

DYNAMIC REGROUP OPERATION

Dynamic regroup operation permits multiple talk
groups (up to eight) to be added to a radio via the system
manager. The radio must be pre-programmed to re­spond to regrouping. Dynamic regrouping will not be
activated in a radio until an activ ation message is sent by
the system manager. Each radio that receives and
acknowledges the regrouping instructions is success­fully regrouped.

Pressing and holding the CLEAR/MONITOR button
for 2.5 seconds toggles the user into and out of the
dynamic regroup groupset. A doub le beep will sound f or
entry or exit. The TX /BAT indicator will flash to indicate
that dynamic group is active. The double beep and lack
of the periodic low battery audible alarm will be a sign
that the TX/BAT indictor is showing dynamic regroup is
active.

Also, when Systems and Groups are pre-pro­grammed on the knob as in the M-RK I, the knob be­comes a group only knob when in dynamic regroup. This
permits the user to get to all eight groups. To change
systems, dynamic regroup must be exited by holding the
CLEAR/MONITO R button for 2.5 seconds.

Emergency Operation

If the pre-programmed groupset on the currently se­lected system contains an E MER/HOME group and the
radio is in dynamic regroup, the radio will exit dynamic
regroup and declare the emergency on the HOME group.

52

If no EMER/HOME group is present, the radio will de­clare the emergency on the c urrently selected dynamic
regroup group.

MACRO KEY OPERATION

Macro key operation permits the user to acc omplish
a series of key strokes with a single "macro" key stroke.
Up to 10 macro keys can be defined, each capable of
executing up to 20 key strokes, to any pushbutton input
(i.e., ke ypad b uttons, OPTION button, etc.). Each macro
keys can be pre-programmed to activate when pressed
or when released.

A macro key ma y also be pre-programmed to change
the key stroke sequence the next time the macro key is
activated. A macro key function will be aborted if the user
changes a button or knob position.

For detail operation and assignment of macro keys,
contact your communications super visor or administra­tor.

53

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54

CONVENTIONAL MODE OPERATION

The radio operates in the conventional mode (non­trunked mode) when a conventional channel is selected.
Each channel consists of a preset transmit/receive fre­quency pair for repeater operation or a common trans­mit/receive frequency for talkaround (no repeater) opera­tion. Each conventional channel can have one or more
features, such as Channel Guard, programmed when the
channel is selected.

The CLEAR/MONITOR button unmutes (unsquel­ches) the receiver so activity on the selected channel can
be monitored. When pressed for approximately 3 sec­onds this button toggles conventional channel decoding
(Channel Guard, Digital Channel Guard or Type 99) on
and off if programmed for the selected channel. Selecting
a new conv entional channel will turn the decode function
on if it was previously turned off.

RECEIVING A CALL

1. Turn the radio on by rotating the POWER ON-

OFF/V OLUME knob clockwise out of the detent posi-

tion.

2. Adjust the knob to an approximate desired volume

level.

3. Select the desired conventional system and channel.

4. The radio is now ready to receive calls.

55

5. The BSY/SCN indicator will light-up green when the
radio receives any signal on the selected channel.
The radio will unmute (unsquelch) when it receives a
signal (if the correct Channel Guard signal is de­coded, programmed, and enabled).

SENDING A CALL

1. Turn the radio on by rotating the POWER ON­OFF/VOLUME knob c Iockwise out of the detent po­sition.

2. Adjust the knob to an approximate desired volume
level.

3. Select the desired conventional system and channel.

4. The radio is now ready to send calls.

5. Ver ify the channel is not busy by obser ving that the
BSY/SCN indicator is not lit-up green or by momen­tarily pressing the CLEAR/MONITOR button to un­squelch the radio.

6. Press and hold the PTT button. The TX/BAT indicator
will light-up red and the shor t mid-pitched call or igi­nate alert tone will sound (if programmed). If the
channel busy transmit lockout feature is enabled for
the selected channel, the radio will not transmit if the
channel is busy at PTT. In this case, the radio will
sound a low-pitched alert tone when the PTT button
is pressed to indicate it is not transmitting.

56

7. Hold the radio approximately 3 inches from the mouth
and speak in a normal voice into the microphone.

8. Release the PTT button when the transmission is
complete and listen for a reply.

EMERGENCY OPERATION

lf enabled, GE-STAR emergency signalling can be

transmitted when operating in the conventional mode.
GE-STAR emergency signalling will transmit 5 times with
a delay between each transmission. GE-STAR is pro­grammed to transmit in one of the following methods:

METHOD 1:GE-STAR emergency signal is transmitted
on the selected channel. lf the channel is changed, the
emergency signalling will continue to be transmitted on
the newly selected channel.

METHOD 2: Same as Method 1 but the radio will lock
onto the selected channel. Any attempts to change the
channel will be disabled.

METHOD 3: GE-STAR is transmitted on a pre-pro­grammed conventional emergency sy stem and channel
regardless of the selected channel. ln this case, the
selected channel is available for voice transmission and
the radio will periodically "jump" to the pre-programmed
emergency system and channel to send the emergency
signalling and then "jump" back to the selected channel
for voice transmissions.

57

METHOD 4: Same as Method 3, but the radio will lock
on to the pre-programmed conventional emer gency sys­tem and channel for GE-STAR emergency and voice
transmissions. The channel cannot be changed until the
emergency is cleared.

If the r adio is p rogrammed to trans mit GE- STAR
emergency signalling, press and hold the red
EMERGENCY button on the top of the radio for approxi­mately one second. This time is programmable and,
therefore, could be longer or shorter - check with the
system administrator. F ollow standard emergency proce­dures.

The emergency state can be cleared by turning the
radio off and then back on or by changing systems.
System changes are always allowed during GE-STAR
emergency transmissions; however, if a new system is
selected, GE-STAR signalling will be cleared (stopped).

Using 5-Tone Signalling For Emergency
Declaration

If 5-Tone signalling is defined for emergency declara­tion in place of GE-STAR emergency signalling, a pre­programmed tone sequene will be transmitted instead of
the GE-STAR sequence. This emergency declaration
functions as the GE-STAR emergency in all other re­spects.

58

T ONE ENCODE TRANSMISSION

In conventional mode , tw o k e ys can be defined to be
tone encode triggers. If one of the pre-progr ammed tone
encode triggers is pressed, a pre-programmed tone se­quence will be transmitted on the current system and
channel. (See Emergency Operation if EMER-
GENCY/HOME button is used.) The TX/BAT indicator
will light during tone transmission and a beep will sound
at the end of the transmis sion. If enabled, audible side
tones will be heard in the radio speaker as well. If PTT is
pre-programmed as one of the triggers, the microphone
will become active for voice communication after the tone
sequence is complete.

Tone encode will be transmitted with Channel Guard,
if one is defined, and tones are always transmitted in
clear voice mode, even if the channel is set for digital or
private (see VOICE MODES). Digital or private voice
transmission will resume nor mally after the tone trans­mission.

SCANNING CONVENTIONAL CHANNELS

If the radio is programmed to scan, each conventional
system will
list that consists of some or all of the

normallv be programmed with a fixed scan

selectable conv en­tional channels in the radio . Howev er, each conventional
system in the radio can be programmed with a fixed scan
list of up to 64 channels. The following rules apply to
conventional mode scanning:

59

The BSY/SCN indicator flashes red when the radio

•

is scanning.
The operator cannot add channels to or delete chan-

•

nels from the fixed scan list(s). ln addition to the fixed
scan list(s), the radio may also be programmed to
scan the selected channel ev en if it is not on the fixed
scan list(s). Priority-one and priority-two scan chan­nels may also be programmed.

Scan rate will vary depending upon the number of

•

channels on the fixed scan list(s) and whether or not
the radio is programmed to scan for Channel Guard.

The OPTION button may be programmed to toggle

•

scan on and off
The radio will continue scanning if a new channel is

•

selected when scan is on.
Depending upon programming, pressing the PTT

•

button when the radio is scanning will cause it to
transmit on the currently selected channel
scanned channel (during scan hangtime).

When a call is received on one of the channels being

•

scanned, the radio will stop scanning, unmute on the
assigned channel, and the BSY/SCN indicator will
alternately flash green and green/red. lf enabled
through programming, the operator may respond

or on the

(transmit) to the scanned call before the scan hang­time (programmable) expires by pressing the PTT
button.

60

If priority scan channels are programmed, the radio

•

will periodically monitor these channels for activity. If
active, the radio will stay on the priority channel for
the duration of the call.

If a particular conventional system is programmed to

•

scan channels that are not selectable from the SYS­TEM/GROUP/CHANNEL knob, it will only be possi­ble to transmit on these scanned channels before the
scan hangtime expires. The radio must be pro­grammed to transmit on the scanned channel in­stead of on the selected channel.

If the radio is programmed to disab le scan operation

•

after transmitting, scan will turn off after transmitting.
In this case, scan can only be tur ned back on if the
OPTION button is programmed to toggle scan on
and off.

TYPE 99 DECODE (CONVENTIONAL ONLY)

If the Type 99 Decode Option has been pre-pro­grammed, individual selective calling is possible. The
radio can now decode individual, group or supergroup
paging calls. Two sets of Type 99 paging codes must be
pre-programmed into the radio . When the radio decodes
an appropriate T ype 99 code sequence, an alert tone and
visual indicator is provided to the user . The receiver then
operates as a noise squelched unit until Type 99 is reset.
Type 99 decode c ontinues to operate during this noise
squelched period. The appropriate Type 99 alert tone will
sound again if it detects a valid two-tone sequence.

61

Type 99 operation can be pre-programmed to be
enabled or disabled using the OPTION button or a se­lected keypad key . T ype 99 operation may be reset manu­ally or automatically ( pre-p rogrammed). Manual reset is
achieved by briefly pressing the CLEAR button. Automat­ic reset, if enabled, occurs after a 30 second interval
following the most recent decode of a Type 99 tone
sequence.

62

OPERATING RULES AND REGULATIONS

Two-way FM radio systems must be operated in
accordance with the rules and regulations of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC). As an operator of
two-way radio equipment, the user must be thoroughly
familiar with the rules that apply to the intended type of
radio operation. Following these rules will help eliminate
confusion, assure the most efficient use of existing radio
channels, and result in a smoothly functioning radio
network.

When using the radio, remember these rules:

1. It is a violation of FCC rules to interrupt any distress

or emergency message. In conventional mode, the

radio operates in much the same wa y as a telephone

"par ty line" ; therefore always lis ten to make sure the

line is clear -- that no one else is on the air -- before

sending any messages. If someone is sending an

emergency message -- such as reporting a fire or

asking for help in an accident -- KEEP OFF THE AIR!

2. Use of profane or obscene language is prohibited by

Federal Law.

3. It is against the law to send false call letters or a false

distress or emergency message.

4. The FCC requires that conversations be brief and

confined to business. To save time, use coded mes-

sages whenever possible.

63

5. Using the radio to send personal messages (except
in an emergency) is a violation of FCC rules. Only
those messages essential for the business operation
may be sent.

6. It is against the Federal law to repeat or otherwise
make known anything overheard on the radio. Con­versations between others sharing a communications
channel must be regarded as confidential.

7. The FCC also requires that the caller be identified at
cer tain specific times by means of call letters. Refer
to the rules that apply to the particular type of opera­tion for the proper procedure.

8. No changes or adjustment shall be made to the
equipment except by an authorized or certified elec­tronic technician.

OPERATING TIPS

The follo wing conditions tend to reduce the effective

range of two-way radios and should be avoided when­ever possible.

Operating the radio in low areas of terrain or while

•

under power lines or bridges.
Operating the radio inside of a vehicle or in a metal

•

or steel framed building unless using an outside
antenna.

Obstructions such as mountains or buildings be-

•

tween the sending and receiving parties.

64

In areas where transmission or reception is poor,
some improvements may be obtained by insuring that the
antenna is vertical. Moving a few y ards in another direc­tion or moving to a higher elevation may also improve
communication.

INTRINSICALLY SAFE USAGE

Selected portable radios with appropriate factory
installed options are certified as Intrinsically Safe by the
Factor y Mutual Resear ch Cor poration. Intrinsically Safe
approval includes Class l, II, Ill, Division 1 hazardous
locations in the presence of Groups C, D, E, F and G
atmospheres. Non-Incendive approval includes Class I,
Division 2 hazardous locations in the presence of Groups
A, B, C and D atmospheres.

Hazardous locations are defined in the National Elec­trical Code. Useful standards NFPA 437A and NFPA
437M for the classifications of hazardous areas can be
ordered from the National Fire Protection Association,
Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269.

65

BATTERY PACKS

Only batter y packs identified with a green latch shall
be used with a portable radio that is rated and labeled as
Factory Mutual Intrinsically Safe. Use of non-specified
battery packs voids F actory Mutual approv al. The follo w­ing battery pack options are approved f or use in intrinsi­cally safe radios.

PKPA5X Rechargeable Battery Pack,

Extra High Capacity (Tall Case)

PKPA5W Rechargeable Battery Pack,

High Capacity (Short Case)

66

ACCESSORIES

The following accessor ies are approved for use with
intrinsically safe radios. Use of accessories other than
those listed voids Factory Mutual approval.

PKAE3A Speaker/Microphone
PKAE1C Speaker/Microphone/Antenna
PKAC1J Earpiece Kit
PKHC1C Belt Clip
PANC1B Antenna, 136-160 MHz, Helical
PKNC1K Antenna, 806-870 MHz, Whip
PKNC1L Antenna, 378-440 MHz, Whip
PKNC1N Antenna, 440-512 MHz, Whip

67

GLOSSARY

agency- - an agency is composed of multiple fle ets. units

can be prog ramm ed to i nitia te agen cy ca ll s to
access mu ltiple flee ts. (Trunked Mod e O n ly) .

base/unit operation - a programmed option used in some fleets so

units can on ly hear and talk to a base dis patch
unit, not to ot he r m o bi l e s or portable radi os in
the grou p. In this mode of opera tion, whe n a
unit in a particular group is talking to the base
dispatch unit, all other mobile and portable
radios in that group will receive a "system
busy" aler t tone if they try to access the sys­tem. (Trunk ed Mod e O n ly).

control channel - a radio channel in a trunked system that is

used to digitally communicate with the radios
operating on the system when they are not
engaged in active voice commu ni c ati o ns.

conventional channel - a radio channel (transmit/receive) that is allo-

cated for conventio nal (n on-t run ked) use and
may be manually selected by the operator.

conventional mode - communicating on radio channels allocated f or

conventional use.

CCT- - Carrier ControlIed Timer - a programmable

timer that will disable a transmission if the timer
length is exceeded.

CG - Channel Guard - a method of controlling mute

with a tone or digital code.

dynamic regrouping - a featur e which al Iows the Sy stem Manag er to

dynamica lly program new groups into selec ted
radios. The System Manager develops the
regrouping plan and directs the site contr ol l er
to send each radio the regroup information.

68

fleet - a fleet of users consists of m ultiple g roups (sub

fleets ). R adios can be progra mmed to make
fleet calls to simultaneously access multiple
user groups. (Trunked Mode Only).

group or subfleet - a group of users share the same program

group identification number in their mobile and
portable radios. All units in the same group will
receive a dispatch call placed by any one unit
in the group. (Trunked Mode only).

group scan - programming that allows the radio to monitor

up to 64 separate groups simultaneously
(multi-group decode), permitting the user to
receive calls from these groups. when a radio
receives a call from one of these groups, it will
"lock-out", and not send or receive calls from
other grou ps for a p rogramme d period of 5, 10
or 15 secon ds , pe rmitting the user to r espo nd
to the group call. (The radio may also be
programmed for no lock-out period.) At the end
of the ’lock-out" period, the radio sounds two
shor t low-pi tched "bee ps" an d is ag ain re ady
to receive a call from any of the programmed
groups. (Trunked Mode Only).

hangtime - the time interval between when a call is initi-

ated and when it will be dropped (cancel) by
the system if not responded to by the called
party.

individual call - Every radio in th e sys tem is progr ammed with

a uniqu e indiv idual id entif ication code. A mo­bile or por table radio can be progra mmed to
call another unit by selecting the individual unit
based on I0 n um b er. (Trunked Mode Only).

priority group scan - if enab led by progr amming, priority group scan

allows the user to scan up to 64 separate
groups simultaneously, with one level of
priority. When the user is receiving a non-pri­ority group call and a call from the priority

69

group is detected by the radio, the unit will
automatically switch priority group call in proc­ess. The priority group call can be defined as
either a pr ed ete r mi ned gr ou p o r th e curr en tl y
selected group.

queueing - the process that occurs when all channels in

a tr un ked syst em ar e busy and c alls must b e
addressed on a priority basis.

site controller - the computer controlled radio equipment at the

repeater s ite that controls a trunking system.

system (area) - the terms ’system" and "area" are used inter-

changeably to refer to the par ticular group of
station repeaters currently providing service to
the radio.

system manager - a compu ter that pe rf orms the data b asing and

system monitoring for the site controller.

system scan - a programmed feature to scan (monitor activity

on) separate trunked systems and receive
calls on a n y of th es e sys tem s . (Trunked Mo de
Only).

talk-around mode - also referred to as "direct mode", talk-around

provides a direct unit-to-unit short range com­munications link. It is intended to maintain
communications outside of the main system
coverage area .

telephone
interconnect

- this feature allows the user to initiate or receive
telephone c alls thr ough the rad io if th e system
is con figured for this operation. (T runked Mode
Only).

trunked group - a radio co mmunicatio ns path shared b y two or

more users.

trunked operation - a set of radio frequency channels used by

70

multiple users. By using high speed digital data
the radi o go es to a n unuse d chan nel whe n a

call is initiated and will also only respond to
calls i n the same user group. I n this way con­versation pr ivacy bet ween user gr oups i s as­sured.

trunked radio syst em - a radio system in which a limited number of

radio channels is dynamically allocated to

groups of people for communication purposes.
trunked system - a set of one or more trunked groups.
wide area en code - a programmed option which ensures all sys-

tem scanning mobile and portable radios have

time to lock onto the call before the initiating

unit is allowed to talk.
working channel - a radio ch annel (tr ansmit/re ceiv e) that is a uto-

matically assigned by the site controller for

voice or d ata co mmu nic atio ns.

71

RADIO PROGRAMMING
RADIO TYPE: _____________________
FREQUENCY BAND: ____________________
OPERATOR’S NAME: ____________________
EMERGENCY GROUP: ____________________
EMERGENCY CHANNEL: ____________________
OPTION BUTTON: ____________________

72

KNOB

POSITION/

BANK

SYSTEM NAME TRK/

CONV

GROUP/CHANNEL

NAME

USE

73

WARRANTY

A. Ericsson Inc. (hereinafter "Seller") warrants to the original purchaser for use
(hereinafter "Buyer") that Equipment manufactured by Seller shall be free from defects in
mater ial , w orkm ans hip an d t itle, and shal l confor m to it s publ is hed s pec ific atio ns. With
respect to any Equipment not manufactured by Seller (except for integral parts of Seller’s
Equipment to which the warranties set forth above shall apply), Seller gives no warranty,
and only the warrant y , if an y , giv en by th e manuf acturer shall apply. Batteries are excluded
from this warranty but are warranted under a separate Nickel-Cadmium Battery Warranty.
B. Seller’ s obligations set f orth in Pa ragraph C below shall apply only to f ailures to meet
the above warranties (except as to title) occurring within the following periods of time from
date of sa le to t he Bu yer and are c ond itio ned o n Buyer ’s giv ing w ri tten noti ce to Sel ler
within thirty (30) days of such occurrence:

1. for fuses, incandescent lamps, vacuum tubes and non-rechargeable batteries,
operable on arrival only.

2. for parts and accessories (except as noted in B.1) sold by Seller’s Service Parts
Operation, ninety (90) days.

3. for all other Equipment of Seller’s manufacture, one (1) year.

C. If any Equipment fails to meet t he foregoing w arranties, Seller shall correct the f ailure
at its opt ion (i) by rep airing any def ective o r damaged part or p arts thereof, or (ii) by making
available at Seller’s factor y any necessary repaired or replacement parts. Any repaired
or repl acement pa rt furni shed hereunde r shall be war ranted for the remai nder of the
warranty period of the Equipment in which it is installed. Where such failure cannot be
corrected by Selle r’s reasona ble eff orts, the parties will negotiate an equitable ad justment
in price. Labor to perform warranty service will be provided at no change only for the
Equipment covered under Paragraph B.3, and only during the first three (3) months
followin g the date of sale to the Buyer . Thereafter , labor will be ch arged at prev ailing rates.
To be eligible for no-charge labor, service must be performed by an Authorized Ser vice
Center or other Servicer approved for these purposes either at its place of business during
nor mal business hours, for mobile or personal equipment, or at the Buyer’s location, for
fixed locati on equ ipmen t. Service on fixed lo cat ion eq uipme nt more than thirty (30) mile s
from the Service Center or other approved Servicer’s place of business will include a
charge for transportation. Equipment located off-shore is not eligible for no-charge labor.
D. Seller ’s obligation s under Paragraph C shall no t apply to any Equipment , or par t
thereof, which (i) has been modified or otherwise altered other than pursuant to Seller’s
written instructions or written approval or, (ii) is normally consumed in operation or, (iii)
has a normal life inherently shorter than the warranty periods specified in Paragraph B,
or (iv) is not properly stored, installed, used, maintained or repaired, or, (v) has been
subje cte d to any ot her k ind of mi su se or detr iment al expo sure, or has be en invol ved in
an accident.
E. The preceding paragraphs set forth the exclusive remedies for claims (except as to
title ) ba sed up on de fects in or n onc onfor mit y of th e Eq uipme nt, w het her the cl aim is i n
contract, warranty, tort (including negligence), strict liability or otherwise, and however
instituted. Upo n the expira tion of the warran ty period, all such liabilit y shall terminate. The
foregoin g warranties are e xclusive and in lie u of all other warr anties, whether ora l, written,
expressed, implied or statutory. NO IMPLIED OR STATUTORY WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITN ESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE SHALL APPLY. IN
NO EVENT SHALL THE SELLER BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUEN­TIAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES.

This warranty applies only within the Unite d State s.

1-800-528-7711 (Outside USA, 804-528-7711).

ECX-362S

74

NICKEL-CADMIUM B ATTER Y WARRANTY

A. Ericsson Inc. ( here ina ft er "S e ller ") wa rr a nt s to th e o rigin al p urc ha ser for use (here­inafter "Buyer") that nickel-cadmium batteries supplied by Seller shall be free from defects
in material an d workmanship , and shall con form to its pub lished specifica tions for a period
of twelve (12) months from the date of purchase.
B. F or purposes of this warranty, batteries shall be deemed defective if (1) the battery
capacity is less than 80% of rated capacity, or (2) the battery develops leakage.
C. If any battery fails to meet the foregoing warranty, Seller shall correct the failure by
issuing a replacement battery upon receipt of the defective battery at an Authorized
Service Center (A SC). T o ob tain the name and address of an ASC, ask yo ur salesperso n,
consult the Yellow Page s, or ca ll th e n u mb er prin te d a t t he bo tt om of this page.
D . Replacement batteries shall be warranted only for the remaining unexpired warranty
period of the original battery. This warranty becomes void if:

(1)The batt er y has bee n su bjec ted t o any kind of mi sus e, detr im enta l exposu re, or

has been involved in an accident.

(2)The battery is used in equipment or service other than the radio equipment for

which it is specified.
E. The preceding paragraphs set forth the exclusive remedies for claims (except as to
title) based upon defects in or non-conformity of any battery, whether the claim is in
contract, warranty, tort (including negligence), strict liability or otherwise, and however
instituted. Upo n the expira tion of the warran ty period, all such liabilit y shall terminate. The
foregoin g warranties are e xclusive and in lie u of all other warr anties, whether ora l, written,
expressed, implied or statutory. NO IMPLIED OR STATUTORY WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITN ESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE SHALL APPLY. IN
NO EVENT SHALL THE COMP ANY BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUEN­TIAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES.

This warranty applies only within the Unite d State s.

1-800-528-7711 (Outside USA, 804-528-7711).

ECX-841C

75

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

____________________________________________
Police

____________________________________________
State Police

____________________________________________
Fire

____________________________________________
Poison Control

____________________________________________
Ambulance

____________________________________________

Life Saving and
Rescue Squad
____________________________________________

Ericsson Inc.

Private Radio Systems
Mountai n V i ew Road
L ynchburg, V irginia 24502
1-800-52 8- 7 71 1 ( O ut s i d e US A , 80 4- 5 28 - 77 11) Print e d in U. S. A .