800 MHz Operator Training

1. 800 MHz Operator Training Michigan Public Safety Communications System Instructor W.Tim Franz Memphis Fire Department

2. Welcome to 800Mhz Training • Please sign in. • Write your name on the provided table card. • Yes, all the paperwork YOURS • You may want to take NOTES during the class • Especially regarding how you will use the radio(s) • QUESTIONS - if you have’em --- ask’em!!! • Do not leave class not knowing how to do something

3. Training Goals • Learn system JARGON • What did he say? • Acquire a basic understanding of how the 800 MHz system operates • Learn the special features of the mobile and portable radios • Perform each of the features • Enhance your use and confidence in the system

4. Still using 60’s Technology ?

5. Join Today's Digital Technology

6. Initial MPSCS System Design System has 97%MOBILECoverage Mobile Radio has the power to reach the nearest tower 35 Watt Mobile Radio 3 Watt Portable Radio The Portable Radio’s less powerful signal might not reach the tower

7. National Guard Local Police EMS Sheriff Public Works Fire Department FIA State Police Efficient use of Resources In Trunked Radio Communications, all the users’ frequencies are placed into a shared pool. As we need to speak, we draw a frequency from the pool. We use it for our transmission and then put it back into the pool for someone else to use.

8. Digital Communications • Your radio is a computer - DIGITAL communications • Computers talking to Computers • The voice you hear is a DIGITAL reproduction Encodedand Decodedby each radio • How you talk (Phonetics) is still important • Garbage in - Is still garbage out • DIGITAL signalscan NOW be monitored by scanners • Since November 2003 - the scanners work very well

9. Towers and Talkgroups Statewide • Local Talkgroup(s) • Agency Specific • Home Talkgroup • Countywide Talkgroup(s) • Seamless Interoperability on the county level • Statewide talkgroups • All Subscribers have access • Not all talkgroup(s) are valid on all towers Countywide Local

10. Show me how this works !! All in 1/2 Sec. Radio to (mobile or portable ) tower Microwaveto Zone Controller Tower to Microwave Zone Controller back toMicrowave Microwave back to affected Towers

11. I’m Radio 2101 Tower Affiliation • The radios automatically affiliate and deaffiliate with tower sites as units travel throughout state - Just like your Cell Phone I’m Site 2404 I’m Site 2802 I’m Site 1102

12. Portable and Mobile radios • PTT Time-out in 60 seconds • Warning tone at 55 seconds • Electronic Identification on all TX • Automatic Affiliation and Deaffiliation • Talkgroup has to be valid on the tower • Out-Of-Range warning • Encryption on all towers & channels

13. Your Radio Talks To You • Tones - • Talk permit - “DAH-DAH-DIT” • You can talk • Talk Prohibit - ”BONK” • You can’t talk • Out of Range - “BOOONK” about every 10 seconds • System Busy - “BONK-BONK-BONK” • Not heard very often, Report to MSP-NCC if so… • Special Messages - “BEEP-BEEP-BEEP” • Private Call, Pages, Emergencies

14. Portable Radio Care & Use • Turn off radio BEFORE removing battery • Recharge only when needed • Don’t store radio in charger rack • Charge at least an hour after green light • Green = trickle charge • Hold upright and vertical • 2-3 inches from mouth

15. Audio Quality • Mic position • 2-3 inches from mouth • Background noise • Garbage in - Garbage out • Can’t “click” mic • No Squelch • Looping feedback • Radios to close • Speech patterns • Error correction • Weak digital signal

16. More Radio Stuff • Radio Display Screens • ID number • Active Talkgroup • Selected Talkgroup • Special Messages • Private Call • Page • Emergency • Site Trunking • Out of Range • Error/Failure ##/## Zone is the first letter

17. Regional Dispatch Centers • East Lansing - Call sign “STATION 10” • Detroit - Call sign “STATION 20” • Bridgeport - Call Sign “STATION 30” • Paw Paw - Call sign “STATION 50” • Rockford - Call sign “STATION 60” • Gaylord - Call sign “STATION 70” • Negaunee - Call Sign “STATION 80” They monitor STATW#,MSP# and I-CALL

18. Dispatch Centers

19. Dispatch Center CapabilitiesAny Dispatch Center can - If designed • Emergency Alert monitoring • Limited Talkgroup access • Private Call • Paging • Telephone Interconnect • Limited ability to Patch Talkgroups • Use Plain Language when talking to Regional Dispatch Centers I.e. No use of 10 Codes

20. Network Control Center Services“The NCC” • Available 24-hours per day • Telephone (888) 554-4622 • FAX (517) 333-5015 • Email - MSP-NCC.Michigan.gov • Services • Radio Inhibit/Xinhibit – Lost radios • Activation of Special Event Talkgroup(s) • Schedule a Special Event Talkgroup if you can • In an Emergency they can be turned on in less than 2 minutes • Dynamic Regrouping • Ability to place your radio into a Talkgroup you don’t have from Lansing • Radio check(s) • Is it on, What tower is radio affiliated with, What Talkgroup • NOT A DISPATCH CENTER

21. NPSPAC Mutual Aid“National Public Safety Policy Advisory Committee” • National Mutual aid channels • “Zone F” for all Subscribing Radios • Not exclusive to MPSCS - Anybody can have • Repeaters available on I-CALL and some TAC talkgroup(s) • You can contact Regional Dispatch Center using Mutual Aid - I-CALL • Radio cannot be in Direct Mode

22. NPSPAC Mutual Aid“National Public Safety Policy Advisory Committee” • Mobile and Portable radio TAC channels are used in “DIRECT MODE” for radio-to-radio communication • You can use these talkgroups anytime • Conventional analog signals - can be scanned • Squelch levels manually set on mobile radio only

23. Call Alert - Page • Some Dispatches and some Mobile and Portable radios can send a CALL ALERT (Page) • To any MPSCS radio • You must know the radio ID number to use Call Alert/Page • Radio will • Beep 4 hi-pitched tones every few seconds • Display will read “PAGE RECEIVED” • Continues until the radio PTT is pushed • Check your CALL LIST list to see who PAGED

24. Private Call • Some Dispatches and some Mobile and Portable radios can Private Call • To any MPSCS radio • You must know the radio ID number to use PRIVATE CALL • Radio will • Beep twice • The display will say “Call Received” • If radio is answered correctly - No one else can hear conversation • You are tying up a control channel • Use when secure communication is needed

25. Telephone Interconnect • Currently MSP Regional Dispatches can Telephone Interconnect Mobile & Portable radios to telephone • There are phone lines in the console • Dispatchers can make calls from the console • Dispatcher is always part of the conversation • Officer must release PTT switch to hear other person talk • Usually handled as a “Private Call” • That way it doesn’t tie up a talkgroup • But can be Patched to a talkgroup(s)

26. Scanning “The Facts” • You must program the radio Scan List before you can use the Scan feature • The List capacity varies with radio model • Portable = 16 Mobile = 10 • You cannot delete your Home Talkgroup • In order to scan another talkgroup there must be a radio tuned to that talkgroup affiliated with the same tower you are • It turns on that talkgroups transmitter • If no radio is affiliated with your tower • YOU WILL NOT SCAN THAT TALKGROUP • Reason - System Efficiency

27. The Computer sends a talkgroup call to only those towers where a talkgroup member is affiliated. Zone Controller “Smart Zone” Loop

28. Emergency Alert / Call • Often Misunderstood • Both mobile and portable radios can be programmed with this feature • Agency must have a dispatch center capable of monitoring a Radio Dispatch Management Terminal (RDM) • NCC is a back-up for monitoring alerts for system users • NCC workers are busy - this is not their primary job

29. Emergency When Seconds Count…

30. Emergency When Seconds Count…

31. Two Types of Emergency • Emergency Alert • Just sends signal on control channel • Emergency Call • Elevates signal to voice channel

32. “Emergency Alert” - How it Works • Must be on the Home talkgroup to work effectively • Talkgroup(s) not on dispatch console cannot be monitored effectively • Press “Emergency button” • Four tones will sound • “EMERGENCY” will flash on and off • Just you and the dispatch console • Your talkgroup placed on priority status • Others in your talkgroup don’t know • Talkgroup members can block you by keying their mic first

33. Emergency Call • After you press the Emergency button • Press the “push to talk” • Elevates it to voice channel • All talkgroup members see “Emergency” • If their radio is not on scan • Emergency and radio ID number of calling unit flash along with warning tones • If their radio in scan • Emergency and talkgroup alias flash along with warning tones - some models may briefly show radio ID

34. Canceling an Emergency • Who can cancel? • Initiating radio • NCC • Accidental Activation • How do officers cancel? • Press the Emergency button • Hold in until steady tone • Accidental Activation • Notify Dispatch & NCC

35. Emergency Set-Up • Dispatchers can initiate an Emergency Alert from the console • Dispatcher decides when to use • Used to assure an officer top priority in the radio system

36. Telecommunication Malfunctions Site Trunking • A single tower or a group of towers lose connection to the Zone Controller • How… • Break in microwave system • Central computer goes off line • What happens… • Radios lose “wide area” communications • Radios will flash “Site Trunking”and tone until resolved

37. Site Trunking Example State of Michigan Phase 1 "Rebuild" Example:Towers “SITE TRUNKING” because of a problem with the Jackson / Stockbridge Tower 3902 3402 Caro Sandusky 3702 345' SS, B TUSCOLA 485' SS, B Bridgeport 3 RF MONTCALM 365' SS, B 3106 32 Port DACS 1402 P26 P23 Richland Ithaca SAGINAW 385' G, A DDC-3 5 RF 6702 P24 SANILAC P31 Stanton 2402 LAPEER Lakeport GRATIOT 395' SS, B GENESEE 9 RF 3802 LaPeer IONIA 1502 485' SS, A ST. CLAIR 8 RF Owosso 485' G, B 6802 CLINTON 6804 5 RF Portland 2102 240' SS, A Potter's Corner 3 RF Lakeville P4 1104 (2) 485' SS, B P20 MACOMB 12 RF Mason Bldg. OAKLAND SHIAWASSEE 60' SS 2404 P16 10 RF Richmond P3 385' G, B 1202 1106 9 RF P19 Holly MSP HQ/DDC-1 BARRY P18 485' SS, A 230' SS, B 8 RF 1102 LIVINGSTON 1108 Secondary 5802 Complex NCC Nashville 295' SS 445' G, A 16x30, 14x24 2902 3 RF EATON INGHAM 10 RF Plaza Bldg. 64 port DACS 60' SS 5 RF P5 WASHTENAW 2504 P10 Northville WAYNE 1702 P11 420' SS, B P32 Stockbridge 8 RF 5704 2602 485' G, B 32 Port DACS 2904 10 RF 5702 Battle Creek Ann Arbor Greyhound 2502 JACKSON 485' SS, B CALHOUN Albion DDC-2 485' SS, B 6 RF Flat Rock 285'SS, A 4 RF 7 RF P6 P13 MONROE P28 LENAWEE HILLSDALE P8 BRANCH P9 2802 Dundee 1902 1804 1802 235' SS, B Hillsdale Rollin 4 RF Adrian 485' SS, A 400' G, A 215' SS, A 5 RF 4 RF 5 RF 41112410.DOC

38. Site Trunking Example Example:Towers “SITE TRUNKING” because of a problem with the Ann Arbor / Washtenaw Tower

39. Site Trunking Example Example:Towers “SITE TRUNKING” because of a problem with the Ann Arbor / Washtenaw Tower

40. What do I do? • Don’t Panic • It’s not your fault • Go to Zone G Event01 • Try the Mutual Aid channel - I CALL • If all else fails, stop and use a phone to call dispatch • Every agency should develop a protocol

41. Telecommunication MalfunctionsZONE TRUNKING • Zone Trunking - a Zone Controller looses communication with other Zone Controllers • Each Zone Controller can operate independently of other Zone Controllers • Communication problems will be very evident along the borders of other Zone Controllers • What happens when Zone Trunking occurs • Local communications MAY proceed normally • Wide Area Communications will be degraded • Statewide communications will be lost • Radio users must be notified of a Zone Trunking event

42. Telecommunication Backbone Malfunctions • Failsoft - for some reason only one (1) IntelliRepeater (transmitter) is operational on a tower • It takes at least two IntelliRepeaters (transmitters) to handle Trunked communications - (control channel and voice channel) • Tower site will operate as if it were a conventional radio • ALL TRUNKED FEATURES ARE LOST AT THAT SITE • All radio users will hear each other regardless of Talkgroup • Radios will display a Failsoft warning • Radio’s are programmed to seek a tower offering the highest possible grade of service

43. System or radio failures • ER ##/## • Error message, radio needs service • FL ##/## • Fail message, radio needs immediate service • What to do • Turn off radio and turn it back on • If ER/FL ##/## reappears take radio out of service for repair • Write down error or fail numbers

44. Last, but not least..... • Don’t get angry • Trunked radio is different • Review your training materials • Ask your training officer • Contact MSP Communications for further information (517) 336-6674 • **Thanks for Your Support**

45. Radio Identification & Controls

46. Radio Identification & Controls • Base / Mobile • Astro W3, W4, W5, & W7 • Portable • XTS 1500, 2500, 3000, 5000, Saber

47. W-3 Mobile Radio

48. Display Motorola W-4 Radio Select Zone Down Zone Up Emergency Call Scan Monitor Direct Home Dim Mode On/Off Volume

49. Motorola W-5 Radio Power Mode Volume Emergency Zone Down Zone Up Scan Select Dim Home Display Call Monitor Direct

50. Page Motorola W-7 Radio Call Direct Monitor