OpenSky Digital Radio Portable Radio Model P800 Users Manual
CHAPTER 1 Welcome to the OpenSky Network Chapter 1 Safety Notices 3 Notices to the User and Safety Training Information 3 Occupational Safety Guidelines and Safety Training Information 5 OpenSky Overview 7 Internet Protocol (IP) Network 7 Integrated Voice and Data 8 Digitized Voice, Text and Graphics 8 Multi-Agency Coverage 10 Promotes Interagency Cooperation 10 Connectivity with Legacy Equipment 11 Improved Coverage and Signal Strength 11 Better Peak-Time Performance 12 Software-C
Welcome to the OpenSky Network—CHAPTER 1 Safety Notices IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON SAFE AND OPTIMAL OPERATION. READ THIS BEFORE USING YOUR P800 PORTABLE RADIO. Notices to the User and Safety Training Information WARNING Your P800 radio generates RF electromagnetic energy during transmit mode. This radio is designed for and classified as “Occupational Use Only” meaning it must be used only during the course of employment by individuals aware of the hazards and the ways to minimize such hazards.
CHAPTER 1—Advanced Radio Operations This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. Government law prohibits the operation of unlicensed transmitters within the territories under government control. Illegal operation is punishable by fine or imprisonment or both.
Welcome to the OpenSky Network—CHAPTER 1 Occupational Safety Guidelines and Safety Training Information CAUTION. To ensure that your exposure to RF electromagnetic energy is within the FCC allowable limits for occupational use, always adhere to the guidelines below. Your P800 portable radio may transmits using the integral antenna. When the radio is ON, it receives and also sends out radio frequency (RF) signals.
CHAPTER 1—Advanced Radio Operations 7. Do not attempt any unauthorized modification to the radio. Changes or modifications to the radio may cause harmful interference. Service of the radio should only be performed by qualified personnel. 8. Always use M/A-COM authorized accessories (antennas, batteries, belt clips, speakers/mic, etc.). Use of unauthorized accessories can cause the FCC RF exposure compliance requirements to be exceeded.
Welcome to the OpenSky Network—CHAPTER 1 OpenSky Overview M/A-COM’s OpenSky is a suite of products implementing an integrated digital voice and data system based on the Internet Protocol. The OpenSky network is digital, but provides interoperability with analog radios, making it possible to integrate existing (legacy) equipment alongside the most sophisticated digital equipment available today.
CHAPTER 1—Advanced Radio Operations • Unlike your conventional FM radio, your P800 is a node on an Internet-Protocol (IP) network with its own unique IP address. Addressable Headers Messages intended for you (whether voice or data) are broken into packets with identifying headers, just like World Wide Web internet communications, and targeted to your specific IP address.
Welcome to the OpenSky Network—CHAPTER 1 For complex graphics, interface a PC through your radio’s RS-232 serial port. With a P800 in your vehicle, or by your side, you’ll be able to scroll through complex instructions and driving directions displayed on an external terminal device, or view on-screen emergency warnings while at the same time carrying on conversations with dispatchers or other mobile operators in your coverage area.
CHAPTER 1—Advanced Radio Operations Multi-Agency Coverage OpenSky is scalable, and designed to accommodate a virtually unlimited number of portable devices from a single fleet, or even a complex network made up of several cooperating agencies. Examples of how OpenSky improves cooperation: • Every truck in a Carrier Company’s fleet can share one large national network. • Every cruiser in a state-wide police agency can communicate with any other cruiser, from one end of the state to the other.
Welcome to the OpenSky Network—CHAPTER 1 • There’s no need to monitor multiple frequencies on several pieces of equipment to maintain contact. • User talk groups connect you at all times with precisely the users you need to reach, no matter who they work for, or where they’re located within the network. Connectivity with Legacy Equipment The all-digital, end-to-end IP OpenSky Intranet even provides support for legacy equipment and protocols both digital and analog.
CHAPTER 1—Advanced Radio Operations Instead of depending on choices from a central switching station, your radio itself constantly monitors signal strength and makes its own decision to roam to another base site for a more robust connection. Better Peak-Time Performance OpenSky’s digital trunking architecture provides enormous advantages over conventional FM operation.
Welcome to the OpenSky Network—CHAPTER 1 Software Upgradeable As with computer hardware, your portable radio equipment is upgradeable each time the OpenSky software enables a new feature or operational enhancement. Communications protocols, radio features, and user profiles can be changed easily and transparently to the user, during a shift or during “sign-on” at the beginning of a new shift.
CHAPTER 1—Advanced Radio Operations Enhanced Digital Features The all-digital network and OpenSky’s digital trunking features also enable a rich array of network enhancements unthinkable over historical FM broadcast systems. Voice grouping (into talk groups, user groups, and profiles) is probably the most obvious advantage to individual users.
CHAPTER 2 Network Organization Chapter 2 Network Organization 15 Your Voice Feature Personality 17 User Groups 18 Profiles 19 Radio Personality 21 Terminology 23 P800 User’s Manual 15
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Network Organization — CHAPTER 2 Your Voice Feature Personality When you activate your radio at the beginning of a shift your unique identity code is used to sign on, your radio is assigned its IP address and “provisioned” with a radio personality that identifies other users on the network with whom you are most likely to need to communicate by voice. If you need to modify your identity code bring your P800 to your network administrator.
Network Organization — CHAPTER 2 User Groups A user group is a set of users who regularly need to communicate (all the officers in a state police barracks, for instance, or all the drivers who work a particular shift). • In conventional FM radio broadcast systems, these users work together by tuning to the same channel.
Network Organization — CHAPTER 2 Profiles A profile is a set of up to 16 user groups. All sorts of configurations are possible within this simple architecture. Police officers on the same shift might make up a profile, for instance. Within this profile, each police station within the network might be assigned a user group. So the profile would connect all the cruisers from 16 stations for an entire shift.
Network Organization — CHAPTER 2 Figure 2 ___________________________________________ User Profile User Group 1 User Group 2 User Group 3 User Group 16 ... Talk Group Up to 15 Listen Groups Talk Groups While your active profile can contain up to 16 user groups, only the primary group in any profile is your talk group. All the other user groups in your profile are listen-only groups.
Network Organization — CHAPTER 2 Scan Modes There are three scanning options that include: Scan none: Scanning is disabled. Scan normal: Scan all listen groups in your profile. PTT results in a response in your default talk group. Scan talk back: Scan all listen groups in your profile within a time out period. PTT results in a response in the active listen group. Radio Personality Your radio personality is a collection of up to 16 profiles.
Network Organization — CHAPTER 2 Figure 3 ____________________________________ ___ Radio Personality Profile 1 (1 Talk Group and up to 15 Listen Groups) ... Profile 2 (1 Talk Group and up to 15 Listen Groups) ... ...Profile 16 (1 Talk Group and up to 15 Listen Groups) ... Radio personality architecture gives you tremendous flexibility to organize your communications needs, even as conditions change. With 16 profiles you can participate in as many as 16 talk groups.
Network Organization — CHAPTER 2 Terminology Most of the terms and concepts you’ll need to communicate with your dispatcher, network administrator and other users have parallels in legacy analog networks. Digital Compare to Analog User Group ........ FM radio channel Profile ................. Bank of FM radio channels Talk Group ........ “Push-to-talk” connection with users tuned to the same channel Listen Group...... “Listen-only” connection to a bank of radio channels Profile .................
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CHAPTER 3 Getting Started Chapter 3 Before Your First Shift 27 Radio Controls 27 Front Panel Components 28 Left Panel Components 28 Top Panel Components 29 Right Panel Components 32 Menu and Status Choices 35 Primary Display 36 P800 User’s Manual 25
Getting Started — CHAPTER 3 P800 User’s Manual 26
Getting Started — CHAPTER 3 Before Your First Shift If you’re already familiar with portable radio functions and the “profile and personality” architecture of an alldigital network, you’ll find the features and controls of your new P800 to be logically arranged and easy to understand.
Getting Started — CHAPTER 3 Front Panel Components The front panel of your P-801T includes the Speaker element and the Microphone. The microphone is a tiny rectangle in the upper left-hand corner of the speaker element. Be careful not to obstruct the microphone while talking. Figure 1 Front Panel Components Component Function Microphone.............. Picks up your voice for dispatcher and other users on the network to hear Speaker Element......
Getting Started — CHAPTER 3 Figure 2 Left Panel Components Component Function Emergency Button..... Sends an emergency alert over the network and initiates an emergency call. Also used to cancel an emergency alert. Push-to-Talk .............. Turns the radio microphone on to transmit a voice call. Button Select Buttons ............ Used with the Menu buttons on the radio’s top panel.
Getting Started — CHAPTER 3 Figure 3 Top Panel Components Power/Volume Indicator Light Display Antenna Connector Profile Selector Menu Buttons Toggle Component Function Power/Volume ......... Switch Turns the radio on and off. Controls the volume of calls coming into the speaker. Antenna .................... Connector Mounting location for your removable antenna Indicator Light ........ Turns red and blinks when you are in transmit mode. Turns green and blinks when you receive a call.
Getting Started — CHAPTER 3 Display Panel ........... Provides profile and user group information. When the menu or select buttons are pressed, the menu display temporarily changes to show the selected menu screen. If no buttons are pressed, the display returns to the primary menu. Menu Buttons .......... These allow the user to cycle “left and right” through the menu of radio functions. Responding to the buttons, menu headings will appear in the display panel.
Getting Started — CHAPTER 3 Right Panel Components The right-side panel of your P-801T houses the Universal connector you’ll use to attach an external microphone or speaker. Use this to connect to an external data terminal using an RS-232 adapter cable.
Getting Started — CHAPTER 3 The Display Panel Overview The radio display shows your active user group and profile, menu selections and status information. The display is divided into two major elements: • Menu Display and Control Area (the top 2/3 of the panel) and, • Status Area (the bottom 1/3 of the panel) The figure below reflects a composite condition you’ll never see on your display panel.
Getting Started — CHAPTER 3 Component Function Menu Display........... Default Condition Provides profile and user group information under ordinary operating conditions Menu Display........... Menu Selection When Menu or Select buttons are pressed, this area changes to show selections from the menus. These displays, and any related Status Area indicators, stay onscreen for 10 seconds before the entire display reverts to the default condition. Status Area...............
Getting Started — CHAPTER 3 Component Function Status Area............... Scanning Mode When you activate the Scanning Mode menu, SCN will appear in the Status Area. In this condition, you can scroll through your scanning mode choices in the display area above. Status Area............... Channel Change When you activate the Active Radio Channel menu, MON will appear in the status area. In this condition, pressing the Select buttons will display available channels in the display area above.
Getting Started — CHAPTER 3 Figure 6 Primary/Secondary Menu Loop Priority Scan Scan Mode Channel Side Tone Bright -ness Mode Display Change Mode POLICE 1 SC NORM POLICE 2 SC NONE OT 460 SIDE ON BRGHT 1 OTP 418 SEL2CNG OT 470 SIDEOFF BRGHT 2 OTP 313 FIRE 1 TLKBK OT 480 ... ... EMS 5 OT 990 Lock Out POLICE 1 POLICE 2 FIRE 1 BRGHT 3 ... ... EMS 5 When you’ve navigated to the secondary menu item you want to activate, do nothing.
Getting Started — CHAPTER 3 Figure 7 Primary Display (Default Screen) Talk Group Profile Number Component Explanation Talk Group............... Your profile (identified above as 01) may contain as many as 16 user groups. For each profile, only one user group is configured as your talk group. The default screen shows the active talk group in the menu display and control area. Profile Number ........ Your network administrator can configure your radio personality with up to 16 distinct profiles.
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CHAPTER 4 Display Panel Functions Chapter 4 Menu and Selector Buttons 41 Priority Scan 42 Scan Mode 43 Channel Change 44 Side Tone 45 Brightness Control 46 Mode Display 47 Change Mode 48 Lock Out 49 P800 User’s Manual 39
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Display Panel Functions – Chapter 4 Menu and Selector Buttons Most Display Panel functions are launched from the Menu and Selector buttons. You’ll use your top panel Menu Buttons to scroll through the menu choices for changing your radio’s status, then fine-tune your selections by using the left panel Selector Buttons to choose from the available options within each menu. See the Figure: Primary/Secondary Menu Loop for a map of the menu choices. Selecting a new menu setting is a 3-step process: 1.
Display Panel Functions – Chapter 4 Priority Scan When you use the menu buttons to choose Priority Scan, the P800 scrolls through the available user groups in your currently selected profile and allows user selection of the appropriate group as your priority scan user group. NOTE: Use of Talk-Back Scan will allow the radio to return a call on the same talk-group as an in-bound call was just received on. See SCAN MODE overleaf.
Display Panel Functions – Chapter 4 Scan Mode When you use the menu buttons to choose Scan Mode, the display area adjusts to show you the first of three available scan modes: None, Normal, or Talkback. Use the left-panel Selector buttons to scroll through the choices, then wait for the radio to accept your choice. When the default screen appears in your display, your choice has been activated. Figure 2 Scan Mode Menu Chosen Scan Mode Scan Menu Component Explanation Chosen ......................
Display Panel Functions – Chapter 4 Channel Change When you use the menu buttons to choose Channel, the P800 adjusts to show you the first of the available channels from which you may choose. Use the left-panel Selector buttons to scroll through the choices, then wait for the radio to accept your choice. When the default screen appears in your display, your choice has been activated.
Display Panel Functions – Chapter 4 Side Tone There are only two choices in the Side Tone Menu (Side Tone ON, Side Tone OFF). Use this function to activate or de-activate the audible beeps that occur when you press a Menu or Selector button. First use the top panel menu buttons to scroll to the Side Tone menu, then press either left-panel selector button to toggle between SIDE ON and SIDEOFF, then wait for the radio to accept your choice.
Display Panel Functions – Chapter 4 Brightness Control There are only three choices in the Brightness Menu. You’ll use the menu in high- or low-light situations to change the brightness of back-lighting for your display panel and key-pad. First use the top panel menu buttons to scroll to the Brightness menu, then press either left-panel selector button to scroll through the choices BRGHT 1, BRGHT 2 and BRGHT 3, then wait for the radio to accept your choice.
Display Panel Functions – Chapter 4 Mode Display The Mode Menu is a “view-only” menu with only one active entry at a time. Its function is to display the name and revision number of the software your radio is running. As a safeguard against accidentally choosing the wrong software, you’ll need to deliberately choose the Change Mode menu and scroll through the options available in that menu to make a software change. You’ll need only the top-panel Menu buttons to display your active software.
Display Panel Functions – Chapter 4 Change Mode You’ll use this mode to change the type or revision number of the software it runs. The most appropriate software for your use is automatically loaded with your other configuration specs whenever you turn on your radio. To see what software you’re running currently, use the Menu buttons to scroll to the “view-only” Mode menu display.
Display Panel Functions – Chapter 4 Lock Out You’ll use the Lock Out menu to prevent you from hearing non-emergency voice calls from user groups you select. Supervisory and emergency calls will cut through your lock-out command, but you won’t be distracted by the other voice call activity from user groups you’ve locked out, until you elect to run the menu again and remove the lock.
Display Panel Functions – Chapter 4 Figure 8 Lock Out Menu Locked Out User Group Lock Out Component Explanation Locked Out .............. User Group As you scroll through the user groups in your active profile, locked out groups are marked by the indicator LO. Lock Out ..................
CHAPTER 5 Basic Radio Operation Chapter 5 Power Switch and Volume 53 Disabling Lights and Side Tones 54 Voice Calls 56 Enable and Disable Side Tones 60 Adjusting Display Brightness 62 Changing Your Active Profile 63 Emergency Communications 65 P800 User’s Manual 51
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 P800 User’s Manual 52
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 Power Switch and Volume Power ON, Power OFF, and VOLUME functions are all handled from the Power/Volume Switch, a top panel component. How to Turn Your Radio On Power/Volume 1.) Rotate the Power/Volume switch clockwise until it clicks. 2.) Wait through the Startup Sequence, which lasts approximately 5 seconds. During this time your radio is provisioned with your radio personality and current user specifications. 3.
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 Disabling Lights and Side Tones For covert operations, it is important to be able to turn off the radio’s display lights and side tones. For safety’s sake, though, you probably won’t want to shut your radio down for the time you’re planning to go covert. Turning off your radio does not affect your Toggle Switch setting, which will be saved for your next use.
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 If you’ve been conducting covert operations and are ready to re-enable your radio’s lights, display screen and side tones for ordinary use, a simple flip of the Toggle Switch will return the P800 to full function. A “covert” radio looks like a “powered-off” radio. But re-enabling your functions has immediate results. You won’t have to wait through the startup sequence and your radio will not be re-provisioned when you flip the toggle to re-enable your lights and tones.
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 Voice Calls As soon as your radio completes the startup sequence and is live on the OpenSky network, you’ll begin to hear voice calls from the talk and listen groups in your active profile. No action is required on your part, but the following list details how your radio responds to incoming voice messages. Initial Network Registration 1.) If the radio has never been registered on your network, it will attempt to use a default User ID, if one is available. 2.
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 4.) If registration fails, does not have a default, a previously used ID, or if you want to enter a new user ID bring your P800 to your network administrator to be updated.
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 How to Take a Voice Call 1.) First, if you haven’t already, power up your radio by rotating the Power/Volume switch clockwise until it clicks. (See How to Turn Your Radio On.) 2.) Your radio Display Panel flashes a user group to identify the incoming caller. 3.) The Indicator Light turns green and blinks throughout the call. 4.) At the end of the call, you will hear a single End of Message tone.
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 3.) Wait for clearance if necessary. A single End of Message tone will indicate the end of your incoming call. 4.) Depress and hold the Push-to-Talk button and speak normally. For maximum clarity, hold the transceiver such that the microphone is approximately 1½ inches from your mouth. 5.) Release the Push-to-Talk button to terminate your outgoing voice call. What the Beeping Means 1.
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 Enable and Disable Side Tones Your radio sounds confirming tones when you press the Menu or Selector buttons. Most users find this audible confirmation helpful in navigating the menus in the Display Panel. Turning off your radio does not affect your Side Tone setting, which will be saved for your next use. You can disable the side tones, if you wish, by navigating to the Side Tone menu, and selecting SIDEOFF.
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 How to Enable Side Tones 1.) Press either Menu button and continue to press until the Side Tone menu appears. Shows current status of Side Tones 2.) The Current Condition will appear in the Display Panel. The figure above indicates that your side tones are ON. 3.) Press either Select button until the Display Panel shows SIDE OFF. 4.) No further action is required. Your radio accepts your choice and, after a short delay, reverts to the default screen.
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 Adjusting Display Brightness The brightness of your backlighting for the LCD panel and keypad can be adjusted to any of three levels as the ambient brightness of your environment changes. Brightness is a menu item, accessible from the Menu buttons. How To Adjust Brightness 1.) Press a Menu button until the brightness menu shows in the Display panel.
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 selection process to clear the radio, then scroll through the menu until the Brightness menu appears. Changing Your Active Profile During the Startup sequence, your radio is configured with an entire radio personality, including as many as 16 Profiles, one of which your network administrator has designated as your Active Profile by default. Your default profile will contain your most common talk group and as many as 16 other user groups the radio treats as “listen groups.
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 16-Position Profile Selector Active Profile Default Talk Group 2.) Your new Active Profile appears in the Status area of the Display panel. The number following the : symbol identifies the profile you’ve selected. 3.) The default Talk group for the active profile is indicated in the Menu display and control area. 4.) Once you’ve dialed a profile, it remains your active profile selection until you dial another, even if you turn off your radio.
Basic Radio Operation – Chapter 5 Emergency Communications Your radio can send out an Alert or place Voice Calls over the entire network in an emergency. OpenSky handles Emergency Calls and Alerts with the very highest priority, giving you and the people you serve access to the help you need no matter how much traffic the network is handling. How to Place an Emergency Call 1.) Press the orange Emergency Button on your radio to send an emergency alert.
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CHAPTER 6 Advanced Radio Operations Chapter 6 Advanced Radio Operations 67 Fine-Tuning Your Personality 69 Prioritizing a User Group 69 Changing the Scanning Mode 71 Changing the Active Channel 74 Network Operating Mode 75 Locking Out User Groups 75 Troubleshooting 78 P800 User’s Manual 67
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Advanced Radio Operations – Chapter 6 Fine-Tuning Your Personality Access to as many as 16 profiles within your predetermined radio personality gives you tremendous responsiveness to the changing needs of your workday.
Advanced Radio Operations – Chapter 6 How to Assign Scan Priority to a Group 1.) Turn the Profile selector dial to the profile containing the user group you wish to prioritize. When it comes to the screen, each profile is identified by its profile number and talk group, which is also the default priority scan group. Talk Group Profile 2.) Press the right Menu button one time to access the Priority Scan menu. When you arrive, you’ll see the Priority indicator P in the Status area.
Advanced Radio Operations – Chapter 6 If pressing the Menu button does not launch you back into the Priority Scan menu, you haven’t acted quickly enough to Undo your choice. Wait approximately 10 seconds for the selection process to clear the radio, then press the right Menu button to re-enter the Priority Scan menu. Duration of Priority Assignments If you make no priority assignments during your shift, each profile selects the talk group as the priority scan group.
Advanced Radio Operations – Chapter 6 Scan Mode Explanation Normal .............. Full communications (listen and talk) with your talk group. Scanning Receive calls from the listen groups. This is the default setting. Network administrator has established this as the most effective configuration for everyday use. Talkback............ Full communications (listen and talk) with your talk group. Scanning Receive calls from the listen groups.
Advanced Radio Operations – Chapter 6 How to Change your Scanning Mode 1.) Press either Menu button until the Scan Menu appears. The Scan Menu indicator SCN lets you know you’re in the menu. The Display panel shows the currently selected Scan mode. Current Scan Mode Status Scan Menu Indicator 2.) To narrow your scanning list to just the talk group in your active profile, press either Select button until SC NONE is displayed. 3.
Advanced Radio Operations – Chapter 6 If the Menu button does not launch you back into the Scanning Mode menu, you’ve missed the Undo deadline. Wait approximately 10 seconds for the selection process to clear the radio, then use the Menu buttons to re-enter the Priority Scan menu. Duration of Scanning Mode Selections Scanning Mode selections survive Power Off. At startup, your radio will default to the scanning mode of your last use.
Advanced Radio Operations – Chapter 6 Network Operating Mode Your P800 operates with the OpenSky Trunked Protocol (OTP) to provide the full range of features available on your digital voice and data network. At the same time, if your agency cooperates with several others in a multi-agency network supported by OpenSky’s IP backbone, all agencies benefit from the advantages of the network architecture whether or not they’ve migrated from older analog equipment to digital OpenSky radios.
Advanced Radio Operations – Chapter 6 radio session. Until you do take a call from that group, you can’t lock them out. How to Lock Out a Listen Group 1.) Press either Menu button until the Lockout Menu appears. The indicator LO lets you know you’re in the menu. The Display panel shows one of the user groups from which you’ve received voice calls. User Group from Active Profile Lockout Menu Indicator 2.
Advanced Radio Operations – Chapter 6 3.) If the name of a User Group appears in the panel, use the Upper Select Button to scroll through the menu of user groups you can lockout. (The lower Select button is reserved for another use in this procedure). 4.) Press the Lower Select Button to Lockout calls from a user group displayed in the panel. 5.) To return to the Menu for more Lockouts, press either Menu button immediately, then repeat Steps 3 and 4. 6.
Advanced Radio Operations – Chapter 6 Troubleshooting If your radio does not operate properly, check the chart below for likely causes. For additional assistance, contact a qualified service technician. Symptom Cause Solution Radio will not turn on Low battery. Install a fully charged battery pack. No audio Speaker volume is muted. Increase the volume level. Poor audio You are in a poor coverage area or not on the network Move to a better coverage area. Poor audio Antenna connection is loose.
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