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Montgomery County
Fire and Rescue Service
Mobile Radio Training Program
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Copyrights/Disclaimer
Computer Software Copyrights
Documentation Copyrights
The Motorola products described in this manual may
No duplication or distribution of this document or any portion
include copyrighted Motorola computer programs stored
thereof shall take place without the express written permission
in semiconductor memories or other media. Laws in the
of Motorola. No part of this manual may be reproduced,
United States and other countries preserve for Motorola
distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
certain exclusive rights for copyrighted computer
electronic or mechanical, for any purpose without the express
programs, including, but not limited to, the exclusive right
written permission of Motorola.
to copy or reproduce in any form the copyrighted
computer program. Accordingly, any copyrighted
Motorola computer programs contained in the Motorola
products described in this manual may not be copied,
reproduced, modified, reverse-engineered, or distributed
in any manner without the express written permission of
Motorola. Furthermore, the purchase of Motorola
products shall not be deemed to grant either directly or by
implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any license under the
copyrights, patents or patent applications of Motorola,
Disclaimer
The information in this document is carefully examined, and is
believed to be entirely reliable. However no responsibility is
assumed for inaccuracies. Furthermore, Motorola reserves the
right to make changes to any products herein to improve
readability, function, or design. Motorola does not assume any
liability arising out of the applications or use of any product or
circuit described herein; nor does it cover any license under its
patent rights nor the rights of others.
except for the normal non-exclusive license to use that
arises by operation of law in the sale of a product.
MOTOROLA, the Stylized M Logo, ASTRO, SmartZone, and Spectra are registered
in the US Patent & Trademark Office. Call Alert, intelligence everywhere, Private Call,
Private Conversation, TalkAround, and XTS are trademarks of Motorola, Inc.
All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.
© Motorola, Inc. 2002
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue
Astro Digital Spectra W4
This tutorial has been prepared exclusively for you,
keeping in mind your system configuration and radio
layout. The explanation for each function is a step-by-step
guiding process, specifically designed for easy
comprehension and implementation. However, for indepth system or radio information, you should consult
your system administrator. Keep in mind that each radio
and each system is customer configurable.
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7 A DISP
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Status Alert Tones
Tone Name
Tone Information
Acknowledge
Receipt of a call sent to the central controller
Button Press
A valid key was pressed on the keypad
Call Alert
Receipt of a Call Alert page was sent to your radio
Emergency
Emergency alarm was sent from your radio
Failsoft
Radio has lost communication with the central controller
Key Loss
Radio encryption module does not contain a valid key for the current mode
Two-Tone
A Private Conversation Call has been received
No Acknowledge
A call to the central controller was not acknowledged
Out of Range
Radio is out of range of the system
Power-up
Radio has successfully powered on
Private Call
Receipt of a Private Conversation call sent to your radio
System Busy
Channel, system, or target radio is busy
Talk Permit
Channel is ready to use
Time-out Timer
Time-out timer limit has been reached (60 seconds)
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Radio On or Off
To turn the radio on:
1. Rotate the Volume knob clockwise.
The display and graphics illuminate, indicating that the
radio is on. If enabled, a power-on tone also sounds.
When the ASTRO Digital Spectra radio is turned on,
Self Chk is displayed.
To turn the radio off:
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Self Chk
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
1. Rotate the Volume knob counter-clockwise.
L.E.D. Status
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RED
Yellow
• Solid
- PTT is pressed, radio is transmitting
• Flashing
- Conventional
channel busy
(Private Line)
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7 A DISP
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
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7 A DISP
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Display Brightness
To adjust the display brightness:
1. Press the Dim button to change the display brightness
to one of four levels:
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7 A DISP
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
•
Off to high
•
High to medium
•
Medium to low
•
Low to off
In off, both the display and the backlight are off (used for
surveillance operations).
Home Mode Select
To select the Home mode:
1. Press the Home button.
For radios in suppression units, the Home button sets
the radio to 7A DISP.
For radios in EMS units, the Home button sets the radio
to 9A DISP.
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7 A DISP
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Mode (Channel) Select
(Current Zone)
To access a mode in the current zone:
1. Turn the Mode knob until the desired mode name is
displayed.
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7 B OPS
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Zone Select
A zone is a grouping of modes. A mode is a group
of characteristics such as transmit/receive
frequencies, Private Line codes, radio
parameters, and an alpha-numeric name.
To select a zone:
1. Press the Zone Up button or Zone Down button.
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8 C INC40
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Transmit (Trunked)
1 of 2
To transmit:
1. Lift the microphone off the hook, and press the
microphone PTT button.
2. Do one of the following:
If you hear three quick tones, or if you hear no tone
and the red XMIT (transmit) indicator lights steadily,
proceed with your message.
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Release the PTT button to receive.
- OR -
7A DISP
If you hear a busy tone, all trunked channels are
in use.
a. Release the PTT button and wait for three, quick,
call-back tones.
PTT
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Transmit (Trunked)
2 of 2
b. When the call-back tones are heard, press and
hold the PTT button within three seconds to
proceed with your message.
c. Release the PTT button to receive.
- OR -
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7 A DISP
PTT
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
If you hear a continuous low-pitched tone, you are
out of the system's range. The red XMIT indicator
may flash several times as the radio tries to access
the system. Release the PTT button and try again
when the vehicle is driven within range of the
system.
Time-out Timer
1. All ASTRO Digital Spectra models provide a time-out
timer function that prevents locking up a repeater or
channel by prolonged keying of the transmitter. You
cannot transmit longer than the preset timer setting. If
you attempt to do so, the radio automatically stops
your transmission, and you hear a prohibit tone.
Notes:
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7 A DISP
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
You will hear a brief, low-pitched, warning tone four
seconds before the transmission times out.
The timer is set for 60 seconds .
Emergency Alarm
1 of 2
To initiate an emergency call:
1. Press the Emergency (Red Dot) button. This
activates an audible and visual Emergency
indication for the talk-group at ECC. Your radio’s
alias is displayed for the dispatcher.
A tone sounds and the display alternates Emergncy with
the current zone/channel.
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Emergncy
NOTE: The Emergency Call function will only work
on trunked talk-groups. It does NOT work on
conventional channels (FDTA - talk-around).
2. Press the PTT button and announce your
emergency.
Note: Other radios in the same mode will see the
message “EMER RCV’ indicating that another user
has activated his/her Emergency button.
To end an emergency call:
1. Press and hold the Emergency (Red Dot) button until
a tone sounds.
Emergncy is no longer displayed, and the radio returns
to normal operation.
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Emergency Alarm
2 of 2
Special Considerations for Emergencies
1. If you press the Red Dot button while in a mode that
has no emergency capability, a low-pitched tone
sounds.
2. If the unit is out of the range of the system and/or the
emergency alarm is not acknowledged, a tone sounds
and the display shows No Ack.
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No Ack
3. If you press the Red Dot button and change to a mode
that has no emergency capability, a No Emerg display
alternates with the mode name display. A continuous
low-pitched tone sounds until a valid emergency mode
is selected or until the emergency is cancelled.
4. When an emergency is active, changing to another
mode where emergency is enabled causes an
emergency to become active in the new mode.
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Announcement Call (Trunked)
1 of 2
The announcement capability allows a user to make
announcements to the entire announcement group.
All Announcement calls use ruthless preemption.
1. When an announcement call is initiated, the
requesting radio begins transmitting immediately.
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2. All associated talk-group calls taking place on other
channels are immediately halted, and the radios are
steered to the announcement call.
Notes:
When the announce group function is initiated, radios
continue to transmit until the PTT button is released. At
that time, these radios also become capable of receiving
announcement calls.
Individual calls (Private Conversation and telephone
interconnect) are not affected.
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Announcement Call (Initiate)
2 of 2
To initiate an announcement:
1. Turn the Mode knob to locate the announcementgroup mode.
2. Press the microphone PTT button to initiate the
announcement.
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7 F ANN10
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Paging a Hospital
1 of 2
To select a hospital from the call list:
1. Press the Page button.
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The page indicator lights and a valid-key tone sounds.
The display shows the last transmitted/received unit ID.
HCH
2. Use the pre-stored list by turning the Mode knob to
locate the hospital you want to page.
3. Press the Sel button or the microphone PTT button.
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Ack Rcvd
The displayed hospital is automatically paged. The
display shows Pls Wait.
When the called unit acknowledges the page, four
additional tones sound and the display changes to
Ack Rcvd.
The radio returns to normal operation.
If you are out of the system’s range, a low-pitched
tone sounds.
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Paging a Hospital
2 of 2
Try again by pressing the PTT or Sel button.
- OR Press the Home or Page button to return to normal
operation.
If, after six seconds, the called unit fails to acknowledge
the alert, a low-pitched tone sounds and the display
changes to No Ack.
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Try again by pressing the PTT button or Sel button.
No Ack
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
5. Press the Home or Page button to exit.
Call Alert Page (Respond)
If you are not available when a caller sends you a Call
Alert page, a Page Rcv message is left.
The display shows Page Rcv and four tones repeat
every five seconds.
To respond to a call alert page:
1. Make a normal dispatch call. Press the PTT button
and ask about the page.
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Page Rcv
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
ID Number (View Your)
To view your ID number:
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My ID
1. Press the Page button momentarily.
2. Turn the Mode knob counterclockwise to locate
the MY ID display.
The display alternates between My ID and your ID number.
3. To return to normal operation, press the Home, Call,
or Page button.
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720100
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Private Conversation Call – Respond
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Call Rcv
When a Private Conversation call is received, two
high-pitched tones sound and the display alternates
between Call Rcv and the home display.
To answer a Private Conversation call:
1. Press the Call button within 20 seconds of receiving
the call.
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720100
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
The display shows the ID number of the calling unit.
2. To respond to the call, press the PTT button to talk;
release it to listen.
Transmit (Conventional)
To transmit:
1. Lift the microphone off hook, and listen for activity
on that mode.
2. If you hear no activity, ensure that the yellow BUSY
light is not illuminated; press and hold the PTT
button. The red XMIT will illuminate while
transmitting.
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7 0 FDTA
PTT
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Smart PTT (Conventional Only)
Two radio-wide variations of smart PTT are used:
Smart PTT is a per-channel,
programmable feature used in
conventional radio systems to
keep radio users from talking
over other radio conversations.
Smart PTT Variation
Operation
Transmit inhibit on busy channel with
carrier
You cannot transmit if any traffic is detected
on the channel.
Quick-key override
You can override the transmit-inhibit state by
quick-keying the radio—two PTT button
presses within the preprogrammed time limit
When Smart PTT is enabled on
your radio, you are not able to
transmit on an active channel.
If you try to transmit on an active
Smart PTT channel, you hear an
alert tone, and the transmission
is inhibited.
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Direct/Talk-Around
(Radio-to-Radio)
To talk directly to another unit without going through
the repeater system:
1. Press the Dir button.
The DIR indicator illuminates, indicating that the radio is
now transmitting directly to another unit.
2. To return to repeater operation, press the Dir button
again.
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DIR
13G ICALL
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
The DIR indicator is no longer displayed.
Note: This feature is only available for conventional
channels that support repeater operation. FDTA does not
support repeater operation.
List View (Scan)
To view a scan list:
1. Press and hold the Scan button until the scan
indicator blinks and a valid-key tone is heard.
The radio suspends scanning while a scan list is being
reviewed.
2. Turn the Mode knob to scroll up or down through the
programmed modes and use the arrow buttons to
move through the zones.
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7 A DISP
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
3. Press the Home or Scan button momentarily to exit
the scan list and resume scanning.
Scan On
To turn scan on:
1. Press the Scan button.
The scan indicator lights and a list of modes is scanned
for activity.
When a scanned mode becomes active, the display
changes to show the active mode name, the ‘N Pri’
indicator lights, and the radio volume returns to normal.
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7 A DISP
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Scan –
Transmit While Scan Is On
To transmit while scan is on:
1. Press the microphone PTT button at any time to
transmit on the selected mode.
Note: The radio will transmit on the selected mode, not
on the active mode in the scan list.
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7 B OPS
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Out-of-Range Indication
If your radio is out of range of the system and can
no longer lock onto a control channel,
- OR If your radio is in Failsoft and cannot lock onto the
Failsoft channel:
If either of the previous events occur, the end-user
can expect:
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Out Rng
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
•
an alternating display of the currently selected
zone/mode and Out Rng, and/or
•
a low-pitched tone sounds every six seconds.
Site Trunking
In a SmartZone system such as ours, if the zone
controller fails, the site enters into a site-trunking
operational mode.
All radios will alternately display Ste Trnk with the current
mode of display when site trunking becomes active.
Additionally, the radio also sounds a valid-key tone when
it first detects site trunking.
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Ste Trnk
1. In this mode of operation, all console functionality is
lost at ECC. This includes PTT IDs, Emergency
Alarm annunciation, talk-group patching, and phone
patching.
2. When site-trunking is active, ECC communicates with
field users on backup mobile radios mounted in the
ECC consoles.
3. The system will continue to trunk the channel so all
talk-groups will still be available.
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Failsoft
1 of 2
If a trunking system experiences a control system
failure, the radio will revert to Failsoft
operation. In this mode, the radio
automatically switches to the assigned Failsoft
channel for the talk-group on which the radio
is operating. Your display will alternately flash
FAILSOFT and the talk-group to which your
radio is set.
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Failsoft
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
NOTE: During this event, your radio will emit a
medium-pitched tone every 10 seconds.
Failsoft
2 of 2
To continue communicating with other talk-groups,
one must:
1. change the mode to a different repeater frequency, and
2. press the PTT button to talk; release the button
to listen.
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Failsoft
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Failsoft Channel Assignments
Name
A
A
7
MC Main
DISP
OPS
INC10
INC11
INC12
ANN10
INC20
INC21
INC22
ANN20
INC30
INC31
INC32
ANN30
FDTA
OPS
B
8
MC ALT
DISP
OPS
INC40
INC41
INC42
ANN40
INC50
INC51
INC52
ANN50
INC60
INC61
INC62
ANN60
FDTA
OPS
INC20
INC21
INC22
ANN20
INC30
INC31
INC32
ANN30
FDTA
OPS
LOG
FIN
HAZMT
WRSCU
US&R
CONF
Switch
Zone
Failsoft Channel Assignments
C
Emer
9
11
DirEMSScanDISPCall
MC
Maj Inc
CMD
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Sel
OPS
SAFTY
Page
LIAS
PIO
MOPS
PLANS
DISP - The DISP TG is assigned to a channel by itself
OPS - The OPS TG is assigned to a channel by itself
INC10 through ANN30 - ALL TGs in this range in both Zones 7 & 9 are assigned to ONE channel
INC40 through ANN60 and everything in Zone 11 - ALL TGs in this range in both Zones 8 & 11 are assigned to ONE channel
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
Key Loss Indication
When you press the PTT button, while in the coded mode
and without the encryption module containing a valid key,
the speaker generates bursts of alert tones. In addition,
The display shows Key Fail until you release the PTT
button.
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Key Fail
ASTRO® Digital Spectra®/Spectra Plus Model W4
1. When the radio is first turned on, six medium-pitched
tones sound and the display momentarily shows Key
Fail to indicate that the encryption module does not
contain a valid key for the current mode.