Motorola Tetra
We have a kit for Motorola Tetra radios that will remote control the radios over a local LAN, the Internet or other IP connection.
You can work from a PC “anywhere” in the world. Several operators can also share one radio and each operator can work with many radios.
It feels as if you where sitting in front of the radio!
Functions
The dispatcher uses a Virtual Control Head that gives control of the radio, as if you were sitting in front of it. Buttons can be accessed from your touch screen, with the mouse or by short cuts on the standard keyboard. And you have a display resembling the radios standard display.
You can remote control talk group change, private calls, text messages etc.
All connections are made from the rear connector on the radio. The standard control head can be left on the radio. But it will not be fully parallel with the virtual control head.
As with all other SoftRadio you can operate several radios from one dispatcher and each radio can be operated from several dispatchers. Each dispatcher can also use other types of radios in a mix, and you can crosspatch to other radio systems.
Cost saving alternative
The Tetra radios below and other Tetra radios, than the ones below, can also be remote controlled through only audio and PTT, without a virtual control head. You then need the Network Interface LE and a cable kit. The operator software is the same. It will give you voice functionality, but not the virtual control head with talkgroup change and other control.
Please also see the example drawing below where there is a mix of advanced interfaces and single talk group interfaces.
Examples of use:
- Local use when several dispatchers want to share one radio
- Remote use where a dispatcher at one location want to talk to radio users at a different location
- CrossPatch between Tetra and other two way radios, like analogue, Airband, IDAS, Marine, DMR or MPT.
Supported radio models:
Motorola Tetra
MTM5200
MTM5400
MTM5500*
MXM600
No longer supported
MTM800E
Virtual Control Head Motorola Tetra
Click for larger image
The Virtual Control Head
The Virtual Control Head will work in parallel on many operator PC:s, any changes on one PC will be shown at once on the other PC:s.
But the Virtual Control Head is not fully parallel with the radios control head, as it is on other radio models.
If you go into a menu on the radios control head you will not see the change on the virtual control head and vice versa. But if you for example change a talk group it is shown at once.
The radios control head is not needed, so you can actually install the system without a standard control head mounted on the radio.
Functionality
The PEI-port of the radio does unfortunaly not cover all the functions you would expect on a Mimer SoftRadio VirtualControl Head. There for we cannot build a full function Virtual Control Head, like we do for other radios. But we have made an interface that mimics the standard control head as far as it is possible and more features will also be added in future updates.
If you are familiar with the radio, you will recognize the menu system and easily navigate through it.
All basic functions are there:
-
TalkGroup list and selection
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Scanning; list edit and scan on/off
-
Contacts List and calls
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SDS sending and receiving
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Change of TMO/DMO
-
Radio Info menu
We have also simplified by taking out some of the features that are not needed for a PC dispatcher, like setting of display light, changing the screen saver etc.
We have also added two keys on the virtual control head for faster access to reading and writing SDS messages, without needing to go into the menu system.
Menues
Examples of the menues shown on the Tetra radios Virtual Control Head
Comments
Please note that since the PEI port is used for the remote control of the radio, you can not use the PEI port for other applications on the same radio.
* A separate type of interface and cable kit is used for the MTM5500. It´s PEI port is interfaced in the DB9 connector on the front and not in the back of the radio.
Also for MTM5400 with the Data Expansion Head, PMLN4908, the PEI port is on the DB9 front connector and another cable kit needs to be used.
Please also see the page about Mimer SoftLine for MTM5500.
Where you can remote control the standard control head over an IP connection, instead of using a PC application.
System examples:
One single operator remote controlling a
Tetra radio with a Virtual Control Head
Two operators working with two
Tetra radios and one analogue radio
Operators working with both Tetra and Marine radios. Some Tetras with Virtual Control Head, some with a single fixed talk group