Open Sky P-801T User manual

User’s Manual
P-801T Portable
Radio
Copyright © 2000 M/A-COM. All rights reserved. No part ofthis publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a
retrieval system or translated into any language, in any from or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recordingor
otherwise, without prior written permission from M/A-COM.
The information furnished herein is believed to be accurate and reliable. However no responsibility is assumed by M/A-COM for its
use, nor any infringements of patents or other rights of third parties resulting from use.

Copyright © 2000, M/A-COM, Inc.
Notice of Copyright
The name M/A-COM, the OpenSky product name, and the M/A-COM and OpenSky logos are
all trademarks of M/A-COM, Inc.
Revision History
Date Update by Description of change
05/01/2000 Matt Wachowiak New
06/05/00 Matt Wachowiak Global revision
11/22/00 Joe Xavier Added Occupational Safety Information
M/A-COM Contact Information
M/A-COM, Inc.
1011 Pawtucket Blvd.
Lowell, MA 01853
Phone: [phone]
Software Version:
OTP 4.06

Notices to the user
Warning •Government law prohibits the operation of unlicensed transmitters within
the territories under government control.
•Illegal operation is punishable by fine or imprisonment or both.
•Refer service to qualified technicians only.
•Do not operate your transceiver in explosive atmospheres
(gases, dust, fumes, etc.).
FCC Warning This equipment generates or uses radio frequency energy. Changes or
modifications to this equipment may cause harmful interference unless the
modifications are expressly approved in the instruction manual. The user
could lose the authority to operate this equipment if an unauthorized change
or modification is made.
FCC limits •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.
RF Interference This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and may cause
harmful interference to radio communications if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions. However, there is no guarantee that the
interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures.
•Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna.
•Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
•Consult a service center for technical assistance.
Occupational
Safety This equipment generates electromagnetic radiation in compliance with FCC
regulations for Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) for Occupational/Controlled
Exposure (47 CFR 2.1093) when operated in accordance with the guidelines
of this User’s Manual (listed on page 14)
i

Table of Contents
Notices to the user.......................................................................................................................ii
OpenSky Overview .........................................................................................................................1
P-801: An Introduction................................................................................................................2
Terms and Concepts........................................................................................................................3
User Groups Explained ...................................................................................................................3
Profiles Explained .......................................................................................................................4
Talk and Listen Groups Explained..............................................................................................5
Radio Personality Explained.......................................................................................................6
Voice Feature Summary..............................................................................................................7
Before You Start..............................................................................................................................8
Controls and Indicators ...............................................................................................................8
Display Overview......................................................................................................................10
Menu Display and Control Area ...............................................................................................11
Occupational Safety ..................................................................................................................14
Basic Operation.............................................................................................................................15
Turning the Radio On and Adjusting the Volume ....................................................................15
Turning the Radio Off...............................................................................................................16
Turning off the Display Lighting and Side Tones.....................................................................17
Listening to Voice Calls............................................................................................................18
Making a Voice Call..................................................................................................................19
Changing the Side Tone Setting................................................................................................20
Adjusting the Display Brightness..............................................................................................21
Changing the Active Profile......................................................................................................22
Using Your Radio in Emergency Situations .............................................................................23
Advanced Operation......................................................................................................................24
Increasing the Scanning Priority of a User group .....................................................................24
Changing the Scanning Mode ...................................................................................................26
Changing the Active Radio Channel.........................................................................................28
Changing the Operating Mode ..................................................................................................29
Locking Out User groups..........................................................................................................31
Troubleshooting.............................................................................................................................33
ii

P-801 User’s Manual Page 1
OpenSky Overview
Overview The P-801T Portable Radio is a key component of the OpenSky network.
This section gives an overview of:
•The OpenSky network, and
•OpenSky features and benefits.
The OpenSky
network The P-801T Portable Radio is a part of the OpenSky network. The OpenSky
network is an integrated voice and data communications system. The system
provides a communication backbone that enables voice to be converted to
digital information and then transmitted over a wireless network. Data
applications can be used simultaneously with voice over the same network.
OpenSky
features and
benefits
OpenSky connects seamlessly with existing applications and provides
significant user benefits.
OpenSky:
•Eliminates the need to carry more than one radio to communicate mission
critical information by providing one communication system to many
users and agencies.
•Relieves radio users of the task of switching channels when moving to a
new coverage area by automatically roaming between base stations.
•Provides improved peak traffic performance for all voice and data
information.
•Eliminates waiting for a radio channel to be available by automatically
switching your radio to the best available channel.
•Provides simultaneous voice and data without having to change radio
modes.
•Locates users quickly and accurately with Global Positioning System
(GPS) equipped radios.
•Prioritizes communications, eliminating non-essential information and
preventing information overload.

P-801 User’s Manual Page 2
P-801: An Introduction
Introduction The P-801T is a "soft" radio; its function is determined by software
applications in much the same way that computer programs are used for
different functions on a personal computer. Voice communication is handled
digitally; this provides noise-free audio reception and allows for added
features such as voice grouping to be supported.
Operating
modes The P-801T is a digital multi-mode radio that can operate in one of many
modes. The principle operating modes are:
•OpenSky Trunked Protocol (OTP), or
•OpenSky Conventional FM with Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System
(CTCSS).
Terms and
concepts you
need to know
Before using the P-801T radio, you may want to become familiar with some
terms and concepts relating to OpenSky voice features.
Term/Concept See Page
User group 3
Profile 4
Talk and Listen Group 5
Radio Personality 6
Voice Feature Summary 7

P-801 User’s Manual Page 3
Terms and Concepts
User Groups Explained
User group A user group is a set of users who regularly need to communicate. There can
be any number of users in a user group. Your OpenSky network
administration personnel establish and organize user groups.
An OpenSky user group is similar to a channel in a conventional FM radio
system.
Diagram The figure below illustrates the user group concept.
User group
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Example For a state police agency, the officers assigned to the same barracks might be
in the same user group.
Individual
Radio
Users

P-801 User’s Manual Page 4
Profiles Explained
Profile A profile is a set of up to 16 user groups.
An OpenSky profile is similar a bank of channels in a conventional FM radio
system.
Diagram The figure below illustrates the profile concept.
Profile
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User
Group 1 User Group 2 User
Group 3 User
Group 16
......
Example Police officers on the same shift could be in the same profile – P01. The user
groups that make up this profile might be organized by the physical location
of the police stations.
The diagram below illustrates this example.
P01 Profile
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North
Station East
Station Southeast
Station
......
South
Station

P-801 User’s Manual Page 5
Talk and Listen Groups Explained
Overview The concept of talk and listen groups is key to understanding how the radio
scans active voice calls. You can change the way your radio scans for active
voice calls.
Talk group A talk group is the primary user group in a profile. This is the group of users
you will talk with and listen to the most. The first user group in each profile is
your talk group.
Listen group The rest of the 15 possible user groups in a profile are listen groups. You
normally hear the voice calls from the users in this group, but your voice does
not transmit to them.
Diagram The figure below illustrates the talk and listen group concepts.
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User
Group 1 User Group 2 User
Group 3 User
Group 16
......
Talk Group Listen Groups
Example Police officers assigned to the North station could be in the same talk group.
Officers from the North Station can listen to communications from groups of
radio users from the South, East and Southeast Stations.

P-801 User’s Manual Page 6
Radio Personality Explained
Radio
personality The radio personality is a collection of up to 16 profiles. When you turn on
your radio, the personality is downloaded into the radio so that you have
access to the profiles you need.
Of the 16 possible profiles, only one is active at any given time.
Diagram The figure below illustrates the radio personality concept.
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Profile 1
Profile 2
Profile 3
Profile 4
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Profile 16
.
.
.
.
.
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User
Group 1 User Group 2 User Group 3 User Group 16
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Example The radio personality for a police officer could include the profiles: Profile 1,
Profile 2, and Profile 3. These profiles could represent each of the shifts for a
particular police agency.

P-801 User’s Manual Page 7
Voice Feature Summary
Voice feature
summary User groups contain radio users who have a common need to communicate
using the radio network. User groups are characterized as either talk groups
or listen groups.
•Your talk group is the primary group of radio users that you will listen
and talk to.
•Listen groups contain users that you normally only listen to. You do not
normally transmit voice to users in your listen groups.
Profiles are comprised of up to 16 user groups and are used to organize your
radio personality into categories defined by your network administrators.
Each time you turn on your radio, you access the OpenSky network and user
features are loaded into your radio. These user features are known as your
radio personality. Your radio personality establishes:
•Who you will communicate with over the network, and
•What calls have priority over others.
A radio personality is made up of up to 16 profiles.

P-801 User’s Manual Page 8
Before You Start
Controls and Indicators
General Four top panel switches and four side panel switches provide user control of
major radio functions. The display and status indicators show key operating
information.
Diagram The following diagram shows the controls and indicators for the P-801T
radio.

P-801 User’s Manual Page 9
Parts and
Functions The following table shows the parts of the P-801T radio and their related
functions.
Part Function
Power/
Volume Switch Turns the radio on and off and sets the volume level of
the speaker.
Profile Selector Sets the active profile.
Antenna
Connector Provides a mounting location for antenna.
Toggle Switch Turns display, indicator light, and side tones on or off.
Menu Buttons Cycles through the menu of radio functions. When either
the left or right menu buttons are pressed, the selected
function appears on the radio display.
Display 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.
Indicator Light •Turns red and blinks when transmitting.
•Turns green and blinks when receiving a call.
Emergency
Button Sends and emergency alert over the network and initiates
an emergency call. Also used to cancel an emergency
alert.
Push-to-talk
Button Turns the radio microphone on to transmit a voice call.
Select Buttons Selects options within a radio menu when either the up
or down button are pressed.
Microphone Picks up your voice for calls to other users.
Speaker Allows you to hear other users.
Universal
Connector Provides a connection for use of an external microphone
and speaker.

P-801 User’s Manual Page 10
Display Overview
Overview The radio display shows the active user group and profile, menu selections,
and status information. The display is divided into two major elements:
•Menu display & control area, and
•Status area.
Diagram The picture below shows the components of the display area.
Parts and
Functions The table below describes the parts of the radio display and their functions.
Part Function
Menu Display
and Control Area •The display panel normally provides profile and user
group information to the user.
•When Menu or Select buttons are pressed, the menu
display and control area temporarily changes to show
information relevant to the selected menu screen.
Status Area •The bottom of the display shows mode related
information and radio protocol status.
−The : appears when you are connected to the
OpenSky network.
−The two-digit profile number is displayed.
−SCN is displayed in the scanning menu.
−MON is displayed in the mode menu.
−LO is displayed in the lock out menu.
Menu Display and Control Area
Status Area

P-801 User’s Manual Page 11
Menu Display and Control Area
Description After you turn on the radio and the startup sequence finishes, the radio display
shows the active profile, user group and menu selections. Pressing either
Menu button changes the display to the next available menu item.
Background The primary menu is displayed if you are not pressing the menu keys. If you
move to another menu, the radio will return to the primary menu if no key is
pressed for 10 seconds.
Diagram The diagram below shows the menu items.
Primary
Menu
Push to go forward
to the next menu ite
m
Push to go back
to the next menu ite
m
Lock out
Mode Display
Brightness
Side Tone
Channel
Scan Mode
Priority Scan
Change Mode

P-801 User’s Manual Page 12
Menu Display and Control Area, Continued
Menu structure The table below describes the menu items and display formats for the radio.
Menu Name Display Format
(Menu Display & Control Area)
Menu Description
Primary Menu
(Default
Screen)
Profile
Profile number
Displays and changes the active profile.
A profile is identified by its number and
the name of the talk group.
Priority Scan User group
Priority scan
Displays the available user groups in the
currently selected profile and chooses
one of those user groups as the priority
scan user group.
Scan Mode Identifies the chosen scan mode
Scan menu indicator
Changes the scan modes to either:
•None
•Normal, or
•Talkback
Channel
Change
Site name
Channel display indicator
Changes the active radio channel.
Continued on next page

P-801 User’s Manual Page 13
Menu Display and Control Area, Continued
Side Tone
ON or OFF based on selection
Switches side tones ON and OFF. Side
tones are audible beeps that occur when
you press a Menu or Select button.
Brightness
Level ranges from 1 to 3
Increases or decreases the display
brightness.
Mode Displays active software and version
number.
Change Mode
“Select to Execute Mode Change”
Changes the mode of the radio. Once
selected, the menu advances to the mode
change menu sequence.
Lock out User group
Indicates locked out
(Blank for not locked out)
Prevents you from hearing voice calls
from the selected user group. Does not
lock out emergency or supervisory calls.

P-801 User’s Manual Page 14
Occupational Safety
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON SAFE AND OPTIMAL OPERATION.
READ THIS BEFORE USING YOUR P-801T PORTABLE RADIO
Your P-801T portable radio may transmit using either an integral antenna or remote
speaker microphone/antenna. When it is ON, it receives and also sends out radio
frequency (RF) signals.
In 1996, the Federal Communications commission (FCC) adopted RF exposure
guidelines with safety limits for portable devices, based on the recommended limits of the
National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) and the American
National Safety Institute (ANSI).
The design of the P-801T Portable Radio complies with the FCC guidelines for
Occupational / Controlled exposure to RF electromagnetic fields, as measured by the
specific absorption rate (SAR). To assure optimal performance and make sure human
exposure to RF electromagnetic energy is within the FCC guidelines, always adhere to
the following:
1. Do not hold the radio less than 1 inch from your body, especially your face, ears,
or eyes, while transmitting.
2. When using the radio, angle the antenna away from your body and do not allow
the antenna to touch your body during transmission.
3. When using the remote speaker microphone/antenna, a separate accessory
available to P-801T users, do not allow the antenna portion to be less than 1 inch
from your body, especially the face, ears, or eyes, while transmitting. Do not let
this antenna touch your body while transmitting.
4. The push-to-talk button should only be depressed when intending to send a voice
message.
5. The radio should only be used for necessary work related communications.
6. The radio should only be used by authorized and trained personnel and should not
be operated by children.
7. Do not operate your radio or replace/charge batteries in explosive atmospheres
(gases, dust, fumes, etc.) or near explosive basking caps. Your radio should be
turned off when installing and removing batteries.
8. Do not attempt any unauthorized modification to the radio. Changes or
modifications to the radio may cause harmful interference. Any servicing of the
radio should only be performed by qualified personnel.

P-801 User’s Manual Page 15
Basic Operation
Turning the Radio On and Adjusting the Volume
Procedure Follow the steps below to turn your radio on and adjust the volume.
Step Action
1 Rotate the power/volume switch clockwise until it clicks.
The startup sequence lasts approximately 10 seconds. The radio is
ready to use after this sequence.
Use the figure below to see how the radio may appear as it is ready
for use.
2 Turn the Power/Volume switch to adjust the volume.
Turning the switch clockwise increases the volume and
counterclockwise decreases the volume.
:
Indicates you
are connected
to the
OpenSky
Profile
number
displayed Talk group
name

P-801 User’s Manual Page 16
Turning the Radio Off
Procedure Follow the step below to shut off the radio.
Step Action
1 Turn the power/volume switch counter-clockwise until it clicks.
Result: The display changes to show SHUTDWN and the radio
shuts down. The operating mode of the radio is saved and recalled
on the next start-up of the radio.