Model 3 Activation Problems

[OHIO Desperado]

OK, I just watched the video you are talking about.
That delay was Sirens being individually activated and not wildcarded, OR and pay attention here, The Whelen commands were sent first and the Federal codes (TWO DIFFERENT FORMATS) were sent second.
Without a scanner to hear the activation codes being sent, I can't tell you which is which. But again, we are back to some guy video taping sirens vs the knowledge of a guy that does this crap for a living. Not that I know more,, But I doubt I know less

Oh, and the reason I bring up the Whelen codes if the title of the video about WPS2900 ambiance or some crap like that.

[nvanw27]

Please read the video description. He clearly mentioned that he was the one activating the siren and he knew the radio was doing this. This was a test of his privately owned Model 2, which has its own radio separate from the county.

[OHIO Desperado]

The FC that controls the siren experienced a minor glitch while I was trying to activate it, resulting in the processor freezing up and not responding whenever any of the programmed function buttons were depressed.

As quoted from his description in the post. NO WHERE does it mention the RADIO. He mentioned the processor in the activation controller. And the function buttons on IT becoming unresponsive.
Sorry, but that is what he posted. Not the radio.

[nvanw27]

Programmed function buttons being in the radio. The radio's processor had an issue, causing it to freeze up. The function buttons on his controller, last known to be an AR timer, would not become inoperable due to the radio.

[OHIO Desperado]

Again, just what it the heck are you talking about?
He specifically said FC CONTROLLER. Do you KNOW what an FC controller even is? What the function buttons are or where they are located?
It would be the controller in the siren that does the decoding and controlling of the siren contactor.

Here's the problem. You feel the need to somehow be right and not actually LISTEN to what is being said. Does an FC controller have a radio attached to it, yes, but it's a daughter card on the controller and the Controller WILL work via the on board function buttons with the radio disconnected.

I reread what what he had written 3 times, he never wrote radio even once.
So, its still not the radio in the siren being an issue.
Now is he got a portable programmed up to send quickcall or quickcall2 tone groups that an FC controller will receive, and the portable locked up, possibly. But that's a transmitter issue. And YOU are talking about a private siren... The OP wasn't talking about a private siren.. he was talking about a City owned siren that the city or county dispatch is controlling. Two different situations.

Either way,, I have tried to explain this. You are too busy being stuck on what you think you know to listen to other options... so have fun... I do hope that you get a job working on sirens at some point.... If its in my area, I will enjoy cleaning up after you.

[nvanw27]

An FC Controller is a specific type of siren controller that is offered by Federal Signal. However, there’s also the FC RADIO, which is its own deal. I do understand that the siren’s controller could be causing this issue, but there could also be an issue with the radio’s processor freezing. Around here, some sirens have standalone radios that are separate from the controls and relay information to the controller. Normally this sort of thing works like clockwork - the radio receives the tones and relays what’s programmed to the control box. However, sometimes the radio doesn’t get the tones, it doesn’t decode them right, it doesn’t communicate with the controller correctly, or the radio just freezes up. The radio’s like a tiny computer, that has a simple task. Sometimes, even the best of computers can freeze up and have issues occasionally, and radios are not exempt from that. On the school buses up here, sometimes a radio will fail to decode a radio ID or won’t play a transmission through the speaker, and these are units that are under 2 years old. There’s a large number of things that could happen, and I’m not saying I know which one it is. All I’m saying is that it’s possible that the processor in the radio did not function correctly.

Side note: I actually have been interested in a career in siren installation and maintenance, and I have been studying up on correct procedures and how stuff works. What I’ve said in this thread is what I know about radios from prior experience. Some of it might not be entirely correct but I know other stuff is. I’m still learning, and just because I’m not entirely sure on a few things doesn’t mean that the thread has to get derailed because of it.

[Tyler]

An FC Controller is a specific type of siren controller that is offered by Federal Signal. However, there’s also the FC RADIO, which is its own deal. I do understand that the siren’s controller could be causing this issue, but there could also be an issue with the radio’s processor freezing. Around here, some sirens have standalone radios that are separate from the controls and relay information to the controller. Normally this sort of thing works like clockwork - the radio receives the tones and relays what’s programmed to the control box. However, sometimes the radio doesn’t get the tones, it doesn’t decode them right, it doesn’t communicate with the controller correctly, or the radio just freezes up. The radio’s like a tiny computer, that has a simple task. Sometimes, even the best of computers can freeze up and have issues occasionally, and radios are not exempt from that. On the school buses up here, sometimes a radio will fail to decode a radio ID or won’t play a transmission through the speaker, and these are units that are under 2 years old. There’s a large number of things that could happen, and I’m not saying I know which one it is. All I’m saying is that it’s possible that the processor in the radio did not function correctly.

Side note: I actually have been interested in a career in siren installation and maintenance, and I have been studying up on correct procedures and how stuff works. What I’ve said in this thread is what I know about radios from prior experience. Some of it might not be entirely correct but I know other stuff is. I’m still learning, and just because I’m not entirely sure on a few things doesn’t mean that the thread has to get derailed because of it.

The radio is most certainly NOT a tiny computer. The radio is a radio, it's always receiving whatever it picks up from the antenna at it's set frequency. The controller, the FC in this case is monitoring what's incoming on the radio and disregards everything on the signal except for the specific tone sequence used to activate a function. Once the FC has determined what command has been received, it then arms and activates.

The radio can not freeze. Like stated before, that is not possible. If it's a digital controller, the controller can glitch and freeze, causing an activation failure until the controller is rebooted and receives the activation command once more.

[nvanw27]

Can we lock and / or delete this? I have no idea what I’m talking about and just realized that.

[motspectra635]

Make sure the receive audio deviation is set properly on the FC or the radio, if there is one connected to the FC. I had problem with one of FC like that. There is no delay on a transmitter. The only thing that would cause a delay would be the encoder for the tones. Where is the FC located? Inside or outside?

[OHIO Desperado]

Can we lock and / or delete this? I have no idea what I’m talking about and just realized that.

No, you get to live with it.

Yes, I am being difficult.