CTI Products TSAM Transmitter Steering & Audio Matrix - Manual (Page 60)

TSAM Installation and Maintenance Rev. 2.10 Chapter 5
CTI Products, Inc. Setting Programmable Options
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Forced Site Select Hold Time
When a transmitter is manually forced, the TSAM keeps that site as the steered site for the Forced Site
Select Hold Time, regardless of system receiver activity.
Hold Time values can be programmed from 0 to 32,767 msec and to Next Vote. When set to Next Vote,
the current site is held until current vote activity ceases and new activity is detected. To program the time
to Next Vote, enter any value between 32,768 and 65,535.
5.8.2 Simplex and Duplex System Issues
The proper setting of the Free Vote and Fade Hold times will depend on many system issues. One key
determining factor is whether a system is a simplex system or a repeater system.
The TSAM does not resteer on a signal fade or two transmissions from field radios spaced shorter than the
Fade Hold time. If the Fade Hold time is set too long, it will interfere with resteering when two sequential
transmissions are received from the field and the inter-transmission time is less than the Fade Hold Time.
Simplex systems will perform best with short Fade Hold times since, at worst, a short fade would cause the
TSAM to resteer to the transmitter near the currently transmitting portable. This is of no consequence
since the transmitter will be inactive until the dispatcher replies. When the dispatcher replies, the TSAM
will have steered to the proper transmitter.
Fade Hold can be set as short as required to eliminate unintentional steering caused by quick keys or noise
bursts.
On repeater systems, a longer Fade Hold time will provide better performance for the following reasons:
1. On a repeater, a fade of longer duration than the Fade Hold time causes the TSAM to resteer to
the transmitter near the currently transmitting portable. This is undesirable, since the steered
transmitter should be near the portable unit that last transmitted, not the one currently
transmitting.
2. On a repeater system, a portable is less likely to key at the same time or within the Fade Hold
time of another portable, since many of the portable units can hear the calling unit.
5.8.3 Resteering During Console 1 PTT
If the steered site should change while a console transmission is in progress, the TSAM offers two modes
of operation. If resteering is allowed during Console 1 PTT, the steered transmitter is updated after the
current console transmission is complete. The TSAM never resteers in the middle of a transmission
regardless of the resteering setting.
With resteering disabled during Console 1 PTT, the transmission is ignored and the steered transmitter
remains on the current site.
Resteering during Console 1 PTT allows the console operator to respond to a unit that calls in during
console transmissions. This can disrupt ongoing communications, and would require the console operator
to manually select the site to continue prior communications.
With resteering disabled, the console operator can carry on existing communications without having to
manually select the best transmitter site. However, if the console operator wishes to respond to the newest
call, the operator must manually select the best site.
Support for both modes of operation provides maximum flexibility for system operators.