I finally found all the wires and programs to change my PacCrest PDL radio to the 12.5 khz bandwidth that will be required as of January 1, 2013. Thank goodness I am starting early because my PacCrest will NOT allow me to change the output. The help file states that you must specify the bandwidth desired when you order the unit. So I contacted PacCrest support and got this:
Yes the PDL radio can not be converted to 12.5k. What you need to do is purchase a new radio to comply with the new FCC regulations.
Please go to our website to review the new ADLPro. This radio complies with the new FCC regulations.
OUTRAGE!
> I finally found all the wires and programs to change my PacCrest PDL radio to the 12.5 khz bandwidth that will be required as of January 1, 2013. Thank goodness I am starting early because my PacCrest will NOT allow me to change the output. The help file states that you must specify the bandwidth desired when you order the unit. So I contacted PacCrest support and got this:
>
> Yes the PDL radio can not be converted to 12.5k. What you need to do is purchase a new radio to comply with the new FCC regulations.
>
> Please go to our website to review the new ADLPro. This radio complies with the new FCC regulations.
>
> OUTRAGE!
Did you send a message back to them telling them to quit lying to you?:-P
I have been researching this topic for over a year, at 1st PacCrest told me it required a new board, around $350, now same story you are getting, new radio.
I think PacCrest really dropped the ball on this one, not just the board replacement, BUT best I can tell, EVERY radio device approved by the FCC since 1997 should of been narrowband compliant, it may be that the PDL was approved by the FCC before 1997? Mine dates to 2001 and is non compliant so I am not sure what happened. I suspect PacCrest never thought a PDL would still be going 15 years later!
You can run your over the air data rate at 19,200 and meet FCC rules, it has yet to be determined if the data stream and duty cycle, etc. of the radio will work for RTK data throughput at that speed, if it does then good, if not then new radios need to be purchased.
SHG
I've been searching the net this morning to learn what I can now that I know my license is good to go - and this thread came up in my search. Shelby, seems you know more about this than nearly anybody I have talked to, so I'll continue to watch this topic too. Once my crews are back in town, I need them to school me about the settings. I'm not sure we can use the 19,200 baud rate sucessfully, need to have them try it.
It seems to make sense: double the baud, half the bandwidth... how do we know it works and how do we prove it to the FCC?
nothing needed to prove to FCC, so long as you have a current and compliant license.
on your license, there's a list of frequencies, and within that list, should be the "Emission Designator" for each. if you have numbers that start with 11 or lower, you have the Narrowband license already. If your number is 12 or higher, it's wideband and your license needs to be revised.
Our license lists both an 11# and a 19# - I was told we have both Narrowband and Wideband license right now,and need to be sure our radios are usung the 11# by Jan 1, 2013. I'm still unclear as to how do I check this seting, or even if I can check it myself.
When it comes in from the field I may open it again.
http://www.pacificcrest.com/support.php?page=updates
Use the PDLCONF software. You need a serial connection. There are some directions, then you can see each frequency or set the baud to 19200 or do whatever to comply.
thank you very much! I turned on the TSC2 and checked the survey settings menu, and found the baud rate settings. We'll follow the link you provided and I'll post here once we have news. thanks again to fellow surveyors for helping out 🙂
What I've been told is this: Trimmark 3's can be narrowbanded in-house; Trimmark 2's have to be replaced; The Paccrest HPB-450's have to be sent in for a new mother board ($500); other Paccrest's need to be replaced; 5700, 5800, R6,7&8's can be reprogrammed in-house; I don't know about the 4000 series; if you go to 19,200 baud rate then the broadcast power of the radio is greatly diminished and you will be frustrated; narrowbanding reduces the amount of data the base can send in the time it needs to and there may be times where you need to turn off GNSS or sats. to reduce the amount of data so the rover can fix.
Looks like I'll be getting a new radio, anyone interested in a PacCrest PDL 4535? Is there any other use for these things? Maybe in Canada? or Eastern Europe?
it was the 4535 that cannot be reprogrammed in house... looks like pac crest stock will go up this year
HPB-450's are just a yellow PDL, right? PacCrest has told more than one of us that those are a no go on the upgrade (at least the blue ones), maybe they are only supporting the yellow ones since they are sold by the mother ship?
SHG
I guess I'm going to find out. I have an HPB450 that is only 6 months old. It damn well better not need a new board! Hope to test it tomorrow @ 19,200.
The yellow HPB450 is the same radio as the blue PacCrest PDL4535.
we have 2 yellow HPB450's and one blue PacCrest.
I sure hope we have success at 19,200, other wise it's 500 + 500 + ??? for another radio to replace the blue one. shoot.
Here's a http://tknbe.trimble.com:8080/pdf?id=f28af90121&pg=0&iphl=hpb450:rules:is:HPB450:compliant:rule:narrowbanding:narrowband:FCC:rule d">document from Trimble that is not very encouraging and would seem to apply to both blue & yellow radios. As an aside is this also an issue with using the R8's with the internal transceiver?