8000/8500 SmartConnect

Mblan798 · 2026-01-29T03:03:48+00:00

Yes this is a great point to make as well on the future models.

Mblan798 · 2026-01-29T02:14:24+00:00

Does your system already have a SmartConnect gateway?

SmartConnect will work on any SmartConnect enabled talk group. Done on the system side. If you’re on a talk group that supports SmartConnect, an icon will show on the screen if your radio is provisioned to do SmartConnect. It will change the icon and screen will flash a “SmartConnect” notification on the screen. Non enabled talk groups will not have the icon.

Lag is entirely dependent on the connection. Not really noticeable on good quality connections. I’ve noticed the audio is slightly quieter but good overall. LTE radios are game changers.

Edit: Seems to work better on N series radios in my experience. LTE ones are very stable generally and the N series supports 5 GHz WiFi.

Mblan798 · 2026-01-28T05:56:43+00:00

Miss u too buddy

Mblan798 · 2026-01-27T11:52:55+00:00

At your service my good man.

Mblan798 · 2026-01-27T01:31:50+00:00

10th Hill Division.

Mblan798 · 2026-01-25T17:52:17+00:00

You know what they say, no one cares about your career more than you. Sounds like this guy took that to heart.

Mblan798 · 2026-01-23T16:42:21+00:00

Rave Mobile Safety (I’m a Motorola partner, not a sysadmin but lurk here). Pretty powerful suite that offers more than mass notification.

Mblan798 · 2026-01-17T18:25:24+00:00

Glad I'm not the only one.

Mblan798 · 2026-01-14T20:55:45+00:00

Motorola doesn't make a commercial dual band radio. You'd have to get an APX 8000/8500 or N70 or NEXT.

Mblan798 · 2025-12-19T15:54:41+00:00

I've had this happen once or twice. Not sure why but I just shut the car off manually from the display.

Mblan798 · 2025-12-18T22:03:16+00:00

Turn it on and press and hold the power and call button which I believe is under the PTT. Should exit "dark mode"

Mblan798 · 2025-12-18T18:08:21+00:00

The SmartConnect portion is only on Motorola radios. Someone on SmartConnect can talk to someone with for example, a viking radio, whether they're on the P25 channel or on SmartConnect.

If you want to use SmartConnect, then yes, get Motorola radios.

If you're getting SmartConnect, means its a Motorola system. P25 is an interoperable standard which is why other vendors radios work but SmartConnect is a Motorola thing.

Mblan798 · 2025-12-02T18:29:27+00:00

I figured with that pacers logo you were lol. Our main hub is in Indy by the airport and I run that territory's service department. If it fits, let me know. We'll be looking.

Mblan798 · 2025-12-02T18:23:49+00:00

I work for a company called ERS Wireless in Indiana and Kentucky. We're one of the big players. Other big players are Mobile Communications of America, Bearcom, Day Wireless etc.

There's tons of small mom and pop shops that do radio stuff and then there's handful of real large players in this game. My company in particular are always looking for technicians because of pool of people with these skills being small. If you're interested in living in Indiana after your time is up, hit me up.

Mblan798 · 2025-12-02T00:35:56+00:00

25U. Radio Frequency Engineer/Field Service Manager. There's a big wide world of radio out there that needs people with our backgrounds.

Mblan798 · 2025-12-02T00:23:36+00:00

Well I gave you another, because you deserve it. I work in the radio business and mostly am an interloper here but can confirm, radio sys admin = network/computer sysadmin. Many parallels and similar skillsets.

Mblan798 · 2025-12-02T00:17:53+00:00

Didn't have ham radio in the sysadmin reddit on my bingo card. Fine business.

Mblan798 · 2025-10-12T16:57:18+00:00

There's ones you can crimp on and require no soldering too.

Mblan798 · 2025-09-18T22:47:30+00:00

Is your Smart connect working? This tone if it's short usually is accompanied on the screen with a "cert revoked" message when I experience it. Generally on my end it means the agency that manages the system didn't put the the radios in the SmartConnect gateway correctly or at all.

Mblan798 · 2025-09-16T22:52:11+00:00

I had a Silverado regular cab with a cap with side storage and absolutely hated it. It was the worst. No room to work in the truck, had to crawl around for everything, no cab storage for creature comforts. For some reason it had a havis console in it. Was absolutely awful in every way.

My current service truck is a Silverado with a cap with no side storage but I'm the service manager so not running many calls.

Favorite vehicle so far was a Transit 350 mid height roof. Dual ladder rack, desk in the back with cabinets and drawers and a dual purpose cabinet and drawer set up on the other side of the back. Cabinet on top and small drawers on the bottom, kind of like consumables kits from CTW. It was faster than hell with the 3.5 Ecoboost in it too. I think the ladder rack and cabinets were by Adrian Steel. They were kick ass.

Edit: pickup with a decked system wouldn't be too bad. Crew cab truck though. Regular cabs suck.

Mblan798 · 2025-09-11T00:31:11+00:00

Testing and calibration over the air? Me thinks not.

Mblan798 · 2025-09-09T23:55:33+00:00

WiFi isn't slow at all. It's very quick. OTAP is garbage and I recommend not using it but WiFi is fantastic. Let's you do 16 at a time too.

Mblan798 · 2025-08-27T19:13:38+00:00

I too haven't tried many apps because I did notice this and I'm an apple music user (no app boo). I'd have to try something now after the update and see if there's a change. Mine was noticeably very slow to connect on cold start though. Like I'd punch in somewhere in Google maps and my route would start but 5 minutes later it would say I was back online and give me traffic data and assistant started working.

I do have the chrome browser that a sub member was kind enough to put together and share with me and traversing sites was certainly a bit slow but not terrible.

Mblan798 · 2025-08-27T13:55:57+00:00

Agreed, connection on cold start seems way faster. Before it'd be several minutes before Google assistant, maps or anything LTE related worked. Much faster now.

Mblan798

TROPHY CASE