How to program Motorola DLR radios

Are your Motorola radios getting disrupted by outside interference? If so, it is time change the frequencies on your Motorola DLR radios through programming. You can program your Motorola DLR radios in just a few easy steps!

A Brief Introduction to Radio Programming

Programming allows you to adjust your radio channel settings to eliminate unwanted interference. With programming, you can accomplish the following on your radios:

Customize Profile ID #: Choose a 4-Digit number (0000 to 9999) to ensure private communication
Max Channels: Choose the max. number of channels you want to allow for your radio
Top Button: Set your Top Button with one feature: Private Reply, Direct Call (only if enabled with CPS), Call All Available, Page All Available, Mute, Disabled

How to enter 'Advanced Configuration' mode on the Motorola DLR radio

Push the 'Power Button' and 'Push-to-Talk' button, and '+' button simultaneously

Press the 'Channel/Menu' button to cycle through the Advanced Menu Options

Advanced Menu Options

Profile ID #
- The radio announces the current 'Profile ID' number and prompts you to change it
  - Press '+' or '-' to enter the Profile ID number
    - You can move forward through the 4 digits, but not backwards
    - If you realize the number set is not the one you want, press the Menu/Channel button and go through the Advanced Menu options until you're back on the beginning of the Profile ID option and repeat the steps
  - Press the 'Channel/Menu' button to continue to the next digit

Max Channels
- The radio announces the current maximum number of channels and prompts you to change it
  - Press '+' or '-' to change the number of channels
    - The maximum number of channels you can set up depends on the radio model: DLR1060 - 6 channels; DLR1020 - 2 channels
  - Press the 'Channel/Menu' button to confirm

Top Button
- The radio announces the current 'Top Button' feature and prompts you to change it
  - Press '+' or '-' to enter change the top button feature
    - Private Reply
      - Allows you to talk privately to the person currently talking to a group after the group radio transmission is over. This allows to free the radio channel from unnecessary back and forth chatter
    - Direct Call* (CPS software required)
      - In order to use the 'Direct Call' option, you must first set it up using CPS software - otherwise, the top button will respond with a "bonk" sound
      - The Direct Call feature allows you to call one-on-one privately another pre-determined user that has been mapped into the radio Top Button or to any radio channel instead
      - This way your radio can have Top Button available for other radio features (like Private Reply or Mute) and Direct Call set up in a special channel
      - You can set up different direct calls in different channels
    - Call All Available
      - Call All Available allows to start a group transmission to anyone not engaged in a call. This creates a Group Call in a temporary “super channel group” with a 4-second group hang time.
    - Page All Available
      - This feature is useful if you have more than 1 or 2 channels. It allows the ability to communicate a message to all available radio users at once, without having to change through each channel individually.
    - Mute
      - Instant mute
    - Disabled
      - Disables the 'Top Button'
  - The default function of the 'Top Button' is 'Private Reply'
  - Press the 'Channel/Menu' button to confirm

MIC Gain
- The radio announces the current MIC Gain setting and prompts you to change it
  - Press '+' or '-' to change the MIC Gain
  - You can switch between Low/Medium/High gain settings (the default setting is Medium)
  - Press the 'Channel/Menu' button to confirm

Home Channel
- The radio announces the current Home Channel setting and prompts you to change it
  - Press '+' or '-' to change the Home Channel
  - The options to choose from are 'Disabled' or 'Channel #' (the default setting is 'Disabled')
  - Press the 'Channel/Menu' button to confirm

Long Press the PTT button to exit the Advanced Menu Mode

Special Call Features

Motorola DLR Private Reply Explained

Private Call feature allows you to talk privately to the person currently talking to a group after the group radio transmission is over. This allows to free the radio channel from unnecessary back and forward chatter. This function engages the Top Button and the PTT button.

Example:

1. User A is talking to a group.

2. You want to talk privately to the User A (currently speaking). You push the Top button and hear a “Private Reply” prompt. The LED light begins to blink, and the private talk is in queue.

3. When the group talk is over, you push PTT – User A hears a “Private” prompt, and you start a private talk. Whenever they press PTT to reply back, they are talking privately and nobody else can hear them. The radio plays a distinctive private TPT (Talk Permit Tone) during the private talk.

During the private communication, the LED on the Top Button illuminates a solid light. If any of the radio users take too long to push the PTT button (10 seconds by default*), the private communication ends with a “Private Over” voice prompt on both radio, and LEDs go off – you are back in the normal group call mode. If your request is not successful because, for example, another person’s private reply request has been queued first, the radio will give you a busy tone.

A tip: How to apply Private Reply in your daily job The use of this feature reduces the need for phone extensions or cell phone calls to talk privately. Simply call on the radio the name of the person you want to talk to privately. When he or she responds to you, simply push the Private Reply button and then press the PTT to initiate the one to one private conversation.

Motorola DLR Direct Call Explained

The Direct Call Feature allows you to call one-on-one privately another pre-determined user that has been mapped into the radio Top Button (this feature needs to be pre-programmed*) or to any radio channel instead.

This way your radio can have Top Button available for other radio features (like Private Reply or Mute) and Direct Call set up in a special channel. You can set up different direct calls in different channels.

Example:

1. To talk directly to User B press Top Button*. Your radio plays voice prompt with the “Private Name” (as programmed in CPS, if enabled) and top LED starts blinking orange, showing you are in queue waiting to talk privately to User B.

2. Now, Press PTT to talk Privately to User B (who is NOT in a radio conversation). Both radios illuminate solid orange. Radio B hears radio voice prompt “Private” indicating there is a Direct Private Call in progress. Radio plays a distinctive Private TPT tone.

3. Whenever you or User B presses PTT to reply back, you will talk privately to each other. (Radio plays a distinctive Private TPT tone). Nobody else will hear you.

4A. If any of the radio users takes too long to push the PTT and reply back, the radio will time out (“Private Hang Time“ of 10 sec) and end the private communication while a playing “Private Over” voice prompt that both users will hear. The TOP button LED will go OFF .

4B. If the radio user B (who initiated the Direct Call), wants to end the call he can do so by long pressing the Top Button and the radio will play “Private Over” voice prompt that both users hear, indicating the private call is over. The TOP button LED will go off.

5. After you and User B finish your Direct Call, you will be back to join the radio group transmissions in your channel.

A tip: Why and how to use Direct Call: Set up your employees to be able to contact directly and privately their supervisor, the Manager on Duty or to reach a designated person for special requests. To make a Direct Call simply press the Top Button and then push the PTT button to talk. If the Direct Call was set up in a specific channel, simple change to the Direct Call Channel and press PTT to talk privately.

Motorola DLR Call All Available Explained

Call All Available allows to start a group transmission to anyone not engaged in a call. This creates a Group Call in a temporary “super channel group” with a 4-second group hang time. This means that anyone within this super group can respond by simply pushing the PTT – but after 4 seconds of inactivity the group will terminate. This is in order to avoid all users to be tied up indefinitely in unnecessary group conversations

A tip: How Call All Available can be applied: An employee in a retail store is trying to see if anyone took the backroom scanner. He presses the Top Button, then the PTT button and asks: “Does anybody know who has the backroom scanner? “. >>> Whoever is available in any of the channels can talk back to all the whole group of users (who were tied up in the super-channel group call) and provide information.

Motorola Page All Available Explained

This feature is useful if you have more than 1 or 2 channels. It allows the ability to communicate a message to all available radio users at once, without having to change through each channel individually. Page All Available is a one way group voice announcement to all users in different channels, who are not currently tied up in ongoing radio conversation*. Receivers of Page All Available announcement can only reply with a Private Call.

Examples: 6 channel radio Top Button: Private Reply Channel 1: Page All Available

Example 1: An employee in a retail store is looking for anyone (in any of the group radio channels) who can come over to give him a hand in the back room. He presses the Top Button (or changes to Page All Available channel), then pushes the PTT button and says: “We need someone to come over to the warehouse to help unload the truck“.

> >> Whoever is available can Privately Reply him asking more details or confirming they are available .

Example 2: Anna needs to talk privately John and she is not sure in which channel to find him. It is cumbersome to browse all channels asking for John. She speaks in Channel #1 (assigned Page All Available) and asks: “John Smith, are you available ?”

> >> If John is available, he will reply privately (Top Button). If no response is heard, it means he is busy in another radio call or not within the range.

Customer Programming Software – CPS

Customer Programming Software (CPS) allows you to program or change features in your radio. To use CPS, you need to download it from the internet and connect your radio with the computer using the CPS Programming Cable. Using CPS, you can set Private Hang Time, Group Hang Time, program all radio buttons, channels and much more. Please refer to the User Manual for details. CPS software is available for free as web-based downloadable software at: www.motorolasolutions.com/DLR