Frequently Asked Questions

Contact sales at Codan Communications directly via sales enquiry, email or phone as per the details on our contact webpage. You can also request a quote via this form.

For an LMR System, we typically require the following information in order to quote:

• Frequency band (VHF, UHF, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, AM, etc.)
• RF power output (8 Watts, 30 Watts, 100 Watts, 250 Watts, etc.)
• Frequencies and Bandwidth (Optional for Quote, Required for Order)
• Tone Signalling (CTCSS, DTMF, DCS)
• Cabinets or Racks
• Duplexers or Relays
• Detailed Configurations

For an HF System, we typically require the following information in order to quote:

• System type (Base, Mobile/Vehicular, Portable/Manpack)
• Type of transceiver required
• Power source (mains, battery, solar)
• Brief outline of capabilities required

The majority of Codan radios are designed for 12 V DC nominal operation, with relatively low power consumption. This allows direct operation from vehicular, storage battery or solar sources. We also supply adaptors and mains power supplies allowing operation from wide-range DC inputs, or universal (100-240 V AC nominal) mains. Our high power amplifiers require mains power to operate.

Codan Communications has an unsurpassed reputation for reliable operation across the globe, including many systems operating in equatorial regions with very high humidity. Codan radios are built tough, the majority withstanding operating temperatures of -30°C to +60°C and adhering to the MIL-STD-810 family environmental standard for dust, shock and vibration. Our products are typically meet full specification in up to 95% relative humidity (non-condensing).

Codan maintains a spare parts catalogue for our HF and LMR radios. Please contact your dealer, distributor, or your local support centre for purchase.

All our products are featured on the website with datasheets and brochures where relevant. In addition, we have a Resource Library which contains datasheets, technical notes, brochures and other product information. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please contact your local Codan Support centre.

Discontinued products will be announced on our website and customers will be informed of such discontinuance directly and via our quarterly newsletter. Codan will provide a support plan for discontinued products as part of the discontinuance announcement. Discontinued product announcements can be accessed via the dedicated area on the Codan Communications Support page.

For Codan radios, user manuals are available for purchase along with additional copies. Please contact your dealer, distributor or local Support centre for purchase.

The main difference between HF and LMR is the frequency range:

HF
The HF frequency band is 3–30 MHz. HF radios are long range radios capable of communicating beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) without pre-installed infrastructure.

LMR
LMR encapsulates VHF (30–300 MHz) and UHF (300–3000 MHz) frequency bands. LMR equipment, such as portable and mobile radios, are generally limited to line-of-sight, up to approximately 50km (30 miles). LMR systems often use a network of repeaters to produce greater range.

Codan provides installation information in the user manuals purchased as part of your HF system. For mobile stations, Codan offers an installation kit which includes cradles for the RF unit and handset and the various cables and looms required for installation. Codan recommends the installation of your HF radio be performed by an appropriately authorised person. It is important that the electrical wiring is safe and provides optimal RF performance. For large installations, Codan offers competitively priced training services.

Please contact your dealer or your local Support centre for assistance.

There are several IPv4 addresses allocated to the Envoy transceiver.

Default IP Addresses are:

• Desk Console: 192.168.0.246
• Handset: 192.168.0.247
• RF Unit: 192.168.0.248
• Virtual Control Point: 192.168.0.249
• USB Programming Port: 192.168.234.1 (do not change).

No. The Envoy only supports IPv4 addressing.

There can be a number of reasons why the handset control point cannot connect to the RF Unit.

The following procedure will take you through a step by step process on resetting your handset back to factory defaults. If your handset still cannot connect to the RF Unit after following this procedure please contact the Codan technical support team.

If the Envoy Control Point (CP) cannot find or connect to the RF Unit:

First thing to try is enter the IP Address of the RF Unit in the IP tab then press Connect.

The default RF Unit IP Address is 192.168.0.248.

If the RF Unit is still not connecting, check the IP Address and settings of the Control Point:

Note that unless connecting the Envoy to a LAN that has a DHCP server to allocate IP Addresses, the DHCP Client setting should remain disabled.

Do not change the USB IP Address, NetMask and DHCP Server settings.

For a list of Envoy IP Addresses, see FAQ "What are the default IP Addresses used in the Envoy?"

There are two ways to upgrade Envoy Firmware:

• Upgrade Firmware using a USB drive.

• Upgrade Firmware using TPS.

If upgrading firmware over a WAN ensure Firmware Upgrade Over WAN is selected in TPS Preferences;

Yes. Codan software has been tested on Windows 7 to Windows 10 32bit and 64bit operating systems with no known issues.

The operating systems supported are dependent on the software product. Codan software generally supports Microsoft Windows® XP and higher. However, please check your software product datasheet for specifications.

Yes – all modern Codan HF radios can be firmware upgraded anywhere, returning the radio to the factory is not required.

You don’t have to update your firmware, your radio will be fully operational without firmware updates. However, should Codan recommend a firmware update for any reason, the firmware upgrade can be easily completed using NSP / TPS software, or direct through USB stick (Envoy radio series). Firmware updates generally provide your radio with new capabilities, or may address software bug fixes.

Selcall is an abbreviation for Selective Calling. Selcall is a basic tone based calling system with the capability to call selective radios with a tone sequence over air. It is similar in concept to using a telephone. HF stations typically are scanning all channels on mute.

With SelCall, a station will send out a tone sequence that all other stations will hear, for the station that identifies with the tone sequence, that station will ring and open mute. Codan Selcall also provides for group and broadcast call types.

FED-STD refers to the FED-STD-1045 ALE, whereas MIL-STD refers to the MIL-STD-181-141B ALE. FED-STD ALE has the basic ALE feature set for calling and messaging, whereas MIL-STD has additional features such as NET calling, selective call types and LQA exchange.

NET calling allows you to group your users into nets, so rather than calling a particular person or everyone, you can call a certain group identified by a net. With MIL-STD ALE, you also have a variety of selective call types – such as global all-call, selective all-call, global any-call, selective any-call, double any-calls and more. Advanced ALE, part of MIL-STD ALE, enables you to force an LQA exchange.

LQA stands for Link Quality Assessment and is a score of how good the HF propagation is. With LQA exchange, HF stations can exchange information about how good they can hear each other, which results in better performance as a station knows how well another station is receiving and can make decisions about which frequencies to use.

An all call is a type of ALE call, using the syntax @?@. Instead of placing a call to a specific address, you can place a call to the all call address @?@ and the call will be sent to everyone in your address book.

The emergency button is a press and hold button used to make a pre-defined call. Typically, it is programmed to call a predefined station using an emergency call type and if possible, send the GPS coordinates of the radio sending the emergency. It can be programmed to do a chain call to alert a number of stations of your emergency, placing an emergency call to each station programmed as part of the chain call.

The ESN is the Electronic Serial Number, but it is not the same as the serial number. The serial number is a manufacturing serial number printed on your HF radio. Your RF unit, handset, and junction box will all have serial numbers. The ESN is a number electronically reported via the radio. To find the ESN, navigate to the appropriate place in the menu, which will depend on the model of radio you are using. Please see your user manual for the location of your ESN in your transceiver menu.

Please contact Codan if you can’t find your ADMIN PIN. To clear the ADMIN PIN, we will need to know the Electronic Serial Number (ESN) and the physical serial number of the radio to validate the authenticity of the radio. Once the ESN and physical serial number have been provided, Codan will generate an option code to clear the Admin PIN. Additional instructions on entering option codes will also be provided.

To find the ESN use one of the following sequences:

For NGT and 2110 Series Manpack transceivers:
While the transceiver is requesting the admin PIN, press and hold this button on the keypad:

You will be prompted to enter an Option Code. Above this, you will see the ESN:

For Envoy and Sentry-H 6120-BM series transceivers:
Using the Control Point, press Menu.
Select the information icon:

and press OK.

Select Option Password:

and press OK.

The ESN is shown at the top of the screen:

For 2110 Series Manpack radios, profiles are loaded using our NSP software, and a serial or USB to serial convertor cable to the transceiver. For Envoy, TPS software is used to create a profile. Profiles can then be loaded via USB cable, IP connection or via USB memory stick. Keys are loaded using either our KMS or KFS software on 2110 Series Manpack and Envoy HF transceivers. Keys can be loaded to Envoy and Sentry-H 6120-BM radios using a USB thumb drive and a USB host adaptor.

Most base station antennas require a mast. The antenna consists of the wires and transformers used for communication. However, they require a mast for the antenna to be erected in the air. The mast consists of aluminium or fibreglass poles and guy wires which prevent movement of the mast under antenna, wind and ice loading. A mast height is generally between 10 and 15 metres.

Both the 3040 and 9350 antennas suit mobile applications and are very similar in performance. The 3040 is the modern, compact, electronic tuning equivalent of the 9350, whereas the 9350 is electro-mechanically tuned. Both the 3040 and 9350 are rugged and tough and use the same overall whip lengths. However, the body of the 3040 is considerably smaller, making it easier to install on a vehicle.

For mobile applications, we generally recommend the Codan 3040 Automatic Whip Antenna . For more demanding applications, the 3042 tuner and associated whip is recommended. For base station applications, we generally recommend the 411 Terminated Folded Dipole Antenna, or a full Delta Antenna, if sufficient space is available.

Proper antenna selection requires consideration of many parameters including desired range of operation, available frequencies, transmit power levels, space constraints, and type of service being provided (voice / data). Codan offers a wide range of antennas and masts for different requirements.

Please visit our Antennas & Masts page for more information on our range. For assistance with antenna selection, contact Codan.

Codan provides a range of data options for different applications, with capability for messaging, email and chat. The data rates are generally between 75 bps and 9,600 bps (not including data compression), depending on channel conditions and the modem option you have installed.

Codan’s robust low rate modem, available as a software option in Envoy and Sentry-H 6120-BM products provides data throughput up to 2,400 bps (uncompressed) or 6,000 bps (compressed), and is a highly cost effective option. Codan also provides full MIL-STD modem This provides data according to MIL-STD-188-110A & B, with rates up to 9,600 bps.

When used with an independent sideband capable radio, the rate can be up to 19,200 bps. All data capability will depend on channel conditions.

Generally if your GPS sync isn’t working, it may be that your GPS receiver is not plugged in or your GPS receiver can’t see the sky, there may be something obscuring its view, therefore you will need to reorient the receiver. For Envoy models you may need to check the connector setting is configured for GPS. For our 2110 Series Manpacks, the GPS receiver is installed in the front panel so you need to make sure the front panel has a clear view of the sky.

Our HF transceivers – 2110 Series Manpacks, Sentry-H 6120 BM and Envoy – all have support for GPS. An external GPS receiver can be connected, or some models can be fitted with an internal GPS receiver. Once your system is equipped with a GPS receiver and the appropriate calling options enabled, your Codan radio can both request and send GPS coordinates. You can also receive distance and bearings between two radios or from a portable / mobile to a base. Codan also offers tracking software, which allows map-based tracking of assets from a base station.

ALE refers to HF Automatic Link Establishment (ALE). Most ALE systems in use today operate according to the US federal standard (FED-STD-1045) or the higher specification Military standard (MIL-STD-188-141B). ALE is a mechanism allowing a HF radio to automatically determine the best channel to use to make a link.

CALM is a Codan propriety adaptation of ALE that offers full compatibility with the ALE standards plus advanced features that provide better performance. For example, CALM monitors channel conditions across a 24 hour period rather than scoring channel performance on a one-off basis as per the ALE standard. Codan ALE offers convenient features such as text messaging, GPS position send / request, group and broadcast calling.

Codan Communications Land Mobile Radio (LMR) Systems can be configured in a multitude of ways. The following lists the more frequent configurations:

Repeaters – Codan radios can be configured as standard voice repeater systems with a variety of power outputs and signalling requirements.

Base Stations – Codan radios can be connected to IP (LAN/WAN) or microwave interfaces to operate as a base station with multiple function capability (channel switching, subtone selection, etc.).

Crossband Repeaters – Codan radios can be configured in many different crossband configurations. Typical crossband systems consist of two interconnected repeaters and/or base stations, however, Codan radios can be connected to accommodate triple or quadruple crossband systems.

Hot / Cold Standby Radios – Codan systems can be configured as redundant radio systems for extremely reliable system requirements.

Linked Repeaters – A crossband repeater consisting of a standard repeater with a link radio connected to the repeater.

Paging Systems – Codan systems can be configured for most 2-level and 4-level paging formats as paging stations or paging repeaters.

Simulcast Systems – Codan radios can be configured for simulcast operation for both analogue and P25 digital radio systems using a variety of simulcast control functions and features.

Transportable Repeaters – Codan radios can be mounted in custom designed transportable cases for use in emergencies, special events, to provide additional coverage, as spare repeaters, etc.

Trunking Systems – A variety of trunking systems are available from Codan for both analog and P25 digital operation. Single site trunking (including transportable configurations) and multi-site, wide area trunking are common configurations.

Voting Systems – Codan provides repeater voting capabilities over IP, RF link and landline backhauls using a suite of voting solutions.

Installing a Codan LMR radio system can require the following equipment:

• Power Supply: Codan radio systems are powered by 10 to 17 Volts DC (13.8 nominal) power input. An AC power supply can be provided from Codan for 110 / 220 Volts AC power input. DC/DC converters are also available. These supplies connect to the DC power input.
• Antenna: Codan provides a single N-female 50 Ω impedance connecter on the transmitter and receiver modules. Codan can also provide optional antenna relays, duplexers, combiners and multicouplers for antenna connection based on your requirements.
• Rack or Cabinet: Codan radio systems are designed to be mounted in an industry standard 19” rack. Cabinets with locking doors, open frame relay racks, transportable enclosures and portable cases can be provided by Codan to meet your mounting requirements.
• Housings: Repeater sites typically require a specialized building to mount the equipment in. The type of building depends on the environmental conditions and location of the site.
• Console or Remotes: Codan can supply optional tone remote or IP adapters for base station/repeaters connecting to consoles or tone remotes.

The transmitter and receiver synthesizer monitors four channel select lines (CSEL3 to CSEL0) that are connected at the rear of the motherboard. The state of these select lines will determine the channel that the transmitter or receiver will operate on. The select lines operate in a binary fashion, where a high (+9.5Vdc) is a ‘1’ and a low (ground) is a ‘0’ and read from Most Significant Digit (CSEL3) to Least Significant Digit (CSEL0) and form a four digit binary code.

A binary code of 0000 (all four channel select lines grounded) will result in transmitter or receiver operation on channel 1. A binary code of 0001 will result in transmitter or receiver operation on channel 2, and so forth. A binary code of 1111 (all four channel select lines at +9.5 Vdc) will result in transmitter or receiver operation on channel 16.

Control of the channel select lines can be done by three different methods:

• The motherboard has four channel select jumpers and a power enable jumper for each transmitter and receiver in the subrack. These jumpers can be selected in the +9.5 Vdc position (1 or up) on the motherboard or in the grounded (0 or down) position. The power enable jumper must be installed for these jumpers to operate.
• Rotary switches can be mounted on the front of the Audio Control Card and wired into the channel select jumpers allowing control of channel selection through 16 position selectable front panel rotary switches.
• The channel select lines can be routed to an external source through the auxiliary control connector on the motherboard, allowing channel selection by third party equipment such as tone remote adapters.

While Codan products are known for their extraordinarily high level of reliability, if you should encounter any problems, please contact Codan or visit our Support page.

Please email: lmrsupport@codancomms.com and include:

• Your name and contact number
• Return shipment address
• Model and serial number
• What the product issue is

To return LMR equipment to Codan Communications in Canada, the Codan service department must first issue an RMA (Return Materials Authorization) number to you. This RMA number needs to be written on the outside of the box when returned. For further instruction on RMA, visit our Technical Support webpage.

No, the Codan MT-4E is not being discontinued.

As the MT-4E is a proven product with a history of reliability in the field, development efforts are focused on adding further functionality to this already capable product.

To learn more about the Codan MT-4E and the future focus, please read the MT-4E 2018 Update.

A tone remote adapter connects the radio to a console in another location via a wireline or IP connection, usually a telephone line within a LMR System.

The tone remote decodes function tones sent from the console to manipulate the operation of the radio. (e.g. change channels). The tone remote will also send the audio to and from the radio and console so the operator’s voice will be broadcast out the radio and incoming signals will be heard back at the console. The tone remote can also generate signals to be broadcast (e.g. CTCSS tones). It is usually used in a base station configuration, but can also be used to key a repeater remotely.

An audio control card is used to route all the signals in the radio and send them to their proper destination within a LMR System. All PTT (Push to talk) COR (Carrier operated relay) and audio signals are routed through it.

The system regulator provides several functions to the radio within a LMR System:

• Contains a voltage regulator for the incoming DC power.
• Contains an amplifier and speaker so you can hear the audio from the receiver.
• Has jacks and a rotary switch to select different test points within the radio.
• Optional antenna relay for simplex and half-duplex operation.

Codan offers both Class A and Class B (TIA industry standard defined) receiver modules in some of the more common LMR frequency bands. The main differences are:

Class A receiver specs are designed for operation at densely populated (typically urban) communication sites where other radio systems are present and creating potential interference. The Class A offers protection from much of this potential interference, with a trade-off of higher operating current on the Codan receiver.

Class B receiver specs are not as stringent as Class A, and are designed more for radio sites with little to no potential for interference from other radio systems. This is commonly found in rural and remote communication sites. The trade-off is that the Class B receiver draws far less operating current (almost 75%) which lends itself well to remote solar powered communications sites.

Antenna relays are an option for a system regulator within a LMR System. An antenna relay provides a connection between the antenna and either the transmitter when the radio is transmitting or the receiver whenever the radio is not transmitting.

It is used in simplex or half-duplex configurations with a single antenna, when you do not require simultaneous transmitting and receiving.

The antenna relay is connected to the transmitter, receiver and antenna via RF cables. The receiver is on the normally closed side of the relay and when the PTT on the microphone or console is keyed, it switches to the transmitter connection.