Creating a Conventional Channel Cluster from a File

This process is useful for quick creation of a channel cluster from a file of devices.

Prerequisites:

• The MLC 8000 Configuration Tool is operational. See procedure Opening the MLC 8000 Configuration Tool.
• The MLC 8000s and the PC are connected to the LAN switch.
• IP addresses have been assigned to the MLC 8000 Analog Comparators and MLC 8000 Subsite Link Converters you are adding to the channel cluster. For more information, see procedure Provisioning the Initial IP Address for an MLC 8000 Device.

When and where to use:

• Your PC crashed while you created a channel cluster as in process Creating a Conventional Channel Cluster.

• You have MLC 8000 devices which are already configured and you want to create a channel cluster from these devices.

The main difference between this process and process Creating a Conventional Channel Cluster is that when you follow this process, you will not have to add the channel cluster devices one at a time.

Procedure:

1. Define the name and type for the channel cluster and select the IP list .csv file. See section Defining a Conventional Channel Cluster.
   The channel cluster tree is created and displayed on the MLC 8000 Configuration Tool main screen.
2. Define the Site ID and Site Name for the channel cluster. Perform procedure Entering Site ID and Site Name for a Conventional Channel Cluster.
3. Define subsites in the subsite list using procedure Modifying the Conventional Channel Cluster Subsite List.
   NoteIn digital systems, the Subsite ID is crucial because of its use in audio packets. In analog systems, the Subsite ID and associated name are informational and provided for convenience to remember where the devices are installed.
4. If a messages window appears indicating that the device is not configured properly, click OK. Configure the device using the appropriate configuration procedure:
   • If this is an IP Simulcast system, perform procedure Configuring an MLC 8000 Analog Comparator for an IP Simulcast System.
   • If this is a non IP Simulcast System, perform procedure Configuring an MLC 8000 Analog Comparator for a Non IP Simulcast System.
   • If this is a mixed mode system, perform procedure Configuring an MLC 8000 Analog Comparator for Mixed Mode Non IP Simulcast Voting.
5. If a messages window appears, indicating that the channel cluster contains more than the allowed number of voters or base radios, configure devices to keep the channel cluster limitation of 64 BRs and 1 voter in an IP Simulcast channel cluster or 4 voters in a non IP Simulcast channel cluster
6. If this system is a digital system, add digital comparators to the channel cluster. Perform procedure Adding a Digital Comparator to a Conventional Channel Cluster.
7. For more information about the graphic view of the channel cluster tree that is displayed, see section Configuration Tool Main Screen.