Federal Signal Pathfinder Siren/Light controller

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,511
Minnesota, USA
All information pulled from: https://www.fedsig.com/product/pathfinder-siren-light-controller

  • 100/200 W siren and light controller with PA and noise-canceling microphone
  • Compact size allows for console mounting
  • 4-position progressive slide switch; 7-position rotary switch and (9) push-buttons
  • Built-in dual tone capability
  • Built-in Rumbler® intersection clearing capability
  • Optional FS Vehicle Integration and On-Board Diagnostics Integration (OBDII)
  • Programmable timer feature
  • Speaker diagnostic LEDs
  • Siren tones, PA, Radio Rebroadcast and Air Horn
  • Library of selectable siren tones includes SmartSiren®, Unitrol™, and Powercall siren tones
  • Horn Ring Transfer and Park Kill
  • Backlit LEDs on control faceplate emulate SignalMaster™ directional warning operation
  • (7) programmable inputs and (12) programmable solid-state relay outputs
  • FS Convergence Network Configuration Software allows for easy customization of siren and light controls
  • (2) FS Convergence Network ports
  • Dual color (Red/Blue) backlit push-buttons
  • Five-year warranty
1539647453408.png
1539647469108.png
 

Jarred J.

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
11,580
Shelbyville, TN
It looks purdy
 

kabsher8093

Member
Oct 12, 2013
176
KY
Looks very cool. Lots of tones with built in Rumbler controller, just have to add the woofer(s).
From the Install book, the control head can be removed for remote head mounting.
The Powercall is different. Sounds kind of cool.
Programmed with the Convergence software.

Powercall
Powercall (Rumbler)
SSP Air Horn
SSP Air Horn (Rumbler)
SSP HI-LO
SSP HI-LO (Rumbler)
SSP Priority
SSP Priority (Rumbler)
SSP Wail
SSP Wail (Rumbler)
SSP Yelp
SSP Yelp (Rumbler)
Unitrol Air Horn
Unitrol Air Horn (Rumbler)
Unitrol Alarm
Unitrol Alarm (Rumbler)
Unitrol Futura
Unitrol Futura (Rumbler)
Unitrol Hetro
Unitrol Hetro (Rumbler)
Unitrol HI-LO
Unitrol HI-LO (Rumbler)
Unitrol Ultra HI-LO
Unitrol Ultra HI-LO (Rumbler)
Unitrol Wail
Unitrol Wail (Rumbler)
Unitrol Yelp
Unitrol Yelp (Rumbler)
 

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
1. slide switch should have been programmable not progressive, that's a step backwards
2. HF position should have been before or after Manual
3. tones 1 & 2 should be listed as tones 3 & 4 because Wail and Yelp are tones 1 & 2
 

Quentin

Member
May 21, 2010
956
Lancaster, Nebraska
1. slide switch should have been programmable not progressive, that's a step backwards
2. HF position should have been before or after Manual
3. tones 1 & 2 should be listed as tones 3 & 4 because Wail and Yelp are tones 1 & 2

The slide is programmable.

The only thing I see an issue is picking tones. like HF, I see you can pick mono or dual tones but what about the 2nd sept/stage tone or 3rd?
 

167

Member
May 27, 2010
324
Memphis, TN
The slide is programmable.

The only thing I see an issue is picking tones. like HF, I see you can pick mono or dual tones but what about the 2nd sept/stage tone or 3rd?
I don't think the HF position works as one would expect. Looking at the programming software, it is just another "tone" position.

Not according to the product description. Hope you're right though.
The slide switch is programmable as step switches.

Having said that, I have been playing with one for a few days. There seems to be some bugs in programming that FedSig is gonna have to work out.
 

Quentin

Member
May 21, 2010
956
Lancaster, Nebraska
Not according to the product description. Hope you're right though.

I don't think the HF position works as one would expect. Looking at the programming software, it is just another "tone" position.


The slide switch is programmable as step switches.

Having said that, I have been playing with one for a few days. There seems to be some bugs in programming that FedSig is gonna have to work out.

Here is the latest build I was sent fixing some things. https://app.box.com/s/nk5v71ccm1mdadyxu9bmdo7h5wq280sy

I was thinking that HF would be like Whelen's HF. Hopefully someone here gets one for testing.

also in the PDF is says something about PF200RM looks like another model that can be remote mounted.
 

167

Member
May 27, 2010
324
Memphis, TN
I take that to mean it is progressive, not programmable
No, both. It is progressive, but you can also program each step with 10 built in relays that operate as flash patterns and/or 5 external. So here is a screen shot programming slide switch one to alternate light heads:
 

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167

Member
May 27, 2010
324
Memphis, TN
Here, in the same position, you can also choose a flash pattern on a lightbar, in this case an Integrity, to rear flash only and turn on the cruise lights, or anything else you see on the screen.
 

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CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
If outputs can only be activated in sequence by slide switch position it's progressive.
Put differently, it doesn't sound like it functions like the Smartsiren slide switching which in my book is a step backwards
 
Last edited:

Quentin

Member
May 21, 2010
956
Lancaster, Nebraska
If outputs can only be activated in sequence by slide switch position it's progressive.
Put differently, it doesn't sound like it functions like the Smartsiren slide switching which in my book is a step backwards

It's programmable

ex
Step 1: relay 1 on
Step 2: relay 1 off

or it can be program as progressive style

ex
step 1: relay 1 on
step 2: relay 1 on

I want to try the built in relay flasher.

Now question about the relay flasher phase. Normally it's A and B. There is,
0
45
90
135
180
225
270
315

I have one, hence how I know there are bugs in the programming...

How do the siren tones sound? The sound clips on fedsig.com didn't sound right.
 
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167

Member
May 27, 2010
324
Memphis, TN
How do the siren tones sound? The sound clips on fedsig.com didn't sound right.

I haven't done much because I haven't picked up a resistor and don't wanna blare tones through the entire shop for any amount of time. The little bit I have done, they sounded okay to me.
 

Inthefuture

New Member
Dec 31, 2018
6
New England
Looks very cool. Lots of tones with built in Rumbler controller, just have to add the woofer(s).
From the Install book, the control head can be removed for remote head mounting.
The Powercall is different. Sounds kind of cool.
Programmed with the Convergence software.

Powercall

Unitrol Ultra Hi Lo

The Powercall tone on the Federal Pathfinder originally came on the "Powercall" auxiliary unit sold by GE Communications as part of their vehicle two-way (tube) radio systems in the'60's and early'70's. It was GE's electronic implementation of Federal's Q mechanical siren. (Motorola still offers multi-tone auxiliary siren units with their vehicle two-way radio systems.) It provided the Q's sound without the high current draw of the Q's motor. (Check the linked videos on YouTube to see the similarity between the GE Powercall unit and the Federal Q Siren.)

It was the only tone on the unit and so the tone became known as the Powercall/GE Powercall tone. As the tone was originally produced by tube electronics, reproducing it was not successful until sound files were created using original GE Powercall units. Powercall Sirens, Federal Signal and Feniex started using sound files instead of circuitry, so the old GE and Unitrol sounds are again available. The Powercall tone is also nearly identical to the new Federal EQ2B Electronic Q Siren.

The latest update for the Federal Signal Smart Siren Platinum includes the Unitrol sound files allowing older SSP's to be updated to the new SSP tones shown on the Federal Signal website. Once updated, the tones can be chosen using the Convergence software.
 
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Inthefuture

New Member
Dec 31, 2018
6
New England
Do you have an example of the Powercall you describe with only one tone on the unit? I've never seen one like that.
Hi,

Here is a YouTube video of an actual mid-'60's GE Powercall tube single tone siren in operation. It also had PA and Radio Rebroadcast. One simple big red illuminated push button for Manual in the middle, an Off/On switch on the left and the Radio Rebroadcast/PA/Siren switch on the right. The case for the unit matched the case of the Ge Communications two-way Police/Fire/Business radios of the period.

I have also included the video on David Fierstien's GE 6100 Powercall siren (and it does only produce the Powercall tone).

On watching this video, I find I must correct an earlier comment. The unit can actually produce a Yelp tone (also referred to as Whoop) in addition to the standard Powercall slow Wail. Learn something new every day. (The Yelp is selected by pressing the Manual button while the unit is in Siren mode.) I had only had the opportunity to watch the first part of the video before.

If I ever find one for sale I'm snapping it up.

Enjoy...

Bruce

 
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Quentin

Member
May 21, 2010
956
Lancaster, Nebraska
Well got my PF200H in and the programing on this thing seems limitless! I’m planing use the built in flasher and need find what lights play best with it.

I’ve found one bug with manual cost they are going to push an update to fix. The power call does sound good on it.
 

emcom

Member
Apr 12, 2011
71
Huntsville, AL
Does it have the same sound if you are running Unitrol wail and tap the horn for momentary yelp and then starts the wail on high again like the older unitrols?
 

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