How to find CTCSS/DCS tones...

[duster]

I'm not sure where to post this question, so we'll try here.

Can you track/decode/identify a CTCSS (PL) tone from a frequency counter, and if so, does anyone know what brands or models have that feature?

Are there any other ways to discover the CTCSS tone other than the old hit-and-miss method of entering each likely tone in your transmitter and hoping you open a repeater? Besides being annoying and taking up airtime on a system, it is also very inefficient... it doesn't work if the system is not repeated. Thanks in advance for your help.

[vsny]

The most efficient way it to use a scanner that has the feature that will search for the correct CTCSS while stopped on the freq. you desire--such as the Uniden 785...(I'm sure others have this function) or perhaps looking in the RadioRef database for the agency involved

[duster]

Originally Posted by vsny

The most efficient way it to use a scanner that has the feature that will search for the correct CTCSS while stopped on the freq. you desire--such as the Uniden 785...(I'm sure others have this function) or perhaps looking in the RadioRef database for the agency involved

Thanks. I wasn't aware that some scanners would track PL's. My Relm MS200 can use CTCSS codes to eliminate interference, but I don't think it will actually DECODE them. Can anyone let me know some other scanner models that will do that? I've never owned one with that feature, so don't even know where to start. Will the new Bearcat (I think it's the 396T) do that? I'm leaning towards getting one of those anyway...

As for the RR database, I use it all the time, but unfortunately, I'm finding that an increasing number of CTCSS entries are outdated or missing. I'm also a regular contributor for California and Kansas, and a several of our local agencies here in the Sacramento area have changed PL tones due to interference. I've got one agency in particular who is not using any of the 'standard' tones in use by other agencies in the area, and may have gone to DCS. Many of the agencies in the part of Kansas I'm from have instituted new radio systems in the past few years, migrating away from VHF low-band, and few of my friends know the actual frequencies, let alone the PL codes. You can only get so much information from FCC and license databases... :-) I'm a detective at heart, and really enjoy tracking down obscure frequencies and radio data to update my local databases. The CTCSS data is getting confounding, however, especially with this one agency.

[fineshot1]

Originally Posted by duster

I'm not sure where to post this question, so we'll try here.

Can you track/decode/identify a CTCSS (PL) tone from a frequency counter, and if so, does anyone know what brands or models have that feature?

Are there any other ways to discover the CTCSS tone other than the old hit-and-miss method of entering each likely tone in your transmitter and hoping you open a repeater? Besides being annoying and taking up airtime on a system, it is also very inefficient... it doesn't work if the system is not repeated. Thanks in advance for your help.

I am sure someone on RR will produce a list of scanners ( gre & uniden ) that have that feature - but as to your question about freq counters - yes. Optoelectronics makes some models that will read out the freq and a ctcss, dcs, dtmf and possibly other tones.

http://www.optoelectronics.com/

[mfn002]

Originally Posted by fineshot1

I am sure someone on RR will produce a list of scanners ( gre & uniden ) that have that feature - but as to your question about freq counters - yes. Optoelectronics makes some models that will read out the freq and a ctcss, dcs, dtmf and possibly other tones.

http://www.optoelectronics.com/

There are several models-both Uniden and RS-that can decode PL/DPLs. These are the ones I know about:
RadioShack PRO96
RadioShack PRO2096
RadioShack PRO97
Uniden SC230
Uniden BC246T
Uniden BR330T
Uniden BC396D
Uniden BC796D
Uniden BC898T
Uniden BC996D
Uniden BCT15
There are probably more on the RS side, but that's what I know.

[lil_jimmy_norton]

Originally Posted by mfn002

There are several models-both Uniden and RS-that can decode PL/DPLs. These are the ones I know about:
RadioShack PRO96
RadioShack PRO2096
RadioShack PRO97
Uniden SC230
Uniden BC246T
Uniden BR330T
Uniden BC396D
Uniden BC796D
Uniden BC898T
Uniden BC996D
Uniden BCT15
There are probably more on the RS side, but that's what I know.

RS PRO-2055 as well.

[Skud]

Nice thing about the Pro 96 vs the 396T is when it stops on a channel, it will display the PL tone, and you can hit enter and it will save the PL tone right away. From my understanding, you have to write down or remember the PL tone on the 396T and reprogram the channel.
I use my Pro-96 when searching for PL tones on frequencies I already know.

[duster]

Thanks for the information guys. This was what I needed to know.

[Grog]

One advantage the uniden 246 has onevr the GRE pro97 is that the 246 shows ctcss & dcs tones at the same time (on search) but the 97 has to look for ctcss OR dcs, but not at the same time.

BTW, from someone who really does not like unidens, it pains me to admit I like that feature on the 246

[scanfan03]

Add the RS pro-92 to that list.

[nonposter]

Originally Posted by mfn002

There are several models-both Uniden and RS-that can decode PL/DPLs. These are the ones I know about:
...

This should be available in the wiki, since it's useful information.

I make a wiki page, Automatic CTCSS identification, that each scanner with this feature should link to. Then, it's possible to view the "What links here" link for the page and see all scanners that implement that feature: http://wiki.radioreference.com/index...identification

I verified a few scanners that have that feature from the user manuals. For any other scanner with that feature, please update that scanner's wiki page.

[Don_Burke]

Originally Posted by nonposter

This should be available in the wiki, since it's useful information.

I make a wiki page, Automatic CTCSS identification, that each scanner with this feature should link to. Then, it's possible to view the "What links here" link for the page and see all scanners that implement that feature: http://wiki.radioreference.com/index...identification

I verified a few scanners that have that feature from the user manuals. For any other scanner with that feature, please update that scanner's wiki page.

Is there a way to indicate how fast the scanner identifies the tone?

My BC796D and Pro-97 will both do it, but the 97 is many times faster.

[nonposter]

Originally Posted by Don_Burke

Is there a way to indicate how fast the scanner identifies the tone?

It's not published in the owner's manuals that I've seen, but I've only looked at a handful of manuals. If you have, or can find, the information, please include it on the wiki page(s).

[hotdjdave]

The Uniden BCD396T has a built-in frequency counter, as well. You have to push a combination of buttons to turn on this "hidden" feature.

The combination is [Hold] [3] [0] simultaneously while pushing on the power.

I think there are some other Uniden scanners that have this same feature. This includes Radio Shack scanners made by Uniden.

[mbird97x]

I tried that hold-3-0 on my 246T and screen showed 800 mHz and was changing freq displayed and the close call icon was on. Don't know what that means.

[hotdjdave]

Originally Posted by mbird97x

I tried that hold-3-0 on my 246T and screen showed 800 mHz and was changing freq displayed and the close call icon was on. Don't know what that means.

That's it, you turned on your "hidden" frequency counter. It is trying to find frequencies.

Now you can set the band you want the radio to search. On my BCD396, I turn the rotary knob to select which band: VHF-Lo1, VHF-Lo2, VHF-Hi1, VHF-Hi2, UHF, and 800MHz+.

[Lodis]

The Icom R2 has CTCSS and the Icom R5 has CTCSS / DCS. It isn't automatic like it is in the BCD396T because as far as I know, you have to stop on a frequency and manually set the R5 to search for the tones.

When it comes to discovering tones with the 396, the good thing is that you can do a search and auto store with CTCSS/DCS searching enabled and it will also store the tones too. I think Close Call Auto Store is supposed to be able to do this as well.

[loumaag]

Originally Posted by Lodis

...When it comes to discovering tones with the 396, the good thing is that you can do a search and auto store with CTCSS/DCS searching enabled and it will also store the tones too. I think Close Call Auto Store is supposed to be able to do this as well.

Yeah, but it would be nice if there was a way to store the TONE if you programmed the frequency and had it in "tone search" mode while just scanning.