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Strange Chirping Sound Often Heard From Dispatch

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kenwoodgeek

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I had a quick question I've been wondering about for a long time.

On three separate school bus frequencies in my area (all conventional Kenwood UHF repeater systems), the dispatch radios periodically transmit chirping noises while the dispatchers are talking.

I have no idea if it's the radios themselves, the repeaters in the background, or what. When I just heard it on the one channel, I thought it was just phones ringing in the background, but, as I've said, three separate school bus terminals have these sounds that periodically are put over the air by the radios at base.

These sounds resemble a phone ringing in the background and are not extremely loud. Depending on which channel I'm listening to, the tones are different pitches. Sometimes I'll hear two rounds of chirps, both the same pitch, and other times I'll hear two rounds with the first higher pitched and the second lower pitched. They sound completely randomly and at random intervals.

I figured that it has something to do with the radios in some way, but does anyone know?

I put together a small compilation of times I've recorded these sounds and put it on YouTube. It can be viewed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd6PWaJHjrs

Thanks!
 
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PVPD730

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kenwoodgeek said:
I had a quick question I've been wondering about for a long time.

On three separate school bus frequencies in my area (all conventional Kenwood UHF repeater systems), the dispatch radios periodically transmit chirping noises while the dispatchers are talking.

I have no idea if it's the radios themselves, the repeaters in the background, or what. When I just heard it on the one channel, I thought it was just phones ringing in the background, but, as I've said, three separate school bus terminals have these sounds that periodically are put over the air by the radios at base.

These sounds resemble a phone ringing in the background and are not extremely loud. Depending on which channel I'm listening to, the tones are different pitches. Sometimes I'll hear two rounds of chirps, both the same pitch, and other times I'll hear two rounds with the first higher pitched and the second lower pitched. They sound completely randomly and at random intervals.

I figured that it has something to do with the radios in some way, but does anyone know?

I put together a small compilation of times I've recorded these sounds and put it on YouTube. It can be viewed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd6PWaJHjrs

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Those noises you heard in the background are most likely phones ringing. As for the other sound following each transmission, that almost sounds like some sort of MDC signaling to give the radio's PTT-ID.
 
kenwoodgeek

kenwoodgeek

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Okay, was just curious! I figured with all the different tones I was hearing, it had something to do with the radios or repeaters.

And yes, these companies use FleetSync PTT ID.
 
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srich10

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Those background chirps are Cisco IP phone ringtones for their call center/dispatchers. Here's a link of the one they used in the TV show "24" that also can be heard in clip 3 of your video.

https://youtu.be/KztGVxpbKYs

Funny enough, I have that 24 ringtone as my ringtone on my cellular phone
 
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PVPD730

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kenwoodgeek said:
Okay, was just curious! I figured with all the different tones I was hearing, it had something to do with the radios or repeaters.

And yes, these companies use FleetSync PTT ID.
Click to expand...

MDC may be exclusive to Motorola, but I'm not positive on that. FleetSync is probably similar, though.
 
marcp90

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Based on what I heard I'm 99% sure that you are hearing their phones ringing in the background :)
 
kenwoodgeek

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Thank you! I was always wondering if it was just phones in the background, but I wasn't sure.

My mom is, like, addicted to 24, haha.
 
03msc

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kenwoodgeek said:
Thank you! I was always wondering if it was just phones in the background, but I wasn't sure.

My mom is, like, addicted to 24, haha.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what it is...funny how some did sound like they were upon PTT release.

On a side note, I have that ringtone on my cell phone...the 24 ringtone...lots of versions of it out there.
 
mmckenna

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PVPD730 said:
MDC may be exclusive to Motorola, but I'm not positive on that. FleetSync is probably similar, though.
Click to expand...

At one time it was, but the patent expired a few years back. Most modern and decent (read: non-CCR's) will do MDC1200 now out of the box.

FleetSync was Kenwood's answer when the Motorola patent was still valid. I'm not sure who else supports that now, or if EF Johnson will start supporting it now they are part of JVC/Kenwood
 
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zsauve

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The sounds you are hearing is for sure from IP Phones. We use the same ones in my dispatch center. Often times people call while the dispatcher is talking so the phone sounds will often get sent over the air.
 
madrabbitt

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really annoys me when i'm dispatching and people dont answer the phone. Our phones dont ring at the consoles for this reason, but other ones around the room do.

i have perhaps in the past, mid-dispatch, forgotten to unkey the mic and said 'someone answer the damn phone please'
 
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