Squelch Settings

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BCasto

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I monitor Viper (multiple sites), Wake Simulcast, Cary City and other misc things. I do control channel only, locking out all but the current active control channel.

What is the science / thinking on squelch settings? Should they be set to 0, essentially no squelch but locked on to the CC? Please share your thoughts and experiences.

I am using a combination of back of radio antennas and a couple attic mounted discone antennas.
 

W8RMH

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A squelch setting of 2 seems to work best. Too low of a setting and the scanner may not connect to the control channel.

Also you shouldn't lock out any frequencies. If a frequency is not a control channel it is still a voice channel and you may miss transmissions.
 

troymail

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That really depends on the radio you are using and what you are monitoring -- 2 works well for a 436/536... a TRX-2 is more like 10 ... the TRX-1 is best set (for me) around the 9-10 o'clock position.

If you are monitoring any conventional frequencies at the same time - you'll know the setting needs to be adjusted - you'll just get static. It's a bit harder for trunked systems.

If the squelch is too wide open, it can slow the scan rate and potentially cause the radio to be slow to return to a control channel after a voice call.

If it is too closed, it could block out the CC or voice activity....
 

BCasto

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Thank you both. Although I am a bit confused. If my scanner has a Control Channel only scanning option, do I still need to include all the other channels and scan them? I have thought I could just "sit" on the control channel.
 

budevans

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Thank you both. Although I am a bit confused. If my scanner has a Control Channel only scanning option, do I still need to include all the other channels and scan them? I have thought I could just "sit" on the control channel.

Just an FYI, Only Conventional channel/frequencies are scanned (your scanner looks at each frequency for activity on every pass).
Your scanner does not scan a P25 Trunk system. It only looks at the Control Channel, which tells your scanner which if any Talk Groups are active and which frequency they are on.

But, Motorola and Harris treat the Control Channels differently. In the case of a Motorola P25 System, the Control Channel does not change. For Harris P25 systems, the Control Channel changes frequently. So for Harris systems you have to program all of the frequencies.
 

troymail

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As stated earlier... it really depends on which radio and what systems or conventional channels you are scanning.

On my TRX-1, I've now determined that 11-12 o'clock is best... particularly when scanning conventional channels and even Trunked DMR and NXDN
 
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