Icom F50V Pager

[Rescue20]

Hi,
I heard there is a way to set the radio so that it is closed until the 2 tone is received like a pager but can't figure out how to do it. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you in advance!

 

[12dbsinad]

Yes, these radios work well for 2 tone paging. A few things first,

1) Do you know your Dept's 2 tone numbers and timing?

2) What version F50V do you have? They make 2 versions, one with vibrator alert and voice record and one without. They look identical on the outside. They also have updated the firmware in the later models with whats called the "MM" firmware, which stands for Minitor Mimic. One way to easily find out is to hold down the up arrow and P3 button while powering on the transceiver. If it scrolls something like "REV 3.6.2 MM V.R. VIBRATOR" (there are some other stuff it will scroll also) then the radio has the MM firmware with voice record and vibrator.

Programming and setting up the radio is a little more advanced than being able to do it on a forum thread, but I would be able to help further through PM.

 

[Rescue20]

I know how to program the radio and everything and I know all the two tone stuff. I'm asking about being able to set the radio to a mode where it is closed until the tone is received then it opens like a pager on selective call frequency. I heard it can be done but can't figure it out. So either it can't be done or I just can't figure it.

 

[jeatock]

You should have the F50V MM software and matching firmware. If that is not your version you should update.

Here's how I do it in F50V MM:
1. I set up two different channels in "Memory CH". I call one "-QUIET-" and the other "PAGING".
-QUIET equates to 'off-duty" mode.
-PAGING equates to "on-duty" mode.
2. On the "QUIET" channel I enable TX INH to prevent butt dialing, and remove & Sel Inh it from scan lists. Scanning open channels while in a shut-up-until-signaled mode is contradictory.
3. On the "QUIET" channel set CH MUTE to AND. (This is not an option in the earlier software/firmware versions.) This is the setting that tells the radio to mute until signaled. If there is no CTCSS tone from the base, leave the C.Tone | RX field blank and use AND anyway.
4. Make sure the RX C.No is checked/selected for the desired tone pairs defined in 2Tone | Code CH.
5. Copy the QUIET line to PAGING.
-Enable TX if appropriate.
-Enable Scanning as needed.
-Change CH Mute to OR.
6. In 2Tone | Code CH
-Make sure the 1st and 2nd Freq's are correct.
-Try shortening the Tone Periods; 0.5 for the A tone and 1.5 for the B tone is my norm. Icom defaults to 1.0/3.0, but Minitors use 0.5/1.5 or so. If the tones are not more than the defined times the radio will not decode. (I'm not suggesting that your console vendor would be so evil as to set their transmit times to 0.9/2.9 just to mess with the competition - that would be unethical.)
7. In 2Tone | RX Code Setting try increasing the No Tone from 0.08 to 0.20. This is the amount of dead space between the A and B tones. Your console should send almost no space, but some consoles have 'issues' and insert a longer than standard inter-tone period.
8. Check the transmitter deviation from your base. If the F50 is in Narrow and expecting a 1.5KHz tone deviation but seeing more than 2.0KHz it may be missing the decode entirely. This quirk is sometimes a function of the CTCSS and page tones mixing and may only be on one tone of the pair, but enough to invalidate the decode. Try changing the QUIET channel to wide band, but make sure you TX Inh. That will allow it to decode up to 3.5KHz or more deviation. Since narrowbanding I have seen this issue several times.
9. Remember that in 2Tone, the radio must receive the exact expected tone sequence for at least the minimum times defined. If the radio is in Priority Scan and jumps off-channel even for a brief moment, the decoder will see the jump and not alert.

We use the EIA 5Tone and have found it to be bullet proof. Instead of sending a 4-second long "Dept X listen up" tone sequence (and second/third/forth/more tone pairs for mutual aid or multiple agencies), we send a single half second data string that says what region, what sub-zone, and what type of incident, then duplicate it for redundancy. Total page time less than 3 seconds for redundant and actionable information for multiple houses.

 

[12dbsinad]

8. Check the transmitter deviation from your base. If the F50 is in Narrow and expecting a 1.5KHz tone deviation but seeing more than 2.0KHz it may be missing the decode entirely. This quirk is sometimes a function of the CTCSS and page tones mixing and may only be on one tone of the pair, but enough to invalidate the decode. Try changing the QUIET channel to wide band, but make sure you TX Inh. That will allow it to decode up to 3.5KHz or more deviation. Since narrowbanding I have seen this issue several times.

A moot point if it has newer firmware that is forced narrow. Toggling between W/N does nothing. I have done this with some of the older units with consoles that are not set-up correctly with paging tones. We have a few techs around hear that like to adjust everything by "ear". If they can hear it then its good to go.

 

[Rescue20]

Thank you everyone for the help!