ICOM vote scan

[wd9cms]

I am thinking of using the vote scan feature on an ICOM F6051 VHF mobile radio and was wondering if anyone had any experience using this feature and how well it worked? I was thinking that this would be a good solution for a multi repeater system that simulcasts audio to repeaters that are in different parts of the county. This would eliminate the operator from having to remember to change channels.

Thanks,

Bill

 

[radionerd13669]

Is the repeater a voting system?

 

[wd9cms]

The repeater system is not a voting system. The system consists of three repeaters and they are all setup with the same input frequency and three separate output frequencies. The idea is the mobile and portable radios always transmit on the same frequency and depending on your location you select the repeater closest to you. The vote scanning feature allow the radio to automatically select the strongest signal and listen to that repeater output even if the other two repeater have readable signals.I guess the best way to describe it is a reverse voting where the radio rather than the repeater makes the voting decision. This is a really good solution when the repeaters are on mountain tops and you want to keep the equipment on the mountain to a minimum. The vote scanning using a Motorola radios works fine and the system operates as advertised... I tested it today. The problem as always is cost and I am trying to see if the Icom F6051's vote scan works as advertised or not? I may just buy one and give it a try if no one has tested it.

Thanks,

Bill

 

[mjthomas59]

Do yourself a favor and before you buy get with your local dealer. I've been "demoing" i.e. trying it out for free, a F3161 radio for 2 months now, and again it is FREE! Not saying every dealer would do it for just anyone, but if I were you I would atleast give it a shot.

Sorry I don't know anything about the voting mode scanning, but rather than buy something that doesn't work, just borrow one and find out one way or the other.

Good luck and post your results!

 

[SCPD]

I have 5 repeaters all linked. I tried to use vote scan, and put my repeaters CW id on, at every 5 minutes to get a signal to use for voting off of. Sometimes it works, but a lot of times it wont. Id end up at the north end of my system, and my radio would be locked on the tower at the south end. All repeaters are in Digital mode and simulcast, yet it will lock on a tower with the lower RSSI sometimes.