PL tone lockout?

nick1427d · #1 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 3:51 PM

On a BC780 is there anyway to LOCKOUT pl tones.

For instance I monitor a agency that has many units on CSQ but they get covered by another agency that uses a PL

Same question but what about with a newer BCD396xt?

If this can be done with software cool just wondering if it's possible

Ed_Azalea · #2 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 3:56 PM

If there were it probably wouldn't work if the PL signal is strong enough to cover the signal you want to hear anyway.

nick1427d · #3 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 4:09 PM

True, you would think that agency would just program a PL of their own but I guess with so many users they just deal with it.

It's very annoying on my end. Basically it's a FD i'm trying to monitor on their response channel but a PD uses all ops on the same channel with a PL. NOT in same vicinity but for me I'm in between both

Ed_Azalea · #4 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 4:18 PM

I remember an amateur radio repeater in the area had a antiPL device but although the out of town stations wouldn't bring up our local repeater you still had to deal with heterodynes when a local and distant station were on at the same time.

Maybe a beam antenna on your end pointed to the FD?

nick1427d · #5 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 4:24 PM

What(s) hetrodynoes?

A beam would probably help but wouldn't be full proof as i'm 5 miles from the annoyance lol

It just amazes me how these comms don't think of these things.

I'm also dealing with a water pump signal on same frequency. This pump was given this frequency knowing it was in use by local EMS and FD agencies.

Seriously with all the available VHF frequencies they chose, they picked that one.....wow

Ed_Azalea · #6 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 4:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick1427d

What(s) hetrodynoes?

Signals beating together producing an audible tone (unless they are zerobeat or dead on).

nick1427d · #7 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 4:33 PM

Interesting, never heard the tone

Chauffeur6 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 4:52 PM

Yes, the 780 has that feature, it's called Tone Lockout. You can select one PL/DPL to have the scanner ignore, it will open squelch for any other tone or CSQ on the frequency. But like Ed said, if you're right in between both agencies it might not work that great when they are transmitting simultaneously, but should work fine otherwise.

Chauffeur6 · #9 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 4:58 PM

Oops, I forgot with the older models (780, 785, 796, etc) there's no dedicated menu option for this like there is with the newer models (15, 346, 396, 996, etc).

It's been a while since I've programmed one of the older models by hand, but I believe the procedure to lock out a tone is to go into the Tone Data menu for a stored channel, and instead of hitting E to select a tone, hit L/O to lock that particular tone out.

Ed_Azalea · #10 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 5:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick1427d

Interesting, never heard the tone

Well unless they are far enought apart in freq. and of near equal strength it might not be heard. FM has this capture effect thing so it's not so much an issue as it was on AM.

I started to look at the manual for the 780 and didn't see the lockout feature but I have a hazy recollection of seeing it somewhere.

nick1427d · #11 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 5:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chauffeur6

Oops, I forgot with the older models (780, 785, 796, etc) there's no dedicated menu option for this like there is with the newer models (15, 346, 396, 996, etc).

It's been a while since I've programmed one of the older models by hand, but I believe the procedure to lock out a tone is to go into the Tone Data menu for a stored channel, and instead of hitting E to select a tone, hit L/O to lock that particular tone out.

I will give that a try

nick1427d · #12 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 5:13 PM

Wow so simple, that fixed my issue. What a difference!!

Thanks guys for such an easy fix

Kind of feel dumb I didn't try that.

Just in case anyone else has this issue, if you have the PL tone locked out, the code will flash as you have the channel selected. Steady means it's PL programmed.

SurgePGH · #13 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 6:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chauffeur6

Yes, the 780 has that feature, it's called Tone Lockout. You can select one PL/DPL to have the scanner ignore, it will open squelch for any other tone or CSQ on the frequency. But like Ed said, if you're right in between both agencies it might not work that great when they are transmitting simultaneously, but should work fine otherwise.

Someone that just did the unthinkable..... They answered the question at hand. Thank you for the straight forward answer. Now if we can have all of the other posts deleted this thread can be locked.

W8RMH · #14 (**permalink**) 10-09-2012, 11:12 PM

I've used these scanners for years and was never aware of a tone lockout feature.

Another thing not covered in the Uniden manual or even the easier-to-read manual.

Ed_Azalea · #15 (**permalink**) 10-10-2012, 3:56 PM

There used to be a web site, the now defunct strongsignals.net, I believe that had all kinds of undocumented info and tips for the 780. This is probably what I remember.

zerg901 · #16 (**permalink**) 10-10-2012, 4:32 PM

Strongsignals.net can probably be found at the Internet Archive. I have had some good luck with finding material from old websites there recently.

w4rtt · #17 (**permalink**) 12-19-2012, 8:06 AM

Try this.
Program the frequency/tone combinations along with the frequency/CSQand set the bank to "tone squelch" and lock to freqs with tone out.

Randy

nick1427d · #18 (**permalink**) 12-20-2012, 8:56 AM

So, a new issue that's puzzling me regarding tone lockout

Frequency is 154.250

Used by a county fire dispatch approximately 20-30 miles to the NW of me (don't know where transmit tower is). They use a PL tone

Also used by a closer muni fire department approximately 20 miles to the NE of me. They DO NOT use a PL tone.

Naturally when I'm monitoring this muni all I would hear is this county dispatch which is very busy (got annoying) So I tone L/O the PL tone they use.

The issue is even with the tone lockout on I'm still getting some traffic from that county dispatch. To the point, I know it's them cause I can hear tones and their FCC callsign. Is this normal? Anything I can do to "fix" this problem? I've never had this issue on any other of my channels that I use tone lockout and I use quite a bit in my area.

Using a 780xlt with external vhf 1/4 wave

kennyloatman · #19 (**permalink**) 12-20-2012, 9:41 AM

I found it too in my BCD-396t, Menu, select system,edit group,select group,edit channel, select channel, set ctcss and scroll down to set lockout. I never knew it was there either. I have the same problem with one of my hospital frequencies, problem solved.

captclint · #20 (**permalink**) 12-20-2012, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick1427d

Used by a county fire dispatch approximately 20-30 miles to the NW of me (don't know where transmit tower is). They use a PL tone

Also used by a closer muni fire department approximately 20 miles to the NE of me. They DO NOT use a PL tone.

The issue is even with the tone lockout on I'm still getting some traffic from that county dispatch. To the point, I know it's them cause I can hear tones and their FCC callsign. Is this normal? Anything I can do to "fix" this problem? I've never had this issue on any other of my channels that I use tone lockout and I use quite a bit in my area.

FYI, regular call sign broadcast will not have any tone, so you will hear them. As for the other cases, a signal can punch through a L/O briefly unit the VERY slow PL decode on the 780 kicks in. A strong signal can over power the L/O. However, you are far enough (20-30 miles) that I would not expect it to continue for the entire transmission.