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ICOM F521 squelch troubles

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JMBissen

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Apr 1, 2015
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Virginia City, NV
Hello, I recently purchased an ICOM F521 from ebay. I have programming software and the cable, and was able to program the radio the way I wanted, however, I ran into a problem when I turned the radio on to use it. All of the channels i programmed have squelch issues, as in when nobody is transmitting all i hear is static. How do I correct this? What is the proper squelch setting? The range value it gives in the program screen is 0 - 250. Thank you!
 

12dbsinad

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Mar 15, 2010
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Can you get it to stop when you jack the squelch up? Even all the way up to 250?

Is this radio in a vehicle or used as a base? It could be picking up garbage in a vehicle, exp newer vehicles. RX PL or DPL can mask the problem as well.
 

JMBissen

Newbie
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Apr 1, 2015
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Location
Virginia City, NV
Can you get it to stop when you jack the squelch up? Even all the way up to 250?

Is this radio in a vehicle or used as a base? It could be picking up garbage in a vehicle, exp newer vehicles. RX PL or DPL can mask the problem as well.

When I set the squelch up to 200 it stops, but im not sure if i will be able to receive. The radio will be vehicle mounted, so far ive only tested the radio at my desk, and these were the results i got.
 

12dbsinad

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When I set the squelch up to 200 it stops, but im not sure if i will be able to receive. The radio will be vehicle mounted, so far ive only tested the radio at my desk, and these were the results i got.

Do you have the unit hooked to a antenna? or does it do it with nothing connected and just powered on?
 

12dbsinad

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I have not hooked the unit up to an antenna yet, so far I have only turned it on at my desk after programming and adjusting it.

I'd say there is an issue with the radio if it is doing it not connected to the outside world, as much as I hate to say it. I am betting it is either a bad ceramic filter, which is common and will make the radio do strange things, or somebody got into the adjust software and really screwed things up.

If you have a way of connecting the radio to an antenna to actually receive something, try that. You may find it doesn't even pick up anything. That would be an indication of a bad filter.
 

zrock

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Dec 29, 2016
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If your sitting at a desk is their a computer or electronics close by? I cannot use my portable in my office by the computer or my electric golf card without it tripping like u

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk
 

ElroyJetson

I AM NOT YOUR TECH SUPPPORT.
Premium Subscriber
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Sep 8, 2002
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DO NOT ASK ME FOR HELP PROGRAMMING YOUR RADIO. NO.
As I recall, a squelch setting of 80 was what I programmed by default into those radios, and adjusted as need be. I rarely turned it up over 120.

But, in my experience with Icom mobile radios, their receivers are not very noise resistant. Real world selectivity never impressed me. It seems to me that Icom sacrificed selectivity and resistance to interference in order to get raw sensitivity.

I used to program literally hundreds of 521s but it has been a few years.
 
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