What Is This Tone?

[kenwoodgeek]

I was on YouTube looking at videos of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and I noticed that their steam locomotive uses what looks to a Kenwood TK-7180 or 8180. I think their frequency is VHF, so I would have to assume a 7180.

I came across this video which shows the engineer keying up the microphone. When he does,the radio puts out some kind of proceed tone or sidetone. I've never heard this tone on a Kenwood before.

It can be heard at 4:38 in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukpYbc93pfs

I know this isn't the FleetSync PTT ID sidetone, so what is it? My best guess would be that it's the conventional mode PTT Proceed tone, but can someone verify that?

Just curious, thanks!

 

[K5MPH]

Sounds like its coming from the radio itself and not the repeater....

 

[kenwoodgeek]

Yes, exactly. That's what I figured.

Like I said, I would have to assume it the conventional proceed tone on the TK-7180/8180. Was hoping maybe a 7180/8180 owner could verify that.

I have a couple NX-800's, but the proceed tones on those are different.

 

[ecps92]

IT does sound like a Trunked Radio System Talk-permit tone, like what we hear from Motorola Radios....

I was on YouTube looking at videos of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and I noticed that their steam locomotive uses what looks to a Kenwood TK-7180 or 8180. I think their frequency is VHF, so I would have to assume a 7180.

I came across this video which shows the engineer keying up the microphone. When he does,the radio puts out some kind of proceed tone or sidetone. I've never heard this tone on a Kenwood before.

It can be heard at 4:38 in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukpYbc93pfs

I know this isn't the FleetSync PTT ID sidetone, so what is it? My best guess would be that it's the conventional mode PTT Proceed tone, but can someone verify that?

Just curious, thanks!

 

[kenwoodgeek]

Didn't really consider the fact it could be trunked. The audio, however, does like it's conventional.

 

[kayn1n32008]

I know this isn't the FleetSync PTT ID sidetone, so what is it? My best guess would be that it's the conventional mode PTT Proceed tone, but can someone verify that?



Just curious, thanks!

I think it is the PTT proceed tone.

 

[cmdrwill]

Like a roger beep, not really necessary.

 

[kd4efm]

That's a talk proceed beep, all kenwood have that, you enable it on the conventional tab. Nothing exciting there, just give confirmation you keyed the radio, in a noisy environment.

kd4efm Evans, sent using TapTALK on my HTC M9

 

[kenwoodgeek]

I figured that's what it was. I was just wondering if someone knew for sure if this one is on the TK-7180/8180, because the one on the NX-800 sounds different.

 

[Jay911]

Like a roger beep, not really necessary.

The PTT proceed tone, which is what this is, is an indication to the user that the myriad of equipment that connects to make a radio call over a trunked system has lined up the call and is ready for transmission. It is a very necessary thing, to prevent "-his is truck 23" instead of "Dispatch, this is truck 23" from happening.

 

[kenwoodgeek]

I think he was referring to the conventional proceed tone. Many Kenwood units have a PTT proceed tone for conventional mode. Those don't have any purpose, except for noisy environments, like kd4efm said. But yes, having that tone in a trunking situation is very important.

 

[mmckenna]

Yes, Kenwoods have a PTT proceed tone on conventional channels. They have a PTT release tone also.

Trunking is a different function. It actually listens to the control channel to confirm call set up and tear down.

Just because it's doing a PTT proceed tone does not indicate it's a trunked system.

 

[N2AL]

Yes, Kenwoods have a PTT proceed tone on conventional channels. They have a PTT release tone also.

Trunking is a different function. It actually listens to the control channel to confirm call set up and tear down.

Just because it's doing a PTT proceed tone does not indicate it's a trunked system.

I use the PTT proceed tone for my Kenwood radios. They help let me know if I have accidentally keyed the mic. It would not be the first time I have had that to occur. Also as others have stayed, it helps notify the user in noisy environments that they have successfully keyed the radio.



Andrew | N2AL
www.n4awl.com

 

[LTR]

It sounds like the "Alternate Proceed to Talk Tone" on a x180 series radio running PassPort firmware. In the later versions of SJ-180 programming software, there was a checkbox in Optional Features 1 to have this Motorola sounding tone.

 

[kenwoodgeek]

Thank you! That's the answer I was hoping to get. I wanted to eventually get a TK-8180, and I was hoping it had this tone on it. Is it only on the SJ-180 software, or also the KPG-89D? Where could I obtain the PassPort firmware for an 8180?

 

[kayn1n32008]

Thank you! That's the answer I was hoping to get. I wanted to eventually get a TK-8180, and I was hoping it had this tone on it. Is it only on the SJ-180 software, or also the KPG-89D? Where could I obtain the PassPort firmware for an 8180?

Its available on kpg-89. I use it on my NX-200, NX-700, and my TK-8180

 

[kenwoodgeek]

Okay, thanks. I was referring to what LTR was saying about the "Alternate Proceed to Talk Tone". Is this particular tone on your 8180?

 

[LTR]

As far as I know the alternate proceed tone was only available on SJ-180 for PassPort, (not at first, but in a later version of software and firmware). I don't know if Kenwood, or Scholer Johnson, still has it available anymore since PassPort support has been discontinued for the most part. And yes, this tone sounds more like the Motorola tone than the one Kenwood created for the NX radios. Also, this tone is for the trunking handshake, (PassPort and LTR), I don't believe it works as a conventional PTT tone, (but not 100 percent sure).

 

[kenwoodgeek]

I see.

 

[kenwoodgeek]

I guess I'll have to be on the lookout for an 8180 with PassPort, in that case!