Two Tone Paging

[KE0SKN]

I might be open another can of warms, But?

I own my own 2m repeater tower and we use it for skywarn weather spotting. I have the noaa weather on it would like to put out a two tone to set off our pagers so that we can get weather update and setup the net. Now i always here other towers in my area that have the weather, but I want to but the same code for our area and put two tone on it for the pager. is this legal to do is my question?


Stormwarning.8m.net
( Members Only Tower )
Frequency: 145.675
Tone ip: 141.3
Tone op: 141.3
Power: 50 Watts
Auto patch (closed)
NOAA Wx.

 

[AF5JQ]

You can use two tone paging on amateur repeaters. The rules are no different than for any other type of data, just make sure you ID at the end of the transmission.

 

[KE0SKN]

ok I thought it was like that, but better safe than sorry. thank you.

 

[rapidcharger]

The SAME code is not the same as 2 tone so that won't work.

As the whether it's legal, it's a gray area some would consider unnecessary broadcasting.
Many others may say it's legal but annoying.

It's a moot point anyway since SAME is not 2 tone. There is a 1050hz tone but it is not the same as SAME.

 

[DaveNF2G]

The fact that some hams might be annoyed does not render it legally questionable. As has already been pointed out, it is in fact perfectly legal under Part 97 to do what the OP proposes. (See § 97.113, para 5c and § 97.3, para c, subpara 5) Many repeaters already have this functionality.

The SAME code would work before the repeater gets the signal. That is how the two-tone alert over the repeater is triggered. However, it would also be legal to rebroadcast the SAME code itself for the benefit of hams with decoders connected to ham frequency receivers.

 

[rapidcharger]

Well here's another take on it.

I generally go out of my way to lock out repeaters on my scan list that have annoying tones and broadcasts IDs and announcements. I know a lot of people are the same way which is why so many have migrated to digital and the people remaining on analogue are complaining about how dead the bands have become.

It may be legal, but is it necessary? Is it within the purpose and scope of the amateur radio service to rebroadcast weather information that is readily available directly from NOAA weather radio itself or countless other sources? Most, if not all newer ham radios have some kind of built in weather alert that uses NOAA broadcasts and even a priority channel on the scan list for weather should you choose to use it.

Why render a valuable resource like a repeater completely useless in the event of severe weather by having it go on a lengthy broadcast every several minutes? Especially since the first time the repeater starts blowing tones, many people are going to turn down their volume or change the channel. And I can't tell you how many times I've heard those things malfunction and tie up the repeater for long periods of time with unintelligible gibberish.

It's the Amateur Radio Service. Not the Amateur Weather Service.
Ham radio is a useful tool for the trained weather spotter but it's not intended to be just another place for a rebroadcast of information that can be had elsewhere.

That's just my 2 cents... from someone who has multiple base stations in his home and in his office and monitors for activity every day and actually talks to people. I'm not just a ham when it's convenient or a mobile-only commuter ham. If the repeater isn't quiet as a church mouse except when people are talking, it's gone from my radios. If the goal is to set up a repeater that you don't want anyone to use, putting unnecessary broadcasts and extremely shrill tones on it is a fantastic way to go about doing that. And when the spectrum sales and leasing commission gets an offer for 144-148 and notices it's basically become a barren wasteland of retransmitted weather and sound effects, I wonder what they'll do.

 

[KE0SKN]

To: rapidcharger - I know what same codes are. There a feature on most all new weather radios. There to block all unwanted Broadcast except for you area of interest.

The setup:
When the national weather service issue a Tornado Warning, Server T-storm, Dam Break my tower will alert our group of that event. The repeater will only send one tone for that day. So let say the national weather service issue a t-storm warning 4 times that day. my tower only sent one page for that day. When the tone go off our net controller will setup the net while the rest will go to our designated post to spot dangerous weather activities. If we spot a problem our net controller will rely our information to our mayor and to the weather service. We live in a very small town and rely on volunteers for our city services.

The repeater is a Closed Repeater So if you don't like what I do with it then change the frequency. I picked a frequency nobody uses and won't be a bother too. We Spot not Chase....

 

[KE0SKN]

A closed repeater does not mean you or any one else can't us my repeater it means you need permission to use it.

 

[rapidcharger]

Just what ham radio needs more weather whackers and more closed repeaters. We just don't have enough of that.

 

[CommJunkie]

There's a SkyWarn repeater in my area that has a NOAA radio hooked up to it. It's an invaluable resource. If I'm worried about the weather I tune to that repeater and listen out for the SkyWarn nets and NOAA radio alerts.

To each their own. Some people like it, some don't. If you don't want to hear it, by all means, lock it out.

 

[KE0SKN]

Just what ham radio needs more weather whackers and more closed repeaters. We just don't have enough of that.

"Just what ham radio needs more weather whackers"
Besides sitting in your recliner with a mic in one hand and a can of beer in the other with the t.v. remote on your lap. What do you do to help your communicate? Storm "Spotting" not "chasing" is better than sitting on your butt doing nothing.

"more closed repeaters. We just don't have enough of that."
Ask me nicely and I might let you use it. IF you want to use it, ask and we will add your call sign in the books. This a way to keep the repeater clean on the air, and maintained.

Unlike some repeaters that will not be named for use of fowl languished, fighting, and not following the rules.

 

[AK9R]

Folks, let's keep this thread on topic. If you have something to contribute about the original poster's topic, feel free to join the conversation. If you are going to argue about weather spotters, closed repeaters, or any other off-topic issues, take it to the Tavern.

 

[MTS2000des]

One way transmissions are permissible as others have outlined. As far as using Quick-Call (2 tone), it is no different than using MDC1200 or DTMF signaling, so long as the transmissions that follow and proceed are permissible under part 97, it's okay.

If someone doesn't like it, they can always find somewhere else on the dial to park their radio. I use MDC1200 on post for the purpose of selective calling, some hams complain about the data burst. If you get a radio with data operated squelch (most LMR radios have this) you can silence it, or just QSY if it bothers you that much.