EF Johnson 5100 unmute options

[KD9RTX]

I recently found a good deal on an EF Johnson 5100 on eBay and got it programmed with the GMRS channels and a couple of the local repeaters. Both repeaters use input and output tones. For some reason when I'm scanning my GMRS simplex zone with no tones set on any of the channels I can't hear when there is activity on the repeater that corresponds to that channel unless I turn on monitor. For example if I am listening to a GMRS repeater that uses 462.550 (channel 15) and has an output tone of 131.8 I hear nothing on my Channel 15 simplex channel set to CSQ.

Is there an option to have the channel unmute on any activity? This is unusual behavior to me since none of my Motorola XTS, or other GMRS radios act this way. Usually anything set to carrier squelch will unmute with any activity regardless of tones. Hopefully someone with more experience with the EFJ 5100s can help me out.

Radio: EF Johnson 5100
Firmware: 4.14.5
DSP: 4.13.1
SEM: 3.4
File Form: 5.10
Bootload: 4.4

 

[kd4efm]

Check programming of that channel. CSQ should open period.

 

[KD9RTX]

I've checked all of the GMRS simplex channels I programmed in and they're all set to CSQ.

 

[otobmark]

Check programming of that channel. CSQ should open period.

This is correct so unless radio is faulty you should carefully look at channel programming with fresh eyes. I've never programmed a 5100 so may not know about some hidden software switch. I would check again (I have dyslexia issues) that I have indeed put in the correct frequency (repeater out) in both TX and RX fields which for simplex should be exactly the same. If the RX were to be accidentally input wrong but the TX correct, then monitor might be sampling the TX side (usually repeater input on duplex) which if it was correct would be the actual repeater output and you would hear output traffic.
So, first check that RX and TX fields are actually identical (no transposed digits etc) and both set for CSQ. This is exactly the kind of mistake I too often make.....

 

[KD9RTX]

Finally got a chance to sit down and go over my program for the 5100. I checked all of my GMRS simplex channels and all the frequencies match and CSQ is set on all of them. Here is a screenshot of a typical channel.

 

[otobmark]

Looks right….
Where is squelch level? Is it radio wide instead of per channel?

 

[KD9RTX]

If it is I sure can't find it. Here are my settings under global and radio wide. The only thing I can find is an option for normal vs selective squelch. But that appears to have to be set through the radio menu and I don't have a selective squelch list set up anyway.

 

[otobmark]

On my Kenwood gear selective means PL in analog and nac + talk group in p25. Normal means NO PL in analog and nac only (no talk group) in p25.
I keep hoping someone with more knowledge would chime in, but as a desperate theory maybe there is a list even though you didn’t create it.
When all fails I either start with a new codeplug or go back to an older plug. Then make changes one at a time

 

[KD9RTX]

Thanks for all your help. I believe the same scheme regarding selective vs normal applies to the 5100 as well. For some reason though that option seems to only be able to be changed in the radio menu itself. And then only if I've added that to the list of available options. As near as I can tell there doesn't appear to be a global or even system specific option to only use normal squelch. I've looked for other squelch lists and the only one I can find is in the Per System page. Not sure if this is a thing either but my Motorolas are set up to only remove any PL/DPL codes when the monitor button is pressed. On the 5100 it completely opens the squelch. I could live with the lack of unmute options if I didn't have to listen to all the white noise with the monitor button on.

All part of the fun of learning a new radio.

 

[otobmark]

I'm sorry no knowledgeable people have commented. My main handicap is I don't have your software to work with and look at. I can only extrapolate from what I have. So, in general I can only talk basics. Opening of squelch depends on multiple signaling settings such as carrier squelch level, PL/DCS and tone signaling (2 or 5 tone). You want a channel with only carrier squelch working. My cps has "Default Squelch Adjust" which I can set from 1 to 9. It is on a per channel basis. If it is too high then the radio won't unsquelch or too low it will stay unsquelched. There has to be a place in your software to set that level and you need to find it. I would make sure OST is disabled and also the option to key in PL from the keypad. Make sure no auxiliary tone signaling is set including encryption. If you search HELP for squelch then you should find all fields related. If no joy, then create a new codeplug from scratch with only the simplex carrier squelch channel you want to monitor and shoot radio to see what happens. If your present codeplug has a lot of channels you use then you can mostly copy and paste to new plug until you break it and back up to last working and find the difference.