FT-60 R Users - Help

[barryfltht]

I'm a new HAM and have a Yaesu FT60-R. I made my very first call tonight to our local club's nightly Net on our repeater. The control operator told me that my HT was giving off a code while keying the mike and it was overtaking my voice.... If I key the mike for approx. 30 secs, the tone finishes and I can talk and the full broadcast is heard.... He tells me I need to turn off that "tone" that's causing the problem, but I don't have a clue after looking at the manual..... Can someone tell me which menu item I need to set to "Off" ??? ... Evidently the repeater doesn't need a tone from my radio to recognize me.

I would be grateful for any help.

Barry

 

[davedaver1]

I think you have the "WIRES" feature turned on. When enabled, it transmits DTMF tones at the beginning of each transmission - which is sure to get you comments!

Check out your manual, it's on P. 49, or look for "Internet Connection Feature". Make sure it's turned off.

 

[selgaran]

In the manual, check the following sections:

page 46 - Emergency

page 49 - WIRES/internet connectivity

page 54 - DTMF autodialer

Any one of these, if set improperly, can cause your radio to transmit a DTMF code string when you key up.

 

[barryfltht]

I think you have the "WIRES" feature turned on. When enabled, it transmits DTMF tones at the beginning of each transmission - which is sure to get you comments!

Check out your manual, it's on P. 49, or look for "Internet Connection Feature". Make sure it's turned off.

I think that may have been it.... The "WIRES" icon was showing in the upper right corner of the display. I've got it turned off now, but it's way too easy to activate that function, so I'll have to keep that in mind. Thanks for the heads up. I'll try that and see if it in fact was the problem.

 

[K9WG]

I hit the WIRES feature on my VX-170 every so often then it takes me forever to remember how to turn it off

 

[Krmit]

The WIRES function can be disabled so that it can not accidentally be turned on using the following steps:

FT-60 – See manual page 49
1. Press the F/M key then immediately press the 0 key to enter the menu mode.
2. Rotate the Dial knob to menu 23 – INT MR.
3. Press the F/M key then rotate the Dial knob to select a memory (d1 through d9) that is empty, i.e. it contains ······ (six dots) = no tone.
4. Press the F/M key to store the setting.
5. Rotate the Dial knob to menu 21 – I NET.
6. Press the F/M key then rotate the Dial knob to select INT.MEM.
7. Press the F/M key to store the setting.
8. Press the PTT button to exit the menu mode.
To re-enable the WIRESÔ mode, select INT.COD in menu 21.

VX-170 & VX-177 - See manual page 48
1. Press the F/M key then immediately press the 0 key to enter the menu mode.
2. Rotate the Dial knob to menu 24 – INT MR.
3. Press the F/M key then rotate the Dial knob to select a memory (d1 through d9) that is empty, i.e. it contains ······ (six dots) = no tone.
4. Press the F/M key to store the setting.
5. Rotate the Dial knob to menu 22 – I NET.
6. Press the F/M key then rotate the Dial knob to select INT.MEM.
7. Press the F/M key to store the setting.
8. Press the PTT button to exit the menu mode.
To re-enable the WIRESÔ mode, select INT.COD in menu 22.

FT-8800 / FT-8900 – See manual page 50 or 48
1. Press the SET key momentarily to enter the set mode.
2. Rotate the Main band Dial knob to select menu 15 – DTMF W.
3. Press the Main band Dial knob momentarily then rotate the Main band
Dial knob to select a memory (d1 through d16) that is empty, i.e. it contains ······ (six dots) = no tone.
4. Press the Main band Dial knob momentarily to store the setting.
5. Rotate the Main band Dial knob to select menu 17 – INET.
6. Press the Main band Dial knob momentarily then rotate the Main band Dial knob to select INT.MEM.
7. Press the Main band Dial knob for ½ second to store the setting and exit the menu mode.
8. Rotate the Main band Dial while pressing and holding the left VOL knob to select the same memory selected in step 3 above.
To re-enable the WIRESÔ mode, select INT.COD in menu 17.

 

[davedaver1]

Awesome! Thanks!

 

[barryfltht]

Thanks for all the help.

 

[barryfltht]

NOW ... The radio doesn't seem to be transmitting at all.... After following these directions, I tried to check in to the local net again last night and never got a response.... Not sure what the heck I've done wrong at this point.

 

[davedaver1]

Is the radio actually transmitting? (is the transmit indicator turning red when you key the radio?) The instructions above shouldn't have affected your ability to transmit.

 

[barryfltht]

Yes, the transmitter light (red) and the signal/power bar at the bottom of the screen indicate that I am, but I haven't been able to get anyone to answer my call. The first night I had the radio, I reached the local repeater and had contact, but was told I was putting out a loud tone when keying the mike and it was stepping on the first part of my transmission. That's what started this thread. Since then, I've had no QSO. Tonight I had very good reception from the repeater, but I could not be heard when trying to check into the local nightly net. I did a reset on the system to restore all factory defaults, which is how the radio was set up the first night, and that didn't help. I'm confused.

 

[davedaver1]

There are a number of things it could be.

When you transmit on the repeater, do you hear the "tail" from the repeater? (the part where the repeater continues to transmit for a moment after you let off on your push to talk switch)

How far are you from the machine? Being an HT, maybe you are just not "making the repeater" with the HT power level. There are many times where you can hear a repeater but it can't hear your weak signal. (and - do you have the radio transmitting on high power?

Does the repeater require a PL (or, subaudible tone) code? Do you have it programmed correctly (especially when you have reset the radio and probably re-programmed it.)

 

[barryfltht]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I was able to check into the net tonight, but it appears that the antenna I was using gave me good enough reception, but just wasn't getting me to the repeater. I was using a home brew roll up J Pole by the window in my office. I put on the Diamond "rubber ducky" and was able to move around in the house until I got a sweet spot. I'm just going to have to keep experimenting, but at least I now know that the radio is OK..... It was raining too hard tonight to check out the J pole outside, but I might have better luck that way.... I was just baffled as to how I could get in to the repeater so easily one day and then not since, until tonight.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and help on this. Being new, and not having a lot of ham activity around me, it's going to be a bit of trial and error until I get to one of the Ham Club meetings and meet some Elmers.