GE Orion receive audio problem

[Prospect62]

My Orion is picking up the traffic on a conventional VHF channel, but it is not putting out any audio unless I open up the squelch using the "monitor" function. The "BSY" light lights up steadily when there is traffic on the channel, but I get no audio. When I open up the channel using the "monitor" function, the audio comes on and is crystal clear.

I am getting the feeling it's not squelch or signal strength issue, because when I open up the channel via monitor the signal is loud and clear...just for some reason the audio isn't coming over.

The key input beeps work and come over the speaker normally. Any ideas?

 

[mm]

It sounds like your radio has a receive CTCSS tone turned on and possibly the system you are using is not sending out any tone or your radios receive tone is not the correct one for the system being used.

Do you see an icon on the radios display for this problem channel that shows CG ?

As is typical of all of the GE/MaCom/Harris land mobile radio software is that when you program in a transmit frequencies channel guard tone(CG subaudible tone also called CTCSS), the GE Programmer software will automatically enable the same tone for the receive frequency.

The person programming the radio has to go into the receive CTCSS placeholder in the personality screen and delete the existing receive CTCSS tone, this sure sounds like your problem, it has bit me numerous times and is my major complaint about GE software.


It could also be a incorrect setting in the hookswitch screen where you have to have the mic grounded to enable squelch but I don't think so, I'm sure it is receive channel guard, just look for RX CG in the conventional frequency, channel options screen and I'd bet there is a tone set.


Mike

 

[Prospect62]

Thank you Mike, should have known to check that. I appreciate your response. That thing about the hookswitch is new to me, I'll check that also.

Thanks again.