Help with TK-8150 and CTCSS

[elijahkan14]

Hey guys I'm just getting into GMRS and recently purchased a Kenwood TK-8150. Originally I was going to just use simplex but I was actually able to find a repeater.

I'm having a couple issues connecting to the repeater.

I have two radios setup, one being the Kenwood TK-8150 and the other being a Baofeng UV-5R.

I set both of them up (I think) with the PL tones and I can hear the Baofeng on the Kenwood but not vice versa. If i talk into the Kenwood I hear nothing on the Baofeng and then as soon as I release the PTT i hear static and the "beep" from the repeater. So the repeater hears me but for some reason my voice isn't going through? I am a little confused by the software for the Kenwood. To set the PL tones I set the QT/DQT Dec and Enc to the PL tone for the repeater, is there anything else I have to do? I read online that QT/DQT is the same as PL/CTCSS. Do I need to set the "Opt Signal" option? It shows DTMF, 2-tone, and "Fleetsync" which I don't know what any of these are...

Any help would be much appreciated!

Sorry if my terminology is lacking, I've only been into GMRS for a couple weeks.

 

[KJ6ZNS]

First a warning - the UV-5R is not certified for Part 95 use. Will it work on GMRS? Yes. Are some people using it on GMRS? Yes. Is it legal? NO!

Off the soap box, you have been warned!

I would recommend that you first program the radio with the transmit frequency and tone (encode) and the receive frequency and NO CTCSS tone (decode). Not all repeaters transmit or pass the tone. If you can hear the transmission, then you are activating the repeater and the encode tone is correct. Then add the CTCSS/decode tone into ONE radio and try again. If that works add the CTCSS/decode tone to the other radio and you should be all set.

Keep in mind, SOME repeaters may use split tones. One tone on the input, and a different tone on the output. This keeps people from getting the output tone from a scanner and entering the same code for input, it won't activate the repeater (sneaky).

PL/tone/encode/enc/QT usually mean the same thing - the input tone to the repeater. i.e 107.2

CTCSS/decode usually mean the same thing - output tone from the repeater. i.e. 88.5

Putting a D in front - DPL/Dcs/Dec/DQT usually indicates DIGITAL tones are used. i.e D205


Just take things one step at a time. That way if things are working at steps 1 & 2 but fail at step 3, you only have to analyze one step to see what happened.


Good luck

Tim
KJ6ZNS
WQTT518

 

[KJ6ZNS]

As far as the options, if you are unable to acquire information, turn them all off, then try them ONE AT A TIME. You most likely will want DTMF, 2 tone, and Fleetsync off. I'm not sure about Opt Signal, but turn it off first.

 

[KJ6ZNS]

OOPS - I was a little too quick to post (needed to do further research) - The Kenwood is also not part 95 and therefore also not legal on GMRS. Will it work? it should.

 

[elijahkan14]

I was able to get it working, I was only using the Beofeng as a receiver, transmitted only to test. I figured out that I was simply too close to the Kenwood and there was a bit of interference.