Icom F43 2-tone decoding

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ffemt134

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Just a question regarding the two-tone decoding on these radios---I set up a channel w/the 2-tone decode enabled for the particular tone sets I need, but it automatically silences all traffic on the channel until the proper set is received. Now, I *do* want it to do that, but I'd also like it to alert with the tones while you're actively listening to traffic on the channel as well, if possible. I emailed Icom tech. support, who replied that it can be done, but didn't offer what to do in the software to make it happen. Any suggestions? The software version I have is 2.0 if that makes a difference.
 

N2DLX

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The only way I was able to monitor traffic and receive the alert was to program two channels. One with 2-tone decode, and one without. The tradeoff is that if the radio is scanning and lands on the channel without the decode setting, it won't alert you.

I set up my radio to scan only the silenced channel, so I'd always get an alert and wouldn't hear normal fire traffic. I could override that and just tune to the channel without 2-tone decode set up and I'd hear the regular traffic.

I know it's a pain, but the newer radios seem to have fixed this problem. The F4161 and F6061 radios let you listen to the channel and also have the 2-tone decode set up.
 

rescuecomm

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I think you have to do two channels since the Icom software does not have an "and/or" feature on it like the Motorola RSS. You may have to make the two tone channel the priority to be sure it sounds off during scan mode. I never have understood the guys in my squad. We pay 350 bucks per unit for them to have a Minitor pager, but they still want the two-tone in the squad's HT's. Nothing like being on scene and someone cancelling further response, then having 11 radios start beeping at the same time. Only 11 because mine doesn't do it.

Bob
 

radionerd13669

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I Key the mike to recieve radio traffic.

The newer radios that Icom has have the and or I am trying an F50V and they have the and or and it works great
 

N2DLX

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I Key the mike to recieve radio traffic.

The newer radios that Icom has have the and or I am trying an F50V and they have the and or and it works great

Aha, that's the solution. When I see the speaker icon, I instinctively think that the radio is in monitor (CSQ) mode, and it dropped the PL tone. When you key the PTT (even if you have TX Inhibit enabled) the radio will keep the PL tone active but will stop muting the channel.

You learn something new every day..
 

N2DLX

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If you do that though, you can't scan with the speaker icon active, or all the other channels will be in CSQ mode and you'll hear traffic with mismatched PL/DPL tones. It's only useful when you want to stay on the channel and monitor the traffic. I just found that out..
 

RADIOGUY2002

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Interseting, I wish I found this earily today

Interseting, I wish I found this earily today. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones to have the 3161 series portable, with and or thing. I firgure it out today by seeing what was different about the radios. What apain in the a**. I also found out that its a firmware thing. IT might be very possible to get the 33's or 43's to do it if the can support it in a firmware update.

Maybe Icom should look into this, it may or may not be worth it.
 

N2DLX

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Interseting, I wish I found this earily today. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones to have the 3161 series portable, with and or thing. I firgure it out today by seeing what was different about the radios. What apain in the a**. I also found out that its a firmware thing. IT might be very possible to get the 33's or 43's to do it if the can support it in a firmware update.

Maybe Icom should look into this, it may or may not be worth it.

I just got my F4161DT the other day. Sexy radio! Got the FR6000 up at a tower site, the F6061D in my car, and waiting for a new F5061 to come in sometime this week. eBay special, new radio for $160!

It's worth the few extra bills to buy the higher end Icom radios, in my opinion. They're also most likely to see firmware updates, whereas the lower models only seem to get critical firmware updates and MDC1200 added to them.
 

RADIOGUY2002

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New Icom Mobiles / Ports

Hows the repeater working out for you? I'm still experminting with mind, I might have some height issues. I really do not think its the repeater. But, my coverage is horrible at 50 watts. Got a new antena today, did some experminting with it. Seems to have better audio feed, but not far out coverage. It could be a height thing, the antena on the roof is covering better area sightily, but has poor audio. The hgt differences between the two, test antena at 21 feet approx. and the other is at 36 feet at the tip. So, I'm asuming that is what the prolbem is. Hopefully thats it along with the cox differences and extra connectors.

But, I think you'll be very impressed with the mobiles, just make sure you get the latest firmware 2.2 otherwise you need to flash them for and / or thing. Thats on my to do list, so that I can up to par. I still tring to firgure out the ltr features that they advertised. Then I'll need to upgrade later to digital borads insert.

And yes the 3161 or 4161 series seems to be alot more robust radio over the 33's and 43's. I have the 3161T version, didn't really see the need for the digital borad as of it. With the own ran code thing and everything else makes even more complicated. Plus, then you need another digital radio to talk to for a talkgroup.
 
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N2DLX

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Oh I know, I'm very experienced with these models. I'm in the process of putting together a site with useful Icom information. I started a site just for the NXDN series radios, at http://nxdn.mygmrs.com/, but I'm also starting work on a generic Icom site, http://icom.mygmrs.com/.

The repeater works pretty good, we have one of the very first to roll off the assembly line. I did notice that sometimes the repeated audio will sound tinny for the duration of a transmission, and sound fine the next time around. It's rare, but it does happen independent of what radio is used. There's a new firmware version 1.3 out which is for the main CPU and the DSP, but I haven't had a chance to get up to the site and update it.

As far as coverage, I will tell you that it's MUCH better than our previous set up of 2 Motorola mobiles running at 45 watts. Our antenna is mounted temporarily on a 30 foot structure on a 450 ft hill/mountain. So we have a decent spot, but we're stuck with transmitting through a few large trees at that height. At the same location there's a 100 foot tower we're trying to get on for free (this is a GMRS repeater). So our site isn't ideal right now either, getting on a tall structure will give us the advantage we need.

It all started with getting my F6061 and I got the free UT-119 when it first came out. So I had this digital board and no way to really use it. Then we got a great deal on the repeater, so now I had a digital mobile and digital repeater. And now I got another great price on the F4161DT that I just couldn't refuse. Too bad digital isn't allowed on GMRS. Now with the recent eBay purchase of the F5061, I'm really getting rooted in the NXDN series stuff. I've also been offered a free UT-126 for the F5061.. how's that for luck? I really have no reason for digital on VHF since all I'll have is the mobile.. but who knows. I may add the second repeater channel to the FR6000 and put in a VHF module for 2M Ham. Then I'll have GMRS and analog/digital Ham within the same chassis. Money, of course, is the only limiting factor. ;)
 

rescuecomm

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The F33/F43 were marketed for a lower cost part of the radio market. The F3061/F4061 appear to be the replacements for the F30GT/F40GT series. The prices being about $125.00 more per unit. As far as repeaters go, the Vertex VXR7000 series seem to be a good deal for the money (about $1200.00 repeater only). My squad has a UHF and a VHF unit on the air. Neither one has had any issues over the last three years.

Bob
 

N2DLX

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The F33/F43 were marketed for a lower cost part of the radio market. The F3061/F4061 appear to be the replacements for the F30GT/F40GT series. The prices being about $125.00 more per unit. As far as repeaters go, the Vertex VXR7000 series seem to be a good deal for the money (about $1200.00 repeater only). My squad has a UHF and a VHF unit on the air. Neither one has had any issues over the last three years.

Bob

The F33 series is in a higher tier than the F30 series. The F30's have been discontinued and are a dead product line. The F3061 series were meant to be their own upper-tier radio, but they have since been discontinued. The F3161 is essentially an upgraded F3061, with major software and CPU updates, but the radio has the same FCC ID as the F3061 series. The same software and data can be shared between the F3161 and F5061 radios, wheras they used to be separate software and firmware.
 
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