Kenwood: Kenwood 281A problem

[jmhill5]

I have a problem with my Kenwood 281A. I put in frequencies and their ctcss code and can hit the repeater but I cant talk on it or listen to the conversations. Does anybody know what is wrong either my radio programming. Also there are repeaters the radio will hit and when I key up and talk I get a good sounding squelch.

 

[900mhz]

It is possible that the repeater itself is not transmitting a PL code, but requires one to access the repeater. Try to reprogram that frequency to transmit the proper PL tone, but leave your receiver in carrier squelch. If I remember, press the F knob, followed by the call button. Keep repeating this sequence until a "T" instead of "CT" is displayed in the upper left corner of the display.

 

[jmhill5]

Thank you for your response. I went out and tried putting a T instead of CT and it lost the CTCSS code and wouldn't hit the repeater. I read in the manual that by putting the T in will automatically delete the CTCSS. Thanks again.

 

[900mhz]

No, "T" means you will transmit PL, but wont have PL on your receiver, meaning you will hear all traffic on the programmed frequency. You have something else programmed wrong. Perhaps, you should verify you have programmed in the correct PL.

 

[chief21]

If I recall correctly, the Kenwoods have separate frequency entries for Tone encode ("T") and full CTCSS ("CT"). Be sure that the tone frequency in both menu entries is the correct one.
I also agree that you're probably not hearing anything due to the repeater not transmitting a CTCSS tone, which is often the case with ham repeaters. Once set to "T" (encode tone only) with the correct tone frequency, it will likely work.

 

[jmhill5]

I know I am programming the radio correctly as I talked on another frequency today and it worked just fine. Then I tune into the other frequencies which I have set to memory in the radio and I cant hear the transmissions on several of them which have been programmed into the radio just like the frequency I talked on today. So I dont know what the problem is. Thank you for your responses.

 

[FKimble]

Some ham repeaters require a tone to activate the repeater, some don't. Some ham repeaters pass the tone on transmit, some don't. That's 4 different combinations. Set them all up with tone in and no tone needed for receive and they all should work. Any set up requiring a tone to receive will require a tone from the repeater to open your squelch. Your making an invalid assumption. AS mentioned double check your setting and check with the manual.

Frank

 

[paulears]

You seem rather uncertain - and all this talk about 'hits' - there are two things at play. If you can hear a repeater, then the tone is not required. All the receive tone does is stop you hearing it if the tone doesn't match. Unless you have many repeaters on the same frequency, forget receive tones. You say you can 'hit' the repeater? As in you can bring it up with the PTT? Then your TX tone is correct. If that was wrong, you would not be able to access it. So which is it? Without the tone, but with the frequency correct, nothing happens. If the tone is right and you take your finger off, you hear the carrier, or maybe a beep or something. So you cannot use it, but you can access it. Maybe there's just nobody to talk to?

Without knowing what your programming is, how can we help? Correct TX, Correct RX, correct tones - stick them into a memory and that's pretty much it.

 

[900mhz]

The information regarding tone utilization is located on page 24 of the manual.

 

[n5ims]

Yea we know. You never got the manual, lost the manual, put the manual away and can't find it, … Not a problem. It's on the internet (as are most things). 00 TM-281A_Cover 1_10.indd (kenwood.com) and they were right, the tone info is on page 24 as advertised (note that's page 24 of the manual not page 24 of the .pdf - it's page 31 of the .pdf)!