McNairy County Newbie to Radio Ops

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r_tyler1975

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Gentlemen, I am VERY new to radio ops, scanners, etc. and I am wanting some help please. I am a member of a local fire department here and am trying to figure out the freqs i need to program my own personal VHF/UHF radio and am wondering how to make sure they are the accurate INPUT and OUTPUT freqs. I have visited the freq database portion of this site as well as another website and also have searched the links to the FCC site. I have written down the, I guess, basic freqs that are listed but am wondering a few things.
First, we have two repeaters in our county. Are there any special freqs that need to be loaded other than the ones that are listed at the FCC site or here to use these? Second, How do I find out what freq is used to set off my pager? I know that we use only one freq for the county fire channel, but every station's pager uses different tones. How do I determine what freq sets off the specific tones for my department?
These are just a few of many I would like to find out. If any of you have some clues, answers, suggestions to this, please let me know. Thanks!!!!
 

click23

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Welcome to the forum.

If you are looking at the database you will see Frequency and Input listed. The frequency is the repeater output and the input is the repeater input. If no input is listed either means it is not known at the moment or it is simplex.

As for you pager, is it a true pager or a tone out radio?
 

r_tyler1975

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Thanks for the fast reply! To answer the pager/radio question, I have a Moto Minitor IV that has two channels, the main county fire channel and then the channel for our dept only. It has no stored voice. I assume this is a true pager.
Also, on the input/output topic, is the input what I would need to program for Tx from my radio and then the output would be programmed for the Rx side of my radio?
 
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W4EMS

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You should inquire of the fire chief as to who programs the departments radios. I am sure with his permission they will release the frequencies and tones you will need. You need his permission anyway to broadcast on the radio.
 

r_tyler1975

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I already have permission. I am just trying to figure out how the radio will work in terms of transmitting on one freq and receiving on another, etc. As I said, I am very new to radio ops and am a curious type person and just want to know how it works.
 

W4EMS

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Ok. The frequency you hear from the repeater is the repeater output frequency. The frequency that a person talks to others that the repeater repeats on its output is called the input frequency. The combo of repeater input/output frequencies is called the repeater pair.

On conventional analog systems (i.e. not trunked) either or both frequencies can have a subaudible PL or DCS tone. Majority of input frequencies require a tone to prevent interference to/from other repeaters in adjoining areas using the same repeater pair. Without the tone the repeater "ignores" the signal and does not repeat it. Similarly most PS repeaters broadcast a tone with the repeater output which allows you to set the tone on your receiver and not have to listen to other repeaters. You can set your recieve freq to no tone and hear it all if you desire.

So for each channel programmed for a repeater you need the input frequency and tone along with the output frequency and tone. The radio shop that programs their radios will have this.

For conventional simplex channels the input and output frequncy are the same as are the tones. Sometimes tones are used and sometimes not. Local decision. An example for fire fighters is 155.265 MHz. This is a mutual aid frequency which is usually not toned so one would not set a tone for this channel unless the local jurisdictions have determined it to be necessary. Even so I would keep a separate channel for mutual aid that is not toned (otherwise known as carrier squelch or CSQ).

One other note is that the input tone and the output tone are not necessarily the same. Some agencies have two or three repeaters with the same input/output frequencies but with different tones on the input. More later if you need it.

Notice I have not delved into digital. Most digital systems use what is called a NAC code instead of a PL or DCS tone.

Most common frequencies and tones are listed in the RR database. If you can program your own FCC type accepted radio then there you go. Still your best bet is a letter from the Chief (or he/she could call) for the radio shop to release this information to you. By consulting with the radio shop you get the actual information and they can make sure that the license allows for you to use the channel (each license has a set number of allowed mobile units) and advise you on any issues with the system that may help you better communicate and prevent unintentional interference to others.

Regards
Doc
 

r_tyler1975

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Ok. I think I am starting to understand this now. I have talked to my chief and have been ok'd to use the radio and get the freqs from our local radio shop. I also found out that we have switched to a digital system, but we are not trunked. So, now I am gonna try to figure out what I need to do to get this thing programmed. Our local shop doesn't want to touch it since it is used and it is not what brand they sell. Thanks for the info on all this! I'm just gonna keep trying to get a handle on this and maybe I will understand it soon enough. LOL!
 

n4yek

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I also found out that we have switched to a digital system, but we are not trunked.

It is my understanding that the Motorola Minitor IV is an analog only pager, not digital capable.
That being the case, it would not work on your new fire department system.

If I am interpreting your question wrong, then forgive me.
 
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r_tyler1975

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Hmmm. Maybe that's why my new issued portable is picking up our pages and my Minitor isn't. My minitor is my own personal pager. I mainly just use my issued portable for most of the time and my pager for at night by the bed, but I have been noticing that my radio will tone at night and my pager won't do anything. This could be why.
 

WX4JCW

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Is the Radio you want to have programmed a digital one? If so you may need to have the radio shop do the programming, if it is not digital well, then it will be useless, what model is your issued portable? and your personal one?
 

r_tyler1975

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My personal radio I am going to have programmed is a Kenwood tk-730HG/830G dual band with remote head. My issued portable is a Motorola. Don't ask me what model it is, cause I haven't a clue. I know my Kenwood is digital as is my portable. We jsut got our portables about 2 years ago when our county went digital.
 
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