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Motorola mts2000 model-1 Direct Talkaround

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Thinderik

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So, I acquired my GMRS license from the FCC for about $70 and then bought a xts3000 model2 for my kid so we can get in contact with each other. He's too young for a cell phone and I hate dealing with them while skiing.

Anyhow. I made it so I'm scanning GMRS1 so I can hear it when he needs to talk to me and then I switch over to that channel when I need to respond. I also made it so we're Rx/Tx on PL.

Now the other day while I was programming all this stuff in the radios I came up with the idea of assigning one of the side buttons for a direct/talkaround that way I don't have to change channels to respond to him. I could very well be comepletly misunderstanding the intended use of this function. Also, even though the tab is visable in the channel programming it is greyed out and I can not select it on the MTS2k.

Your tips and advice are always welcome and appreciated =). I'm just a knuckle dragging mouth breathing idiot in this department. Teach me the ways!

Have a great day ladies and gents.

Derik A
 

Project25_MASTR

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Direct/Talk Around simply uses the RX frequency and PL for TX (bypassing a repeater).

We take a portable Repeater skiing all of the time. Unless it's a large resort or has a backside, we've never had an issue with it not performing.


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N4KVE

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I wouldn't use a side button to do it, as you have no idea if you are in repeater, or talk around mode. I would assign that function to position 2, or 3 on the switch. That way you know if the switch is in position 2, you are in talk around Mode.
 

Thinderik

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So I basically need to keep switching channels to talk back to the little tyke on the separate channel. I'm usually patrolling while I'm at the mountain and don't want him on our work channel which is why I have him set up on a seperate line.

Lol a lot of options I guess. Just not what I thought. As usual =).
 

mmckenna

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Right, and the repeat/talk around works on the current channel the radio is set to.

If you are scanning, you should be able to program the scan function to transmit on the channel the knob is set to, rather than the channel the scan function landed on.
It's been a while since I programmed an MTS2000, so my terminology is rusty.
 

Thinderik

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I have it so the Tx is set to the channel the selector is on. I'm just not keen on unzipping my jacket taking my gloves off to switch channels. I'm just lazy I guess.
 

clbsquared

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Change the scan set up so the channel you want to communicate on is set to Priority. And then set the radio to transmit on the priority channel when PTT is depressed. It won't matter if it's scanning or not. When you PTT it will stop scanning and transmit on the priority channel.

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NavyBOFH

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We field a BUNCH of MTS2000s for ARES comms in the state. I wrote the codeplug for them with much input and grief.

Gary is right, especially on the top screen models - your ability to see what's going on is limited. If you have a top display your A/B/C switch will be zones. Best way to do it is assign the rotary switch to TalkAround and if you really need it, the emergency button as PL disable. Then put your assignments in for scan, monitor, and you have a button free to activate the backlight.

On ours, since we have to explicitly put things like UTAC43 and then UTAC43D for direct - we use the rotary for PL disable, orange button for backlight, top side button for monitor, bottom for scan. That was the setup I saw that worked best for us and the D at the end of a channel meant direct.

If you have the TA section in CPS grayed out - that means it sees your TX and RX frequencies are already simplex. If you're trying to do PL disable you can do what I said above and it will disable RX PL.

If you have a front display model - most of what I said is still true but you have better indication on the screen as to what's going on with your radio so you can assign a TA button and actually tell what's going on.

Lastly, there's a feature in some of these MTS2000s for MPL which can be helpful as well but I have never gotten it to work on an MTS.


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ramal121

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No, not talkaround. This is for a repeater channel and if it is greyed out you have the same tx and rx frequencies and is for all practical purposes a talkaround channel already.

What you want is to set your scan as "Talkback". What this does, while scanning, when it stops for channel activity you can hit PTT and talk on that channel. As long as you're quick on the button you can carry on a conversation before the scan resume timer kicks in. The timer can be adjusted as necessary. You can use priority scan with this but it could interrupt a conversation with a non-priority member. Just be aware.

Now if scanning and YOU want to make a call then transmit would be on the selected channel. I normally do not enable this for users as it just confuses the bejeebers out of them, but if you understand how it works it's a great little shortcut.
 

N4KVE

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We field a BUNCH of MTS2000s for ARES comms in the state. I wrote the codeplug for them with much input and grief.

Gary is right, especially on the top screen models - your ability to see what's going on is limited. If you have a top display your A/B/C switch will be zones
Only if he sets it up that way. I have about 6 of the top display radios, & none have 48 ch in them, so I do NOT use the 3 position switch for zones. POS 1 blank. POS 2 low power. POS 3 PL decode off. You can even use POS 1, & 2 for zones, & have 48 ch, & still use POS 3 for scan. The 3 POS switch on the MTS radios is much more versatile than a HT1000.
 

Thinderik

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Can't begin to thank you all enough for your input and help.

I've gotten a Lot of great advice already.

A quick update on my situation. So I do ski patrol. Channel 1 is the slope's repeater channel and it's where we get all our calls and info etc. It's priority #1, now I think I set it up as priority 1, but I'm not 100%. The way I have it programmed so far is it scans my son's radios frequency and I Tx on the frequency I'm selected. So while I'm patrolling its on the mountains Repeater. I didn't program the mountains info in his radio for obvious reasons.

What idea I've gotten from you guys (the best one I can understand) is to program the A/B/C toggle switch so my normal mode in Position A is exactly like I have it. Then in position C have it so that channel 1 is my son's same Freq but scanning the mountains Repeater with priority. It will be much easier to just reach into my coat and flick that toggle then to accurately switch channels with the knob.

I hope that reads the same way that it sounded in my brain. I've had a couple beers.

Thanks again.

I could always let my son use the 2k and take over the xts3k but I like the top display because I have to use a chest harness when I'm skiing.
 

ramal121

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What idea I've gotten from you guys (the best one I can understand) is to program the A/B/C toggle switch so my normal mode in Position A is exactly like I have it. Then in position C have it so that channel 1 is my son's same Freq but scanning the mountains Repeater with priority. It will be much easier to just reach into my coat and flick that toggle then to accurately switch channels with the knob.

That would work. Another idea that people use, stay in the same zone (leave toggle switch on A), put the patrol on channel one and the kid on channel 16. Now you switch between the two by twisting the knob stop to stop. No counting clicks and no looking. Works OK with gloves on. Leave it up to you for whatever is easiest with you.
 
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