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[Need Help] Tried programming a frequency and I am only getting a buzzing sound.

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singh123

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I have a Baofeng UV-B6 and am trying to program a frequency I found on Radio Reference

452.36250 and the tone is 627.

I just want to listen, I do not want to transmit.
Here are the settings I programmed with software:

RX: 452.36250
CTC/DCS DEC: OFF
TX: 452.36250
CTC/DCS: D627N
Power: High
BCL: OFF
W/N: Narrow
Scan Add: On
Reversal Freq: OFF
PTT ID: Off
Compander: Off
 

mmckenna

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Could very well be that the agency you are attempting to listen to has gone to digital. Digital modulations will often sound like buzzing on an analog radio. Since your Baofeng won't do digital, there isn't an easy way around this.

Also, while the RR database is pretty good, it's not the authority. It is entirely possible that the radio system you are trying to receive has changed to digital, and the database is showing old data.

If you gave us a city/state/country and name of who it is you are trying to hear, maybe someone could help.
 

singh123

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I tried posting this earlier but for some reason I do not see my post.
Education Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
I am trying to program the first line of the York University freqs.
I have tried the second one and I get nothing.
The Parking Enf (4th one) works loud and clear.
Security uses Motorola handhelds, it is about the size of my baofeng.
Would a picture of the radio help in determining whether they have switched over to digital radios?

Another question I had, very newbie question, was where and how does one find freqs and tones, like how do the ones on Radio Reference make their way over here onto the website?
 

mmckenna

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I tried posting this earlier but for some reason I do not see my post.
Education Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
I am trying to program the first line of the York University freqs.
I have tried the second one and I get nothing.
The Parking Enf (4th one) works loud and clear.
Security uses Motorola handhelds, it is about the size of my baofeng.
Would a picture of the radio help in determining whether they have switched over to digital radios?

Another question I had, very newbie question, was where and how does one find freqs and tones, like how do the ones on Radio Reference make their way over here onto the website?

A photo of the radio in use would help determine of the radio itself is digital capable, but not if they are actually using in digital mode. Most digital radios will work in analog mode also.

The frequencies and tones can come from different sources. Some scanning receivers will search for in use frequencies as well as tones. The other way is for someone with access to the correct information to post it.
 

singh123

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I shall try and get a picture tomorrow.

But now that I have provided the link the the RR page where I got the freq from, does the programming make sense that I provided in the first post? Do I need to choose D627N or D627I? and for which one? CTC/DCS ENC or CTC/ENC DEC? I also do not understand all the other settings.

Sorry, I know I am very new to ham radios but I have not had any issues with programming other freqs and this would be a really nice freq to get working :)
 

baltimorecs

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Your link indicates that the frequency is FM band and not digital. You should have the following so that you do not accidentally transmit on their frequency.

RX: 452.36250
CTC/DCS DEC: OFF
TX: (blank)
CTC/DCS: OFF
Power: Low
BCL: OFF
W/N: Narrow
Scan Add: On
Reversal Freq: OFF
PTT ID: Off
Compander: Off

Unfortunately I do not know if the licensee is wide or narrow, so you could try both.

Do you hear a buzzing all of the time? I ask because I have a UV-B5 (which is the same model, with a channel knob on it) and it would just squeal when I tried to transmit, and so the radio turned out to be bad.

A proper scanner would probably be easier to use in this case, and have a much faster scan rate.
 

mmckenna

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I shall try and get a picture tomorrow.

But now that I have provided the link the the RR page where I got the freq from, does the programming make sense that I provided in the first post? Do I need to choose D627N or D627I? and for which one? CTC/DCS ENC or CTC/ENC DEC? I also do not understand all the other settings.

Sorry, I know I am very new to ham radios but I have not had any issues with programming other freqs and this would be a really nice freq to get working :)

DPL and DCS are the same thing. Different radio brand will use different terminology, but they are the same thing. Kenwood radio use DQT, Digital Quiet Tone. DPL, Digital Private Line is used by Motorola, other radios will use DCS, Digital Coded Squelch.
Try D627N, but if that doesn't work, try D627I.
D627N is DCS code 627 "normal" (what the "N" stands for)
D627I is DCS code 627 "inverted" (what the "I" stands for). You won't see inverted DCS codes very often.

Since you are receiving only, you only need to be concerned about the DCS DEC (Decode, which is the receive side). ENC, or Encode, is only for transmitting.

I could understand a radio beeping if it was trying to transmit and wasn't programmed for it, but I doubt this is what you are hearing. If it is not a continuous buzz when you are listening, in other words, buzzes for a few seconds, stops, buzzes again, etc, then it's really likely they are using a digital form of modulation. Digital modulation shouldn't be confused with Digital Squelch (DCS, DPL, DQT, etc).

If they are using Motorola hand held radios, it is likely either MotoTrbo, which is a Motorola specific variation of DMR (DIgital Mobile Radio) or P25 (APCO Project 25). For a campus security force, I'd guess MotoTrbo
but depending on how much money they had to spend, it could be P25.

If it is MotoTrbo or P25, you won't be able to decode it with your radio. Your radio is FM/Analog only, and it won't decode DMR/MotoTrbo or P25 without some external equipment.
 

mmckenna

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Don't be surprised if the RR database is wrong. I wouldn't even trust the IC database to be correct. Often radio shops will just set things up how ever they want and not update their license, or they do update the license and it just takes a while to make it through the process.

If it is using FM analog, then try FM Narrow. That is likely where they should be given more modern radios, but that isn't guaranteed. Doesn't really matter if it's FM Narrow or FM Wide, an FM analog radio will decode it, just might sound a bit quiet or a bit distorted if it's set up incorrectly.
If it is analog, and it sounds too quiet, try setting the radio to FM Narrow. FM Narrow uses a lower deviation on the signal, so an FM narrow signal will sound quiet on a radio that is set up in wide mode (higher deviation).
If it sounds distorted and "loud", then it's likely your radio is set to FM Narrow (lower deviation) and they are running FM Wide. The wider signal deviation will sound loud and distorted on a radio set for narrow.
 

jonwienke

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For receive only, you can disable tone setting to listen regardless of what tone/squelch code is being used.

To see if your radio works, go to VFO mode and try a weather channel frequency and see if you can pick that up. NOAA's web site has the list, you'll have to check which one is active in your area.
 

KC9HI

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I shall try and get a picture tomorrow.

But now that I have provided the link the the RR page where I got the freq from, does the programming make sense that I provided in the first post? Do I need to choose D627N or D627I? and for which one? CTC/DCS ENC or CTC/ENC DEC? I also do not understand all the other settings.

Sorry, I know I am very new to ham radios but I have not had any issues with programming other freqs and this would be a really nice freq to get working :)

CTC/DCS ENC is only needed for transmitting to unlock the squelch of the receiving station. Since you will not be transmitting, it doesn't matter what it is set to. Recommended setting OFF

CTC/ENC DEC is never required. With it set to OFF, you will always be able to hear on-frequency FM signals (assuming that signal is strong enough to break squelch). Setting this to a CTCSS tone or DCS code keeps your squelch closed until a station you are listening to transmits the matching tone/code to unlock your squelch. If the station you are listening to doesn't transmit the matching tone (not all repeaters will transmit a tone - they just require you to transmit one for access) or you program the wrong tone/code, you will never hear anything. Recommended setting OFF (at least until you know it is working)

Jim KC9HI
 
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