NX-5000 Series, Q&A, Info, and details

[Jay911]

As he said in post 817:

Adjust the Lookback Time A to something that pleases you between rapid audio holes and missing the first word on the priority channel. I like about 1 sec. No way to completely eliminate the drop outs.

 

[ramal121]

So this is how it works. When the radio is in priority mode and scan is stopped on a non-priority channel, the radio needs to check to see if the priority channel becomes active. It does this by muting the speaker and switching channels to see if the priority channel is active. If no signal is detected it goes back to the original channel and continues reception. This is the "Thup Thup Thup" you hear on a non priority channel.

What you call "normal" scan is referred to as non priority scan. This disables the priority lookback. It does provide cleaner reception however there is no way for the radio to detect priority channel reception and no revert is possible using this scan mode.

Timer A sets the interval that the radio switches channels for priority lookback. Default is half a second, and to me, is annoying. I lengthen the time interval to make it less annoying however too long and you can miss the first part of a priority transmission.

 

[Cbr600rr2]

So what your saying there is no way to make the scan work like it does on a Motorola. Because in non priorty scan I can’t even get it to revert back even if I hit the part button. And on my mototrbo the scan works exactly the way I need it to

 

[Cbr600rr2]

Just

So this is how it works. When the radio is in priority mode and scan is stopped on a non-priority channel, the radio needs to check to see if the priority channel becomes active. It does this by muting the speaker and switching channels to see if the priority channel is active. If no signal is detected it goes back to the original channel and continues reception. This is the "Thup Thup Thup" you hear on a non priority channel.

What you call "normal" scan is referred to as non priority scan. This disables the priority lookback. It does provide cleaner reception however there is no way for the radio to detect priority channel reception and no revert is possible using this scan mode.

Timer A sets the interval that the radio switches channels for priority lookback. Default is half a second, and to me, is annoying. I lengthen the time interval to make it less annoying however too long and you can miss the first part of a priority transmission.

Just make time A longer

 

[Cbr600rr2]

So this is how it works. When the radio is in priority mode and scan is stopped on a non-priority channel, the radio needs to check to see if the priority channel becomes active. It does this by muting the speaker and switching channels to see if the priority channel is active. If no signal is detected it goes back to the original channel and continues reception. This is the "Thup Thup Thup" you hear on a non priority channel.

What you call "normal" scan is referred to as non priority scan. This disables the priority lookback. It does provide cleaner reception however there is no way for the radio to detect priority channel reception and no revert is possible using this scan mode.

Timer A sets the interval that the radio switches channels for priority lookback. Default is half a second, and to me, is annoying. I lengthen the time interval to make it less annoying however too long and you can miss the first part of a priority transmission.

I’ll do it and let you know how it goes

 

[Jay911]

So what your saying there is no way to make the scan work like it does on a Motorola. Because in non priorty scan I can’t even get it to revert back even if I hit the part button. And on my mototrbo the scan works exactly the way I need it to

I guess what I don't understand (and I presume what others don't understand) is what you mean by "revert back" and by "the part button". What's the part button?

If by "revert back", you mean let you answer a conversation that is received during scanning, I believe that feature in Kenwood is called talkback and is set up in the scan options. I don't have my programming machine in front of me right now, but the word 'talkback' will be in the pull-down menu options for one of the configuration items.

If you mean something else by "revert back", explain it further. Let's talk about your radio while it's scanning. What happens when you "revert back"?

 

[Cbr600rr2]

Sry part was suppose to be PTT. And yes I mean talkback. When in non priority scan of it picks us a scan and then I decide I wanna transmit on the selected channel it won’t let me until the scan transmission is finished. If I can figure out how to change this I’m good!

 

[Cbr600rr2]

I guess what I don't understand (and I presume what others don't understand) is what you mean by "revert back" and by "the part button". What's the part button?

If by "revert back", you mean let you answer a conversation that is received during scanning, I believe that feature in Kenwood is called talkback and is set up in the scan options. I don't have my programming machine in front of me right now, but the word 'talkback' will be in the pull-down menu options for one of the configuration items.

If you mean something else by "revert back", explain it further. Let's talk about your radio while it's scanning. What happens when you "revert back"?

The option I have picked out is selected + talkback

 

[Jay911]

"Selected + Talkback" may not be what you want, but it's in the right ballpark.

If you always want to transmit on the channel that the selector knob is turned to, and never on any of the channels that are being scanned, what you want in that field is "Selected Channel".

"Selected + Talkback" means that it will normally transmit on the channel the selector knob is turned to, if there hasn't been a transmission on a channel in the scan list in the last few seconds. If there has been a transmission on a channel in the scan list, "Talkback" lets you answer on that channel, without having to turn off scan or change to that channel on the knob.

 

[ramal121]

For talkback change it to just "Selected".

 

[Cbr600rr2]

"Selected + Talkback" may not be what you want, but it's in the right ballpark.

If you always want to transmit on the channel that the selector knob is turned to, and never on any of the channels that are being scanned, what you want in that field is "Selected Channel".

"Selected + Talkback" means that it will normally transmit on the channel the selector knob is turned to, if there hasn't been a transmission on a channel in the scan list in the last few seconds. If there has been a transmission on a channel in the scan list, "Talkback" lets you answer on that channel, without having to turn off scan or change to that channel on the knob.

For talkback change it to just "Selected".

i appreciate all the help that did what I wanted!!!
Let me ask you guys one more thing. In non priority scan how do you get it to go back to your selected channel while it picks up a scan transmission. Like if some one keys up on the selected channel?? Is this possible?

 

[KK6ZTE]

If it's in the middle of receiving something, then no, it has no way of knowing if there's activity on the selected channel without priority sampling occurring (the audio holes).

If your scan list is 1000 members long (aka MultiZone Scan with all zones and channels set to Scan Add), it'll take some time to scan every member and come back to your selected channel without priority scan enabled.

All radios are like this, any brand. Unless I'm not understand what you're looking for. Can you be a little more clear with what you're trying to do?

 

[Cbr600rr2]

Sure. I run the traffic dept at a mall. I work every Saturday and holidays. It pays crazy money and gets me away from my wife. And I don’t use their equipment it’s cheap.

I have a mototrbo xpr 7550. It works exactly like I want it to. But I hate it. I have a normal scan on it and. It picks up the scan channel with out interference and when someone transmits on the selected channel instantly and I can go into settings and make channels Priority

that’s what I want a simple and seamless scan. I only have 10 channels on the radio and only 3 are used. The main security channel which I use and the 2 PD channels that are receive only. I wanna get rid of the thump or non priority scan to kick back to my selected.

 

[Cbr600rr2]

If it's in the middle of receiving something, then no, it has no way of knowing if there's activity on the selected channel without priority sampling occurring (the audio holes).

If your scan list is 1000 members long (aka MultiZone Scan with all zones and channels set to Scan Add), it'll take some time to scan every member and come back to your selected channel without priority scan enabled.

All radios are like this, any brand. Unless I'm not understand what you're looking for. Can you be a little more clear with what you're trying to do?

I hate Motorola cause there cheap radios I’ve dropped the radio multiple times and cracked the case can’t tell you how many times I’ve replaced it in 3 years

 

[Jay911]

Is there a button config or menu item that I can program into the NX5000 portable line to allow the user to choose whether or not to hear voice announcements? I'd almost think that the audio profile or key profile would be it, but it doesn't seem to be there.

I have some users who would be interested in hearing voice announcements during some situations, but not all the time.

 

[KK6ZTE]

Is there a button config or menu item that I can program into the NX5000 portable line to allow the user to choose whether or not to hear voice announcements? I'd almost think that the audio profile or key profile would be it, but it doesn't seem to be there.

I have some users who would be interested in hearing voice announcements during some situations, but not all the time.

Nope. That would be listening to feedback.

 

[Markb]

Nope. That would be listening to feedback.

How is that?
I don't have the software in front of me, but I am sure there's a way to mute channel announcements.

 

[Remington12G]

I use Surveillance mode when I don't want to hear tones, see backlight, or any of that. I guess you could set up a key for surveillance mode just to not hear voice announcements but it would disable everything else audible and visible.

 

[KK6ZTE]

How is that?
I don't have the software in front of me, but I am sure there's a way to mute channel announcements.

I'd suggest checking prior to commenting in that case. You may be thinking of MOTOTRBO where it's a button press and I program on any customer that has voice announcements. I don't do a lot of Kenwood voice announcements because there's no succinct way to toggle them on and off without disabling other features like Remington12G mentioned...

Additionally, Kenwood's voice announcements take priority over RX audio, meaning users changing channels will have (potentially important) traffic cut off. There's no way to change that, unlike TRBO.

Individual Deck mute would be another great feature (that has been requested before) not implemented. We have incidents where guys will need the VHF and UHF but not the 700/800 in their radio. Right now we only have unselected deck mute which disables everything but the selected RF Deck.

Don't get me wrong, I do like these radios, I have 3 portables and 4 multi-deck multi-head configurations. However, there's a lot of room for improvement.

 

[W6HMS]

I'm sorry if this question has been answered and I missed it in my search. Anyway, I have an KCH-19M, NX5700, and NX5800 setup in the "Dual Deck, Single Head, Remote Mount" configuration. I also have speakers (KES-3) plugged into each RF deck. I've found that the "select" audio passes via the KCH-19M and the "unselect" audio passes via the RF deck speakers, which is perfect. However, there doesn't appear to be a way to adjust the volume level for each deck separately. Is there a setting I can change/program in "Key Assignments" or the "Optional Settings" fields of KPG-D1N that would allow me to have separate volume control for each deck?

If not, is this problem solved if I upgrade to the KCH-20RM control head? I use this setup has a ham rig, so I want to make sure the more expensive control head will work before I purchase it.

Thanks,
Trace-W6HMS