PL tones

[JamesBrox]

Hey fellows. I have a GMRS repeater.....a 650 repeater, a repeater at RPT channel 19 or a repeater at channel 27 however you want to call it. I have the PL tones set at 141.3 both RX and TX. Why is the repeater RX a signal with no audio.....full bar strength indication and cooling fans running. No audio. Also, it's not RPT ID (morse code) because there's no audio. Volume settings have been checked. Frustrating to say the least. thanks
James
WRXU693

 

[tomk62]

Hi James, what make/model repeater and what does "the repeater RX a signal with no audio" mean exactly?

 

[Hans13]

When you run no RX tone (open squelch) on your receiving radio, do you hear anything from the repeater? Also, make sure you are not right next to the transmitting antenna so you don't overwhelm (desense) the receiving radio.

 

[JamesBrox]

Hi James, what make/model repeater and what does "the repeater RX a signal with no audio" mean exactly?

Hey Tom. It's a Bridgecom BCR-40DU. Sorry for the lack of clarity. I got a little ahead of myself. In my shack I have the repeater set up, it's output is 32watts. I also at my desk I have a base unit KG10000G+ on low power 5 watts. That way I can use the base unit to relay to the repeater without overpowering the receive end of the repeater. The repeater TX the ID every 15 minutes....I know this because the cooling fans kicks on. but I don't hear the morse code or anybody on the base unit. Hope this helps, sir.

 

[JamesBrox]

When you run no RX tone (open squelch) on your receiving radio, do you hear anything from the repeater? Also, make sure you are not right next to the transmitting antenna so you don't overwhelm (desense) the receiving radio.

Hey Hans13. I'll try that. The only reason I have RX tones in there, is I don't really care about hearing family comms or schools on simplex. Thank you sir

 

[Hans13]

Hey Hans13. I'll try that. The only reason I have RX tones in there, is I don't really care about hearing family comms or schools on simplex. Thank you sir

Yep. I run tones both in and out on our repeater for regular operation. But, for initial testing, always do open squelch on your testing radio. There can be a number of things that can interfere/make it not work. Sometimes the tone is simply set differently between repeater and radio. Sometimes a radio, especially CCR doesn't seem to work well with a particular tone. We even had a situation where a power line outside the house was somehow batting down the tone or changing it enough about 90% of the time. Different radios had a different hit/miss percentage. It took a while but we finally figured out that simply switching off of that tone made all of our radios work 100% of the time around that spot. Fortunately, that is where I always parked my vehicle so it presented as a problem early on.

 

[JamesBrox]

Wow, that's crazy.
Well, I took the RX tone off the base unit and now I hear the RPT ID morse code from the repeater. I'm thinking I don't full understanding PL tones when it come to the receive. Then you add that the repeater is set up with a RX PL tone so that got me more confused on what outside radios hear from this repeater. Appreciate the patience.

 

[nd5y]

If your receiver has PL (or DCS) decode set then it won't receive anything that isn't transmitting the same PL (or DCS).
Repeaters (or other transmitters with an automatic CW ID) can usually be set so there is no PL (or DCS) during the CW ID.

 

[JamesBrox]

If your receiver has PL (or DCS) decode set then it won't receive anything that isn't transmitting the same PL (or DCS).
Repeaters (or other transmitters with an automatic CW ID) can usually be set so there is no PL (or DCS) during the CW ID.

But the receiver will still "hear" that TX, regardless, right? There may not be any audio, but the RX signal strength bars are showing and if I try to TX at the same time. The Busy Lock-out feature won't allow me to TX. Thanks

 

[Hans13]

But the receiver will still "hear" that TX, regardless, right? There may not be any audio, but the RX signal strength bars are showing and if I try to TX at the same time. The Busy Lock-out feature won't allow me to TX. Thanks

Typically, the RX signal strength bars will show a signal but you will hear no audio from the speaker.

 

[nd5y]

The Busy Lock-out feature won't allow me to TX. Thanks

That's what it's for and why nobody uses it when operating on repeaters. You can't talk until the repeater stops transmitting. Most people configure their repeaters with hang time so using BCLO would be stupid.

 

[JamesBrox]

That's what it's for and why nobody uses it when operating on repeaters. You can't talk until the repeater stops transmitting. Most people configure their repeaters with hang time so using BCLO would be stupid.

Oh ok. Thanks
I'm in the repeater software now. What term setting word am I looking for....in the channel setting I see Courtesy Tone Delay set on 600ms. In the User ID slot, I see a Courtesy Tone of 1000 Hz and TX Hold Time 1000ms.....sound about right?

 

[nd5y]

I'm in the repeater software now. What term setting word am I looking for

I have no idea. I don't know what repeater or software you have or what you are trying to change.

 

[JamesBrox]

"Most people configure their repeaters with hang time so using BCLO would be stupid."

Thanks for the info. Just looking for the hang time setting on this software program so I can make sure it's not stupid. Not seeing it.....is that a generic term? All I see is a TX Hold time setting option.

 

[WA0CBW]

Many repeaters are programed to "strip the tone on ID". You won't hear the ID if your radio is using tone squelch.
Bill

 

[mmckenna]

Many repeaters are programed to "strip the tone on ID". You won't hear the ID if your radio is using tone squelch.
Bill

I know for sure the Bridgecom repeaters he is running do that. I got stuck with a few of those at a remote site and they are set up to send the Morse ID without PL tone.

Sounds like programming issue on the mobile radio. Check everything carefully.

 

[JamesBrox]

I know for sure the Bridgecom repeaters he is running do that. I got stuck with a few of those at a remote site and they are set up to send the Morse ID without PL tone.

Sounds like programming issue on the mobile radio. Check everything carefully.

That's it. That's what it's doing! Confused the mess out of me. Thank you, sir, also Bill and the others who helped as well. Have a good day

James
WRXU693