Hi all if this is not in the correct location please move to correct location, really didn't know where to put it.
my question is I need to program a radio that I have, the only frequency I have is the receive frequency, how would I go about getting the transmit frequency or offset meaning it's not in simplex mode.
trying my hardest to not contact the radio rental company and ask them for the transmit frequency, should I find somebody with the means to hook radio up to computer program and go that way.
I have programming means for my radio just not for rental Motorola. Frequency I have is 463.6250
thank you for all your time
So, here is the core issue:
The rental radio company is licensed for whatever frequencies they are using. They hold the license, and they alone control who can operate under their license. Programming your own radio without specifically holding either a license to transmit on that frequency, or written authorization from the person/company the license is issues to would be against FCC rules.
If the rental radios use a repeater, then accessing someone else's repeater without their permission, even with a radio you own, is considered theft of services. Add on top of that transmitting without a license, you get the idea. FCC isn't really well known for their enforcement efforts though….
It's up to you though.
If it's simplex (radio to radio) then the transmit frequency and the receive frequency will be the same. You'll need to figure out the squelching (if in use), it'll either be a CTCSS tone or a DCS digital code. You, or someone, will either need to use some specific test equipment to listen for that tone, or you will need to read one of the radios to see how it's programmed. Newer radios can have password protection on them, so it's not necessarily as easy as plugging in a PC with the right software and reading the radios. The radios I run at work all have this feature enabled to help keep control of our system.
If it's a repeated system, then, as stated above, it's pretty standard on this portion of the UHF band for the frequency offset to be 5.0 mHz.
It is also a possibility that if it is a repeated system that the tone squelch/DCS code can be different for the repeater input and the repeater output.
Tread carefully here, or make sure you get permission in writing if you want to stay 100% legal. No need to risk it if you don't need to. It never hurts to ask. Don't expect a rental radio company to give you the information to use their services for free.
