PTT - ID

[KC4RAF]

I'm going to ask a nerdy question; Just what is the purpose for PTT - ID on an amateur radio?
It dose not transmit your call sign, (from the minimum search I've tried). It can transmit at the beginning and/or end of transmission a unit/personal id such as X43 or MD2. For commercial work I can understand the use.
But on an amateur radio this seems like a waste of electronic technology.
Some body please enlighten me about this.

 

[krokus]

Which radio(s) offer that? Many of the new digital modes send the callsign with transmissions.

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[rescue161]

Some systems in the past have used MDC as a gateway to the repeater system; no MDC, no talk. Others have used MDC call lists that will show the callsign of the other ham as long as the programming is done ahead of time. It gets very cumbersome with larger systems, like DMR MARC.

 

[AK9R]

It gets very cumbersome with larger systems, like DMR MARC.

True. Digital voice systems that were designed for the LMR world just send a user ID which must be converted to a callsign through a look-up table in the receiver's software. Digital voice systems that were designed for amateur radio, such as D-STAR and System Fusion, send the callsign.

 

[KC4RAF]

Thanks guys for enlightening me on the subject. Since the analog radios didn't seem to send an amateur call sign, I thought it was a waste of electronics. Thanks again.

 

[k6cpo]

I'm going to ask a nerdy question; Just what is the purpose for PTT - ID on an amateur radio?
It dose not transmit your call sign, (from the minimum search I've tried). It can transmit at the beginning and/or end of transmission a unit/personal id such as X43 or MD2. For commercial work I can understand the use.
But on an amateur radio this seems like a waste of electronic technology.
Some body please enlighten me about this.

What kind of radio? Chinese? I've seen this feature included in some of the Baofeng radios, but I agree with you. It seems to be a waste of electronics, because it's not a feature that hams would use.

Yaesu has a feature in their analog handhelds called ARTS or "Automatic Range Transponder System." ARTS uses DCS signaling to inform two or more parties when they are within communication range. The radios will automatically send out signals and will beep and give a visual message when two radios are withing range of each other. The manual says this could be useful in a search and rescue situation. It is possible to add a CW ID to the signal sent out to identify which radio is in range.

In six years of being a ham, I have yet to use this function on any of my radios.

 

[AK9R]

I don't think Baofeng is building those radios for the amateur radio market, but for the LMR market instead. If that's the case, PTT ID is a useful feature in their intended market.

 

[mikewazowski]

True. Digital voice systems that were designed for the LMR world just send a user ID which must be converted to a callsign through a look-up table in the receiver's software.

Soft ID on a Motorola radio allows you to send an alphanumeric ID such as a callsign. No lookup table needed.

I believe NXDN also allows a similar feature.

 

[krokus]

Thanks guys for enlightening me on the subject. Since the analog radios didn't seem to send an amateur call sign, I thought it was a waste of electronics. Thanks again.

On LMR radios, they are useful, to know who is transmitting. Especially when in an emergency, when unable to talk, or when using an emergency button.

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[DaveNF2G]

Whenever I have heard PTT ID on ham radio, it has been a commercial shop guy reminding us all that he has a "real" radio.

 

[mmckenna]

Whenever I have heard PTT ID on ham radio, it has been a commercial shop guy reminding us all that he has a "real" radio.

Yeah, and it lasts a few days at most, then they usually get shamed into shutting it off.

On the flip side, I did set up the base radio I have in our kitchen with MDC1200 on the simplex frequency we use. Makes it easier to figure out where my wife is. With data squelch set up correctly, we never hear it. However, I never use it anywhere else.

As for the LMR side, I hear about it pretty quick from our dispatchers if the radio ID doesn't match the officer who's using it.

 

[62Truck]

The only time I use MDC on repeaters is when its my repeater, or pre MDC on linked repeater systems so I don't clip, or a repeater without a courtesy tone. With permission from the repeater owner/trustee of course.