Repeater Pl tone programming

[N1NIJ]

A general question: when a repeater is listed as having both an input and output tone (usually the same tone), is it necessary to program the output tone into the radio for the proper use of the repeater?
Thanks and 73 de N1NIJ Rick

 

[mrweather]

No. But having the output PL (or CTCSS) programmed in your radio will keep it quiet until the repeater signal is received regardless of electrical/RF interference around you.

 

[nd5y]

You also won't hear people on simplex on the repeater output if they aren't transmitting the tone. That could cause you problems if the repeater is off the air.

The best rule is never program receive tones in your radio unless you know exactly how CTCSS/DCS works and you have a good reason to do so.

 

[K9KLC]

The best rule is never program receive tones in your radio unless you know exactly how CTCSS/DCS works and you have a good reason to do so.

Ya the only time I usually have a tone on it is when the repeater has PL on COR and I am tired of hearing announcements and hideous repeater courtesy tones. OR, when cross banding to that repeater or a couple others in my area.

 

[N1NIJ]

Great replies, thanks all!

 

[mmckenna]

Not uncommon for repeater pairs to get reused. If you live/work/play in the mountains, you may sometimes hear more than one repeater on a pair. Using the output PL/DPL code on your receiver will let you hear -just- that repeater.

There's a place I used to ride my ATV. I could hear at least 3 repeaters all on the same pair.

 

[mrweather]

It's interesting that the ham community never really adopted DPL/DCS.

I have a good reason to use tone squelch on receive: I drive around frequently in areas I like to call "RF hell".

 

[K9KLC]

Not uncommon for repeater pairs to get reused. If you live/work/play in the mountains, you may sometimes hear more than one repeater on a pair. Using the output PL/DPL code on your receiver will let you hear -just- that repeater.

There's a place I used to ride my ATV. I could hear at least 3 repeaters all on the same pair.

Now if we could just get some of the repeater owners to put a PL on the input, ya that would be great too.

 

[k6cpo]

Ya the only time I usually have a tone on it is when the repeater has PL on COR and I am tired of hearing announcements and hideous repeater courtesy tones. OR, when cross banding to that repeater or a couple others in my area.

It also works well to silence an analog radio that is receiving a digital signal. Since Yaesu's Fusion® repeaters can transmit either analog or digital on the same frequency, having a receive tone programmed prevents those with analog radios from hearing the static bursts when someone else is using the repeater in the digital mode.

 

[K9KLC]

It also works well to silence an analog radio that is receiving a digital signal. Since Yaesu's Fusion® repeaters can transmit either analog or digital on the same frequency, having a receive tone programmed prevents those with analog radios from hearing the static bursts when someone else is using the repeater in the digital mode.

I might actually have a couple of those in there too. Although it's very rarely used, I guess one of our clubs repeater has Wires-X on it. I honestly don't get on that one too often. Only time that seems to get used is when we are providing support for an event around town and we use that to coordinate things.

I spend a lot of times on simplex these days it seems on various bands so honestly I forgot about the digital/analog thing. Good reminder!