Talkaround feature - VX-180 & VX-354

[SteveC0625]

My ambulance squad has 3 VX-180's which are currently programmed with:
CH1 - 155.2050 TX & RX - PL 3B on both TX and RX
CH2 - 158.8050 TX (PL 2A) and RX 155.2050 (PL3B) to access a repeater,

First, I would like to free up a channel slot (the other 14 are already committed) by enabling the Talkaround feature. The documentation in the CE44 software is very unspecific about how Talkaround works.

If I use Talkaround, does that automatically convert the TX channel to simplex, meaning that we'd transmit and receive on 158.8050 (PL 2A) or does it automatically convert the RX channel to simplex meaning that we'd transmit and receive on 155.2050 (PL 3B)? Or is there a way to tell it which frequency and PL to use?

Second, none of our other channels are half duplex so I am wondering what Talkaround does if it is enabled while operating on one of the other simplex channels.

Third, we are contemplating adding at least a dozen VX-354's to our inventory to replace WB only Kenwoods and Motorolas. Will the Talkaround feature on the VX-354 work in the same manner as the VX-180's?

Thanks!

 

[AK9R]

On a half-duplex channel (different transmit and receive frequencies), the radio transmits on the TX frequency and listens on the RX frequency. When talkaround is enabled, the radio transmits and receives on the RX frequency. This is so users can communicate with other nearby users without going through the repeater.

Talkaround on a simplex channel does nothing.