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VX-264 help needed

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firemedic78

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Joined
Dec 15, 2007
Messages
71
Location
Menlo, IA
Hello to everybody. I am in need of some assistance. I recently purchased a Vertex Standard VX- 264 VHF radio the ce150 programming software version 2.04 with programming cable. I got everything programmee just fine with the exception of two things, and I don't know if these two things are just something I'm going to have to deal with, or if I'm missing a setting somewhere. I am very good with working on Motorola radio software, and Kenwood software, but this is my first time working with Vertex Standard software.

Here's the issues that I'm having. First off, the easiest one, how do I set my priority Channel to whatever Channel the channel selector is on? I have several other radios and models, most of them have a setting in the software that programs the radio's priority Channel options, whether you want it to be fixed channel, no priority Channel , or selected Channel, meaning whatever Channel the channel selector knob is on, is your priority Channel while in scan mode. However, my Motorola ht1250, you have to manually go to your settings by using the limited keypad front panel buttons and program up to two priority channels, but my Kenwood's and my Motorola ht1000, I have the priority Channel setting programmed to whatever Channel I have it on while I'm in scan mode. So that's my first question, if there's a setting for that, how do I find it. I go into my scanning options and there is a list of options for the priority channel options. It's a drop down menu, and the first option setting is priority Channel, I am assuming that is selecting fixed priority Channel, the second option in the drop-down menu is start Channel, which I have no idea what that means. And then the third and fourth options in the drop-down menu are settings, I believe is programming a particular Channel inside a particular Zone. I've tried everything that I can think of, but in the end, the same channel stays priority all the time, whether it's on that channel, or a fire ground Channel, which we use all the time, so this is why I'm wanting to be able to set the radio's priority channel settings during scan mode.

I also have the priority box checked on channel number, after you enter the Rx/Tx frequencies on the main screen . So again, I would like to know if I'm going to have to just deal with only having one priority Channel and not being able to change it in the field, or what setting or settings I need to go to and make the priority Channel be what channel the selector knob is on. I think you kind of get the idea of what I'm asking as far as Issue Number 1. I know I write these long replies and posts, but unfortunately it's a habbiy I'm trying to break, I just like to be as detailed as I can for you guys who know this stuff so you understand what's going on.

My next issue is with the beeps. I have the priority Channel box checked(Ch. 1, our county fire dispatch/paging frequency)so while in scan mode, the priority channel beeps when radio trqffic is keyed up during scan mode. Unfortunately, when there is radio traffic keyed up on every channel, other than channel 1, which again, is checked as the priority Channel, which is our County Fire frequency, but when traffic is transmitted during scan mode on any other channel, even without the check box being checked, it still beeps. On the main screen, where you program your frequencies, you're only allowed to check one priority Channel per group. Basically, I just need to know how to get rid of the extra beeps, the beep that sounds when every channel has traffic being transmitted, with the exception of course, of the priority Channel, and how I get rid of the second beep, when traffic stops on the channel and reverts back to Ch. 1(my priority channel, our FD channel)it beeps again to let me know it's back scanning on Channel 1. It just gets very annoying hearing beeps every 15-30 seconds, because out of all 16 channels in my group, between our FD channel, county sheriff's ops channel, surrounding Counties sheriff ops channels, and Iowa State Patrol tower that covers our area, there's usually traffic about every 30 seconds or so between the 16 channels, and I only want to be alerted by the beep if traffic is keyed up on whatever priority Channel I have it set for. Again, that goes back to the initial question of whether or not I can select whatever Channel I want while I'm in scan mode to be a priority Channel,( user-selectable priority Channel), or do I have to just deal with having just one channel to be the priority Channel. I just want to get rid of all the channels alerting me of the traffic on them because it is very annoying. 16 beeps within a minute....kind of get's old. I just wantthe priority channel to beep, alerting me that there's traffic on my priority Channel that I set. Thank you all very much for taking the time to read this book, LOL. Again I apologize for the lengthy post. I just try to be as detailed as I can, so that way, whoever knows what to do, knows everything that I need help with, and we don't have to go back and forth explaining this and that. I am hoping there's somebody out there who is familiar with vertex software, and even better, is familiar with this particular model of radio and software. Thanks again, I look forward to hearing from anyone who could help me, and everybody out there stay safe.

Chris
 

kg4ojj

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
546
Location
Crisp County, GA, USA
1. Use Follow-Me Scan. It's not clear in the manual, but that's the same function as you and I experience with Motorola radios where you use Selected Channel Priority.

2. Sounds like the Scan Stop/Resume beep. That's not the exact name but you should search for something similar in the software.


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firemedic78

Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2007
Messages
71
Location
Menlo, IA
Thank you kg4ojj for your reply....It did help me out with the priority channel issue...I just had to take the "scan" function out of the programmable key I had it set on, and basically swap it with " follow me scan", and then in the scanning section in the drop down menu of the common tab, had to enable the "follow me scan PRI overwrite", and now it beeps and goes to whatever channel I have the channel selector knob on while I am in scan mode.....I still, however, cannot find out how to stop the beeping for every channel it locks on during scan mode...I only want it to beep when I am in scan mode and the priority channel locks on when traffic is transmitted on that specific channel. I also figured out how to enable paging mode for when I go to bed and want the county fire channel silent until our tones go off...Now, I don't know if this is the actual correct way, but I used one of my programmable keys as the "monitor" setting, so when I turn the radio on, in order to hear anything on the channel, I have to hit the "monitor" key to open the channel, and same for when I want to put it into pager mode at night, or whenever I need it...I just hit the "monitor" key, and that will silence the channel until our pager tones go off, then the channel beeps and opens up, just like a pager...Now, again, I don't know if this is the official way of doing that, I see that the "on/off duty" function kind of does the same thing, but on all my other radio's( my Motorolas, and the Kenwoods), they have the "on/off duty" feature as well, but my old dealer always told me not to mess with the "duty" feature. But after reading the description of the duty feature, it almost sounds the same as turning the radio into pager mode at night(off duty, closing the channel until it detects our pager tones, then beeps and opens up, just like a pager, and on duty, basically means that I am monitoring the channel open, so I can hear everything all day. So, I don't know if what I really want is to set the on/off duty functions, or leave it as it is, and just keep the "monitor" function feature in the radio as it is now, and just push the "monitor" key for both night time, when I want it in pager mode, and push it when I want to open it up, so any advice on that as well would be great....Basically, what function I want the radio set at(Monitor, or on/off duty) for the fire channel to be open or closed whenever I want....and then also, back to my original post, in regards to my second issue, I still can't find a way to disable the beep when it locks onto a channel. Anytime it receives traffic on any channel while in scan mode, or I should say follow me scan mode, it beeps, even if it's the priority channel...The only channel I want to have it beep on while in follow me scan mode is whatever channel I have it on. I found a "beep off" feature in the drop down menu of the function key settings, and I programmed that, but that disables all beeps, even the priority channel(which I have checked in the scan settings box), so that obviously isn't the correct way.....I just got to believe that I am just missing something. There has to be a way to keep the beep silent until either a call for our dept. comes over the fire channel, or when the priority channel picks up traffic....There has to be a setting somewhere that I am not seeing....I wouldn't think Vertex would make a radio that would beep on any channel that picks up traffic in scan mode..It is so annoying, and I would think Vertex would know this, and make a setting to only beep when your radio picks up traffic on the priority channel while in scan, or follow scan mode, or again, beep when the 2-tone pager is set off....So still looking for a little more help....I very much appreciate the help kg4ojj on the user select pri channel, that helped a lot, but I still have the other two issues I could use help on.....Which function is the correct function to make Ch. 1, county fire, silent, or closed, at night and act as a pager when follow me scan mode is disabled by pushing the function key that the follow scan is programmed into, and then the opposite, when I want to hear traffic on fire channel, I hit the follow me scan mode to enable it, and again, how to disable all the beeps except when follow me scan mode is enabled and the pri channel I have selected receives radio traffic, and obviously I want it to beep and alert me when a call is paged out. So, I have one issue resolved, again, thank you kg4ojj for the help with that, but still two more issues to iron out with someone's help. Thanks in advance for all the help.

Chris
 

firemedic78

Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2007
Messages
71
Location
Menlo, IA
Okay, I believe I fixed the problem to one of my last two issues. I ended up taking the "monitor" feature from the drop-down menu of selections for key functions off of programmable button A, and replaced it with the "Duty" function from the drop-down selectable key function menu, and now it works just fine, I can click the button for off-duty and it will stay silent until the pager tones go off in case I want to use it as a pager at night, or if I went to a public place and I want to use it like a pager, and I can do the opposite way changing it to on duty and then it will be open just as every other channel is. So basically the last thing I need help with is trying to figure out how in the heck I can stop all these channels that receive traffic while in follow me scan mode from beeping. The only beep I want to have is when something is keyed over the Pri Channel that I have selected, and of course, when our pagers go off. Thanks.

Chris Sciarrotta
Firemedic/Instructor
Menlo Fire & Rescue
Menlo, IA
firemedic78@msn.com
 

firemedic78

Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2007
Messages
71
Location
Menlo, IA
Okay, a quick update. I got one problem fixed. After some playing around with it, I was able to figure out that the cause of every channel beeping during scan mode, as well as after the channel timed out and returned to the original Channel, I went into the scan section of the programming common drop-down menu and unchecked the scan beep box. No no channels beeped after that.. Unfortunately, I am still having a hard time figuring out how to enable my priority channel to beep, or alert me when priority Channel detects traffic, while I'm in scan mode. I think I've done everything I could and maybe this just isn't a feature on this radio. I find that strange however, because most radios, especially newer ones that have priority Channel during scan mode, has some type of an alert tone when the priority channel detects radio traffic. I went through so many different settings and scenarios and downloaded every one of them into the radio and nothing worked. I'm still good with the follow me scan, with any Channel I want set as my priority Channel, all I have to do it activate my follow me scan and then turn my channel selector knob to whatever Channel I want to be my priority Channel and that is it, but I would still like to be able to have the priority alert, letting me know there's traffic on the priority Channel, so I guess if anybody out there knows more, please reply so I can try and put an end to this nightmare. But for right now, I'm done with it. Feel free though to continue to post any replies and any advice throughout the day and I'll check it later on tonight and try some more stuff if you have any advice. Thanks a lot for putting up with all my long post everybody stay safe out there.

Chris Sciarrotta
Firemedic/Instructor
Menlo Fire & Rescue
Menlo, IA
firemedic78@msn.com
 

kg4ojj

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
546
Location
Crisp County, GA, USA
I'm in the middle of a move, so it will be a bit before I can respond directly.

If you email me the programming file, I can look over it during Thanksgiving.

kg4ojj at arrl dot net


Jay


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firemedic78

Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2007
Messages
71
Location
Menlo, IA
Still looking for any advice on how to enable the priority channel to beep. I currently have everything else fixed to my specifications. I used the follow me scan, which enables me to set the priority channel to whatever Channel I have the channel selector knob on, and I also have the setting fixed to where at night time, I switch my channel one, which is my County Fire Channel, to off-duty mode, therefore making it quiet until our tones are paged out and then I get the alert, just like a pager. What I am needing for the Final Fix is the priority Channel to alert me when traffic is transmitted on the priority Channel that I have selected while I am in follow me scan mode. In the radio programming software, under all the settings, I have priority Channel beep enabled, but it still does not beep. The only time it beeps, is when I have the beep sound box checked, and all that does is make everything beep...when you change channels, and when it goes back to the channel That it is currently on. If the box is checked, when I'm scanning, it will beep on any channel that is selected, and it will also beep when the time out timer is done and it goes back to the channel that it's set on with the selector knob. So I was told by another Vertex Standard programmer to uncheck that box, which worked just fine, I just need to know how in the heck to turn the priority channel on so that way the priority Channel beep enabled setting will work. It says I have to turn the priority channel function on, which I don't understand where to do that, I have the check mark next to the channel on the main screen where you enter your Rx and Tx frequencies, and pl or DPL tone codes, the priority box is checked for channel 1, but other than that, I don't see where I can actually turn priority channel on. I go to my key function settings, and there is priority under the drop-down menu to set for any of the programmable buttons, but all that does is when you hit it, it takes you back to the priority channel that you have selected. So again, I am still needing help on how to enable or turn on priority Channel, and then how to get the party channel to actually beep while in follow me scan mode. Thanks again and happy holidays and stay safe.
 

firemedic78

Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2007
Messages
71
Location
Menlo, IA
Jay,

just wanted to let you know that I have emailed you a couple times or so letting you know about a few more things I would like you to look at it once you have time to open my file. I know you're busy with what's going on plus the holidays, but I just wanted to make sure you knew that I emailed you, in case for some reason my emails went to your spam folder, you can check it there, my email address starts with firemedic 78, if it is in your spam folder, if not, then you should have them by now and I understand the fact that it's holidays and doing other commitments right now. Have a safe happy holiday, and looking forward to hearing from you to see if I can get this issue resolved. Thanks a lot.

Chris
 

derekjmu

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 23, 2002
Messages
85
Chris,

I have a VX-454 which I believe operates very much like your VX radio. I have noticed that the radio beeps every time I change the channel, unless I set each channel for 'Surveil' in the Beep/Announce menu under Channel Information.

Of course by setting this option to Surveil, the key beep doesn't work. Have you found a way to silence just the channel change beep without silencing all beeps?

Thanks.
 
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