New member with a Radioddity DB20-G question

[WSIK943]

I'm all hooked up with [power and j-pole antenna. I can receive but can't transmit. With PTT button it shows red for transmit but now return on evan a simplex channel.

Hope it might be a setting, could someone review???

T-CDC     Off

R-CDC    Off

RT-CDC   Off

Tone Dec     Off

Signal        SQ

W/N        Wide

RP Lock      Off

Channel Name      Blank

Comp        Off

NC            Off

5 tone         1

2 tone         1

DSPSUB           Freq

Beep          On

TOT            3 Min

DTMF     50 Ms

SQL        2

Scan        5st

Light        5

VOX           Off

VOX Delay          zero

TBST            1750 Hz

#26       Display name

Settings are from factory.

[amaff]

5 hours ago, WSIK943 said:

CPS file. I don't get a thunk when I release the PTT.

R29 doesn't have any tones set, which might be part of the issue.

[WRYS709]

Welcome!

“… but now return on evan a simplex channel“ — ??

GMRS or Ham?

which frequency?

[WSIK943]

GMRS

[WRYS709]

Which frequency?

[WSIK943]

All, I can hit my HT but nothing else. All repeaters and some added. No simplex and they are 1/4 mile down the street.

 

Edited October 29, 2025 by WSIK943
more info

[amaff]

You've gotta give us something to work with here...are you trying to talk on a GMRS frequency? If so, which one? What's your configuration look like *for that channel* that you're trying to talk on? Are you in VFO or Channel mode? What channel / frequency is your HT set at that you're able to talk to? What antenna? 

[WSIK943]

GMRS channel 20, config as above. Channel mode running a Ed Fong J-pole 35' in the air with 50' of LMR 400. HT is a Tidradio H-3 in GMRS channel mode.

Program for DB20-G in channel 22 for a repeater that's 5 miles away is 467.7250 TX / 462.7250 RX with Encode input only.

[WRYS709]

Is this a new radio? Or did it operate before?

[WRYS709]

Channel 22 is a simplex channel. You want Channel 30 for a repeater on 462.725

is the H3 too close to the DB20-G and causing “desense?”

[amaff]

Do you have an adapter cable that you could use to hook the antenna to the H3? It'd be interesting to know if another radio was getting out with the same cable and antenna.

 

1 hour ago, WRYS709 said:

Channel 22 is a simplex channel. You want Channel 30 for a repeater on 462.725

is the H3 too close to the DB20-G and causing “desense?”

It seemed like he was saying the H3 was the only radio that, he thinks, CAN hear the DB20G. So it doesn't seem to be that (especially with an antenna 50' away, give or take).

[WRUU653]

2 hours ago, WSIK943 said:

Program for DB20-G in channel 22 for a repeater

@WRYS709 is right. That should be on Channel 30.

Can your download your radio into a file using Chirp and show us what the file looks like.

[WRUU653]

Also, I'm curious if the radio is unlocked or in the GMRS mode? 

[WRYS709]

I suspect its GMRS mode.

[WSIK943]

Just received chatter on R29, but no joy in transmitting. Will try the H-3 . Yes, it is on GMRS mode. Truly to get a picture from the CPS file.

[WSIK943]

CPS file. I don't get a thunk when I release the PTT.

[SteveShannon]

12 minutes ago, WSIK943 said:

CPS file. I don't get a thunk when I release the PTT.

Try clearing out the Decode values, at least at first. If they’re wrong you’ll never hear anything from the repeater, even if you’re getting in.  That will also allow you to hear if anyone else is transmitting on the same frequency or if the repeater IDs itself. 
Second, not all repeaters kerchunk. The lack of a kerchunk is not necessarily a reliable way to determine that you are not hitting a repeater. However, if you get a kerchunk it’s certain that you got into something. 
Finally, which channel are you trying?
 

[WSIK943]

Thanks for the info. I have tried all of the repeater channels and some I can hear. In two months I can't transmit/ radio check. I also went with the decode blank, no joy.

[SteveShannon]

11 minutes ago, WSIK943 said:

Thanks for the info. I have tried all of the repeater channels and some I can hear. In two months I can't transmit/ radio check. I also went with the decode blank, no joy.

One thing at a time. Having the decode blank doesn’t allow you to transmit.  It’s strictly done to allow you to find a channel that has traffic.  With decode cleared on your end, you will receive any transmissions made on that channel regardless of how they are encoding.

Once you have found a channel with traffic then you need to set encode correctly so they can hear you. If you don’t set the correct encoding, whether CTCSS tone or DCS code, they will never hear you.

You said you heard chatter on Repeater channel 29.  That’s a good first step.  However, in the photo of your screen you don’t have any encode tones set for channel 29 so they cannot hear you.  Figure out what tone or code the repeater requires and add it to your channel 29. Then ask for a radio check.