Repeater connection with Midland mxt115

[Magnum1776]

I am trying to connect to a local repeater with my midland MXT1500. I had to cross reference the channel to match the frequency and the codes to match the tones. Its channel 22RP set to code 18, 123hz. I sent an access request to the repeater owner and they approved it and said enjoy. 
 

When I dialed everything into the radio I get a return key/open squelch that makes it sound like it’s responding to me keying but I hear nothing else. Some locals I was writing with on the side said they could hear me and others talking but I could not hear them. I can pretty much see the tower from my house so I do not think it’s a connection issue from distance. 
 

any ideas or suggestions? My radio only allows one code setting so input and output are set to the same as far as I know. 

[GreggInFL]

On 1/24/2026 at 1:26 PM, Magnum1776 said:

 

Sounds like your receive tone is not right. Try removing the tone and just listen for repeater traffic. It's possible the repeater has different TX and RX tones, which means your radio can either TX or RX, but not both.

[Northcutt114]

From your video, if definitely looks like you are getting into the repeater. It is my understanding that on the MXT115 when you program in the tone, it assigns it to both RX and TX. It looks like, as @GreggInFL said, your receive tone is incorrect. Or rather, it is different than the one the receiver is using. This could be down to one of two things. The receiver doesn't have a tone set at all, or it has a different tone set than you have on your radio. Since the MTX115 can't do split tones, the simplest - and only way, I think - to fix the issue is to turn off the receive tone on your radio. A quick consult with Gemini says to do the following:

Steps to Remove Receive Tone on MXT115:

1. Select Channel: Choose the desired repeater channel (e.g., 15RP–22RP).
2. Enter Menu: Press the Menu button.
3. Navigate to Receive Tone: Use the channel up/down buttons on the microphone to scroll until the display shows "rC" (Receive Code).
4. Select Setting: Press the Scan/Monitor button to select "rC".
5. Turn Off: Scroll through the options using the mic buttons until you see "oF" (Off).
6. Confirm: Press the Scan/Monitor button to save the setting, or wait for the menu to time out. 

This will let all traffic from that frequency come in, even if the repeater is operating with split tones.

[amaff]

11 hours ago, Northcutt114 said:

A quick consult with Gemini....

....is a great way to get incorrect information.

The phrase "Receive Code" doesn't exist at all in the very easy to look up manual. Near as I can tell, on the MTX115, there is in fact no way to set Tx and Rx tones separately. You either have "Privacy Codes" On, or Off for a channel.

Page 19. Or, according to Gemini, Chapter 47 verse 2:

https://files.bbystatic.com/qdiFGyGKsdiXkkryejvQGg%3D%3D/01bdaec9-d938-4a04-9c49-1d6383686f40.pdf

 

 

 

[Magnum1776]

Thanks for chiming in. I think everyone is about on the same path as I was thinking. The repeater is listed with RX and TX tones listed as being the same. My MXT115 only will only do single tone which should work I think with the way the repeater is listed. I’ll try turning my code off to see if I can pick it up. There is a newer model MXT115 from what I have seen that will do split tones. It is identified by the front panel where my older unit has a usb A, the newer split tone model has a USB C plug in the front. 

[amaff]

Yep, looks like the newer ones allow split tones. But it also doesn't sound like you need them. One thing you can do to test is transmit, and hit the "Monitor" button. Might be annoying (because if no one's transmitting, you'll just get static), but that is basically the "I want to hear everything on this frequency no matter how weak or what tone" switch so if anyone's answering, you'll hear them. 

Alternately, listen to Channel 22 with another radio on an open frequency (ie: no tones) and see if you hear anything back that way that maybe isn't coming through to the mxt115 for whatever reason. 
EDIT: not to listen to yourself, which may not work because of the proximity of the radios & desense, but to listen for a reply coming back from someone else.

[Northcutt114]

2 hours ago, amaff said:

....is a great way to get incorrect information.

The phrase "Receive Code" doesn't exist at all in the very easy to look up manual. Near as I can tell, on the MTX115, there is in fact no way to set Tx and Rx tones separately. You either have "Privacy Codes" On, or Off for a channel.

Page 19. Or, according to Gemini, Chapter 47 verse 2:

https://files.bbystatic.com/qdiFGyGKsdiXkkryejvQGg%3D%3D/01bdaec9-d938-4a04-9c49-1d6383686f40.pdf

 

 

 

Thanks for correcting me. I don't normally trust AI, but this seemed rather straightforward and good enough to go with it at the starting point. Looks like I was wrong.

[WSIF574]

On 1/24/2026 at 11:26 AM, Magnum1776 said:

 

When I dialed everything into the radio I get a return key/open squelch that makes it sound like it’s responding to me keying but I hear nothing else. Some locals I was writing with on the side said they could hear me and others talking but I could not hear them. I can pretty much see the tower from my house so I do not think it’s a connection issue from distance. 
 

Sounds to me like everything on your set up is correct. I think it’s that because the receive tone is set you will not hear anyone that is replying to you that is not replying through the repeater. They are hearing and replying on symplex channel 22. 

[Northcutt114]

3 minutes ago, WSIF574 said:

I think it’s that because the receive tone is set you will not hear anyone that is replying to you that is not replying through the repeater. They are hearing and replying on symplex channel 22. 

Oooo...that's a good point. The issue could be their radio and not OP's. Good catch!