Programming frequency with CHIRP

[gabrod]

Hello everyone!

 

I hope this message finds you well and that you are staying safe and healthy. I was given access to a repeater and the owner provided me with the following:

 

Input: XXX.XX

Output: XXX.XX

PL Input: XXX.X

 

If I wanted to program it using CHIRP. What would be the correct settings since there are other options that I don't know if I should touch or not.

 

Thank you!

 

[tweiss3]

Tone Mode should be Tone for a PL tone.

Tone is for the tone into the repeater, the tone you should change that to what they gave you.

[tweiss3]

Depends on the exact settings, but typically:

 

CHIRP Repeater List by tweiss3, on Flickr

 

Chirp Repeater Detail copy by tweiss3, on Flickr

 

Skip is only if you don't want to scan that specific repeater channel.

[gabrod]

Thanks for the quick reply. Where should I put the PL Input? Can't seem to find it.

[gabrod]

Thank you will try it.

[jaycee]

I have some similar questions to this.  I'm a big confused fairly new with these GMRS radios and CHIRP.  I have an Open Repeater near me so I finally got it to work today.  But it's not how I was instructed to do so.   I finally got it to work by setting the Tone Mote to "Cross" and having a Tone of 141.3 and a ToneSql of 141.3 and then the Cross Mode set to Tone->Tone and it works.  

I was told to use TSQL and no ToneSql and leave the Cross Mode blank.  When I did so, it would never work.  Is this common to have to play around with these settings depending on where the repeater is and its settings?   The repeater settings showing in the repeater search on MyGmrs.com don't explain much more than the frequencies and the tone code.  I thought these would be more consistent than I am finding.  Thanks.

 

Below text is an image of my CHIRP settings as example: 

i set up as example i am seeing.  location 28 is working now, location 29 is how I was doing it but would never key up the repeater. Is the right way to do this, just however it happens to work?  

  

Example:

Memory Loc 28 / 462.675000 / REPT20 / CROSS /////   141.3 / 141.3 /////  TONE->TONE  / +    ////   FM

Memory Loc 29 / 462700000 / REPT 21 / TSQL ////////             /  118.8 /////                           / +    ////   FM

[wayoverthere]

In simplified terms, tones act as a gate, signals without the key (correct time) don't get by. the 'tone' is the transmit tone, so the repeater hears you. ToneSql is for receiving; setting a code there (tone->tone) means you'll only hear signals with that tone. Leaving tonesql blank (tone->), you'll hear EVERYTHING on that frequency, repeater or not.

 

The variety of radios and menus and various settings does make it a bit of a puzzle to figure out sometimes

[jaycee]

In simplified terms, tones act as a gate, signals without the key (correct time) don't get by. the 'tone' is the transmit tone, so the repeater hears you. ToneSql is for receiving; setting a code there (tone->tone) means you'll only hear signals with that tone. Leaving tonesql blank (tone->), you'll hear EVERYTHING on that frequency, repeater or not.

 

The variety of radios and menus and various settings does make it a bit of a puzzle to figure out sometimes

 

OK, if I can be a little more simplified for my brain... I should set my frequencies to have the 'tone' and 'tonesql' so that I only hear and transmit on the repeater set, correct?   But, I can set the 'tone' only which means I can key up the repeater to talk on it but I can also hear other non-repeater users on that same simplex frequency?  Just want to make sure I understand what I am reading.... thanks.  

[wayoverthere]

OK, if I can be a little more simplified for my brain... I should set my frequencies to have the 'tone' and 'tonesql' so that I only hear and transmit on the repeater set, correct? But, I can set the 'tone' only which means I can key up the repeater to talk on it but I can also hear other non-repeater users on that same simplex frequency? Just want to make sure I understand what I am reading.... thanks.

Pretty much. Setting both tone and tonesql, the repeater will hear you, and you'll only hear the repeater.

 

If you set tone only, and leave tone sql blank, you're spot on, you can still talk to the repeater, and you'll hear the repeater and any other traffic on that channel.

[jaycee]

Pretty much. Setting both tone and tonesql, the repeater will hear you, and you'll only hear the repeater.

 

If you set tone only, and leave tone sql blank, you're spot on, you can still talk to the repeater, and you'll hear the repeater and any other traffic on that channel.

 

Got it, thanks for further clarifying!  

[jaycee]

ha ha it's me again.  Different issue. I have both my radios (Midland MXT-115 and BTech 50X1) set ok and i can key up the repeaters.  When I talk into the mic of either radio, the repeater will stay connected until let go.  But no voice is coming across on either radio.  The Midland radio has no mic gain as I checked to see if it was closed off, nope.   I have double checked the tones and they are correct.  Putting them into monitor mode doesn't make a difference.  Is there some other reason voice is not being sent or heard?   I only have the tone on the output side of the repeater freq.  

[wayoverthere]

Are you testing with the radios close together? If so, it's possible that the transmitting radio is overloading the other, hence not hearing the audio come back from the repeater.

[mbrun]

Try putting 50’ or so of separation between the two radios to see if it makes a difference as wayoverthere suggested. If there is not difference, cut your distance to the repeater by 50% and try again.

 

At my home I am on the fringe of a number of repeaters when I am using my HT with rubber duck. I will experience the same symptoms you describe until I reduce the distance between my HT and repeater or switch over to a higher-gain mobile antenna. I have no issue opening up the repeater, there will just be no usable audio. Sometimes just closing the distance from 26 to 25 miles is enough to get it to work.

 

BTW propagation was great last week. I had two days in a row where I could get into the repeater with nearly full quieting using the HT with rubber duck. Third day, nada, back to normal.

 

 

Michael

WRHS965

KE8PLM

[jaycee]

Are you testing with the radios close together? If so, it's possible that the transmitting radio is overloading the other, hence not hearing the audio come back from the repeater.

At first I was but then moved out as I thought that could be happening.   It didn't change it any.  

[jaycee]

Try putting 50’ or so of separation between the two radios to see if it makes a difference as wayoverthere suggested. If there is not difference, cut your distance to the repeater by 50% and try again.

 

At my home I am on the fringe of a number of repeaters when I am using my HT with rubber duck. I will experience the same symptoms you describe until I reduce the distance between my HT and repeater or switch over to a higher-gain mobile antenna. I have no issue opening up the repeater, there will just be no usable audio. Sometimes just closing the distance from 26 to 25 miles is enough to get it to work.

 

BTW propagation was great last week. I had two days in a row where I could get into the repeater with nearly full quieting using the HT with rubber duck. Third day, nada, back to normal.

 

 

Michael

WRHS965

KE8PLM

 

Hey, thanks for all the info guys.  Here was my plan for today.  I set up both our radios so that my spouse could take a drive to see our daughter where two repeaters intersect by the maps. I was hoping that at least, I could talk with her on the first repeater closest to us and where it shows we are within 15 miles of the center point.  It shows a 30 mile radiation to it.  

We tried sitting in the driveway and me in the shack, did not work.  Hitting the repeater was fine just no audio.  I had her go out to the freeway for a more straight shot and still no audio.  Then about 3 miles down the freeway it goes up a steep grade to be even with the repeater so should have been a straight shot.  Still no audio.  We gave up at this point.  Plus she got too far out by then.  

 

If I have the radio set up correctly, and if by kerchunking the repeater is a good sign, then I believe my issue is going to be with the antenna height that I have.  I have a GMRS j-pole made by a reputable Ham/GMRS person I found, and have that at 17 feet up.  Looking from the street in front of our house, I really need to have that up 25 if not 30 feet to do any real business.  The s-readings on the radios was only hitting 3 bars so I am sure our voices may just not be getting over the noise.  

 

Now I have to figure out how to make up a mast to be high enough for that.  I'll have 14 feet if I tie it off to the eave of the garage which then would give me plenty of strength I believe, to add the additional height and perhaps not have to guy it.  But I can do that if need be.  Anyone have good ideas on how to do a homebrew antenna mast!