Skipping channels when scanning?

[Savage]

I'll try not to be a COMPLETELY typical newb... but, taking the advice of posts on this forum, I'm doing "a lot of listening" with the handheld (GXT1000) to hear what's happening on the air.  There's not a lot going on but two channels do have traffic with one of them fairly often with the two same guys.

 

They talk about a lot of stuff, for example, Betty Crocker cake mix, chit chat during baseball games, some random humming and singing into the radio, misc. cursing and talks about "people" plus some politics.

 

Sometimes it's not exactly family friendly (from my perspective)... all this is to say, it really puts a dent in my scanning channels because this channel is where it stops much of the time.

 

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... how do you all handle this?  Are "better" radios that have software to control them capable of turning some channels off from scanning?  Is the Midland capable and I just haven't found the instructions to do it?

 

Do I need to just get over it and every time it hits that channel, press a button to rescan until it comes back to that channel, rinse and repeat?

 

I've read the FCC guidelines by the way so I understand that they're not exactly following it but understand the practicality of radio use, I don't plan on being the GMRS police or disruptive to their use of the channel and particularly, don't plan on being "that newb."

 

Looking for frank advice and if "get over it and press the freaking button" is the answer, I'll probably just do less scanning and get over it.

 

Thanks peeps.

[kidphc]

You could just turn on a tone for the particular channel. It would not open the squelch unless the transmission had the same tone.

 

Just make sure to clear the tone before using that channel. Otherwise you won't be able to tell if someone was on it and talk over them.

 

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[PRadio]

I would be happy to actually hear chatter. In my area I hear virtually nothing, with the exception of some business use on occasion on FRS. One night I did hear a man ranting by himself, spouting profanities, etc., for hours.  I was able to figure out who he was and where he lived based on an FCC search. I called him by name at one point hoping he would stop, but he didn't. I switched off the radio. 

[wayoverthere]

Looking for frank advice and if "get over it and press the freaking button" is the answer, I'll probably just do less scanning and get over it.

Kidphc's suggestion is a good one, as that will let the tone filter out anything without the selected tone, since I don't believe the gxt have a "skip" option. That said I don't remember it giving any onscreen icon for tones being enabled, so you'll have to remember it's set of you want to use that channel.

 

A scan skip is an option on many other radios, though..I have a couple public safety channels programmed in my 50x1 that are almost nonstop traffic, so I'd never hear anything else if I didn't skip those. The setting can also be changed (on or off) in the menu. I think the wouxun has the skip option as well, but I don't remember if it was in the radio or in the software.

[kidphc]

I would be happy to actually hear chatter. In my area I hear virtually nothing, with the exception of some business use on occasion on FRS. One night I did hear a man ranting by himself, spouting profanities, etc., for hours.  I was able to figure out who he was and where he lived based on an FCC search. I called him by name at one point hoping he would stop, but he didn't. I switched off the radio. 

 

Would of thought you would have heard more. Considering where you live there are about 3 repeaters. Using a handset or terrain?

 

Might be time to get ham ticket. Look at all those repeaters calling your name out. https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/map/proxmap.php?lat=40.43249893&long=-79.75119781&distance=25&Dunit=m&freq=&band1=%&band2=&call=&use=%&features%5B0%5D=FM&status_id=%

[Savage]

You could just turn on a tone for the particular channel. It would not open the squelch unless the transmission had the same tone.

 

Just make sure to clear the tone before using that channel. Otherwise you won't be able to tell if someone was on it and talk over them.

 

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

Well, there's my learnin' for the day!  Thank you very much.

 

I would be happy to actually hear chatter. In my area I hear virtually nothing, with the exception of some business use on occasion on FRS. One night I did hear a man ranting by himself, spouting profanities, etc., for hours.  I was able to figure out who he was and where he lived based on an FCC search. I called him by name at one point hoping he would stop, but he didn't. I switched off the radio. 

 

LOL - I've heard some solo ranting too but I think it was one of the two same guys.  

 

Kidphc's suggestion is a good one, as that will let the tone filter out anything without the selected tone, since I don't believe the gxt have a "skip" option. That said I don't remember it giving any onscreen icon for tones being enabled, so you'll have to remember it's set of you want to use that channel.

 

A scan skip is an option on many other radios, though..I have a couple public safety channels programmed in my 50x1 that are almost nonstop traffic, so I'd never hear anything else if I didn't skip those. The setting can also be changed (on or off) in the menu. I think the wouxun has the skip option as well, but I don't remember if it was in the radio or in the software.

 

Thank you for the info.

[Savage]

Just make sure to clear the tone before using that channel. Otherwise you won't be able to tell if someone was on it and talk over them.

 

 

I want to make sure I understand this correctly.  If understood something I read, when on a channel without any code, you can hear chatter from everyone using that channel even if they're using codes.  Is that right?

 

If that's right, is what you're saying to clear the code before using that channel for communications to make sure others aren't using the channel (without a code), otherwise I'd be talking over them?

 

Something about that doesn't seem right... please clue me in. 

[kidphc]

I want to make sure I understand this correctly.  If understood something I read, when on a channel without any code, you can hear chatter from everyone using that channel even if they're using codes.  Is that right?

 

If that's right, is what you're saying to clear the code before using that channel for communications to make sure others aren't using the channel (without a code), otherwise I'd be talking over them?

 

Something about that doesn't seem right... please clue me in. 

 

No, the tone is a form of squelch. They are all a filter of sorts. if you set a tone for receive, it will only hear transmissions that have that tone.

 

Kinda, like your name is say Mike. Everyone in the room is screaming names. You can only hear anything that precedes with "Mike!'. Although everyone is scream you can't hear them. Since you are ignoring everyone else, you want to remove this filter/tone when using the channel normally.

[Savage]

No, the tone is a form of squelch. They are all a filter of sorts. if you set a tone for receive, it will only hear transmissions that have that tone.

 

Kinda, like your name is say Mike. Everyone in the room is screaming names. You can only hear anything that precedes with "Mike!'. Although everyone is scream you can't hear them. Since you are ignoring everyone else, you want to remove this filter/tone when using the channel normally.

 

Gotcha - so if using channel 15 (462.55) without either type of code, you will only hear those on that channel who also are using no code?   And for example, if using channel 15 (462.55) with DCS code 25, you will hear only those communicating on that same channel using that same code?  

 

That makes a lot more sense to me if that's right.

[kidphc]

Re-read the message.

 

Everyone can hear you if no tone is set. Everyone can hear you if a tone is set.

 

You just won't hear anyone unless they have the matching tone set.

 

Clear as mud aint it?

[Savage]

Re-read the message.

 

Everyone can hear you if no tone is set. Everyone can hear you if a tone is set.

 

You just won't hear anyone unless they have the matching tone set.

 

Clear as mud aint it?

 

LOL, exactly.  Lemme try again.

 

 If using channel 15 (462.55) without either type of code, I'll hear everyone communicating on ch 15 whether they're using a code or not.

 

If using channel 15 (462.55) with DCS code 25, I'll hear only others on the same channel using DCS code 25.  Others using ch 15 without a code or if using ch15 with the same code will also hear the communications.

 

Swing and a miss or I got it?

[kidphc]

You got it bud. Welcome to the, I think I have a clue club. 

 

Too bad Midland brochures make it sound like you have some special privacy setting.

[Savage]

You got it bud. Welcome to the, I think I have a clue club. 

 

Dang, you all learned me a few things today. I better stop now since I learned more than my daily quota of 1.

 

Many thanks!

[Lscott]

Whatever radio you use be sure you can lockout unwanted channels from the radio's front panel.

 

The first cheap Chinese radio I got to screw around with years back was the ubiquitous UV-5R. I quickly found out you can't change the scan options without using the programming software. It's been in the box for the past several years just because of this. I use my radios for scanning very often, and like you I may need to lock out a busy channel at times.

 

One radio I got for digital use, DMR on the Ham bands, was the Anytone D878UV. The hardware seems good enough, but the software is something else. The radio firmware allows scanning channels, and you can organize memory channels, there is a total of 4000 in this radio, you want to scan into scan lists. The part that sucks is when you select a scan list to use the current channel is ALWAYS included even if you NEVER put it in the scan list using the programming software. The current channel happens to be whatever is showing on the display before activating the scan function. And there is noway to delete it either! I can delete any of the other channels in a selected scan list, just not the "current channel". Contacting Anytone I found out this was a deliberate design choice and not a bug. They seem to have zero interest in changing this. I have a big collection of various models of HT's, mostly Kenwood, and NONE do this except for this one radio when using the scanning feature.

[mbrun]

That is an EXCELLENT idea regarding setting a squelch tone for the undesired channel. I can’t believe that never crossed by mind. Thanks.

 

I have many GXT1000 and have used them for scanning (and talking) for years.

 

The Wouxun KG-805G radio has the ability for you to avoid scanning of any channel you want. It is an $80 radio, but still requires software to full by-pass the channel during scan. There is a new one pending FCC approval (KG-UV9G) that will have the ability to by-pass channels using the front panel controls. Price is estimated at $160+

 

Michael

WRHS965

KE8PLM

 

 

You could just turn on a tone for the particular channel. It would not open the squelch unless the transmission had the same tone.

 

Just make sure to clear the tone before using that channel. Otherwise you won't be able to tell if someone was on it and talk over them.

 

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