Midland MXT275 scanning repeater channel question

[Dansmach]

I just got my Midland MXT275 installed in my truck and got the repeater channels turned on and programmed the PT codes for the channels I’ll be using. However, I noticed that when I put the radio on scan, it doesn’t scan the repeater channels. Am I missing something? Or is that not a function of this radio?

[wayoverthere]

Trying remember how the scan on my 115 scans...I'll try to double check after work if I get a chance.

That said, it would be less of an issue than it seems, as the repeater output frequencies for rp15-22 are the same as the simplex frequencies for 15-22, so the scan running over those should catch both simplex and repeater traffic.

[Dansmach]

This is still pretty new to me but I thought that in order to tx/rx on the repeaters I had to be tuned to that specific repeater channel. When I accessed one of the local repeaters I had to be tuned to channel 15r (not ch15) with the specified pt tone. 

[wayoverthere]

14 minutes ago, Dansmach said:

This is still pretty new to me but I thought that in order to tx/rx on the repeaters I had to be tuned to that specific repeater channel. When I accessed one of the local repeaters I had to be tuned to channel 15r (not ch15) with the specified pt tone. 

To transmit to the repeater, yes, because the repeater listens on a different frequency than it transmits.

On channel 15, for example, you both transmit and receive on 462.550 (known as simplex). on 15r, the transmit is on 467.550 (where the repeater is listening), and receive on 462.550 (duplex).

Another aspect of Midland is that if you're in scan mode, and go to transmit, it remembers (and transmits on) the channel you were on before you went to scan mode. So if you were on 15r, and start scanning, if the scan stops on 15, you can key up and be already set for 15r. However, not so helpful if the scan stops on some other channel.

[Dansmach]

So, when I’m scanning and it stops on 15, what I’m picking up may or may not be from a repeater? And if I reply on 15 I won’t be transmitting on the repeater and probably won’t be heard.

[wayoverthere]

6 hours ago, Dansmach said:

So, when I’m scanning and it stops on 15, what I’m picking up may or may not be from a repeater? And if I reply on 15 I won’t be transmitting on the repeater and probably won’t be heard.

On the second point, correct. If you're mostly planning on using the repeater, it may help to be on that channel when you go into scan.

On the first, that will depend on your tone settings on the regular channel 15; if you have the same tone setting there as 15r, you'd only hear the repeater and any other signals carrying the same tone, so better odds it's the repeater you're hearing.

Edit to add: if you have no tone set on regular 15, yes, you'll hear all signals in range strong enough to break squelch, repeater or simplex (think of tones as a filter).

Edited July 27, 2021 by wayoverthere
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