Help please connecting to repeater with Wouxun KG-805G

[stoobert]

I have trouble connecting to repeaters and I was hoping someone with experience with a KG805 could help please?  Here are the steps I have taken.

1. confirmed with owner the input/output tones are correct and received my acceptance to use this repeater https://mygmrs.com/repeater/4896
2. The radios work locally in my neighborhood on channel 3 so I know they are mechanically functional.
3. These are my configurations in the Wouxun software, attached.
4. Last night I was attempting to send a transmission and do a repeater test with my callsign and I heard nothing, not even a 'tail' from the repeater.
5. I do not hear any comms from others on the repeater channel.  Should I be hearing something?
6. When the screen says 'busy' (seen attached) I hear nothing.  My volume is on.  I have experiemented with the BUSY setting in the config setting it both to OFF and CARRIER with no difference.

Please help with troubleshooting and check my settings below.  What am I missing?  Please indicate at which step I have made an error or have misplaced expectations.  Thanks!

[OffRoaderX]

Start by removing the RX tone while troubleshooting - that way you will hear everything on that channel, then get close(er) to the repeater - it is entirely possible that the HT is not able to hit the repeater from your current location.

[stoobert]

Thanks for that! I set the 3rd column on each repeater to OFF. First I got some noise, then chatter, and then a response after switching to repeater channel #30 - very exciting.   Below are my new settings. 

So now the dumb question(s) please @OffRoaderX thanks

1. is 'RX tone' synonymous with 'Input tone' synonymous with 'QT/DQT Dec' (column 3 below)... all basically the same thing different phrase?
2. if so, what does this tone actually do, then?

 

 

[wayoverthere]

Just now, stoobert said:

Thanks for that! I set the 3rd column on each repeater to OFF. First I got some noise, then chatter, and then a response after switching to repeater channel #30 - very exciting.   Below are my new settings. 

So now the dumb question(s) please @OffRoaderX thanks

1. is 'RX tone' synonymous with 'Input tone' synonymous with 'QT/DQT Dec', all basically the same thing different phrase?
2. what does the RX tone (column 3 below) actually do, then?

 

 

Rx tone and qt/dqt tone are your end of things, and think of it as a filter on what you hear...signals not matching that tone don't pass through the filter. Input tone is the transmit tone, and is what gets you through the  same filter on what the repeater hears.

setting your rx tone to 'off' means no filter, hear everything on The frequency.

[stoobert]

Thanks for explaining @wayoverthere I'm closer to understanding.  Taking for example this repeater: https://mygmrs.com/repeater/5280

1. If I'm at Rx tone 77.0 then I will only hear those transmitting with 77.0, correct?
2. Rx tone 77.0 on 462.725 means I will only hear others also using this repeater?
3. If I use channel 462.725 without the Rx tone I'd also hear conversations on 462.725 frequency who are NOT using the repeater?
4. And that's because 462.725 is also used by channel 22 'non repeater'?

...thanks

[KAF6045]

If you included the actual column headings for the configuration editor if would help.

Based upon the manual I found online, the KG-805x series doesn't have anything called "QT". If your editor is for some other "similar" model, they may have meaning to that model.

From the link to the repeater in question, at a minimum, you need to be sending the tone to open the repeater squelch (ie, make the repeater "hear" you -- it /is/ hearing you but without the tone it ignores your signal). You only need to set the receive tone if 1) the repeater /is/ sending the tone; 2) and you want to have your hand-held stay quiet when other signals (without that specific tone) are received.

Many radios describe them as:

• CT - send continuous tone
• CTCSS - not only send the tone, but require the tone to come back (Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System)

DCS tends to have similar options, but using an encoded digital sequence rather than continuous tone.

In your first listing of configuration, you showed a column with all "QT" in it -- what other options are there for that column.

NOTE: my bubble-pack Motorola units (pre-2017 reorg -- now classed as GMRS) do have something listed for QT (as I recall). In this case, it was something to do with "sQuelch Tail" elimination, to remove any annoying hiss at the end of signal between similar Motorola units. I think by using another type of tone whose disappearance told the receiver to go mute even while the sending radio still had some signal going out.

[KAF6045]

18 minutes ago, stoobert said:

If I'm at Rx tone 77.0 then I will only hear those transmitting with 77.0, correct?

YES.

18 minutes ago, stoobert said:

Rx tone 77.0 means they are using the repeater?

That could mean that without the Rx tone I'd hear conversations on this frequency who are NOT using the repeater?

{blast, I can't seem to make those split}

Not necessarily -- Using the repeater means they are sending on the 467MHz input frequency, and the repeater has to be sending (repeating) on 462Mhz output frequency. Normally input filters strip the tones from the signal, so the repeater itself has to add the tone back. Someone using CTCSS 77.0 but NOT using the repeater input frequency would also be seen by your configuration.

YES

 

BTW -- please take notice. THAT repeater is essentially closed. The tones are provided ONLY for EMERGENCY traffic. Otherwise usage is restricted -- apparently to the owner's family. That's how I'm interpreting "For family, hobby and emergency use." (Of course, the owner could mean emergency use by their family).

[wayoverthere]

8 minutes ago, stoobert said:

Thanks for explaining @wayoverthere I'm closer to understanding.  Taking for example this repeater: https://mygmrs.com/repeater/5280

If I'm at Rx tone 77.0 then I will only hear those transmitting with 77.0, correct?

Rx tone 77.0 means they are using the repeater?

That could mean that without the Rx tone I'd hear conversations on this frequency who are NOT using the repeater?

You're on the right track. The small variance...since repeater outputs overlap with the simplex channels, with rx tone 77.0 set, you'll hear simplex transmissions and repeater outputs that have a tx tone of 77.0.