PL Tone while using a Repeater

[WSBB368]

My daughter and I are currently setup to use a local repeater "she lives too far for Simplex Operation". Is there a way to setup a "Privacy Tone PL CTCSS" etc" to cut out others talking while using a repeater? I do realize our conversations are not private and never will be. I'm just looking to somehow cut out the outside chatter if and when we need to talk.   

 

 

 

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, WSBB368 said:

... cut out the outside chatter if and when we need to talk.   

Just to clarify an important point:

Any frequency (or repeater channel) can only be used for ONE transmission at a time (unless the second conversation is too far away to interfere with the first).

Radio basically only allows for one person to speak at a time - one can either transmit or receive and multiple transmissions simultaneously are either having one winner (strongest signal) or much not-understandable "noise" (similar signal strength). 

 

[Guest]

No !

 

 

 

Edited March 3 by WRXD372
added :)

[WSBB368]

Just to clarify an important point:
Any frequency (or repeater channel) can only be used for ONE transmission at a time (unless the second conversation is too far away to interfere with the first).
Radio basically only allows for one person to speak at a time - one can either transmit or receive and multiple transmissions simultaneously are either having one winner (strongest signal) or much not-understandable "noise" (similar signal strength). 
 

Thanks just thought I’d ask kinda figured wasn’t possible


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[bshort]

Now are you talking about the same repeater or traffic on the same frequency, but not that particular repeater?  I receive traffic from different repeaters using the same freq and it can be hard to differentiate which repeater it's coming from if you don't use tsql.  

[WSBB368]

Now are you talking about the same repeater or traffic on the same frequency, but not that particular repeater?  I receive traffic from different repeaters using the same freq and it can be hard to differentiate which repeater it's coming from if you don't use tsql.  

So it would be on the repeater because I cannot reach her on simplex one to one. When I am closer to her we use channel 18 for simplex which has a pl tone so I only hear her.


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[Coffeemaker]

While you can't talk over another user, should the repeater not have a PL tone, you might use your own PL tone to reduce the chatter each of you hear from the repeater.  My radios will show a signal on the frequency even if it has a different (or no) PL tone from the one you use. 

Can you put up a tower or some sort of elevated high gain antenna at one home and avoid the repeater?

[SteveShannon]

On 3/2/2024 at 7:27 PM, WSBB368 said:

My daughter and I are currently setup to use a local repeater "she lives too far for Simplex Operation". Is there a way to setup a "Privacy Tone PL CTCSS" etc" to cut out others talking while using a repeater? I do realize our conversations are not private and never will be. I'm just looking to somehow cut out the outside chatter if and when we need to talk.   

 

 

 

So, I think what you’re wanting to do is to simply have a secondary alert system on top of the CTCSS squelch system to alert your daughter or you that either of you wishes to talk.  So, even though the transmission goes through the repeater because of the repeater’s PL or CTCSS system, your daughter’s and your radio would stay silent until this other tone or sequence of tones, such as DTMF, which only you and she share, is sent.  In use, one of you would send this sequence of tones, the other’s radio would beep or break squelch to alert that person that the sender wanted them to pick up their radio.

I doubt that what you want is easily available.  If it is, it may be a separate system that would intercept and block audio from the radio until the secondary sequence of tones is heard.  The secondary tones would have to be higher than 300 Hz because tones below 300 are filtered out after triggering CTCSS.  Thus, everyone else listening to the repeater would hear them.

One of my radios, which is capable of GMRS use, has a paging function built in, but I have never played with it.  I’ll look in the manual to see how it works, but I won’t hold my breath.

When you think about it the cell phone is a marvelous thing.

[Radioguy7268]

Assuming you do not own the repeater, you should ask the repeater owner if the system is capable of multiple PL groups.  That type of setup was commonly used back in the day for Community repeaters, where each user group (plumber, HVAC, Landscaper, etc.) had their own PL tone, but they all shared a common frequency, and each user had to monitor to make sure that the repeater was not in use by one of the other groups before they would Key up on their PL.

If the repeater has Multiple group capability (Every Kenwood TKR-850/851 came with that feature right out of the box) then it's simple to just request your own separate PL tone for your group.  Expect to pay for that feature if it's available.  Listening to a repeater's output in Carrier Squelch would defeat the purpose of having a separate PL tone. Set up properly, your daughter would only hear you when you keyed up using the special PL tone. Other traffic on the repeater would be nothing but a flashing receive light on her radio.

It's 1970's technology, so don't expect any actual privacy or miracles - but it would do what you're asking for.

[nokones]

And with a real commercial quality radio the radio would immediately go into the CSQ mode when you remove the mic from the holder/clip so you can automatically monitor for other traffic on a community repeater.