Squelch Won't Break Consistently Using DTCS Tone

[WSGU500]

I am using a DTCS tone (431 NN) on GMRS channel 22. I have this programmed into several Baofeng UV-5G Plus handheld radios as well as 2 Wouxun KG-1000G Plus mobile radios and a BTECH GMRS-50V2 mobile radio. More than half the time it works as expected but quite a few times the receiving radio shows an incoming signal (receive light comes on) but no audio. Sometimes the receive light doesn't even come on. This happens at varying distances (20', 500', 1/4 mile, 15 miles) and various power settings in different locations around my area. When not using the tones, it works flawlessly, we just have to put up with noise breaking through even at fairly high squelch settings.

I chose DTCS after reading about it being the newer technology and having more tones to choose from but am curious if using a CTCSS tone would yield better results. Any constructive input would be appreciated.

[OffRoaderX]

I have had a few radios that did this with DTCS tones.. Switched to CTCSS and the problem went away on all of them.

[GrouserPad]

7 minutes ago, WSGU500 said:

I am using a DTCS tone (431 NN) on GMRS channel 22. I have this programmed into several Baofeng UV-5G Plus handheld radios as well as 2 Wouxun KG-1000G Plus mobile radios and a BTECH GMRS-50V2 mobile radio. More than half the time it works as expected but quite a few times the receiving radio shows an incoming signal (receive light comes on) but no audio. Sometimes the receive light doesn't even come on. This happens at varying distances (20', 500', 1/4 mile, 15 miles) and various power settings in different locations around my area. When not using the tones, it works flawlessly, we just have to put up with noise breaking through even at fairly high squelch settings.

I chose DTCS after reading about it being the newer technology and having more tones to choose from but am curious if using a CTCSS tone would yield better results. Any constructive input would be appreciated.

Have you simply done trial and error by, wait for it, trying ctcss rather than DTCS and see if your problem goes away?

[WSGU500]

11 hours ago, GrouserPad said:

Have you simply done trial and error by, wait for it, trying ctcss rather than DTCS and see if your problem goes away?

I have added a channel that uses CTCSS but have not had a chance to do any real-world testing. The few "across the room" tests have been successful but I try to limit conversations with myself to a few short phrases. I suspected that switching to CTCSS was the answer but wanted to ask those that have more experience with radios than I. Also, it affords me the opportunity to meet new, interesting, kind and sometimes sarcastic people on the inter-webs.

Thank you and @OffRoaderX for the responses.

[WRUU653]

3 minutes ago, WSGU500 said:

but I try to limit conversations with myself to a few short phrases.  
 

Sound advice. At least avoid arguing.

[Raybestos]

On 4/18/2025 at 10:41 PM, WSGU500 said:

I am using a DTCS tone (431 NN) on GMRS channel 22. I have this programmed into several Baofeng UV-5G Plus handheld radios as well as 2 Wouxun KG-1000G Plus mobile radios and a BTECH GMRS-50V2 mobile radio. More than half the time it works as expected but quite a few times the receiving radio shows an incoming signal (receive light comes on) but no audio. Sometimes the receive light doesn't even come on. This happens at varying distances (20', 500', 1/4 mile, 15 miles) and various power settings in different locations around my area. When not using the tones, it works flawlessly, we just have to put up with noise breaking through even at fairly high squelch settings.

I chose DTCS after reading about it being the newer technology and having more tones to choose from but am curious if using a CTCSS tone would yield better results. Any constructive input would be appreciated.

 I am curious.  Which radios are not opening up for you?  The KG-1000G Plus?  The 50V2?  Both?  All radios noted?

[WRUE951]

On 4/18/2025 at 7:41 PM, WSGU500 said:

I am using a DTCS tone (431 NN) on GMRS channel 22. I have this programmed into several Baofeng UV-5G Plus handheld radios as well as 2 Wouxun KG-1000G Plus mobile radios and a BTECH GMRS-50V2 mobile radio. More than half the time it works as expected but quite a few times the receiving radio shows an incoming signal (receive light comes on) but no audio. Sometimes the receive light doesn't even come on. This happens at varying distances (20', 500', 1/4 mile, 15 miles) and various power settings in different locations around my area. When not using the tones, it works flawlessly, we just have to put up with noise breaking through even at fairly high squelch settings.

I chose DTCS after reading about it being the newer technology and having more tones to choose from but am curious if using a CTCSS tone would yield better results. Any constructive input would be appreciated.

adjust the squelch level on the receiving radios for the specific channels.  

[WRUE951]

3 minutes ago, WRUE951 said:

adjust the squelch level on the receiving radios for the specific channels.   But allow me to admit first.  I'm not familiar with adusting squelch on the Baufengs or Wouxun's but i have that ability on my Hytera's 

 

[WSGU500]

2 hours ago, Raybestos said:

 I am curious.  Which radios are not opening up for you?  The KG-1000G Plus?  The 50V2?  Both?  All radios noted?

All radios listed in my original post have the issue at one time or another.

[WSGU500]

1 hour ago, WRUE951 said:

adjust the squelch level on the receiving radios for the specific channels.  

Some of the radios do not have that option but I put the squelch to 1 when I started having this issue. I am in the process of changing to CTCSS. Got access to a couple of the remote radios today so will be able to do more real world testing soon.

[TerriKennedy]

On 4/18/2025 at 10:41 PM, WSGU500 said:

I chose DTCS after reading about it being the newer technology and having more tones to choose from but am curious if using a CTCSS tone would yield better results. Any constructive input would be appreciated.

You will likely have better results with CTCSS as it is analog tones instead of digital codes. For a somewhat strained comparison, consider an over-used VHS tape (if you're old enough to remember such things) - it's analog and when there's a worn spot on the tape you get streaks of the wrong color on the screen, or the picture rolls, or something similar that usually clears up. Compare that to a scratched DVD where the picture will just turn into a bunch of digital blocks and freeze, and you can't even fast-forward your way out of it. That's digital.

[Raybestos]

1 hour ago, WSGU500 said:

All radios listed in my original post have the issue at one time or another.

Interesting!  I know the KG1000G Plus, as do several of the KG series hand-held GMRS radios, have an intermittent issue with the CTCSS and DCS squelch not opening, some times with some radios.  I have noted the problem when trying to receive other Wouxuns, Motos, and WLN's, as well as possible other brands.  I have experienced this with every Wouxun KG GMRS radio I have owned, as well as a few that friends owned.  Many have been quick to tell me they never experienced the problem.  I guess they have been very lucky, I have been very unlucky, or they haven't used their Wouxun KG's in CTCSS/DCS mode enough, yet.

A few weeks ago, I reprogrammed a friend's 50V2 for him.  He had been experiencing similar problems with a DPL repeater.  He could Xmit and key up the repeater, but the repeater was not opening the DPL squelch on his receiver.  I checked.  He had the proper DPL code set for encode and decode in his radio.  For the heck of it, I tried using my KG935G Plus on that repeater's output to see if it would open his DPL decoder.  It would not.  Sounds like another decoder issue.  I re-programmed his radio with my normal format for GMRS channels 1 thru 30.  I then added all the repeaters he wanted.  This time, just in case, I programmed each repeater to encode and decode its respective PL or DPL, followed in the next channel slot with the same parameters but encoding only and receiving in Carrier Squelch (CSQ) mode.  That way, if his radio started acting up as it had done with the DPL protected repeater, he could move up one channel slot and hear with CSQ.  We tried it out on the antenna at a mutual friend's home where I was programming it.  All PL protected channels worked as they should, to include the DPL protected repeater channel that would not open up for the repeater or my ht.  When my friend got his radio home, he reported all channels worked (and decoded) as they should.  A week or two later, the finals in his 50V2 burned out, same as his first 50V2, which this one replaced.

I have one UV5G Plus.  I use it in the house to monitor two repeaters, 24/7.  Thus far, I have experienced no decoder issues but I am painfully aware that just because I haven't, doesn't mean you did not.  To the credit of Baofeng, I have owned or used several UV5R's and UV5G's and never experienced a decoder issue.