Hello everyone!
I am a first time poster hoping that someone can help me out with an issue I am having.
I recently purchased six new radios (CP200) for my business and sent in an old working radio (HT750) to have the channels programmed. Channel 1 is programmed to go through a radio repeater.
The problem I have with getting the radio back is that while the NEW radios talk on all channels with the OLD radios. The NEW radios do not hear other NEW radios on channel 1 (The repeater channel)
Is there something I am missing here with the repeater or have the radios been programmed wrong?
new radios and old radios are all happy with each other on channel 2+ (non repeater)
For the repeater channel,
Transmitting -> Receiving
New -> Old = Doesn’t Work
Old -> New = Works
Old -> Old = Works
New -> New = Doesn’t work
If that’s the case, then it sounds like the new radios have the repeater frequencies programmed correctly, but they aren’t activating the repeater. Perhaps they are using the wrong PL or DCS tone, or perhaps their transmit frequency is wrong.
Try this- get two old radios and a new radio, all set to Channel 1. Key up an old radio, you should hear it through the other old radio. Now at the same time, key up a new radio. You should hear a difference in the receiving old radio- either the audio dies entirely or you hear noise.
If you don’t hear interference and the old->old still works while a new is keyed up, it means that the new radios aren’t transmitting on the right frequency (as two transmissions on the same frequency should seriously degrade each other).
If you do hear interference or the audio dies, it means the new radios aren’t using the right PL or DCS code. PL / DCS are (short version) a sub code inserted into the signal to make sure that you only key up YOUR repeater and not someone else’s. Without the right PL or DCS, your repeater won’t accept and retransmit the new radio’s signal.
Either way, you’ll probably need some more programming of the new radios.
Transmitting -> Receiving
New -> Old = Works
Old -> New = Works
Old -> Old = Works
New -> New = Doesn’t work
It really is just the new radios will not talk on the repeater channel with each other.
however I did the test you were talking about and you were right. The old radio talks with the old radio fine and the old radio speaks with the new radio with a healthy amount of interference.
So the issue I presume would be with the PL or DCS code. I have a frequency list and it lists “Tx DPL Code” which I assume is the same thing.
So now that we have found the problem would you know how I could find out which code my repeater is operating on or I would I need someone with some better knowledge who knows what they are doing.
I realize the radio frequency programming must be done by someone who knows. But knowing which one to set it to would make the rest of the process easier.