guys i am correct in saying that allstar can transmit a pl / ctcss tone i have added a pl tone in usbradio and it appears that there is no pl tone transmitted. any idea’s plz all thanks
The typical the ham radio is designed to pass audio frequencies between 3 and 300kHz. P/L (aka tone) is sub-audible (below 300Hz) so it won’t pass thru the Mic. Commercial radios may have an audio input that does not filter the audio.
If your radio can send PL then send tone that way. Mind if I ask what is your application for sending tone?
hello agn tim i was trying to get the repeater here in this case a Quantar not to send the pl tone on tx and let the allstar node send the pl tone. it is actually as a test to eliminate an issue i have here with the repeater. but for the life of me i cannot get the ASnode to tx the pl tone quite possibly filtering in the quantar blocking the sub audible tone
Can you be sure it is not sending the tone ?
Test it locally with a HT ?
Perhaps it is not at a correct level which can be adjusted in usbradio_tune
Some commercial repeaters may filter the tone on rx and regenerate a tone on the output.
Thereby not ‘passing’ the tone (more reliable method to get correct level on TX). So if you are trying to change from what the repeater has been using, it may be filtered out if not the same or what has been enabled.
You may need to look at PL passthrough on the repeater system.
Just some ideas to chase.
Make sure you are using the usb_radio and not simplex_radio in config files.
in /etc/asterisk/usbradio.config
txctcssdefault = 88.5 ; default TX CTCSS frequency, any frequency permitted
rxctcssfreqs = 88.5 ; RX CTCSS frequencies list in floating point. must be in table
txctcssfreqs = 88.5 ; TX CTCSS frequencies list. any frequency permitted. will follow RX CTCSS frequency
rxctcssoverride = 0 ; Set to 1 to start out in carrier squelch mode
The default tone is sent with other network traffic. de nu5d
I was using the same approach for an MTR2000 and used the 96 pin connector directly into the modulator. Here is a snippet from my USBRadio config file:
txlimonly = yes ; Audio limiting with no pre-emphasis on output channel: no,yes
; no - Audio is not limited.
; yes - Audio is limited.
; Suitable for transmitters with no limiting but with pre-emphasis.
txtoctype = notone ; Transmit tone control type: no,phase,notone
; no - CTCSS tone encoding with no hang time
; phase - encode CTCSS and reverse phase
; AKA (“reverse burst”) before unkeying TX
; notone - encode CTCSS and stop sending tone before unkeying TX
; AKA (“chicken burst”)
txmixa = composite ; Left channel output: no,voice,tone,composite,auxvoice
; no - Do not output anything
; voice - output voice only
; tone - CTCSS tone only
; composite - voice and tone
; auxvoice - auxiliary voice output at headphone level for monitoring
txmixb = no ; Right channel output: no,voice,tone,composite, auxvoice
; no - Do not output anything
; voice - output voice only
; tone - CTCSS tone only
; composite - voice and tone
; auxvoice - auxiliary voice output at headphone level for monitoring
What issue are you having with your Quantar?
I get the fairly famous quantar howl.
I have tried just about everything including retuning the celwave pd526
Cavities to within an inch of there lives around 100db down
Swapped out the andrews ldf450 inc new plugs ( ntype )
Added another bandpass filter to the receiver which is around 90db down on the tx freq
Plus the quantar has the preselector tuned thats about 30db down.
There is over 200db of receiver isolation on the repeaters tx freq which is wide spaced 7.6mhz 430.5125tx 438.5125rx
Tightened every nut and bolt on my antennas the list goes on and on.
I have indeed turned off the tx pl tone which has stopped it happening
It is so intermittent its hard to source it.
Occasionally i can here what i can only expain it as being a swishing sound mixed in with a users transmission but disappears as quick as it came like the howl.
Looks like you went though all the logical stuff.
to be clear now.
You turned off the repeaters built-in tone.
And now you want app_rpt/asl software to rx the trigger of a pl tone for tx.
OR
You want the software to send a tone on TX
Or both ?
Post your usbradio.conf
I have many Quantars in service and know other people who do (Hams and professionals). I’ve never heard anyone mention the “fairly famous Quantar howl”. I assume it’s hearing itself and there is audio feedback causing the howl. That can happen on any repeater. It may sound a bit different on a Quantar due to the very slight delay in audio processing. But it’s not a problem unique to Quantars.
That’s not a fix. It’s only hiding the problem which is why you hear the swishing sound on (probably weaker) users.
I’ve been there and I feel your pain. Duplex issues can be difficult to fix but you need to keep your focus on fixing the repeater system. Your AllStar node can’t fix this.
- Does it happen all the time every time? It would be unusual but is there a Tx spur on the input?
- Does your repeater hear itself with a dummy load on the Tx jack? If so then the problem is in the Quantar.
- How about with a dummy load on antenna port of the duplexer? If not the problem is not the Quantar or the duplexer.
- What are you using for an antenna? What kind of coax?
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hi Tim no it does not happen all the time every time is very intermittent it might happen 2 times a day or 5 however i notice it mostly does the howl during the day and not night time say after 6 / 7pm
i have not tried the dummy load methods tim mainly due to the fact its so sporadic the repeater would spend it’s time on a dummy load.
the antenna is a amphenol procom 4 stack with N type not 7/16DIN
https://amphenolprocom.com/products/base-station-antennas/2489-s-m4-445-om
and the coax is andrews ldf450 around 17meters
i know the issue is only being covered by disabling the PL tone but for now its a work around.