[KYHAM] tone squelch etc (long)

[A. W.]

Tone squelch is one subject that the ham community at
large has difficulty with for what ever reason. As a
long time user, owner and custodian of both commercial
and amateur repeaters, I offer the following as "food
for thought"....
 
1. SERA seems to have indicated that new repeater
co-ordinations will require the ability to use tone
squelch (CTCSS). I think that the ability to use CTCSS
is a good idea, keeping in mind that most repeaters
can be configured at minimal cost to offer remote
switching between CTCSS and carrier squelch (CSQ)
modes. If one can afford a repeater, the cost of a
CTCSS board is a drop in the bucket.
 
2. Tone squelch on a repeater does not make it
"closed". This is a big deal for a small portion of
operators, who somehow become convinced that the #@%$%
tone is there just to keep them out. I own two
repeaters myself, if I don't want you on my "machine",
I will simply tell you so- it is much easier
than installing tone then waiting to see if you figure
out what it is. FWIW, one of my repeaters has CTCSS,
one is CSQ.
 
3. Tone squelch does nothing to prevent true
interference. (Interference, meaning an undesired
signal that prevents or greatly impedes
communication). This is important- a distant audible
signal on "Your" repeater frequency is not
interference- this is called a "co-channel user"; get
used to them they are not going away. I have heard
countless complaints of "interference" on the ham
bands, only to find that the actual complaint was
co-channel users, whose weak signal could be easily
overpowered by any one within a reasonable range of
the repeater in question. The elimination of lower
level signals from distant co-channel users is the
reason CTCSS was invented, and it works very well in
this role. If you hear a voice from your CTCSS
squelched receiver, you can be sure it is intended for
those on your system and is not some station miles
away passing unrelated traffic.
 
4. "Commercial" radios VS "Ham" radios- Split CTCSS
(different tones on receiver and transmitter) is
rarely seen on the ham bands. All of the software
programmable commercial radios I use offer split tone
operation in one fashion or another. I won't go into
detail, but they are well-known brands and range in
age from "new" to 20 years old. All the ham VHF/UHF
stuff I have will accommodate "split" tones, if they
have receiver CTCSS.
 
5. "I can't afford a tone board" or "my old radio
doesn't have tone". Compare the cost of a "new" no
frills mobile or portable radio to the initial and
on-going costs of a modest repeater. $150 won't buy a
good antenna for repeater service, but will buy a
serviceable portable or mobile for 2 meters. 
 
6. Public safety and commercial radio users have used
CTCSS for years. A carrier squelch system is nearly
unheard of given today's crowded 150 and 450 mhz. land
mobile bands. The widespread acceptance of CTCSS among
these users is a good argument for implementation of
CTCSS on 146 and 440 mhz., since propagation is much
the same for the frequencies in question. 
  
 
Tony, KY4SP




		
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