Astro squelch sensitivity

[WayneR]

OK, need some clarification here please. I want to increase the sensitivity of several channels of my Astro Saber III so that it better receives fringe simplex transmissions. Band in question is UHF in analog mode using pl tones. The squelch range settings in the RSS personality screen varies from 0 to 15. What setting should I select?

Wayne

[RocketNJ]

set it as low as you can so it remains squelched when not receiving a signal.

I've seen some radios that were able to be set at 2 instead of default 6. Just be forewarned if you are using CSQ on rx then you might be more susceptable to noise openeing up the receive.

George

[Will]

This is what I have found also, some of my UHF channels are set at 2 and it helped the ASIII receive much better. The RSS I use has a 1 to 15 range with 9 being the DEFAULT.
I find 9 to be too tight of a squelch setting especially when using the AND unmute and the OR Mute settings.

[RKG]

What I would do:

First, using a service monitor on an outside antenna, figure out what the noise floor is in your region on the part of the spectrum of interest. If you're lucky, the value will be in the range of -112 to -115 dB. (There is no point in setting the squelch below the noise floor, regardless of the spec sensitivity of the receiver.)

Now dial up the service monitor signal generator for a freq that is programming in the radio, set the power for a couple of dB above the noise floor, and, using an adapter cable, wire the sig/gen output to the antenna input of the radio (presuming the radio uses a coaxial antenna input). Turn the sig/gen on, and open the squelch until the receiver opens, then increase the squelch by one number at a time until the audio closes. (Take your time.) Now, turn the sig/gen off and on several times to see if the radio opens; if so, increase by one more number. When the radio remains stable closed with the sig/gen flipping off and on, the setting is the low end of the usable range in your area for that part of the spectrum.