Astro Spectra question

saberjerk · Post by **saberjerk** » Mon May 08, 2006 7:16 pm

Astro spectra UHF with w4 head.
Is it possible to adjust the squelch in DOS RSS? I know it doesn't have individual mode setting like portables but it just seems too tight.
I think the analog spectras have a setting in RSS If I remember right.
I know I can open the squelch by pushing the monitor button and turning the mode switch but it just goes from closed to open, that's it.
Maybe there is some adjustment on the rf board, I don't know.
Thanks

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Mon May 08, 2006 9:11 pm

Yep, it's in the Tuner software.

SZ$DEF · Post by **SZ$DEF** » Tue May 09, 2006 4:46 am

Motorola is notorious for setting the squelch tight from the factory on most of their products (portables, mobiles, repeaters). If you put it on a service monitor, most likely the squelch closes before popping and cracking even appears on the signal. Not acceptable to me - especially in public safety. These tight squelch settings reduce the coverage footprint of the entire radio system!

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Tue May 09, 2006 6:18 am

SZ$DEF wrote:Motorola is notorious for setting the squelch tight from the factory on most of their products (portables, mobiles, repeaters). If you put it on a service monitor, most likely the squelch closes before popping and cracking even appears on the signal. Not acceptable to me - especially in public safety. These tight squelch settings reduce the coverage footprint of the entire radio system!

Yep, absolutely... one more reason why I run every new radio across a service monitor before it ever sees field service, and I log its performance both in service mode and on its primary/home channel. It takes time, but it's worth it in the long run.

saberjerk · Post by **saberjerk** » Tue May 09, 2006 7:25 am

If it's in the service section I'm not seeing it. I am using DOS RSS ver 8.
All I see is transmitter alignments and board initialization.

If it's in the RSS section I'm not seeing it there either.
Sure could use some help here. The radio if pretty useless to me
with the squelch so tight.
Thanks

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Tue May 09, 2006 12:27 pm

Well it should be that if you hold the monitor button down you can adjust the squelch there. I don't recall ever seeing it in the RSS.

-Josh

saberjerk · Post by **saberjerk** » Tue May 09, 2006 1:07 pm

Well the monitor button is at 1 and it's still way to tight. If you turn it to zero the squelch is full open.
If that's the only way to adjust it I guess I'm stuck.
Back to the old mcx1000.

Bruce1807 · Post by **Bruce1807** » Tue May 09, 2006 5:46 pm

Hmm I use autotune software and let it do the tuning but it sets the squelch where I say I want it

saberjerk · Post by **saberjerk** » Tue May 09, 2006 6:46 pm

ok, I'll fall for it. What is autotune software and is it made by motorola?

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Tue May 09, 2006 8:26 pm

It's probably bundled with the CPS, which you're not using.

Yeah, I agree.. my astro spectra is a bit too tight at '1' as well, it's a :o. I don't think anything can be done about it. I made mention to this a while back.

-Josh

saberjerk · Post by **saberjerk** » Wed May 10, 2006 5:20 am

Yea that certainly puts the poop on low signal work.
Does anyone know the performance difference between the UHF preselector with a preamp and the one like I'm using without?
Maybe the preamp would give me that little extra boost I need.

saberjerk · Post by **saberjerk** » Thu May 18, 2006 5:55 am

Well guess I am going to have to pull the astro spectra out of service.
Just can't hold a candle to the mcx1000.
The spectra can talk 20 miles but can only hear 10.
Unless someone can figure out the squelch problem the spectra is useless.

saberjerk · Post by **saberjerk** » Fri May 19, 2006 5:47 am

Do you think that my squelch problem would be helped by using pl on receive?
Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks

kcbooboo · Post by **kcbooboo** » Fri May 19, 2006 7:34 am

It depends on the radio.

On some, the detection of PL/DPL will cause the squelch to open no matter where it's set. This is often called "OR" squelch.

On others, even with PL/DPL, if the squelch is tight, you will still need a lot of signal to get past it. This is often called "AND" squelch.

Some radios let you choose between "AND" or "OR" squelch; others just use one method and you're stuck with it.

So the best thing to do is: try it and see.

Bob M.

saberjerk · Post by **saberjerk** » Fri May 19, 2006 7:45 am

Hi Bob
Well I know I have plenty of signal to communicate, the squelch just won't open without more signal.
This radio might have that "or" squelch so I think I will try that.

Maybe this "or" pl detect will solve the problem.

saberjerk · Post by **saberjerk** » Fri May 19, 2006 8:34 am

Bob
Looking through the rss and the rss programming manual I didn't see anything specificaly relating to "or" squelch.

I did however find something under conventional personalities, more opetions, receiver muting.

There are 3 possibilities.
1. Unmute, or mute (factory default) this is where it is now.
2. Unmute, std mute
3. Standard

If you look under F1 help for "Standard" it says this will unmute the squelch when there is a valid pl signal present.
The other 2 say there must be a valid pl plus a strong enough carrier.

I going to try "standard" with a pl.
What do you think?

kcbooboo · Post by **kcbooboo** » Fri May 19, 2006 8:58 am

Try it. What have you got to lose?!?!?!

I didn't mean to imply that the Spectra actually called it "AND" or "OR" squelch, but a lot of other, older, radio systems often referred to it that way.

Bob M.

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