Maxtrac Monitor Button Not Unmuting Squelch?

[Zack08]

I have a new-to-me low band 32 ch Maxtrac that is having issues with the monitor button. When you press it for one beep, the yellow light comes on, but it still won't pass any signals that lack the proper PL tone. When I hold it for two beeps, the red light flashes, but it doesnt pass the noise through to the speaker. The radio seems to work fine as programmed, but the monitor button seems to have no effect on the audio path. Also, the CSQ test point on the logic board is going high in both cases, but the audio just wont come through.

I'm beginning to wonder if I need to blank and reinitialize the logic board....
(or maybe that wouldnt even help)


Any ideas?

[Satelite]

Hello :
When you press and hold the Mon button in it should after a few seconds go into sqeulch noise with the red light flashing - So it sounds like that part is working.
You say you hear the beeps when pressing the buttons so id think you have the 16 pin audio jumpered on the rear for internal audio.
When you say you cant get the signal to pass = Does the red light flash when you try to get it to recieve ?
If not and you know the signal is absolutely corect then id suspect the osciator crystal went bad or radio is not warped properly on freq even though programming displays the freq corectly = It may not be rxing it on freq.
Actualy we need a little more info to pin point it for you.
Satelite

[Zack08]

I was hoping somebody would ask some questions so I can explain it a little better. It actually receives fine. I just stuck a two foot piece of wire in the back, and its receiving dispatch from two counties away. The red light flashes when I inject a carrier into the antenna port, and also when I hold down the monitor button to completely open squelch. The only time it passes any receive audio, though, is when the correct PL is present. With the yellow light on, it should be passing the audio from the PL-less carrier I'm injecting and its not. And when I hold the button down for two beeps to completely open squelch, I don't get the static from the speaker.


And, to correct myself from earler, the CSQ test point goes high when I inject a carrer, even without a PL.

[Satelite]

Hello :
You wouldnt be txing a repeater input freq rather than the actual rx freq by chance ?
Can you check and confirm the tx freq your injecting is the same as the rx freq on the other radio ?
Some stations use a diferent freq in and a diferent freq out as in a repeater .
Just a thought.
Satelite

[Zack08]

Nah, I had it on simplex.

I got brave and blanked and reinitialized the logic board and it the monitor button started working again....until I reloaded the original codeplug to test it .

Soooo, I blanked it again and started with a fresh codeplug and all is well. I thought it may have had something to do with the QCII programming in the original codeplug, but the squelch works as normal with QCII in the new codeplug, so I guess the old one was just corrupted. Must have been the last "tech" .

Thanks for the assistance.

[Lake Effect]

The symtoms you report sound like you had "Busy Channel Lockout" set to operate on the channel. The help file for BCL says nothing on channel will be heard unless it has the proper PL/DPL code, even if the mic is off hook or the monitor button is pressed.

L.E.

[4n6inv]

Check your software settings. I know thre is a "Silent Monitor" feature in most SW that allows you to disable PL/DPL to CSQ without hearing the squaking. But; usually; if you hold the button down long enough; it will unmute and you get the fuzz.

[Zack08]

Heh, I just looked at the old codeplug and busy channel lockout was enabled. Oops.

In most RSS, busy channel lockout only prevents you from transmitting over another user, I had no idea that it muted the radio, too.

I've never been a fan of the "silent monitor", and I don't think it is even in the Maxtrac RSS.

I guess you do learn something new every day. Thanks guys!