Enabling PL Decode On MCS 2000

[N4KVE]

I am trying to enable the PL decode on a UHF trunk mount model 2 MCS 2000 without a grounded mike hang up clip. I accomplished this on my Spectra by opening the mike & internally grounding the blue hang up wire. My GTX has a sealed mike which doesn't open, so on the accessory plug I connected pin 14 [hub] & pin 7 [gnd] & this worked fine. The MCS also has a sealed mike, so is there any way to accomplish this by connecting 2 pins on the accessory connector like I did on the GTX? GARY N4KVE

[Jim202]

There are several ways to do what your asking. However, depending on the service your going to use the radio in, it is not a good idea to bypass the auto
monitoring from lifting the mic off the clip. Most services require you to monitor before you transmit. By tying the hub switch to ground defeats this function. In
many cases it is against the FCC rules not to listen before you key the radio transmitter up.

With that said, you could get behind the front panel and ground the mic hub switch right at the mic connector.

Jim

I am trying to enable the PL decode on a UHF trunk mount model 2 MCS 2000 without a grounded mike hang up clip. I accomplished this on my Spectra by opening the mike & internally grounding the blue hang up wire. My GTX has a sealed mike which doesn't open, so on the accessory plug I connected pin 14 [hub] & pin 7 [gnd] & this worked fine. The MCS also has a sealed mike, so is there any way to accomplish this by connecting 2 pins on the accessory connector like I did on the GTX? GARY N4KVE

[N4KVE]

I will be using this radio on UHF Amateur freq's only. In the Batlabs Model Specific section the mike conn shows pin 3 is mon/busy/kid. Is that the one to jumper to ground? I'd rather modify a mike or add a jumper to a connector then to modify a radio or mike jack. On the acc plug, pin 5 is busy. Pin 10 is analog ground. Should they be jumpered? Any help would be appreciated. GARY N4KVE

[Jim202]

I am not trying to be a radio cop, but I believe if you read through part 97 of the FCC rules, you will find that transmitting over a signal all ready on the channel
can be construed as willful interference. Some reading in part 97 should reveal that even the ham radio operation has mention of monitoring before transmitting.
If you force the radio to stay in tone squelch when you take the mic off the clip or hangup box, you are intentionally avoiding the part 97 rules. Not a good
position to be in when the field engineer comes knocking on your door.

I have been a ham for the last 47 years and try to at least stay out of the eye of the FCC. By modifying your equipment to ignore any activity on a channel
with the receiver staying in the tone squelch mode, your asking for flack from the rest of the ham radio community. Even if your hearing multiple repeaters
on the channel, or noise in some areas, that doesn't give you the reason to just blunder your way through an active radio radio channel and transmit when
you feel like it. Have some respect for others.

Flame away all you want, but the more trouble you cause for others, the more you lower yourself and the less respect the other hams will have for you.

Jim

I will be using this radio on UHF Amateur freq's only. In the Batlabs Model Specific section the mike conn shows pin 3 is mon/busy/kid. Is that the one to jumper to ground? I'd rather modify a mike or add a jumper to a connector then to modify a radio or mike jack. On the acc plug, pin 5 is busy. Pin 10 is analog ground. Should they be jumpered? Any help would be appreciated. GARY N4KVE

[akardam]

I am not trying to be a radio cop

Well, actually, I think you are. Either way, may I kindly suggest that you stop pummeling that dead equestrian, and ask that you please stay on topic?

[N4KVE]

I am confused. Current VHF & UHF ham equipment doesn't have a hub feature. You program in the PL decode feature & it's in decode. Commercial repeaters have many different PL's to accomodate many different users using the same repeater. On ham repeaters I use there is only 1 PL tone for each repeater. Hence if someone is talking, I will hear him because everyone is on the same PL tone. So does anyone have the answer to my original question. GARY N4KVE

[a1emt]

Maybe I am misunderstanding what you want to accomplish, but... isn't there a simple checkbox in the MCS2000 CPS that disables the 'monitor off HUB' function? None of my MCS mobiles goes to monitor automatically when off hook... only by pressing the monitor button. Seems a lot easier than hardware mods and jumpers.

Jim

[N4KVE]

Thanks Jim. I don't have software, & I'm waiting until I can bring the radio to someone to program for me. The radio has Ham repeaters that the seller 100 miles north had programmed. The little speaker on the screen stays on whether I push the monitor button or not, so I thought the MCS was like my GTX & needed a jumper. If it's just a programming issue, I'll just wait until I get it programmed. Thanks for the help. GARY N4KVE

[Jim202]

That's because the mic clip needs to be grounded for the radio RX to go into PL decode.
If you have the radio running and put the back of the mic metal part to a grounded
object, I think you will find that the speaker on the screen will go away.

This generally also effects the scan function on most of the Motorola radios. There is an
option in the software to bypass the hub sense. With the mic ungrounded, the radio
won't go into scan.

Jim

Thanks Jim. I don't have software, & I'm waiting until I can bring the radio to someone to program for me. The radio has Ham repeaters that the seller 100 miles north had programmed. The little speaker on the screen stays on whether I push the monitor button or not, so I thought the MCS was like my GTX & needed a jumper. If it's just a programming issue, I'll just wait until I get it programmed. Thanks for the help. GARY N4KVE

[jackhackett]

According to the installation manual pin 7 of the acc. connector is HUB and pin 4 is digital ground, so you could try connecting those. Pin 4 is probably already jumpered to the emergency pin, so you might have to tap into that. Of course you also need the proper pins for the connector.
Pin 7 also has some other functions listed for it, I believe HUB is the default.

Doing it in programming would probably be a better option if you had access to software.

[N4KVE]

Yes, pin 4 & pin 9 [emergengy] are connected. Also I do have the correct jumper for the acc plug. What is the difference between pin 10 analog ground, & pin 4 digital ground? Could I connect pin 7 [hub] to pin 10 [analog ground]? GARY N4KVE

[jackhackett]

The board diagrams show that both pin 4 and 10 are connected to the board ground plane, so you should be able to use 10.

Theoretically one is for digital signals, PTT, HUB, stuff like that, and the other is for analog, such as Microphone Shield, to keep digital noise form getting into the analog circuits, but from looking at the diagrams I think it probably doesn't make much difference.

[N4KVE]

Thanks for all the help. When I get the radio programmed, I will look to do this with the CPS. If I can't then I will short 1of the grounds to the hub pin. Alternately, yesterday I found a Waris mike that works fine with this radio. It unscrews & I will probably just open it up & short the hub wire to ground internally. That worked fine on my Spectra. Either way thanks for the suggestions. GARY N4KVE ///// EPILOG: I opened the mike & jumpered the 2 traces to the hub. Works perfect. Thanks again to all.

[d119]

Jesus Christ almighty people.



Conventional Configuration > Uncheck Hub Defeats PL.

It's that simple.

For your Part 97/FCC fanatics, just look at the busy light before you key up. It really is that simple.

Have a nice day.

[a1emt]

LOL

Jesus Christ almighty people.



Conventional Configuration > Uncheck Hub Defeats PL.

It's that simple.

For your Part 97/FCC fanatics, just look at the busy light before you key up. It really is that simple.

Have a nice day.

[MTS2000des]

Gary, if you need help with your MCS let me know. (FYI the NMN6210D DTMF mike I have on my VHF MCS2000 doesn't have any metal to ground to, hangup cup is all plastic sans for a metal weight inside)
I'll be glad to do any programming of ham stuff for free sans the cost of shipping if you need it. (Radio should fit nicely in one of those USPS Flat Rate boxes)

As far as requiring CSQ when the mike is lifted for part 97, I know of ZERO VHF/UHF ham rigs made in my lifetime of 34 years that have this feature. Most hams are competent enough to hit the MONITOR button or disengage the PL decode function if the frequency is in use. So I am not sure why this was even an issue.

[N4KVE]

PM sent to you Erik. GARY N4KVE