Page 1 of 1
XTL5000 carrier squelch chattering
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 10:39 pm
by MP 6.7
I recently picked up an XTL5000. When listening to weak analog signals using carrier squelch, the squelch opens and closes, or "chatters" probably five times per second. I couldn't find any adjustment to the squelch hysteresis in the CPS, but I haven't checked the tuner. I'm pretty new to Astro25 radios so it's very likely that I've overlooked something. Receive sensitivity is good, so is the antenna setup (no bad connections). Any ideas?
Re: XTL5000 carrier squelch chattering
Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 5:17 am
by resqguy911
Is priority scan active?
Re: XTL5000 carrier squelch chattering
Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 12:39 pm
by Jim202
If you have an O5 control head, you could set one of the operator buttons on the head for squelch. There is a check box some place in the software that allows for the user to have a manual setting of the squelch. Then you press the button, turn the channel select knob to set the squelch and then hit the home button to put the control head back into normal use.
I have done this to my control head and it allows me to manually change the default setting when I need to open the squelch up some on a weak signal. There is also a default selection in the software to set the squelch at. It may be set too low. I believe that this can be done a per mode (channel) basis.
Been a while so can't remember the locations that you need to get into to set this up.
Jim
Re: XTL5000 carrier squelch chattering
Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 5:38 pm
by resqguy911
Jim, I'm pretty sure it works the same on W series as well as O series heads. First you have to set monito type for "PL Defeat" instead of "open squelch". Press and hold whatever button you have set for monitor and the display will change to SQUELCH, and allow up and down selection.
Re: XTL5000 carrier squelch chattering
Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 10:03 pm
by MP 6.7
Not scanning and I do have the squelch button programmed on the O5. My issue isn't that the squelch is too tight, it's when a signal that's on the threshold of the squelch point is received, the radio goes in and out of squelch repeatedly very quickly. It does sort of sound like priority scan with a very short (like 0.2 second) sample time, even though I'm not scanning and it's only on weak signals. I have the squelch set at 1 which is where I need it to receive weak signals just above noise.
FYI, firmware is 16.00.02 and DSP is 16.00.00.
Re: XTL5000 carrier squelch chattering
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 9:41 am
by Pj
Sounds normal to me. I leave mine at a setting of 1, with pre-amp enabled (an option). If your on an extreme fringe area - thats normal. The older analog radios did a better job of it but there also was no signal processing either. IIRC the ASTRO25 series started running analog audio through the DSP.
Re: XTL5000 carrier squelch chattering
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 10:08 am
by KG4INW
Pj wrote:IIRC the ASTRO25 series started running analog audio through the DSP.
That's correct. Same goes for the TRBO units in analog as well.
Re: XTL5000 carrier squelch chattering
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 11:50 pm
by MP 6.7
Pj wrote:Sounds normal to me. I leave mine at a setting of 1, with pre-amp enabled (an option). If your on an extreme fringe area - thats normal. The older analog radios did a better job of it but there also was no signal processing either. IIRC the ASTRO25 series started running analog audio through the DSP.
So the DSP is making the fringe signal sound better, therefore making me think the squelch is chopping off a better signal than it actually is?