Local Remote Vs Tone Remote?

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I know I am gonna sound stupid.. Whats the diffrence between a local and tone remote?

[wavetar]

Although they often look physically identical on the outside, internally they are very different beasts.

A local remote hooks directly to a radio, with connections for ground, PTT, Mic Hi, Mic low (usually ground), RX Hi & RX Lo (sometimes a ground). You're limited to about 1000ft of wiring with a local remote. The local remote keys the radio by grounding the radios external PTT line...essentially it's direct extended control of the radio.

A tone remote doesn't wire directly to a radio. It interfaces through phone lines with a 'tone remote adaptor', which in turn is wired directly to the radio with the same connections a local remote would use. When keying a tone remote, along with the TX audio, it also sends what's called guard tone (2175Hz is standard, but it can be another frequency)...first a burst of high-level tone for 120ms (I believe), then low-level (30dB lower than the initial tone, and usually at least 20dB below the voice level) for the duration of the transmission. The tone remote interface will see the tone, and in turn key the radio with the PTT line, while passing the TX audio on the Mic Hi & Low lines. When the guard tone disappears, the tone remote interface stops keying the radio.

By using tones, a tone remote can be located just about anywhere, and still be able to control the radio as long as you can get a phone line (or wireless link such as microwave) between them.

The above is a very simplified explanation of the differences. There can be other variables such as channel changing & monitoring, in which the tone remote would send different tones (known as function tones) for 30ms in between the high & low level guard tone.

Todd

[[email protected]]

ok, next question.. I have a Local remote and a maxtrac.

How do I figure out the wiring of the local remote? Its a motorola unit, (Phone style) Is it possible to use the regular microphone along with the local remote but in a diffrent location?

I have a tone remote adapater but I dont have any tone remotes.

With either one of these if I have it set up to open up only after a QC2 is received Will it still work through the local or tone remote?

tnx

[/\/\y 2 cents]

If you really want a no hassles solution, you should look at Virtual Base Station by Critical RF. Check it out at http://www.criticalrf.com . You should be able to download a demo and talk to someone at the company on their radio out in the field right from your MC where ever you are. This will allow you the same operation as a tone or local remote, but anywhere you have internet on any kind of computer with linux or windows. Any PC can become a remote anywhere in the world. Remotes take up desk space anyway.

[kens]

If your radio is setup for QCII the remote will work the same. Another alternative is to use DC remotes. The remotes look the same but use DC current to do the ptt and other functions. They will not work over commercial phone lines so they are more commonly found at low prices.
Are you working on a firestation system?
Feel free tp pm or e-mail me if you have further questions.
Ken

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Actually I am setting up a system at home. I have dumped my home phone service. I carry a nextel and so does my wife. My wife became a ham so she could talk to me on the radio. We use the QC2 on a maxtrac that I have in the kitchen with a mag mount on the fridge as a back up communications system incase nextel goes down. Or we forget to re-charge them and such. My buddy has a repeater with the capabilities to do QC2. So its a nice feature ..

I have a tone remote adapter now I just need a few remotes so I can move the radio down to my office in the basement and to put one in the basement..

[/\/\y 2 cents]

Why dont you just patch the Nextel's into the buddy's repeater so you can have like a group wide and you can carry 1 device. All you need is his PC and your PC and the simple SiteCAST interface at each end. If you can solder I'll show you how to make one, if not we have them pre-made tested for plug and play. You would also then be able to come up from a PC as well and talk to the Nextel's and UHF folks. Just a thought.

[[email protected]]

That sounds expensive .. I am just trying to be cheap.. very cheap.. Plus whats the legality about connecting the nextel to a ham repeater?

[/\/\y 2 cents]

Well if you can solder, read diagrams, etc. it's not that expensive. Do you have internet and a nextel audio adapter? Does the guy w/ the repeater have internet withing talk in range of teh repeater? I can give you the parts list. There are no legalities with connecting the two via the internet because voice communication over the internet is not regulated in any way shape or fashion what-so-ever. Be an early adopter and shape the rules of the future. What model of Nextel/iDEN are you using?

Steve