Batboard

I want to take the PTT beep out of my xts2500. I have the keypad tones muted, but the double beep for the mic is driving me crazy. I'm a cop, and sometimes I need to be able to key up with out the bad guy hearing me.
Can this be done with the keypad?
Please help before I get shot. I can't believe this is the default way the mic is set up.

superdemon wrote:I want to take the PTT beep out of my xts2500. I have the keypad tones muted, but the double beep for the mic is driving me crazy. I'm a cop, and sometimes I need to be able to key up with out the bad guy hearing me.
Can this be done with the keypad?
Please help before I get shot. I can't believe this is the default way the mic is set up.

There are two reasons why you would hear this tone. The first being if you have encryption installed in the radio there may be something configured so that you hear a beep when you press the PTT button. From the description it sounds like you are operating on a trunked radio system. The beeps you hear are a channel grant and mean that you can start speaking. Without having this you may start speaking and then get a "bonk" from the system meaning anything that you said may not go over the air. The later is probably not always going to be the case, but as you see it could be an important indicator.

From what I remember, you can disable the PTT sound. In going through the Astro25 software I can't find where to turn it off at a quick glance, but I remember it being present in the older astro saber/spectra/xts3000 line of radios. It would be helpful if you could tell us what radio you were using to access this system.

Another option which may work is to change the alert tone volume offset so that the tones are quieter. You will still hear them, but they won't follow the volume control.

These options should be changed by your system admin so that you have a full understanding of how these features work and don't end up putting yourself in a situation where you can't communicate and need help.

-Alex

If you are talking about the "Talk Permit Tone" in a trunking system, it is switchable at Trunking|Personality|Advanced.

If you are talking about the MDC sidetone in a conventional system, it is switchable at Conventional|MDC|MDC System|General.

In either case, the function of the tones is to reduce the probability that the operator begins speaking before the audio path is completed, thereby cutting himself off. Disabling the tones, for the very purpose the OP refers to, is quite legitimate, but it does require that the operator then train himself to Press-Pause-Talk.

If this is a trunking system, which it sounds like it is, then disabling this talk-permit tone will render you talking in the blind. You will have no idea if the system accepted you and is listening.

The better suggestion is reducing the tone volume.

nmfire10 wrote:If this is a trunking system, which it sounds like it is, then disabling this talk-permit tone will render you talking in the blind. You will have no idea if the system accepted you and is listening.

The better suggestion is reducing the tone volume.

I disagree: You will know if the system accepted you because if it doesn't, you'll still get a bonk or busy signal. Hence the reason for key up - wait - talk if you aren't going to use talk permit.

Turning off talk permit tone does just that - it turns off talk permit. Not everything else. We have TONS of law enforcement agencies that run their portables this way for officer safety reasons. It works just fine.

The OP needs to take his portable to his departments radio shop and request the tones be shut off. Proper procedure would generally be to arrange this via the departments communications manager.

Ah, I didn't know that would still keep the busy-bonk on. Nice.

One other thing that can be used in the absence of a talk permit tone, is the TX indicator light.
it flashes during access tries and is steady when access is granted...tone or no tone.

But again, the press-wait-talk method is almost foolproof.

Most law enforcement I know of has moved to recieve only surveillance earpieces that they can plug into either the head of the speakermic or the base where it connects to the radio. I would look into that, as just eliminating the talk permit tone still doesn't prevent someone from hearing the radio traffic itself.