As posted above, can a NXDN repeater be programmed to respond to more than one RAN code? So, an example might be a small facility with a single UHF NXDN repeater on site. Could one group of users, say Security, be on RAN 16 and another group of users, say Facilities, be on RAN 48?
Can A NXDN Repeater Be Programmed To Respond To More Than One RAN Code?
- Thread starter Jim1348
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kpop
Regular Member
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- Aug 16, 2020
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Isn't that what different talkgroups are for? NXDN conventional does make use of talkgroups as well.
I'm not sure if this is what the OP was asking about or not -- but I'll put this out there.
FWIW, Here's what I'm seeing locally.
A commercial operator has a single VHF NXDN repeater set to SCAN all of his programmed channels, all using the same TX/RX frequency pair - just different modes and/or squelch codes.
Example:
Ch. 1 NXDN same freq pair, but TX-RX using RAN set 1
Ch. 2 NXDN same freq pair, but TX-RX using RAN set 2
Ch. 3 Analog same freq pair, but TX-RX using PL-Tone set A
Ch. 4 Analog same freq pair, but TX-RX using PL-Tone set B
Ch. 5 Analog same freq pair, but TX-RX using DCS- Code set A
Ch. 6 Analog same freq pair, but TX-RX using DCS- Code set B
The repeater SCANs all of it's programmed channels. While scanning, the first signal in, whether analog/NXDN and with whatever PL, DCS, or RAN code it has, activates the repeater in it's respective mode with the appropriate squelch code. Post conversation, when the repeater drops and the prescribed wait time elapses, it resumes SCANNING all channels waiting for the next signal to stop the SCAN and start the process all over again.
I'm guessing that all the radios on this system might have Busy Channel Lock-Out enabled so a user can't key up if some other mode/squelch code is using the machine. I'm told that he tells his customers to watch for the green Rx light and if it's off, then they can Xmit.
His customers aren't big-time yakkity-yak groups, but he keeps them all separated this way.
To keep some of the Baofeng Bandits off his system, he appears to use a different squelch code (PL, DCS or RAN) for input & output; making it difficult to discover the correct code for the input side of the channel.
Example:
Ch. 1 NXDN same freq pair, but TX-RAN = 10, RX-RAN = 40
Ch. 2 NXDN same freq pair, but TX-RAN = 20, RX-RAN = 50
Some of those Bandits are too lazy to hunt down the correct input codes.
Customers that want the digital features (and are willing to pay for NX- radios) are on the NXDN channels separated by different RAN codes. The rest are analog, separated by a different PL or DCS.
[Off topic, but I've noticed that the usable range of his NXDN exceeds the usable range of analog from the same repeater.]
From what I can tell, he has at least six different channel configs set on that one repeater/freq. pair. Some of his customers are primarily 'weekday / daytime' operations and others are 'night / weekend' types so there's probably not too much conflict.
I hope this addresses your topic.
Good day.
FWIW, Here's what I'm seeing locally.
A commercial operator has a single VHF NXDN repeater set to SCAN all of his programmed channels, all using the same TX/RX frequency pair - just different modes and/or squelch codes.
Example:
Ch. 1 NXDN same freq pair, but TX-RX using RAN set 1
Ch. 2 NXDN same freq pair, but TX-RX using RAN set 2
Ch. 3 Analog same freq pair, but TX-RX using PL-Tone set A
Ch. 4 Analog same freq pair, but TX-RX using PL-Tone set B
Ch. 5 Analog same freq pair, but TX-RX using DCS- Code set A
Ch. 6 Analog same freq pair, but TX-RX using DCS- Code set B
The repeater SCANs all of it's programmed channels. While scanning, the first signal in, whether analog/NXDN and with whatever PL, DCS, or RAN code it has, activates the repeater in it's respective mode with the appropriate squelch code. Post conversation, when the repeater drops and the prescribed wait time elapses, it resumes SCANNING all channels waiting for the next signal to stop the SCAN and start the process all over again.
I'm guessing that all the radios on this system might have Busy Channel Lock-Out enabled so a user can't key up if some other mode/squelch code is using the machine. I'm told that he tells his customers to watch for the green Rx light and if it's off, then they can Xmit.
His customers aren't big-time yakkity-yak groups, but he keeps them all separated this way.
To keep some of the Baofeng Bandits off his system, he appears to use a different squelch code (PL, DCS or RAN) for input & output; making it difficult to discover the correct code for the input side of the channel.
Example:
Ch. 1 NXDN same freq pair, but TX-RAN = 10, RX-RAN = 40
Ch. 2 NXDN same freq pair, but TX-RAN = 20, RX-RAN = 50
Some of those Bandits are too lazy to hunt down the correct input codes.
Customers that want the digital features (and are willing to pay for NX- radios) are on the NXDN channels separated by different RAN codes. The rest are analog, separated by a different PL or DCS.
[Off topic, but I've noticed that the usable range of his NXDN exceeds the usable range of analog from the same repeater.]
From what I can tell, he has at least six different channel configs set on that one repeater/freq. pair. Some of his customers are primarily 'weekday / daytime' operations and others are 'night / weekend' types so there's probably not too much conflict.
I hope this addresses your topic.
Good day.
- Thread Starter
- #7
Vern,
Thank you for posting that. I am an end user on a conventional NXDN repeater, but I still have a LOT to learn about it.
For example, are their any NXDN radios that can be programmed for mixed mode receive, similar to what Motorola Astro radios can do? I had an XTS5000 and, later, and APX7000. A local hambone group had a Quantar repeater. I had one channel position I programmed for mixed-mode receive. It would respond to either NAC $293 or PL 127.3 hZ.
Thank you for posting that. I am an end user on a conventional NXDN repeater, but I still have a LOT to learn about it.
For example, are their any NXDN radios that can be programmed for mixed mode receive, similar to what Motorola Astro radios can do? I had an XTS5000 and, later, and APX7000. A local hambone group had a Quantar repeater. I had one channel position I programmed for mixed-mode receive. It would respond to either NAC $293 or PL 127.3 hZ.
kpop
Regular Member
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2020
- Messages
- 10
My ICOM F3161 does mixed mode, but it seemed to take too long to unmute so I got rid of it and use separate channels for analog and digital receive.
Yep, through trial and error, we found that in the Icom software, on the 'Zone' page, go to the far right column and check "FAST UNMUTE". This was especially true if you were using a F3161D on a system with a newer version Kenwood repeater that had Over-The-Air-Alias. Without checking that box, the Icoms missed a lot of NXDN traffic whether they were set to NXDN or Mixed.
My familiarity with the programming is limited - and only to the NX-200, 220, 3000, 5000 series and their related mobiles.
As I recall, you can program any channel as mixed mode for receive, but you need to specify only analog or NXDN for the TX on each mixed mode channel. So in mixed mode it would open the squelch for either analog or NXDN but your pre-programmed selection determined the mode of your TX.
Locally, our public safety is NXDN but all of their repeaters are in mixed mode so that in a mutual aid situation, the calvary coming in to help from other non-NXDN areas can still communicate with the locals in analog. The local users need to switch to an analog TX channel in that scenario. State agencies use P25 conventional and have local freqs in their radios so they can switch to a local channel and talk with county on analog. Dispatcher or field unit switches to an analog-TX channel to reply.