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COMMENTS
Our hamshack has both the 2 meter and the 220 local repeaters on 24 hours a day. Not always are we within hearing range or capable of answering the call made on those repeaters but we do try to keep up with whatever is happening. At least twice we have been able to get emergency help that couldn't be found any other way.
Many use their radios only when they expect to find someone. Lately , there has been an extremely annoying noise on the 2 meter repeater and those who use the repeater less often don't get as bothered by this extra noise as those of the 24 hour a day group. As a result of this it has been necessary to use the PL tones to secure the repeater from this noise.
The easiest way for uses of the repeater to live with the noise until the source is found is to turn on their PL tones and just leave them on. No need to turn them off at any time and the repeater can be used just like it has been in the past. No pain, no sweat!
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CTCSS
Continuous Tone Coded Subaudible Squelch is the official name. It is more commonly known as PL, or Private Line which is a Motorola term from many years ago. CTCSS tones range from 67.0 to 218.1 hertz. The tone is transmitted continuously while the transmitter is keyed. A receiver is configured to open its squelch when the correct CTCSS tone is received. This allows multiple users to occupy the same frequency but receive only the transmissions intended for them.
The W8DF repeater is capable of operating with CTCSS.. The repeater has seldom required CTCSS in its history. Over the past several weeks, an interfering signal has caused the repeater to transmit.. To relieve this annoyance, the CTCSS requirement has been turned on. All reasonably modern (less than 25 years old) transceivers have the ability to transmit CTCSS. The tone can be transmitted at all times without problem.
The CTCSS for W8DF is 94.8 hertz for the 146.66 and 443.95 repeaters. If you don't have it enabled, turn it on! If you need help, get it!
Don-W8RVT
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