Puxing 777 further Q's

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Quinny1
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Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by Quinny1 »

As you know, I've recently taken delivery of 1 of the 5 777's that I ordered for the local scout group, and so far the reports seem to be positive. (The other 4 are still in transit somewhere in the world!!!!)

However I have a further couple of questions I hope you guys can answer.

1. Is it possible via the keyboard to have alpha tags showing instead of channel numbers once programmed? I can't get it to show the local repeater name on the display, but it will programme in as such in self programming mode.

2. Although the squelch is factory set at 5, no matter what I do, I can't get the squelch to stay open like you can with a rotary squelch knob so that you can hear the white noise.

That's all for now, but I'm sure I'll think of more as we go along.
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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by fez »

For white noise Hold the monitor button under ptt. Or set the squelch to 0.

For alpha tags to show it needs to be in memory mode only, Which then a VFO can't be selected.
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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by Quinny1 »

The squelch is/was set to 0, but it still wasn't open, but yes, it would open with the monitor button, but close as soon as you let go.

Might be having a blonde moment, but can't work out how to keep it in memory mode. :?
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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by Quinny1 »

Right.

Now worked out how to keep alpha tag names on the display, but still trying to keep the squelch low.
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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by bigbloke »

if you have enabled CTCSS DECODE on the repeater memory and you set
squelch to "0" you probably still wont hear anything

dunno if this breaks with the monitor button - never tried it to be honest -
I always set up repeaters with ctcss encode and no decode, except for GB3W..B?..is it ? one of the weston ones thats dual mode analogue / d-star

IIRC there is a menu setting way up in the high numbers that enables name display in memory mode, I'll try and look it up later

but if you're in frequency mode , then no - you cant display memory names

hth

Regards / seasons greetings

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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by Quinny1 »

Can't work out how to disable the ctcss decode so that the repeater id cw tones can be heard. (Can only hear the audio 'over' pip at the moment.)

The only reason I was going to have this feature in the way described, is that the radios are going to be loaned to M6 licencees within the scouts, and hearing the repeater id cw tones to them, will mean that everything is ok.

It's a damn site easier to programmme my FT 7800 than this little thing!!!! :lol:
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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by bigbloke »

Hi again,

I dont have a 777 here right now to step through the process but you have two choices:

SELF PROGRAM mode:

Enter self program mode (er...its a 2 button press IIRC ...side button and Middle upper ?)

locate the memory no.

step through

I "think" its RX FREQ, TX freq , RX CTCSS (turn this off) , TX CTCSS (leave this on)

keep stepping through until you get to the next channel number e.g. if you edited ch-001 wait till you see CH-002

turn radio off / on

or

Use the software

no further description needed . just turn of DECODE leave ENCODE

regards

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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by Quinny1 »

Right.Q3.

2 more have turned up today, and I've programmed the first of these as per the original one, however when I key up the mic, the first transmission I do is fine but then thereafter there is a 'toneburst' for want of a better phrase, and no audio is transmitted according to the person I am doing the test with. (I have another radio on standby on the relevant frequency so can quickly switch to that.)

What is happening here?
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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by Quinny1 »

Right.After much playing about with the 3 that I have so far......

The tone that I mention doesn't go off if you wait for the local repeater id cw tones to finish, however if you key up during the id cw tones, it goes off.

How bizzarre is that? :?

I have to say that I'm still impressed with them once you get used to them though, but I'm sure I'll have more Q's so please bear with me.

PS. The ctcss decode has now been sussed. Thanks BB
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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by bigbloke »

I think I had exactly the same problem when I first got a 777 in the lab
took me a good quarter hour to figure out what the **** was going on! :D

When approaching these "pop stars" (I'm still smiling at that!) its important to
remember that these sets are really "professional" radio sets that "happen" to
work within "Ham" bands rather than "Ham" sets that can be "opened up" to
cover "professional" bands. The approach and therefore feature-set is different

As a result they have "professional features" that are designed to be set up
by experienced technicians for use by people who just press talk / release / and listen without thinking :D

One of these "features" is the "Etiquette filter" (as I now call it)

Basically Its a "Wait till the other persons finished before YOU transmit" logic filter
designed to stop two stations keying over each other when in simplex
mode. BUT! when you set this parameter ON in memory it has a wierd effect when used with repeater memories!

1) You key up the repeater e.g "this is M3ZZZ" checking access" and release the PTT

2) Upon releasing the PTT the receiver is listening to the carrier of the repeater, Squelch opens.

3) So you try and make a call through, and key up again ....

4) BUT the radio is assuming your trying to key OVER the other person speaking (because the squelch is open) !
therefore it doesn't let you transmit, and sends you a warning tone to tell you your locked out.

5) The repeater drops carrier - squelch closes - radio assumes the other guy has finished talking and
relinquishes control of the PTT!

6) Goto 1) :D :D :D

I dont have Puxings here - but i'll have a look on my radio server for a note on the parameter, and post again.
are you programming these by hand? or by the software ? (software is WAY easier !)

The other thing you mentioned relating to CTCSS and repeater CW Idents may be a "feature" of the repeater
and not the radio.

Many repeaters turn ON their CTCSS encoders at the start of an over, leave them on for the timer reset pip,
then if there are no more takers, they turn OFF the CTCSS encoder BEFORE sending the CW ident.

Therefore if you've set the radio to CTCSS decode as well as encode then as soon as the repeater stops sending
the ctcss tone your squelch will close and you wont hear the CW.

As a VHF/UHF DXer I tend to leave my radios with CTCSS ENCODE set ON but decode set OFF (except for the weston
super mare repeater which is dual mode analogue/d-star so both are ON to get rid of the D-STAR buzz)

in that way I get to hear distant repeaters when theres a lift on , but under normal conditions only access my local boxes

I'll go and look up the puxing parameter and post back here

regards

BB
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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by bigbloke »

right...according to my puxing notes (these are no substitute for the manual!!!)

the paramater is BUSY LOCK in the software

you can set it in the programming software to either:

CLOSE <---etiquette filter off
CARRIER <---dont allow PTT when squelch open
QT/DQT <-- dont allow PTT when CTCSS / DCS tone present

for repeaters, set this to CLOSE

now when programming from the keypad its the same parameter but a bit more
cloak and dagger! its at menu 6 in self mode....

so [SIDE1]+[MENU} + power on = SELF (self program mode)
[ENTER] - to go to CH-001
rotate the knob to the target channel e.g. CH-001 1 <---this 1 is now MENU NUMBER !!!!! NOT MEM NO!!
[ENTER]
<frequency displayed 2> This is the RX frequency
[ENTER]
<RX CTCSS/DCS setting 3> OFF / CT valus / DCS value
[ENTER]
<frequency displayed 4> This is the TX frequency
[ENTER]
<TX CTCSS/DCS setting 5> This is the TX CTCSS/DCS value
[ENTER]
<OFF/1/2 6> This is the busy lock setting - if you set the value to 1 (or 2 with CTCSS decode on) it enables the "etiquette filter" - therefore set to OFF
[ENTER]
...
[ENTER]

till

<CH-002 1> is displayed

turn off / turn on again

hope that fixes it

remember to that in frequency mode there are 3 possible CTCSS setting places !

C-CDC? is COMMON ctcss - sets for both RX and TX TOGETHER
R-CDC? is RECEIVE ONLY ctcss
T-CDC? is TRANSMIT ONLY ctcss

C-CDC settings override both others - use with caution !

hope this solves it

regards

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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by Quinny1 »

How comprehensive is that? :D

Thanks for your help BB, I'll try that tomorrow as I'm off to bed now.

BTW, they are being programmed by hand rather that software.
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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by bigbloke »

seriously though , the software is free and the leads are under a tenner on E-bay / 409 shop

you will save yourself a LOT of pain programming these up with a PC .

As the chancellor of the exchequer says at the end of his budget speech

"I commend it to the house!" :D

regards

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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by Quinny1 »

Well that's that done, and everything is working as I like it, but I'm sure something else will crop up.

Thanks so far BB. :D
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Re: Puxing 777 further Q's

Post by Quinny1 »

Well eventually the last 2 turned up today, after much complaining to 409Shop.

According to the tracking, they were posted on the 7th, but I'm unsure which postal service is to blame?

Anyhow, they have now been programmed in to match the other 3, and they will hopefully be handed over to their rightful owners, the 23rd Wakefield Scouts, next week.

Just in time as well, as the annual midnight walk takes place next month.

If anyone is near, we will be utilising GB3YW through the night. I think it's January 8th, but I'll confirm nearer the time.
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