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Author Topic: IC-9100 as a cross-bander  (Read 11176 times)

K1ZH

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IC-9100 as a cross-bander
« on: December 05, 2017, 02:08:28 PM »

Hi. Is there someone who has experience using the IC-9100 in cross-band repeat mode who would be willing to help me out?

I've recently tried to switch my base unit from the TS-2000 to the IC-9100 and I'm having an issue with it in CBR mode. The problem is that at the end of a call after the receiver squelches, the transmitter remains keyed for 1/4 to 1/2 sec with a modulating signal of max-volume noise. This is very annoying (really it's a show-stopper), especially when linking to another repeater. Is there a setting I've missed? Maybe a firmware/hardware issue? Is it a poorly executed feature on Icom's part?

I've used quite a few different transceivers for CBR, all of them worked flawlessly except the 9100. I'm about to give up and go back to the TS-2000, but I wanted to upgrade to the 9100 for better weak-signal performance.

Thanks,
Steve - K1ZH


« Last Edit: December 05, 2017, 02:15:48 PM by K1ZH »
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K4JJL

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RE: IC-9100 as a cross-bander
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2017, 05:42:55 AM »

Did you set up CTCSS decode on either side?  That goes a long way to eliminate squelch tails.
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K1ZH

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RE: IC-9100 as a cross-bander
« Reply #2 on: December 06, 2017, 03:04:19 PM »

Yes. I have CTCSS set up on the UHF side and when we link to another repeater on the VHF side, there is a PL tone required on xmit.

The problem seems to be with the controller software in the radio. As I said, I can see the receiver go into squelch (the receive LED on the 9100 front panel shuts off). Yet, the transmitter is keyed for an additional 1/2 second after the receiver squelches (the transmit LED on the 9100 front panel remains lit). The transmitter is modulating the PL tone for the entire time it is keyed (as is expected). Thus, the 9100 is actually transmitting a loud burst of modulated noise to the far-end repeater along with the configured PL tone.

For a normal repeater, the controller determines when the PTT signal to the transmitter is active. On our local VHF repeater, the controller uses an output squelch signal from the receiver, plus any configurations for roger-beep, squelch-tail, ID'ing, etc., to determine when to release the input PTT signal to the transmitter. Thus for the 9100 cross-bander, it seems its controller is programmed to blast the far-end with a certain amount of modulated noise at the end of each transmission.

I am hoping there is a setting, firmware update, or hardware mod that will fix this seeming deficiency.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2017, 03:18:40 PM by K1ZH »
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N5DGK

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RE: IC-9100 as a cross-bander
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2018, 06:21:57 PM »

Steve,

What's the procedure for setting up the IC-9100 in cross band repeater mode?

Thanks,

Brook
N5DGK
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K1ZH

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RE: IC-9100 as a cross-bander
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2018, 07:02:17 PM »

From the ICOM website:

http://icom.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2017/kw/cross%20band


I'm not sure how long the link will be valid.
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