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Difference between revisions of "Fire Tone Out"

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==Common Questions and Answers==
 
==Common Questions and Answers==
 
'''Can a non-Uniden DMA scanner be set up to measure or react to a FTO?'''
 
'''Can a non-Uniden DMA scanner be set up to measure or react to a FTO?'''
* Currently only the Uniden DMA scanners are actually set up to react to a FTO. However, any scanner can be utilized to measure the FTO, using the right software (some suggested links are below).
+
* Currently only the Uniden DMA scanners are actually set up to react to a FTO. However, any scanner can be utilized to measure the FTO, using the right software (some suggested links are below). This includes Uniden scanners that don't have FTO capability, RS or GRE scanners, AOR, ect.
  
'''What do I need to connect a scanner to measure a FTO? Is a discriminator tap needed?'''
+
'''What do I need to connect a scanner that isnt FTO capable to measure it? Is a discriminator tap needed?'''
 
* No discriminator tap is required, as the tones are generally within a voice range of audio frequencies. A good clean connection from the PC to the soundcard is often all that is needed. See the [[Connecting Radios to Soundcards]] article for more on this subject
 
* No discriminator tap is required, as the tones are generally within a voice range of audio frequencies. A good clean connection from the PC to the soundcard is often all that is needed. See the [[Connecting Radios to Soundcards]] article for more on this subject
  

Revision as of 19:56, 7 March 2009

Fire-Tone Out Operation allows the scanner to operate in a standby mode and respond to fire tone-outs, a system comprised of standardized two-tone sequential paging, short one-tone paging, and long group tone paging. You can save up to 10 settings. When you select a setting in standby mode, the scanner also monitors for any other setting that uses the same transmit frequency, modulation, and attenuation settings.

See The Unofficial Fire Tone Out Tutorial & Guide.

Common Questions and Answers

Can a non-Uniden DMA scanner be set up to measure or react to a FTO?

  • Currently only the Uniden DMA scanners are actually set up to react to a FTO. However, any scanner can be utilized to measure the FTO, using the right software (some suggested links are below). This includes Uniden scanners that don't have FTO capability, RS or GRE scanners, AOR, ect.

What do I need to connect a scanner that isnt FTO capable to measure it? Is a discriminator tap needed?

  • No discriminator tap is required, as the tones are generally within a voice range of audio frequencies. A good clean connection from the PC to the soundcard is often all that is needed. See the Connecting Radios to Soundcards article for more on this subject

Can I use the scanner and FTO at the same time?

  • No, only one function can be active at a time. Use as a scanner, or monitoring for a FTO, but not both.

Why is my FTO scanning the FTO memories?

  • The scanner is showing you all systems it is actively looking for. A tone alert on ANY will alert you whether that is the one currently displayed or not. The unit will alert on any tone on the same frequency (and mode).

I don't know the tone timing for my local paging system for FTO use

  • This is no longer an issue. Later firmware releases deleted the need to know this information.

Where can I find the tone outs for my area?

  • The RadioReference database has this information stored at the county level. Look at your county, then examine the tabs at the top for 'Files' or 'Codes'. On occasion, these values are kept in spreadsheets available in the 'Downloads' tab

The Fire Tone Outs for my area arent in the database. How can I find them?

  • Fire personnel are often reluctant to give out this information. Try asking in your state forum, or in one of the many Yahoo groups set up by states and regions. A list of these can be found here. Alternately you can use software (below) to discover the correct tones

Im missing calls; decoding doesnt seem to be reliable. How can I fix this?

  • Per UPman, setting the wrong mode will affect the accuracy of the decoding. Try changing the modulation from Auto to one of the other 2 modes, dependent on what the correct default is for the frequency being monitored.

What tone frequencies and tone durations are used?

  • Midian Electronics has a tone signaling chart of the various industry standard tone signaling formats.

Software known to decode Fire Tone outs

Also see Guide to Using Audacity to Find Fire Tones.


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