I'm attempting to update an existing repeater system that currently uses a Hall voter in tandem with a ComSpec TP-38 CTCSS repeater tone panel. The replacement RF deck is a Kenwood TKR-850 Series I. The previous RF deck was a KSG-4500, operating in a plain, dumb, duplexed TX / RX mode with no internal controller, PL decode, etc. I used the ComSpec TP-38 in the repeat audio path following the Hall voted audio to handle PL encode-decode, TOT, carrier delay/squelch tail, etc.
Reading from the Repeater-Builder site, I came across the following comment regarding use of an 850: "If you are using an external controller you set it to "duplex base" mode, with COR on Aux out #1 and TOR (tone decode) on Aux out #2." I would very much like to eliminate the need for the TP-38 external CTCSS unit if at all possible, instead utilizing the TKR-850's INTERNAL PL encode/decode capabilities, carrier delay, CW ID, etc. My questions is: If I program the 850 from "repeater" into "duplex" operation, do I lose all those features normally found in "repeater" mode, rendering the 850 back to a "dumb" radio like its predecessor? Assuming those features DO remain, how does one "break" the normal, internal repeat audio path, since it will be necessary to route local receiver audio out to the Hall voter for comparator operation? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mike Simpson MIDCOM, Inc.
