Talk permit vs actual access

[glink]

Greetings all. I am on a project in North Africa. We have two DR3000s in IP Site Connect (using Canopy PTP300 link), about 60km apart. One repeater had a network port failure, so there's a backup unit in place (sadly only 25W). I find that subscriber radios are roaming to this repeater when within fringe coverage (roaming threshold -106dBm). When PTT pressed, they get talk permit tone, but the call is not successful. Surely a talk permit tone means they're within effective range of the repeater? When they get closer, the call goes through. Hopefully when the 45W unit is repaired, this problem goes away. I have tried all sorts of roaming threshold values to try to get them to lock onto this repeater only when closer, but it makes no difference. This permit tone without actual access doesn't make sense  
Any thoughts would be most welcome

[JtB]

What you're reporting doesn't make sense. The fact that you hear the talk permit tone means the radio is synchronised to the repeater and transmitting. If the call is not getting through then the repeater mustn't be hearing the radio's transmission, but switching from a 45W to a 25W repeater shouldn't affect the talk in range so there must be something else going on. When you say the radios are in fringe coverage, are you referring to the transmitting or receiving radios? Also, if you have privacy enabled in the radios, are you sure you have the corresponding privacy type enabled in the repeater?

[emsgeorge]

What do the other radios on the receiving end look like - signal strength indicator, does the mute open at all, group code shown on display ?.

If you are getting the talk permit tone, then as jtb says, the radio has 'handshaked' with the repeater.

Can you private call or text from radio to radio.

If you haven't changed the antenna config, I would take another look at all connections, and see if anythings amiss, assuming all is ok with the repeater.

Encryption keys ? - if you are using enhanced privacy the radios won't unmute if the keys don't match. Basic privacy will have garbled speech.

[bw18]

Is there a delay between pressing the PTT and hearing the tone? There should be a very small delay as the repeater confirms/sync's the timeslot and allows access. If the radio is not within coverage you should be hearing a long tone until you release the PTT.

If the tone is instant as you press the PTT then that would suggest (although you are not) you are operating in simplex, or, talkaround has been activated. I don't beleive there is an auto revert to talkaround failing a repeater opening for a TX.

As everyone else has said... check the privacy settings!

All very strange though!

BW

[artois77]

When PTT pressed, they get talk permit tone, but the call is not successful. Surely a talk permit tone means they're within effective range of the repeater?

Can I ask what version firmware you are using on the Mototrbo equipment?

[glink]

Many thanks to all who have responded to this odd problem. I have been unable to access the net for a while. The problem is peculiar to a particular repeater, and we think it may be a front end issue. Replacing it with another unit (programmed exactly the same) and you're either within range, or not. I upgraded the older DR to the latest firmware (R01.08.10) and had no change. It's on it's way back to a Moto service centre in South Africa (my home country)
The group code displayed intermittently on other receiving radios, and sometimes there would be audio, sometimes not. Once again my thanks to all responders.

[radiobup]

There is also R01.08.11 now...