Hi all.
I'm a little old school perhaps, but I'm after some advice on using selcal.
Up until a few months ago, I was a happy outpost radio user (very rarely!) but have now gone over the VKS737 with a Codan unit with selcal.
I'm used to just finding a frequency and using the mike. - I know, old school, BUT I CAN CHANGE!!!!!!
As my "mobile" number is my selcal number with VKS, I take it I set that number in the 4 digit number thingy on the control head????
I then press the "selcal mute" button to send the signal?
This is the bit I'm not clear on.
Like I said, I might be a dinasaur, but considering I hardly ever use it, I just wanted to understand what I now need to do, so treat me gently
Well from the look of that thumbnail you are definitely old school (an 8525B??, from the 1980's??).
First thing is that there are actually two selcall values that can be set. The first is set inside your own radio to the value of your own ident (as provided by VKS737) and the second is set by the switches on the head. This second value is the way that you "call" other users, or a base station.
Calling is pretty straightforward. You set the address of the station you want to call with the switches on the head. You then press the "Call" button on the head once. The radio should start warbling (for about 8-9 seconds) and then stop. After a few seconds (about 5) if the call got through, you should hear a revertive tone from the called station. Its a series of beeps typically. When someone calls you it sounds a bit like a ring tone.
Check out here to see what it looks and sounds like
If you don't have a copy of the operations manual for your radio then have a look on the interweb and you should find one. There are usually plenty of sites with it. You'll definitely need it to explain how to set your own ident inside the radio.
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