How to Use the Squelch Button on your Mobile Radio

[Scooter]

I've constantly been amazed over the years by the fact that only about 2% of planters understand what the squelch button does on a mobile radio. In fact, I was talking to a camp supervisor this past summer who didn't know what it was. I showed him how it worked, and his exact quote was, "That's the single most useful thing that anyone has told me in at least three weeks." So a few weeks later, I took ten minutes out of my life and filmed a short video to try to explain it.

Now the first half of this video is EXTREMELY basic. If you already know how to turn the radio on, and you want to just learn about the squelch button, skip to the 3:20 mark of the video.

So anyway, now you'll know what this knob does. As soon as many of the foremen in the industry start to understand how the squelch works, the new planters over the next few years will start to learn, and before long this info will propagate throughout the industry. And if you've ever been frustrated when you've been trying to talk to someone on the radio who appears to be just out of range, you'll appreciate this trick. Most people mistakenly assume that it's best to put the knob "all the way up," but that actually prevents the radio from picking up faint signals that originate further away from you. As besides, other than just the "bonus" things about this, like convenience and efficiency, being able to pick up a faint radio call might even help someone, someday, who is injured or hurt and needs help.

Bear with it. The important last half of the video is only three minutes long. Remember that "more squelch" means "more squishing the faint radio signals so you can't hear them."

[SwampDonkey]

Around NB now-a-days even the truckers use cell phones. In the bush roads most forest companies do require log truck drivers, staff, contractors and road crew to use CB. Much of the remote areas of the province do not have cell reception or week signals on hill tops. I was at a meeting one time about forestry and an Irving rep put up two transparencies. One was the cell phone coverage and the other was Irving freehold and crown license areas. They didn't overlap and he expressed his frustration. ;)

[grouse grind]

How does the squelch work on hand helds? I know our walkies are equipped with a squelch button..does in work in much the same way?

[Scooter]

Yes, essentially. Try listening to someone having a prolonged conversation that is moderately faint, and try working the buttons to see what strengthens or weakens the reception. If that doesn't work, or isn't feasible right now, let me know what model the radio is and I'll do some digging tomorrow night.