What is CTCSS and DCS?

CTCSS Continuous Tone Controlled Squelch System

DCS Digitally Controlled Squelch

While Cobra calls both of these features "Privacy Codes" in our literature, these are not a means to supply extra channels. Rather they are a means for sharing a channel with other people without any annoying interference or cross talk. Even though there may be other people using the channel, you will only hear transmissions from those people who are using the same Privacy Code as you.

Note Anyone using the same channel as you will still be able to hear all transmissions including yours but will be unable to communicate with your radios if they do not know your chosen Privacy Code. This enables exclusive use

Not all models offer CTCSS and DCS.  For those models that do, there are a total of 38 CTCSS codes and 83 DCS codes to choose from.

Either CTCSS or DCS can be used, but only one system can be used on a channel at a given time.  The radio will remember the privacy code system and number you select for each channel.

To successfully communicate using a privacy code both the transmitting and receiving radios must be tuned to the same channel and to the same privacy code system (CTCSS or DCS) and privacy code number.

Note The privacy code 0 or 00 is not a Privacy Code but allows all signals to be heard on a channel.

Note For GMRS radios it is possible to set a ‘split frequency’ for repeater communication where a different privacy code is used for transmissions and for receiving.  For capable radios this can even use one system for transmitting and one for receiving.  For example, a GMRS user may set their radio to the repeater channel 18RP with a transmit DCS of 72 and set a receive CTCSS of 23.