I just got my Technician license and I'm having trouble with the local repeater. I can hear conversations perfectly clear on 146.94 MHz, but when I transmit, nothing happens - the repeater doesn't repeat my signal. The repeater directory shows a CTCSS tone of 131.8 Hz. I've programmed this into my Baofeng UV-5R but I'm still not getting through. What am I missing?

I've double-checked the frequency and offset (+600 kHz) multiple times. Could there be something wrong with how I'm programming the tone?

Programming CTCSS tones properly is one of the most common issues newcomers face with repeater operation. Make sure you're setting the tone for transmit (usually labeled "T-CTCS" or similar in your radio menu). Some radios have separate settings for transmit and receive tones - you only need the transmit tone to access the repeater.

I had the exact same problem when I started! Double-check that you've programmed the CTCSS tone correctly by looking it up in a repeater directory - sometimes the listing shows DCS codes instead of CTCSS tones, and they're not interchangeable. Also try holding your PTT a bit longer to give the tone decoder time to recognize your signal.

Lower frequency CTCSS tones like 67.0 Hz can take longer to decode than higher ones, sometimes causing the first syllable or two to be clipped. Since you're using 131.8 Hz, that shouldn't be the issue. Try manually entering the tone frequency rather than selecting from a preset list - some radios have slightly different tone frequencies in their menus than what the repeater actually requires.