How the codes are matched
Every radio maker numbers codes its own way, so we keep each maker’s table as printed in its manual. Codes 1–38 are the same 38 tones, in the same order, on every brand checked; Uniden says so in its manual: only tones 1–38 are standard across brands.8 Above 38 the numbering splits. Motorola, Uniden and Rocky Talkie run DCS on in one list, from code 39. Midland and Cobra keep a separate DCS list that starts again at 1.1479
CTCSS tones 1–38
| Code | Tone, Hz |
|---|---|
| 1 | 67.0 |
| 2 | 71.9 |
| 3 | 74.4 |
| 4 | 77.0 |
| 5 | 79.7 |
| 6 | 82.5 |
| 7 | 85.4 |
| 8 | 88.5 |
| 9 | 91.5 |
| 10 | 94.8 |
| 11 | 97.4 |
| 12 | 100.0 |
| 13 | 103.5 |
| 14 | 107.2 |
| 15 | 110.9 |
| 16 | 114.8 |
| 17 | 118.8 |
| 18 | 123.0 |
| 19 | 127.3 |
| Code | Tone, Hz |
|---|---|
| 20 | 131.8 |
| 21 | 136.5 |
| 22 | 141.3 |
| 23 | 146.2 |
| 24 | 151.4 |
| 25 | 156.7 |
| 26 | 162.2 |
| 27 | 167.9 |
| 28 | 173.8 |
| 29 | 179.9 |
| 30 | 186.2 |
| 31 | 192.8 |
| 32 | 203.5 |
| 33 | 210.7 |
| 34 | 218.1 |
| 35 | 225.7 |
| 36 | 233.6 |
| 37 | 241.8 |
| 38 | 250.3 |
Professional radios and some GMRS radios offer the full list of 50 tones: 67.0, 69.3, 71.9, 74.4, 77.0, 79.7, 82.5, 85.4, 88.5, 91.5, 94.8, 97.4, 100.0, 103.5, 107.2, 110.9, 114.8, 118.8, 123.0, 127.3, 131.8, 136.5, 141.3, 146.2, 151.4, 156.7, 159.8, 162.2, 165.5, 167.9, 171.3, 173.8, 177.3, 179.9, 183.5, 186.2, 189.9, 192.8, 196.6, 199.5, 203.5, 206.5, 210.7, 218.1, 225.7, 229.1, 233.6, 241.8, 250.3, 254.1 Hz.15
DCS codes and their numbers by brand
| DCS code | Motorola, Uniden, Rocky Talkie | Midland, Cobra (DCS mode) |
|---|---|---|
| D023 | 39 | 1 |
| D025 | 40 | 2 |
| D026 | 41 | 3 |
| D031 | 42 | 4 |
| D032 | 43 | 5 |
| D043 | 44 | 6 |
| D047 | 45 | 7 |
| D051 | 46 | 8 |
| D054 | 47 | 9 |
| D065 | 48 | 10 |
| D071 | 49 | 11 |
| D072 | 50 | 12 |
| D073 | 51 | 13 |
| D074 | 52 | 14 |
| D114 | 53 | 15 |
| D115 | 54 | 16 |
| D116 | 55 | 17 |
| D125 | 56 | 18 |
| D131 | 57 | 19 |
| D132 | 58 | 20 |
| D134 | 59 | 21 |
| D143 | 60 | 22 |
| D152 | 61 | 23 |
| D155 | 62 | 24 |
| D156 | 63 | 25 |
| D162 | 64 | 26 |
| D165 | 65 | 27 |
| D172 | 66 | 28 |
| D174 | 67 | 29 |
| D205 | 68 | 30 |
| D223 | 69 | 31 |
| D226 | 70 | 32 |
| D243 | 71 | 33 |
| D244 | 72 | 34 |
| D245 | 73 | 35 |
| D251 | 74 | 36 |
| D261 | 75 | 37 |
| D263 | 76 | 38 |
| D265 | 77 | 39 |
| D271 | 78 | 40 |
| D306 | 79 | 41 |
| D311 | 80 | 42 |
| D315 | 81 | 43 |
| D331 | 82 | 44 |
| D343 | 83 | 45 |
| D346 | 84 | 46 |
| D351 | 85 | 47 |
| D364 | 86 | 48 |
| D365 | 87 | 49 |
| D371 | 88 | 50 |
| D411 | 89 | 51 |
| D412 | 90 | 52 |
| D413 | 91 | 53 |
| D423 | 92 | 54 |
| D431 | 93 | 55 |
| D432 | 94 | 56 |
| D445 | 95 | 57 |
| D464 | 96 | 58 |
| D465 | 97 | 59 |
| D466 | 98 | 60 |
| D503 | 99 | 61 |
| D506 | 100 | 62 |
| D516 | 101 | 63 |
| D532 | 102 | 64 |
| D546 | 103 | 65 |
| D565 | 104 | 66 |
| D606 | 105 | 67 |
| D612 | 106 | 68 |
| D624 | 107 | 69 |
| D627 | 108 | 70 |
| D631 | 109 | 71 |
| D632 | 110 | 72 |
| D654 | 111 | 73 |
| D662 | 112 | 74 |
| D664 | 113 | 75 |
| D703 | 114 | 76 |
| D712 | 115 | 77 |
| D723 | 116 | 78 |
| D731 | 117 | 79 |
| D732 | 118 | 80 |
| D734 | 119 | 81 |
| D743 | 120 | 82 |
| D754 | 121 | 83 |
| D036 | 122 (142-code radios) | 84 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D053 | 123 (142-code radios) | 85 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D122 | 124 (142-code radios) | 86 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D145 | 125 (142-code radios) | 87 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D212 | 126 (142-code radios) | 88 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D225 | 127 (142-code radios) | 89 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D246 | 128 (142-code radios) | 90 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D252 | 129 (142-code radios) | 91 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D255 | 130 (142-code radios) | 92 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D266 | 131 (142-code radios) | 93 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D274 | 132 (142-code radios) | 94 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D325 | 133 (142-code radios) | 95 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D332 | 134 (142-code radios) | 96 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D356 | 135 (142-code radios) | 97 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D446 | 136 (142-code radios) | 98 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D452 | 137 (142-code radios) | 99 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D454 | 138 (142-code radios) | 100 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D455 | 139 (142-code radios) | 101 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D462 | 140 (142-code radios) | 102 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D523 | 141 (142-code radios) | 103 (GXT1000, G-series) |
| D526 | 142 (142-code radios) | 104 (GXT1000, G-series) |
How each radio line numbers its codes
| Radio line | Codes | Where the numbers come from | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorola Talkabout (T-series) | 121: one list, 1–38 tones, 39–121 DCS | Code table in the maker’s manual | 1 |
| Midland GXT1000-series (142 codes) | 38 tones + 104 DCS, two lists | Code table in the maker’s manual | 4 |
| Midland LXT600, LXT630, LXT650 | 38 tones + 83 DCS, two lists | Code table in the maker’s manual | 5 |
| Cobra ACXT and RX (microTALK) | 38 tones + 83 DCS, two lists | The manual gives only the counts; numbering inferred | 11 |
| Uniden GMR5099, GMR6000, GMR2059 (142 codes) | 142: one list, 1–38 tones, 39–142 DCS | Code table in the maker’s manual | 7 |
| Uniden SX409 (121 codes) | 121: one list, 1–38 tones, 39–121 DCS | Code table in the maker’s manual | 7 |
| Uniden GMR2238 (99 codes) | 99: one list, 1–38 tones, 39–99 DCS | Code table in the maker’s manual | 7 |
| Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio | 121: one list, 1–38 tones, 39–121 DCS | Code table in the maker’s manual | 9 |
| Rocky Talkie Expedition Radio | 155: 1–121 as Motorola, 122–134 extra tones, 135–155 extra DCS | Code table in the maker’s manual | 10 |
| Motorola TLKR and Talkabout (PMR446) | 121: one list, 1–38 tones, 39–121 DCS | The manual gives only the counts; numbering inferred | 3 |
| Midland G7 Pro, G9 Pro (PMR446) | 38 tones + 104 DCS, two lists | The manual gives only the counts; numbering inferred | 6 |
| Radios set by the tone itself (Retevis, Baofeng, Kenwood) | No numbers: you pick the tone in Hz or the DCS code | Code table in the maker’s manual | 13 |
Radios from Retevis, Baofeng and Kenwood are set by the tone or code itself rather than by a number. Their DCS codes come in a normal (N) and an inverted (I) form: a code only matches the same polarity; consumer radios use N.
Questions
What is a privacy code on a walkie-talkie?
A sub-audible tone (CTCSS) or a digital code (DCS) sent under your voice. A radio with a code set opens its speaker only for signals carrying that code, so you stop hearing other groups on the same channel.115
Do privacy codes make my conversation private?
No. They only make your own radio ignore signals without the code. Anyone on the same channel with the code switched off, or set to yours, hears everything you say.112 GMRS rules forbid coded or hidden-meaning messages anyway.16
Why can’t my Motorola and Midland radios hear each other?
Usually the code numbers. Codes 1–38 are the same tones on every brand checked, but DCS is numbered differently: code 39 on a Motorola Talkabout is DCS 023, which a Midland calls DCS code 1.14 Pick your radio and code above to get the matching number.
What is the difference between CTCSS and DCS?
CTCSS adds one continuous analog tone between 67.0 and 254.1 Hz. DCS sends a repeating digital code at about 134 bits per second, written as three octal digits such as 023, in a normal and an inverted form.1415 A radio set to a tone does not open for a DCS code, and the other way round.
What does code 0 mean?
Off. The radio hears every signal on the channel, whatever code the sender uses. It sends no code itself, so a radio that has a code set will not hear it.28
What is squelch?
Squelch keeps the speaker silent until a signal is strong enough, so you do not hear hiss between calls. CTCSS and DCS are coded squelch: the speaker opens only for a strong signal that also carries the right code.
Are FRS channel numbers the same on every brand?
Yes for channels 1–22, which are fixed by the FCC. Some radios add more channel numbers that are an FRS channel with a preset code: Rocky Talkie’s Mountain Radio channels 23–128 are FRS channels 1–22 with codes 12, 18, 24, 32 or 38.9
