Frequently Asked Questions Related to Garmin Cortex Software Update 2.0

The Cortex 2.0 software update introduced a wide array of exciting new features and improvements. Below you will find answers to frequently asked questions about some of the changes. Additional information about the application can also be found in the related articles at the bottom of the page.

How do you manually adjust the Squelch?

From the VHF view, select the VHF channel you wish to use. Press the “Activity” tab (left tab above Watch mode). A graph will show you the Activity line which sits above the VHF noise floor. You can rotate the scroll wheel, or tap the screen, and then manually set the squelch level.  When manually set, the solid green Squelch line will appear.  If the VHF value is below the Activity line and below the Squelch line the squelch will not break.  If the VHF value is above the Squelch line (i.e. you are receiving a transmission), then the squelch will break you and you will hear audio.

If you wish to change the squelch, turn the rotary wheel to enable the manual squelch.  A clockwise will increase the squelch threshold while a counter-clockwise turn will  lower the squelch threshold until noise will be heard. This is the new squelch level on the selected channel. You can adjust it manually or tap the Auto Squelch button to return to auto squelch, which will be at the level of the Activity line.

How do I listen to the VHF recording feature in the new update?

The clips are shown under the activity graph, the oldest being on the left with the most recent on the right. Tap the clip you wish to hear and the audio will play on the handset.

How do I change the VHF Watch modes without going back into settings?

On the VHF you can change watch modes by pressing the red 16 button on the screen and holding it for a second. The Watch Modes menu will appear, and you can select a different watch mode.

While using Watch Mode presets, how do I set up the pre-scan channels and adjust their priority?

Use the rotary wheel to select your desired channel. Press and hold the watch mode channel you wish to assign this channel to in the presets tab. Channel 16 always has highest priority (far right) and priority increases from left to right. For example, in the screenshot shown above, channel 16 has highest priority, then 8, 22, 68 and the least priority is channel 13.

Why does the activity screen not change when the calling channel changes?

When in any watch mode that is not “Off” and you are on the activity screen, you may see the calling channel change and VHF audio is received.  It is by design that the activity screen does not change in this case.  You can see which channel the VHF audio is coming from by looking at the VHF calling indicator at the top of the screen.

Why is the activity line (noise) always showing very high?

This can be a result of ambient noise. This screen shot shows a very high noise level and the squelch cannot be adjusted high enough to allow anything to be heard. The noise can come from other devices such as LED lighting, power transformers, WiFi routers, etc.  Some devices create noise on specific channels, while other devices create broad spectrum noise that cover multiple channels.

To isolate the problem try turning all devices off but keep Cortex running. Then turn on one device at a time while viewing the activity tab.  You may find that multiple devices create various levels of noise.

On the Cortex handset, what does the weather channel icon do?

Pressing the weather icon when the VHF channel selection is unlocked, provides a shortcut for switching the channel to your selected weather channel. In most cases Cortex will be able to automatically determine the weather channel automatically.  However, if you want to change the weather channel or manually set it, then you can navigate to Settings > VHF > Weather channel and tap the checkbox (circle) on the right side of the weather channel.