Wireless FAQ  -> What is SAT?

A Supervisory Audio Tone (SAT) is a series of tones that is utilized in an AMPS or TACS for identification of the mobile unit. A SAT is similar in concept to a private line (PL) tone found in a two-wave system, and a PL is used for the same purpose except that in two-way systems there are no handoff or other enhanced features as found in AMPSs and TACSs.

SAT consists of three frequencies, each spaced 30 Hz apart from each other. Each SAT frequency has a corresponding code that is referenced differently depending on the switching manufacturer being used. The table below is a quick reference for SATs:

In the table, the alternative codes are given because in many cases the datafill for the cell cite is populated using a 1-through-3 numbering scheme. The specification for air communication uses the 0-through-2 numbering scheme.