Strange Quantar Receiver Panel

[W6WAW]

First, I want to make it clear that this isn't an attempt to promote an ebay auction.

There is a Quantar listed as item 250826688822 that has a very strange receiver front panel that I have never seen. It has some type of extension over the pre-selector tuning screws. My guess is that they would otherwise stick out through the front panel and be vulnerable to damage.

The listing states that this is a UHF unit, but also states s/he has no radio knowledge.

Has anyone ever seen this type of receiver front panel? Maybe it is a SP?

[515]

I think Motorola added that when they made the 403-433 MHz Quantars go down to 380 MHz. I believe tuning the preselector down to 380 makes the screws stick out farther than normal, so that protector was added.

[d119]

That repeater appears to have been part of an ASTRO 6.x or early 7.x system as well, have a look at the rear panel - RJ45 Ethernet connector for IP wireline connection to the PSC 9600.

Not sure if this thing would even do conventional anyway. Definitely not analog. IIRC the SCM's for those IP wireline stations were pretty much dumb cards that only supported digital trunking at 9600 baud. I don't think it even has a separate wireline card - the SCM handled everything. I could be wrong though, my only experience with those stations was in the lab at Schaumburg.

[W6WAW]

Thanks for educating me.

It looks like it is the R1 version that goes down to 380 based on the info that's now posted with the listing. It will be interesting to see if anyone discovers a use for it.

[A0NE6]

d119 is spot on correct. This version is a Range "0" and btw, does not use Quantar RSS. All station programming is through Quantar CSS, a completely different app used for Astro25 trunked systems.

[d119]

d119 is spot on correct. This version is a Range "0" and btw, does not use Quantar RSS. All station programming is through Quantar CSS, a completely different app used for Astro25 trunked systems.

Thats right, I recall that. I also recall that this particular Quantar configuration makes the thing operate more like a GTR 8000 than a Quantar. Kind of like the "Astro Spectra Plus" board for the Astro Spectra - it's more of an XTL 5000 than an Astro Spectra, but not really.

Same deal here with these Quantars.

[motorola_otaku]

Could you not drop a normal Quantar SCM in one and down-convert it to normal operation? Not that it matters for most of the secondary market since they won't work in the 440-450 portion of 70 cm., but still.

[d119]

Could you not drop a normal Quantar SCM in one and down-convert it to normal operation? Not that it matters for most of the secondary market since they won't work in the 440-450 portion of 70 cm., but still.

Sure you could. But again, as you've stated, the bandsplit is beyond useless. Realistically you'd be buying a chassis and backplane, and MAYBE a power supply (could be 24v, 48v, who knows)

[W6WAW]

Yes, not a very useful radio unless you are a fed agency looking for spare parts -- and I don't think that auctions are their normal method to acquire such things.

One OT comment. The seller said it was received in payment of a debt. Hopefully, it was a small one!