MTR2000 -- Consistant Over the air beeping

[tirish101]

Hi Everyone,

I've got a strange one for ya. I searched the forums and didnt find quite what I'm experiencing.


We've got an MTR2000 sitting on a mountain, and the damn thing keeps sending out long strings of beeping. It's not just one beep every ten seconds, or 2 beeps, (As I read in other threads). This is a constant beep beep beep beep beep beep beep that goes on from any where from 3 to 10 seconds. Seems to happen more often when the system is experiencing heavy usage. I've counted upwards of 25 beeps at a time.

Any idea what could be causing the beeping?

[kb4mdz]

Morse CW-ID, set for a ridiculously short interval, and garbage/nonsense characters?

[Batwings21]

And if it gets interrupted, it will start over. That would be the cw id.

[tirish101]

It's been up for several years, and has never done it before...could it still be the CW ID? I thought that was something you could turn on and off within the programming?

[bezking]

Did it get hit by lightening? Maybe some internal component got fried and is doing something strange...

[wavetar]

Sounds like it's putting out low power / high VSWR warning beeps maybe? I don't have a manual handy, but I believe it can put out a different number of beeps depending on the issue, if programmed to do so? Have set up a lot of MTR's, but have had so few issues, not sure on the beeps.

[tirish101]

Here's a Youtube video of the beeping in action. Maybe it will help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz-yqe-9hiQ

Just ignore the "mtr200" typo ;P

[tvsjr]

I can't remember what all the MTR can alert on, but that's definitely not a jacked up CWID. Is there an alert for over temp? That would make sense for more warning during high usage periods.

[tirish101]

Talked to Motorola tech support, and they had never heard that "style" of beeping before. I'll let you guys know what we find out. Just going to have to drive up to the mountian. (Oh darn! ;P)

[tirish101]

Well, we went up to the mountain and took out the MTR2000, and installed a spare/backup MTR3000 that we had at the shop. The beeping is still happening. I guess that means it's coming from somewhere else.

Strange indeed.

[d119]

Do you have a phone patch or wireline remote connected to the thing, or any sort of external controller?

[tirish101]

Nothing connected to the MTR but the Antenna, Power, and Battery Backup (A the moment the battery backup isnt even hooked up. Took it off to be sure that's not causing the issues.)

[thebigphish]

Is it being repeated, or is it coincidentally on the frequencies you are utilizing? A signal that lengthy and strong should be easy to DF.

[Astro Spectra]

Did you tidy the bench for the video or is it always that neat?

[fineshot1]

If it is a repeater perhaps you have another rogue user (intruder) on the input with the same access tone,
perhaps an uncoordinated over the air alarm system of some type I keep hearing about causing all kinds
of havoc with licensed users. Just a thought....

[Bill_G]

Never heard a beep like that.

[tirish101]

The bench is always that neat, it's required to stay neat if you want to get things done quickly and efficiently ;P

After replacing the repeater on the mountain, the beeping continued, so we put the original repeater back in place. We then spent about 3 hours at the site waiting for the beeping to happen, and it never did.

HOWEVER, it was still happening down in the valley. That leads me to believe it's interference coming from somewhere else. The beeping goes away if they change channels, so we know it's not their equipment causing the beeps.

Called the FCC and reported the interference, will just have to wait and see what happens.


Thanks for the advice!

[d119]

This is indeed a strange one, please keep us posted on what the outcome is. I for one would sure like to know!