Batboard

Can anybody tell me if I would need to use a system key to program a conventional VHF Quantar repeater. If so does batlabs show you how to make one, or does anybody know how? Is the Quantar a good quality repeater? Are there any bugs I should know about before purchasing one?

A system key is only used if you're using a trunking system. You program it into the radios on the system.

I have no idea how things are done with the trunking controller, but I'd assume you need a key for that.

So no, you don't need a system key if you're using it just for conventional.

-M

Are you looking for a new or used Quantar? The units can be configured in many different ways. If your looking at a used station get as much information as you can. But they can ship as a base station (option X662)
I have not upgraded these in the field and do not know if you can upgrade it to a repeater without sending it to the factory?

There also used to be a model Quantro. That station is for data and will NOT pass voice.

The Quantar stations are great repeaters/base stations. Super reliable and stable.

I have not upgraded these in the field and do not know if you can upgrade it to a repeater without sending it to the factory?


sure they can, reprogram as repeater and remove the antenna relay.


There also used to be a model Quantro. That station is for data and will pass voice.

huh?

used to be?? The quantro is a high power Quantar. The Quantar DBS (Data Base Station) is for data....





d

A Quantar is a true "base station," which means that it has a separate transmitter and receiver, both of which are capable of functioning at the same time if desired. This is to be contrasted with a "transceiver" (such as the typical mobile radio), which shares circuits between the transmitter and the receiver and cannot do both at the same time.

A repeater is a station whose receiver is connected to its transmitter by a controller, the function of which is to receive and process audio from the receiver and immediately re-transmit that audio on another frequency. If the transmitter, receiver and controller are in a single unit in a single cabinet, it is sometimes called an "in cabinet repeater."

The standard Quantar can be programmed to be (i) a conventional simplex base station (where the receiver and transmitter are on the same frequency and the transmitter is only activated by outside commands), (ii) an in-cabinet repeater (using its on board controller to immediately broadcast audio received on the input frequency over the output frequency), or (iii) an externally controlled repeater. In the last mode, the receiver and transmitter are programmed for different frequencies, but the radio does not key itself on receipt of received signals. Discriminator audio is routed to a pin on the backplane, and other pins are configured for audio in, tone in, and PTT. This, in fact, is the most common configuration, not only for community repeaters using external controllers, but also for multi-receiver installations where the voting selector (e.g., SpectraTac) in fact functions as a repeater controller.

If you are going to acquire a Quantar base station, you should definitely also get the Maintenance Manual and the Quantar RSS Programming Manual, which takes you through the hardware and software configurations for all of these applications.