Batboard

I'm looking at buying a couple of VHF Quantar repeaters for real cheap. Have some questions first.

1) If you have software can you program the unit with just a null modem cable? I've heard that there are special requirements.

2)How easy is it to connect a tone panel to the unit?

3)Will these units do 12.5KHz Bandwidth

4)I've never used these, are there any reviews from guys that have? Are they durable, do they have many problems.

Help is much appreciated!!!

1. All you need is a null modem cable. (Also need a gender changer.)
2. Pretty simple. Program the radio as a base station (versus repeater), and program the channel for CSQ. The back of the Quantar maintenance manual has suggested programming for setting up the audio in and out paths to funnel audio to and from the external controller. (Just be sure that the condition of the set up is either cold boot or warm boot, since the Quantar does a warm boot after each codeplug download.) This will also tell you how to program the I/O for COR and PTT.
3. Yes.
4. Don't know anything about the particular machines you are looking at, but in general, Quantars are top of the heap, very reliable, very few repairs. One weak spot was the power supply FRU in early versions.

Be sure to get a good duplexer -- at least 100 dB isolation -- and spend some money or effort in tuning it properly.

Can't the Quantar be programmed to use multiple tones, so a tone panel is not needed? It has accounting for counting keyups and useage time. I have only programmed them to repeat with one tone and for Spectra TAC with different tone.

They are very good stations. Be sure to check the squelch setting as every one we have (about 10 of them) had very thigh squelch from the factory. Make sure that you understand what you are doing when programming the station. One option or setting that is not right can cause you many problems.

Josh

The Quantar does have an option (under Hardware definition from the service screen) to use what it calls MCS (for "multi-coded squelch"). This is similar to a community repeater set up, but it has limits. Only 16 tones can be defined and only one of them can be a DPL. Different input tones can have their own output tone or can be crossed to a common output tone (for platooning). Each input tone can have one of three states: active, inactive and "gated." "Gated" is used if you want to remotely turn a given tone on and off, via wildcard programming. When MCS is used, the radio can have only one channel (vs. 16 when using the regular access tone tables), and programming for wireline function is either difficult or impossible.