Batboard

I am about to upgrade a Smartnet system running 6809 controller and a MSF/Quantro mix to a MTC3600 controller and make hybrid analog/Astro system.
Motorola tells me all the repeaters need to be changed to Quantar for this to happen. I understand about the MSF units, but I always thought the Quantro was basically a mis-spelled Quantar and should be functionally compatible?

If you look at the Version and System compatibility pages in the Quantar/Quantro RSS manual, both station types seem to be listed for all the various configurations.

I guess the problem is you are trying to think logically and if you do that - how is the salesman going to make quota?

Tell them you want an engineer to explain the reason. Maybe you can get past the BS.

I don't think that the Quantro base station supports ASTRO, which would be the reason that he would need Quantars. If he were just going to do analog with the MTC-3600 I think he would be fine, but not with ASTRO.

You are getting bad information.
I have replaced a Quantar smartnet site with a MTC3600 controller and
also a Quantro site with a MTC3600 controller.
Quantros are Quantars with MSF PA's.

We since upgraded to SZ4.1
We then upgraded the Quantar site to intellirepeaters and ditched the MTC
and later upgraded the Quantro site to intellirepeaters and again ditched the MTC. All our sites are mixed mode Astro CAI so Quantros will work on Astro with no problem.
Be warned msf5000 control cables will not work with Quantar/Quantros on a MTC3600 site. I know they work fine with the Smartnet but it is that earthing bus that kills the site.

Now this could be your issue.
What control board do you have
Epic I, II, III, or IV
You will need epic II or III boards to work with MTC.
Epic I will need replacing and we can rule outr Epic IV as that is for 6.x systems.Epic III is only half a board and Epic II has computer type simms on it.
Another thing will be power. All stations need to TX the same power, but that can be done easy.