Quantar Repeater PL issue

[jimbob]

Hello everyone,

We are somewhat new to the use of Quantars in this area. We have 2 new VHF Quantar repeaters that seem to have an issue with squelch tails. They are both set up as conventional analog capable ASTRO CAI and use the same PL tone on both TX & RX in the analog mode. In my previous experience with older systems, I expect to hear a clean cutoff with no noisy squelch burst when the mobile stops transmitting. I have tried programming the repeaters with both PL only and AND Squelch, it makes no difference. It seems to be the repeater receiver that doesn't mute gracefully. Is this normal for Quantars with PL? Am I expecting too much? Any thoughts or experiences would be welcome.

Thanks in advance,
JimBob

[kcbooboo]

I've seen exactly one Quantar in my life. There was a momentary push-button on the control panel that cycled through tone, carrier, and open squelch, with no indication as to where it was set. All you could do was push it until the squelch opened up, then push it one more time to get it into tone squelch mode. Of course, you needed to plug in a speaker to hear that the squelch was open (this was a base, not a repeater).

I don't know if that same button affects the repeater squelch as well.

Bob M.

[Dan562]

Where are you hearing the Squelch Tail, on the Base Station / Repeater's receiver or on the Subscriber units "Over-The-Air?"

Are you using /\/\otorola Subscriber units or some other Brand? Kenwood, ICOM, Yaesu or Ericson?

Is this repeater being used in Commercial or Amateur radio service?

Since the /\/\ Quantar Base Station / Repeater is configured for CAI Common Air Interface, "Have you set a NAC Network Access Code which is the Astro Digital Mode equivalent of PL?"

What is the receiver's Analog Carrier Squelch level parameter set at, example i.e. 20 dB Quieting at .2~.25uV "And Squelch" before the Squelch Key activates the repeat function? The Analog Carrier Squelch parameter is set in the Alignment Section of the software.

The front panel on all Quantars have the Push Button Enable / Disable switch and an internal speaker so you can listen to the Analog recovered audio. If the Quantar is operating in the Astro Digital Mode, you can not listen to the receiver's recovered audio because the station's configured Astro Digital Transparent mode only.

The only two methods to listen to the Astro Mode recovered audio would be on a Subscriber unit or if you had a DIU Digital Interface Unit with a console attached.

[jimbob]

We are hearing the squelch tail on the subscriber units during analog transmissions through the quantar repeater. Most of the mobile units are Motorola. The symptoms would suggest problems with reverse burst. I haven't seen anything in the quantar programming to turn reverse burst on and off unless you are in the simulcast mode.

[Dan562]

If you take a service monitor set up on the RF Channel frequency, correct PL Encoder frequency and key the station locally with a Mobile Mic or the small PTT switch on the Quantar's front panel, "Do you see the Tx PL Tone and Reverse Burst on de-key?"

[WB5ITT]

Sounds like you are trying to run Mixed Mode...Astro and analog...in addition to setting the rcvr to PL, you NEED to also set the rcvr squelch in CSQ mode...that is done in the RSS....the front panel button does NOT do that. Go into Service/Alignment of RSS and go to Receiver Squelch Adj....make sure the rcvr is set for CSQ and run the value up until the rptr rcvr squelches...then one more UP value to be sure...THEN with the rptr in PL mode (AND Squelch), you will get a FAST squelch mute in analog....(almost as fast as the Micor)...I have even run Astro THRU an analog only Quantar in this way....worked great!
Almost forgot, in the RSS, check the ANALOG access modes...they should be PL + CSQ on all settings...this allows NON Motorola radios to not worry about not having reverse burst PL...and with the squelch set, all is quiet

[chartofmaryland]

Try setting the hang time to 3 sec and or disabling the high pass filter. In older radios I found they have to hear the PL w/ modulation in order to properly decode and aboutface properly. It was a small challange while also running 12.5 kc looked like crap on the monitor, but the radios didn't care.


CoM