Batboard

Hello All,

Just made my first trip to a new site today to do some rouine maintenance on a neglected Quantar VHF R2 Secure station. This machine has been in operation continuously for approximately 8 years now for a small PD with no alignment/tuning/programming for the duration.

When I got to the site (after putting the machine into knockdown "local control mode") I decided to do a warm reboot of the unit prior to hooking it up to the CPS for a look at the codeplug. After preforming the reboot..the repeater gave me the 2 red lights of death....Station Fail and PA Fail....and would not go back to normal. I let the unit sit there for over 2 minutes with no signs of life. I then decided to remove the battery backup and the AC power from the unit and shut it down completely for 30 seconds. After doing that the unit appeared to boot up as normal....gave me the 2 red FAIL lights for 5 seconds and reverted back to normal (all GREEN) operation. RED FLAG #1

Next, I hooked up the null modem programing cable to the unit and opened my CPS RVN5002 (Rev. 14.05.01) and proceeded to open the connection screen and successfully connect to the SCM. I then attempted to read the codeplug from the unit...and this is where the headache begins......after about 5 or 6 bars on the READ CODEPLUG splash window I received 1 two part error message that read "HOST ERROR, INTERNAL SOFTWARE ERROR". At this point the RSS READ function was terminated and I was thrown back to the blank blue screen.
I attempted several HOT and COLD reboots of the repeater with no results. I am sure that this is not a CPS problem...as this is the newest version available....and definately WAY newer than what this thing was programmed with 8+ years ago!

I was then informed by another source that they have had similar problems with their Quantars that they maintain. As a fix..they just load one of the "TRAINING" codeplugs that come with the software...alter the settings.....use the validate function to correct any errors...then force feed that codeplug into the machine which then has "FIXED" their CODEPLUG READ errors they have experienced. I was leary about atempting this procedure as I did not have a good copy of the current codeplug that was installed...but figured that this would repair the issue...and I would then be able to read the unit to repair/change settings that I did not cover in the "TRAINING" template. I programmed the unit with training codeplug #14 correctly validated with the current SCM codeplug. The repeater took all the data and programmed successfully according to my CPS. The CPS then prompted for a reboot....which was done......and to my dismay....."PA FAIL...STATION FAIL". I then attempted to read the codeplug I just programmed and was informed in the CPS that there was NO codeplug in the machine..and I needed to enter a valid codeplug in order for the station to operate. Sweating bullets at this point...I decided to attempt 1 more warm reboot.....which was successful in getting the machine back into operational order. I then attempted to read the codeplug again after the station was operational and was greeted with "HOST ERROR, INTERNAL SOFTWARE ERROR".....yet the machine took my changes that I had made (over the original programming) in the training codeplug. RED FLAG #2

Finally, I just decided to leave well enough alone and put it back into service as it stands now as the PD needs their primary radios back. Problem is.....the training codeplug 14 has no provisions for setting up the securenet features (this machine runs transparent securenet) whearas training codeplug #10 has all of those options. I set up that codeplug the same way as I did #14 and dumped that one into the station. I got an error that the codeplug I was attempting to program was older than the current one in the machine.....I OK'd through it...it programmed successfully...but all I got was the 2 red FAIL lamps and the machine would not reset and function. On CPS read...it told me there was NO CODEPLUG FOUND in the station's EEPROM....not even the serial # was still loaded. Thankfully I had saved the #14 version I had made a few minutes earlier......dumped that one into the unit and it reverted back to working.....BUT...with no securenet.

WTF is wrong with this thing? My first Quantar experience....and already I hate them!

I dont know how to proceed. Do I need a new SCM? Is it just the EEPROM that is screwed up? Do I just need to Depot the whole SCM and call it a day? Can anyone on the board help me out with this one....I'm frustrated, puzzled.....and on a tight budget!

ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED!

Thanks

I would either try to arrange an advance system replacement for the SCM or order a firmware update.
8 years is a long time without doing an upgrade and was probabaly last programmed with the RSS version of the quantar software instead of the CPS.

Thanks.....

shouldn't the newer CPS "upgrade" the internal codeplug software to match the current CPS features.....just like it does on all the other MOTO radios? I realize the firmware is still old...but shouldnt the read write features be intact?

You would think, but anything is possible with firmware mismatches and higher level CPS.

Just looked what happened to some of the FPP capable XTS5K's and XTS2.5K's after level 10.0 CPS if they didn't have the correct combination of Q52 & Q53. They lost their FPP capability and many were upset by the change that was only came about when they went to a new release of CPS.

We are dealing with an audio level/drop out issues on a voted VHF Astro repeater system. The only thing that we can put our finger on is that the firmware revisions are a few years apart so the SCM is being changed next week in one of the Quantars to see if it fixes the issue. Problem is that the problem is so intermitant that its difficult to figure out if the problem is at the SAT RX site, the V.24 link/TenSR channel bank, or the other Quantar that was originally the stand-alone repeater.

Look at the Logs in the Quantar using RSS, that sometimes indicates internal errors. May have to set the Quantars date & time if you plan to track an intermittent problem.

There is a Codeplug upgrade menu item in RSS, basically you read the codeplug, then upgrade it and then write it back to the Quantar. Tip keep a copy of both versions.

Also on some older SCMs' you get a RSS message to fix a EPIC memory issue. Basically you get an error message if RSS detects the issue it then ask you to run the memory fix. This takes a few minutes. I think it writes F or 0 to unused memory cells.

Thanks Everyone...

I found the issue...actually talked to an intelligent human being at /\/\ that used to work on these. Turns out replacing the codeplug EEPROM is the 50.00 fix instead of the 1100.00 flat rate SCM exchange! I did the changeout and dumped one of the "training" codeplugs back into the unit and PRESTO....Hello Quantar! The thing boots up very quickly now....all the self-tests pass......and best of all no "Station FAIL" "PA FAIL" lights!

Hope this little tidbit saves someone out there a TON of $$$!