--- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Pease" <r...@...> wrote:
What can people tell me about these Any good on 2 meters. What's a good price for one? -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Quantar has been Motorola's top of the line infrastructure grade base/repeater station since its introduction in 1992. It has been in production for more years than any other Motorola solid state station was - Motrac, Micor, or MSF5000. Obviously, there have been many revisions over the years. For use in analog operations this is less of an issue than for digital applications where various formats have been available. The VHF Quantar comes in two ranges. Range 1 covers 132 to 154 MHz and is ideal for 2 Meter operation. Range 2 covers 150 to 174 MHz. Range 2 units will generally operate on 2 Meter frequencies above 146 MHz but usually won't lock on 144/145 frequencies. In addition, it has been discovered that Range 2 Quantars with Epic-III station control modules have a low transmit audio issue if taken out of band. The only fix identified to date is to replace the station control module with an earlier or later version. There are several versions of modules available for these stations and there ave been many firmware versions. Only certain combinations are compatible so it isn't always practical to simply mix & match Quantar parts. Unless you are very familiar with these issues, it is best to acquire a station that is correctly configured / optioned / versioned to work for your intended aplication. Used VHF Quantars have sold between $2K and $4K. Due to commercial demand, UHF models often command somewhat higher prices. Interfacing a Quantar to external devices and controllers can be very easy. The station manual has an applications section that gives specific details. All Quantar frequency and operating parameters are software programmed. The only physical station alignment is the receiver preselector. The manual gives a procedure similar to that for the MSF filters, but if proper test equipment is available, a swept alignment is the quick & optimum method.
