-----Original
Message-----
From: James
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2004 12:41
PM
To:
[email protected]
Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder]
Maxtracs as Repeaters, some Questions (no flames
included)
Maxtracs, GM300, and
CDM series are all good radios!
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:
As the title suggests, I
have a couple of questions about the use of Maxtracs as repeater radios,
links, etc. I'm a die hard Micor man with 3 Micor and 1 Mastr II
repeaters on the air so forgive me as I move from 1970s to 1990s
technology! Hi Hi!! I hope these don't sound to
elementary.
All the time. If yours
will allow you to program the pins .. its easy. I have used S-com, and
Link-Comm controllers on Maxtracs, CDM series, GM series
radios.
1. I've seen the
MRT articles for linking 2 maxtracs together, besides the RICK and
these adapters, has anyone rig a full blown controller, say a Scom 7k
to these bad boys using the 16 pin plug on the
back?
2. Under the software control of these radios
(RSS) can the RF power out be dialed down low enough as not to mess the
finials and still drive an external PA? Low enough maybe to drive
a Micor 60-100 PA. (In the Micor, if you turn the power down to
low the finals don't like it... a
lot!)
Is your radio a 40 or 45
watt version ... then it will only go down to 20 watts and still hold
specs. If it is a 20 watt version, then it will go all the way down to 1
watt
(model # beginning with D44 is UHF high power, D43 is VHF hi
power, D33 is VHF low, D34 is UHF low)
3. Not being as robust as
a micor/mastrII, what about heat, cooling, fans? Do these radios have any
kind of continuos duty rating?
I use cooling fans on
even the ones that are just link radios. I also run them at 20 watts for
hiigh power units, or 10 watts for low power
units.
4. Some have called these
radios "barn doors" for being so wide open on the front end. Has
this been a problem? Can they be preselected? This was a good
thing on the Micors!
I preselect them using
bandpass cavities, or you can use the DCI filters or celwave preselectors
(the latter mentioned is sold as an option with this type unit for
repeater use.)
5. What other pit falls
have I missed?
Check the PA transistors,
I usually resolder them with silver solder. If you do not do this, and
they get a little too warm, they will unsolder themselves. The silver
solder gives you a little more temperature
range.
A couple of Club members
in our weather spotter group are crossbanding an UHF to VHF maxtracs to
get back to the repeater and it sounds good and is surprising simple
(KISS) to rig and operate. It almost seems to
simple.
I know this is basically
a GR300 so how do they compare?
A GR300 is just two GM300
mobiles in a box with a Rick interface and usually a celwave notch only
duplexer with 15 amp supply.
They have done their
homework so now I need to do mine!
Keep the flames to a
minimum!
PS ... OH
Boy! SMT! Just what I need with
Bifocals!
