At 05:02 AM 11/27/07, you wrote: >I seem to recall that the suitcase programmer allowed me to set id time >at 10min.
Not according to the info available to me. >Content is also adjustable..How else would you put your callsign in? I was referring to dynamic content - like adding "(word space)BATT" to the IDer under outside control. The system I was referring to in my previous message operates their system from the site battery bank, and uses a wall wart that delivers around 14vDC with no load. They have a trimpot across it which is set to deliver just about 12vDC out with 120vAC in, and it's fed to an analog input. This gives them a pretty good readout of the AC voltage into the system. An alarm threshold at 6v is used as an indication of power failure. Another digital input is wired to dry contacts on a magnetic door switch on the site building entry door, and triggers a DVR track (it plays the "Intruder Alert" WAV file from an old video game) when triggered, and changes the stock courtesy beep (a Morse "E") to a Morse "I" until reset. Yes, there was a power failure option for an MSF, but the brain in an MSF station was not designed to do the kind of tricks that the average ham comes up with. It was designed for Maximum System Flexibility (hence the marketing name) in the commercial and public safety world and to be as reliable as a 250 pound anvil. Hence my comment that using the MSF as a continuous duty duplex base and adding a n amateur radio repeater controller delivers Maximum System Flexibility for the repeater owner... Mike WA6ILQ >Mike Morris WA6ILQ wrote: > > > > > > The stock MSF brain was designed for commercial use and runs the IDer > > every 15 minutes. If that parameter was changeable the unit would be legal > > under the amateur rules only as long as you had a way to remotely shut it > > off (maybe a digital output from the controller on another repeater at the > > same site?). > > > > The MSF brain is also very inflexible - you can't change the IDer content, > > tone frequency, etc. > > For example, one local repeater announces the AC power failure by speaking > > "Main Power Fail" when the AC goes away, tags a "BATT" to the end of the > > regular IDer, and shortens the normal carrier delay (hang-in timer) > > from 2 seconds > > to 1 second. > > > > Personally, I'd set up the MSF as a full duplex continuous duty base > > station with no internal IDer and interface an Arcom, NHRC, S-com, > > CAT or a RLC into the unit and let it handle the control, repeat audio, > > IDer, etc (just like it was designed to). > > > > Everybody has a controller they love, and in some people it's a topic > > that gets as passionate as religion. Some people like Link (RLC), > > others like Arcom, Scom, NHRC or ACC, others homebrew theirs. > > Others buy one and then rewrite the firmware (like on a Palomar > > Telcom). > > > > I think my next purchase is going to be an ICS "Linker" controller > > (surprisingly cheap for what you get) and do some experimenting > > with it. Everyone I've talked to love them, one guy I know has bought > > five, and I'd like to get some hands-on experience with them. I've used > > a repeater that has one in it (a GE M2) and the audio sounds > > absolutely great (if the carrier delay and IDer wasn't there you'd think > > it was simplex). > > > > Mike WA6ILQ.
