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I am interested in learning more about this system. I am a very new to Motorola systems so I need Elmer on this. If you own one or you are pretty savvy with the setup and interfacing external controllers, link radios and such I would like to ask you a few questions off line. Any takers?
Tim,
I'm about as far from an expert as you'll ever find. With the help from the local MSF guru I put together a C64CLB repeater which breaks down to a 75 watt analog control repeater. We interfaced an S-COM 7K controller and a GM300 for linking which has been on the air for 4 years trouble free. I have all the documentation and notes that I made when the interface was done and I'd be happy to share them with you. I do recomend that you visit the batlabs site on MSFs there's a wealth of information and even a section on interfacing external controllers.
Doug...N9JSF http://www.batlabs.com/msf5k.html
Beleive it or not, I have an 800 mhz that has been running continuous data for a transit system in MI., for almost 7 years. The only time it goes out is when the T1 gets knocked down by a drunk driver. I don't have any other controllers other than the Siemens system that its hooked up to.
The machine was virtually a plug and play and watch it run.
Jimmy
I have interfaced many different sorts of control devices on MSF stations.
If you would like to ask any sort of question you could call me at
808.677.8395, bernie@lava.net
I am the retired customer service engineer from Motorola Area KW.
I have the programmer for the "analog station"
I think that the MSF series is probably the best station ever.
I have installed and maintained hundreds of them in 800 trunking.
aloha, Bernie
I own several analog UHF 5000's and have worked on too many to count, that is why they nik named me "Will from the hill". I also had a working 900 system, three MSF5000 repeaters not trunked that "walked the dog". I did several interfacing applications some of wich were using the Zetron M38 community repeater pannel. I have most of that info tucked away somewhere along with the "linking" interfaces.
Hey Will,
When you did your interfacing to the analog control tray did you grab all of your connections off the top connector on the tray or did you go into the command tray and hard wire off of your test points?
Doug
Here are a few thoughts on the MSF.
In both versions of the station it is best if you re-program the station
to be a carrier squelch base station.
This eliminates the need to lift a chip resistor to break the repeat audio path, as well as leaving the "PL"in disable position.
I have found that the Motorola 7wire shielded cable used on trunking interconnect stations is handy to interface a controller. I route the cable along with the other wires that enter the top cover between the hinges.
I follow the manufacturers recomendation for hook up, except I solder the PTT line to the front contact of the PTT switch on the control board.
this is so the station does not mute the local speaker.
for programming use V5 or 8 for U803 on the analog station.
A digital station requires RSS V5.19 or 5.21, which I think is the latest.
Unless you are working on secure trunking with a console, V5.21 won't be any better than 5.19, and 5.21 will not run well on older computers.
The station: The analog station has a few electroyletics which have a red epoxy end cap, and no mfg info. there is one on the control board in the 5V supply, and another on the interconnect board on the bottom of the station. Replace these with new non genuine parts. They have a very high failure rate. (They are also found in the R2001 B/C A1&A10 power supplies. )
Be sure that the VCO adjusts properly. Pay close attention to rec meter 3.
Some times this reading dissapears when you try to align the injection filter.
Remove the metal cover on the bottom of the filter and wash it out with contact cleaner.
UHF internal duplexed stations are extremely touchy about alignment of the filters, and the book must be followes EXACTLY.
Never power up the radio with the 9.6V regulator disconnected. (IPA board.) this will fry the 5V switcher on the control board.
If any one is interested I can post the connections to the control board.
Aloha, Bernie
The interface we (Zetron and I) designed (1986) plugged into the options connector, J800 in the control tray and NO mods to the repeater were needed. The MSF5000's were programmed for the factory multi user PL/DPL unit which was not used, and a Zetron M38 took its place. I have done several different "configurations", if you will, over the years, most do tie into the control board and only have to change or remove a couple of parts, no changes to the ROM. There is allways a way to "skin the cat".
There is one minor problem in modifying a MSF board, the depot may refuse to service it, and if a tech that is not familar with the particular installation may have problems in troubleshooting.
( In my former life I had to wory about such matters.)
I found that for some obscure reason that both Zetron, and Trident use local PTT to key the station. This works fine, but I would like to hear the traffic on the channel over the speaker. If you use thr front terminal on the PTT test switch you will mute the internal encoder, and not mute the local audio.
The desired code plug parameters are exactly as factory default for MCS.
The Zetron 38Max is far superior to the MCS board.
aloha Bernie
Hey Bernie and Will,
I'm curious if in your tinkering with the MSF's have you ever interfaced a second radio for linking purposes and if you did was it extremely difficult to get the audio levels adjusted correctly through an external controller?
Doug
If you ordered this from Motorols with as a remote (RA) base with a link, you would have 4-wire audio between the cabinets, as well as a wild card.
This is also the most expensive option.
The only problem that you might get into is if the ground potentials are different between the controller and the radio. The correct audio levels are not too hard to get. I think that the controller to radio audio would be no problem. You can get discriminator audio from the control board. If this is not sufficent for the input of the controller, you could put some sort of amplifier in the line. So much the better if it is 600Z.
The reason for 600Z lines to to eliminate hum, and other noise that a high impedence un-balanced line might pick up.
Bernie KH6IAH
