What Service Monitor are you using?

[n5rwc]

What service monitor you are using and what do you like or dislike about it.

What features do you like or wish you had.

I see all kinds of used ones so I would like to know what the congregation thinks.

Hopefully I will make a better educated decision as to which one I will spend my money on.

Thanks!

[wavetar]

You'll get a lot of different opinions, most modern service monitors will do all you need & more. Check out the link to a previous thread, it should provide you with some insight...(people should use the "search" function more, most topics have been covered quite thoroughly).

http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.p ... ce+monitor

Todd

[n5rwc]

Oh I agree - I'm just lazy - plus what else would we do with the dead time on our hands?

[n5rwc]

But hey thanks! That was very helpful indeed!

[PETNRDX]

I have a Motorola 2012a, has the usual gen/mon/pl/dev/freq count/scope/up to 150 watt load/ stuff that all have, but also:
DTMF encode & decode
Sweep gen
TDR
Encodes or decodes standard paging formats
"Emulates" DC or Tone Remotes (or simulates the RF stations)
Early trunking
printer output
12 vdc or 110.
I LOVE IT..... but I wish it had wheels...
My personal other favorite is IFR1200, smaller, lighter, and only short a couple of features (above) but ones that most of us don't need.

[DavidJ]

I guess monitors now are in two categories, the older kind started with the Cushman CE-3 that I started with as a city radio tech years ago, that's basically a calibrated receiver and signal generator. The new kind has a spectrum analyzer, tracking generator and a lot more smarts. I got tired of fixing my IFR FM/AM-1000S and on the recommendation of a friend looked for an HP 8920, which you can find on eBoo for around $3K. It takes some getting used to, like learning where things are in a new town, but the range of stuff you can do without any extra boxes is pretty impressive. Tuning a duplexer, for instance, without any extra equipment, just look at the picture on the screen. You need the spectrum analyzer and signaling options but the 8920A is plenty, you don't need the 8920B. I still have HP and other bench gear for lookng really carefully at things, but the 8920 will show most anything in an instant.

[bernie]

I am using a Motorola R2001C/HS. Perhaps I am partial to the 2001, because I have been doing depot level repairs on them for the last 20 years. I would prefer the R2001D, because it has some useful features, and seems to be slightly more reliable than the earlier units.
My main grief with these units is that they use a propritary CRT, which Motorola sells at cost for $1300.

I also have a Cushman CE6A which was the top of the line 30 years ago.
Aloha, Bernie

[Will]

We are using two IFR's, a 500 and a 500A and they are rather handy in the field and I also cary a good 30mhz scope to go with the 500A when needed. We have had many different service monitors in the past, (35 yrs) fom the Lampkin, Gertch, Singer, Cushman CE2, 3 and 6 up to the present day IFR Com120.

[Susan157]

WE use two service monitors .The older one is
the Motorola R 2100-d and the newer (old)one is
the motorola 2600-d. We use a site master for feed lines
and antenna tests.These tools aid in a faster service time for
the customer.

[litsnsirn]

R2038D/HS

I really like the 2001D style monitors more than the newer ones, I think that they are easier to navigate, but hey, it's more important that it's one that you are comfortable with.

[Susan157]

Yes the older service monitors were easier to use.
The 2600 took a bit of time to get relaxed using
for the new features.Now it is ok.Not like the old ones.

[kens]

I have 2 Wavetek 3000's. One is on the bench and one in the service truck. They are easy to use and I like the redundant features like 2 ways to measure frequency (digital readout and scope). The direct readout on pl tones is handy. My early models lack spectrum analyser but that doesn't seem to be much of an handicap for my use. I do wish it had a dpl readout.

[joe bazooka]

i am using IFR 1200s for ten years now, no problem with it occured during those years.

[metro121]

Just curious,
What kind of service monitor would you use to service your service monitor, and if your service monitor service monitor needs to be serviced, what kind of service monitor do you use to service the service monitor that is used to service the service monitor service monitor.
Hell , I just program up the radios and wait till someone bitches about it sounding like crap.

[n5tbu]

We use the IFR 500a in our service vans and the IFR 1200s on the benches.
Wish the 500 did dpl though!
When we need repair ir calibration,I send them to IFR,I got tired of the crappy service at other repair joints,It sosts a little more at IFR,but it is done right!

[mavericknet]

I've been programing radios for a little over a year now, and although I have a grasp of radio theory, I don't know what to do when the $hit hits the fan. I have a problem with two UHF mobiles in a rigged console (somebody else's brainchild) and when a frequency is keyed on the top radio, the bottom radio goes berserk. Two seperate frequencies two seperate antennas, off by approx .465 MHz, and it just refuses to go away. While although using a PL on the channel would solve the problem easily, try telling the P/S dispatch office who's been doing the job "right" for twenty years that they need to change, oh, and yeah they don't even know who's in charge of their repeater towers. Anyway, getting o/t here, would a service monitor and some more plugging away at radio theory help me with my bleed over troubles, or is it just a fancy peice of equipment that lost its need back in the day of crystalized tuning and board replacement?