Quantar Local Link

[geekguy15]

Good morning everyone! I have a theoretical (at this time) project I would like to get some incite on. Our ham radio club is looking at the prospect of getting into P25 after our dissatisfaction over the performance of certain unnamed ham equipment.

Our current setup has 2 analog repeaters linked (UHF-VHF) via an Arcom RC210
Ultimately would like to have the same setup but with P25 mixed mode repeaters but we were told that this can't be done using the RC210.
However we were told that we could have 2 P25 mixed mode repeater using the RC210 but we could not link the P25 side, only the analog.
What kinda of linking equipment would we need to link both repeaters together in mixed mode? The purpose of keeping mixed mode is to allow
members to slowly migrate to P25 gear.

I appreciate any info on the issue, thanks!

[Astro Spectra]

Linking two Quantars on the same site in P25 mode is no more than 5 minutes work if you have (or have procured) the necessary V.24 interfaces. These can be genuine Moto boards, the P25NX style, or my own single chip breadboard type. The details of the connection and settings are in the Quantar station manual under the description RT-RT mode.

[geekguy15]

Ahha I was wondering if thats what it was. Do you know if this would this work in mixed mode operation?

[Astro Spectra]

If you program the repeater for mixed mode and make an analog connection as well between the machines then yes. To be clear the digital connection doesn't carry analog and vice verse. There is no codec function in the Quantar.

[k7bpg]

Have a question on this as well. I found an older discussion on this and it talked about the DIU port on the rear of the qunatar. Could that be used instead of the front v.24 port? I have several v.24 P25 repeaters, just not many that have the front port. Here is a pinout I found from this thread: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=77451&p=351219&hil ... ut#p351219

For the DIU, you'll use the COMM connector (DB-25) on the back. The DIU COMM connector seems to follow the standard RS-232 pinout:

DIU COMM
DB-25 pin:

2 -- TD (to Quantar)
3 -- RD (from Quantar)
4 -- RTS (to Quantar)
5 -- CTS (from Quantar)
7 -- GND
8 -- CD (from Quantar)
17 -- RCLK (receive clock from Quantar)
24 -- TCLK (internal TX clock to Quantar)

[Astro Spectra]

No, that is the connector on the back of the DIU.

[k7bpg]

Ah, ok. Should have read that better. I did notice that in the manual one of the DB25 ports, called out at as port 15 Multipurpose RS-232, might work and seems to have the same type of signals going in and out of it? If not, all good, was hoping that it might work.


http://www.repeater-builder.com/motorol ... acing.html