Sys9000 VRS

[Big Blue TO/\/\]

OK, I sold a VRS to a guy here on Batlabs, and he's all mad at me because I was wrong about the freq it was on. I told him to just meter it with a freq. counter, but he replied he does not know what a frequency counter is...
So i'm trying hard to satisfy this customer.
Anyone have an idea how to determine what freq one of these is on without spending any money?

TIA

Tom

[kc7gr]

[quote="Big Blue TO/\/\"]OK, I sold a VRS to a guy here on Batlabs, and he's all mad at me because I was wrong about the freq it was on. I told him to just meter it with a freq. counter, but he replied he does not know what a frequency counter is...[/quote]

Essence Above... What the frell is he trying to do with a VRS, then?!

If he's not enough of a tech to even know the basics, then he has only himself to blame for buying something that he obviously cannot work with.

[quote="Big Blue TO/\/\"]So i'm trying hard to satisfy this customer.
Anyone have an idea how to determine what freq one of these is on without spending any money?[/quote]

The unit can be physically opened, and (assuming it's a crystal-controlled unit) the fundamental frequency of the crystal should be stamped on the crystal's case. The formula in the repeater's service manual can then be used to determine the actual frequency (Motorola, at least for VHF units, often used a multiplier of 12).

If it's not a rockbound unit, one should be able to determine the frequency by reading it with the appropriate RSS.

However, based on the fact that your buyer doesn't even know what a counter is, I have zero faith that he knows enough to successfully accomplish either procedure.

I don't think there's going to be any satisfying this one. You may want to give refund-and-return serious consideration, and you may also want to do a little buyer screening for the next purchaser.



Good luck.

[Mike B]

The VRS models are listed here:
http://www.open.org/~blenderm/surplus.html#sp_vrs

The actual radio used inside the older VRS units and the manual part numbers can be identified here:
http://www.open.org/~blenderm/syntorx9k ... l#sx9kvrsm
http://www.open.org/~blenderm/spectra/m ... tml#spvrsm
http://www.open.org/~blenderm/syntorx9k ... sx9kaccman

The VRS-EP manual part number is here:
http://www.open.org/~blenderm/spectra/m ... spec_astro

All the the VRS and VRS-EP units are crystaled. The RSS can not program the handheld operating frequency.

I do not have any info on the new VRS-750, except I can tell you it is 100 percent RSS programmed, including its frequency. It does not work with the X9k Spectra or Spectra II. I think its for Astro Spectra and newer mobiles.

The Expo and R-Net radios have almost identical RF boards that crystal up the same way, but it really is a pain to take them apart and get the crystal information. Since it is simplex, hooking the VRS up to a radio, programming the radio and just like you said, using a frequency counter is the best way to find its frequency. Be aware these radios were two frequency units and there is optional hardware inside the VRS to select the second frequency, but I have never seen it actually used (I have not seen any RSS option to select the second frequency either, so I would not worry about it).

Hind sight being perfect, you are the person who should have used the frequency counter before stating the VRS frequency to your customer . It usually does not matter anyway, the chances of a VRS being crystaled for a frequency the new owner is licensed to use are about nil. So, unless the frequency you told your customer was one that could actually be used legally, the VRS would need to be recrystaled anyway. If the supposed frequency was actually usable, then you are in a tight spot because most radio shops want around $ 130 or more to recyrstal. If it was purchased specifically because it would not need to be recrystaled, then you should probably do a return/refund or recrystal it yourself (or you pay a shop to do it). An apology and return is probably cheaper as you can still sell the VRS again to someone that does not care what specific frequency it is on.

BTW, since he obviously does not know what frequency it really is on, how does your customer know the VRS is not on the correct frequency? He had better know lots more about installation, programming with the RSS and how to activate the VRS than he knows about frequency counters. It could be on the frequency you gave him, but just not being setup/used correctly.

[Big Blue TO/\/\]

Mike and Bruce-
thanks for the VERY good replies. I attempted to forward him to some of the sites listed. I am sure of the freq, as I got it off a portable that talked to the vrs. I believe he has already sold the unit to someone else although not delivered. (i am watching his posts, and they are getting suspicious, with timing and wants/for sale being very close or overlapping)

I am pretty sure he doesn't care about licensing, because he flips merchandise so quickly, and he said he wanted to be sure of the freq so it "was not on one near here..."

I will wait to hear from him further.

Thanks again.

Tom