Batboard

Hello Everyone.... I am stumped on this one and don't know where to start. Here is the problem:

I have a high power VHF Quantar that is running in mixed P25/Analogue mode. The repeater has a wire line card installed that is not being used so the station will occasionally show a WL Fail light on the front but other than that it everything works as it should... most of the time.

Recently I have noticed that when someone is transmitting into the station and then un-keys the repeater will have no hang time and you can't key it up for several seconds. The problem is random and I can not seem to find any consistency. While at the site the other day I noticed that when the station seemed to re-boot after someone un-keyed. I now assume that for some reason the station is randomly re-booting when someone un-keys. Any ideas??????

Thank you for your help.

Can you post the firmware versions of the station as well as a copy of the status log?

If you have RDLAP enabled on the Quantar with older firmware then it will reboot if someone sends a call, page, or text. Alternatively your PSU might be faulty, sagging on transmit. As d119 suggests, check the log and firmware revisions. A firmware update might be in order. Lastly check the reflected power at the repeater PA output.

Ok... I checked the firmware and I have the latest and greatest. The error log shows the following:

SC Root 655

What does that mean?

It's a crash. Is your EEPROM (removable PLCC memory chip) a Xicor or Atmel? If Xicor best replace it.

I have a similar issue with my Quantar, it will randomly reset while in use and it sends out 3 beeps over the air when it came back up. I have replaced the Xicor and the station is still doing the reset occasionally, so I am going to replace the power supply next.

Ok. I finally made it to the site and pulled the card. The PLCC (directly behind the volume up button) is an Xicor. Where do I find the Atmel chip and what is the procedure for changing it?

Where do I find the Atmel chip and what is the procedure for changing it?

Thanks...

I purchased my Atmel from user Mars on P25.ca but you should be able to find them online also.

There are two different methods to choose from when replacing the EEPROM:

Chip programming (complete) method:
- Power down Quantar Station.
- Remove Station Control board.
- Remove XICOR EEPROM.
- Read it in a PLCC-32 adapter/programmer configuration, save the data.(If the XICOR has not already failed).
- Write it to the new AT28C64B EEPROM.
- Install NEW AT28C64B EEPROM to Station Control board.
- Reinstall Station Control board. Reboot.

RSS Method (defaulted tuning data; realignment required):
- Read Quantar Station codeplug with RSS, save codeplug to disk.
- Remove Station Control board.
- Remove XICOR EEPROM
- Install NEW AT28C64B EEPROM to Station Control board.
- Reinstall Station Control board. Power-up station.
- Once Quantar Station has booted, it will show RED light (station fail).
- Write RSS codeplug from disk, to Quantar Station. Reboot.
- Quantar will successfully power-up, but tuning values are DEFAULTED.
- Re-align Quantar Station for proper operation.

Just get it on eBay, it'll be considerably cheaper and less hassle.

It's an AT28C64 PLCC. Just search for those terms and you'll be good to go.

I recommend re-writing and realigning using the RSS method, as the "chip copy" method could copy corrupt or contaminated data over to the new chip (potentially).

Does it matter what comes after the AT28C64? When I search in e-bay there are quite a few options?

I appreciate all the help.

Thanks again....

I have had MANY MANY of these EEPROMs fail (mostly on Data Base Stations as it happens). Most curious thing about it, when they decide to catastrophically fail, its usually during a PA alignment save.
I can perform a complete PM on station - Full alignment - and make it all the way to saving the PA cal data, then BOOM! station resets. Next time you try to read the thing, RSS will prompt you for a password.
That's it. All she wrote. Stick a fork in it. Drop a New EEPROM in and back off to the races, just write a new CP, realign and roll on.

At least they are a cheap part!
--TS

scsttrooper wrote:Does it matter what comes after the AT28C64? When I search in e-bay there are quite a few options?

I appreciate all the help.

Thanks again....

I would think -15 or -20 would be fine....