[App_rpt-users] RTCM BEW Mode/Quantar Interfacing - Update

[Caleb Pal]

On 3/10/2014 1856, Caleb Pal wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> We received our RTCM's this week, and I am working to interface them 
> to the Quantar. I've run into a few issues:
>
> 1.) AUX TX Audio. I've had success with one machine in getting the 
> audio out of Pin 5 of the Telco connector, but not on the other. Is 
> creating a wildcard table to enable "AUXTX-TX ON" when there is an 
> input on Pin 9 (PTT) the correct method to enable TX audio output on 
> Pin 5?
>
> 1.) BEW Mode. My RTCM's show it as unavailable as an option to enable. 
> Is there a trick to enabling it?
>
> 2.) I cannot seem to get the squelch calibrated. I get a slow flashing 
> light a little while after I enable squelch cal, which seems to 
> indicate low discriminator noise. I tried enabling jumper JP1 with no 
> change. Does BEW mode need to be enabled to get a proper squelch 
> calibration with the Quantar? Tim suggested that some older firmware 
> version may not provide enough discriminator noise. I want to be sure 
> I've exhausted all options before I hunt for SCM with newer firmware 
> for these machines.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Caleb
>
>
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To update my progress:

I downloaded the BEW firmware for the RTCM and loaded it on both of our 
RTCM's. I enabled BEW mode, and attempted to calibrate the squelch 
again. Still get the slow flashing RX light, but 60-90 seconds into the 
squelch calibration procedure it finally completed with a squelch cal 
value of 100-110. The squelch POT lights up the RX light when the POT is 
turned down to a value of about 150 (post sq cal procedure).

Tim mentioned that older Quantar firmware may have low discriminator 
levels. The above squelch cal was done with a 800MHz Quantar, no antenna 
attached, with the latest firmware I've been able to find, 20.14.048.

Is what I'm seeing normal/acceptable for a Quantar?

Also, something I noticed once the BEW firmware was loaded, I no longer 
have the ability to access the Diagnostics menu on the RTCM. So, I am 
unable to transmit a 1khz tone, etc. I used the latest BEW SMT FW 
version (1499) off of the Allstar SVN  server.

Thanks,

Caleb