Help with Motorola Trunked Smartnet II system

[comm17]

I am looking for some advice.... We currently use a Motorola Smartnet II trunked 800MHz system. Our local Motorola Techs claim the site controller will no longer be produced by Motorola and we will need to replace the system with something different. I have sought the advice of many people and some agree with the techs and others say parts are still available. Any advice??

As a backup plan, we are thinking of doing a multi-site conventional repeater system. Many of the users of the system have abandoned it for newer technology and we no longer have any use for the trunked portion of our current system. Can we take the 800mhz repeaters hooked to the current site controller and make a new multi-site conventional system? We are working on a tight budget so any input would be greatly appreciated..... Thanks!!!

[grem467]

He is correct, both the 6809 and MTC series controllers are EOL...

as for repeater usage, what stations are you running? MSF or Quantar?

[comm17]

Thanks for your response. I am not sure what type of repeaters we are running. I would appreciate any insight into both the repeaters you mentioned. Sorry in advance, my depth of knowledge in radio systems is about as deep as a birdbath so please bear with me. My partners and I are trying to seek several options and opinions on where we could take this aging system. Any insight and advice I could get would be much appreciated.

[comm17]

I also forgot to mention.... The system was installed in the late nineties. If that helps anyone with what technology is onboard.

[talviar]

Folks that have existing service contracts with Motorola are on a "as long as parts are available" notice meaning they will fix it but no guarentees . . . . And don't let the contract lapse as you will never get it back on contract.

[mmckenna]

Been there, done that. We had a system with the 6809 controller and we got the same story form Motorola. When we rebanded the system a few years back a quick look at the controller boards showed a lot of leaky capacitors.
We chose to replace the system with a Kenwood NexEdge system and have been quite happy.

Late 90's makes me want to think you have the MSF5000 repeaters, but I could be wrong. If that is what you have, those are EOL also.
You can find controllers that would allow you to set up a multi site system, and that shouldn't be too hard. There are plenty of boxes out there that will allow you to run 4 wire circuits over IP networks.

What I'd recommend is to take a good long look at the long term needs of this system. MSF5000's are going to be hard to maintain. You might be better off ditching those and purchasing new repeaters that are designed to do a multi site system. The newer Kenwood and Motorola digital systems will do multisite over an IP network. You would have some more up front costs but you'd make that up in the long run. You can run some of these in analog mode so you could use your existing subscriber radios. I know that Kenwood allows you to run mixed mode channels, so you could do a slow migration to newer radios as funding permits. Not sure about Motorola.

[MTS2000des]

Late 90s more likely MTR2000 than MSF and MTC3600 controllers.
There are a ton of these on the surplus market. The MTR2000s are still supported if that is what you have.

Is your system simulcast? spectra TAC or Astro TAC comparators in use? One problem with NexEDGE and TRBO is at current, it doesn't support simulcast. Which means you will need more channels and more sites to get the same coverage.

A little more information on your system would be helpful. Smartnet II is considered legacy technology, but if you stock enough spares you should be able to get 5-7 more years out of it.

[comm17]

Thanks everyone for your time and responses. We don't use any options like turbo.... We simply use it for communicating. I am certain many of the options available with this system we don't use. We don't simulcast either. I am hoping to invest another 30-50k in microwave links and antennas to make this multi-site idea work. I just hate to throw away equipment we paid a million or better for just 15 years ago.

[mmckenna]

Yep, MTR2000, still good radios, still supported, bought a few earlier this year, but I think they may have been some of the last. I think the MTR3000 are the replacement? I forgot about those in the mix. I was thinking they would have jumped to Quantars.

Ours was installed in 1994, 6809 controller and 5 MSF5000's. Could barely give that stuff away when we shut it down