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DMR Service monitor
- Thread starter SherSlick
- Start date
I wish.
I use an Aeroflex/Viavi 3920 myself and the software alone for the correct version of DMR (MotoTrbo in my case) is about $6000. For analog mode, you can use many older test sets, such as the HP8920 RF Communications Test Set, which can be found much cheaper than a digital test set. However, for that digital mode, if there is a cheaper option, I would like to know too.
The Aeroflex/Viavi 3920 series is coming close to end of support, and their CX300 is not what I need. Looking at the Astronics Freedom 8000 series now as a possible replacement.
I use an Aeroflex/Viavi 3920 myself and the software alone for the correct version of DMR (MotoTrbo in my case) is about $6000. For analog mode, you can use many older test sets, such as the HP8920 RF Communications Test Set, which can be found much cheaper than a digital test set. However, for that digital mode, if there is a cheaper option, I would like to know too.
The Aeroflex/Viavi 3920 series is coming close to end of support, and their CX300 is not what I need. Looking at the Astronics Freedom 8000 series now as a possible replacement.
When referring to the HP/Agilent 8920 series of service monitors, please use the word "fabulous" in front of it, as in the fabulous HP8920A. Sorry that doesn't help the OP in his quest but I wanted to set things right.
BinaryMode
Blondie Once Said To Call Her But Never Answerd
You might wanna try eBay... "Aeroflex" in All Categories
By the time I got all the options I needed (or wanted) on my 3920 it was over $60,000.
Yes, with MotoTrbo, LSM, APX4000 FDMA options, and now TDMA for APX6/8k radios, several of ours here at work are nearly $100k. Long range budget planner had $5k per test set in budget, his head almost spun when I said the basic 3920 chassis was $40k each.
A cheaper DMR only radio test set would be nice, something that can be carried around the field. I proposed the Astronics Freedom series as replacements to the Aeroflex/Viavi units, as the company is on the West Coast and UHF modules (that have a multiplier circuit for 800 MHz) do not break all the time.
I will second that on the HP/Agilent 8920 series test sets. I have a personal one, and at work I have all of them kept as backups to the Aeroflex 3920's, just in case (as the UHF and multiplier circuit for 800 MHz fails often now). Or the spinning hard drives that Aeroflex puts in them fail.
HP8920, even when one went for a swim, only capacitors needed to be replaced (the whole unit cleaned and dried out - and this happened several times to several different units) and they were back in service. Even if you have to type everything in manually, and have no "Autotest" options, the 8920 will probably end up being buried with me one day, they are that good.
If someone does make, even an DMR only, radio test set, that would be helpful. Or writes code for computer testing of DMR radios with an SD card for example, it would be appreciated (by the real world cheapskates that do not wish to pay for real test equipment).
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Yeah, no.
Service monitors, as you've seen, are expensive. I've got a Viavi 8800 and I think I'm in over $50K on it so far.
Used ones on E-Bay are still super expensive for anything modern enough to DMR. Also, keep in mind that they do need periodic calibration, which isn't cheap.
With the sudden rush of lower cost test equipment, like the NanoVNA and similar products, I suspect that eventually we'll see hobby oriented service monitors for much less money. But I wouldn't count on them having autotest functionality for any major brand radios.
Unless you need to maintain a lot of radios, it's usually cheaper to just get a local shop to do it.
Project25_MASTR
Millennial Graying OBT Guy
Maybe a used Astronics R8000B/C but you'll still pay a pretty penny for it. I'm not a fan of the IFR/Aeroflex/Viavi 3920 or 8800...I just can't get used to the UI and the boxes are awfully slow when it comes to booting and switch digital protocols. Everyone I've talked to who was convinced to purchase a CX300 has buyer's remorse due to incomplete feature sets and buggy firmware. Personally, I keep a R2670A ready to go and it will align any DMR radio on the market (just won't do any BER or digital function testing) but the local Astronics MR has seen it beneficial to make sure I don't go more than a month without a R8x00 demo box (i.e. fully whored out) sitting on my work bench to play with and find things (several "unexpected features" have been identified for white paper release).
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
This is true.
TampaTyron
Beep Boop, Beep Boop
Yeah, have over a dozen R25xx, 26xx, and 27xx AND a couple of 3920, couple of S412E LMRmaster, and the crappy 8000 and 8800 units. If you find a DMR one below $25-30k, then you will be rich. TT
petnrdx
Member
S412E LMRMaster works great for most digital modes assuming the correct feature set.
I would kind of think they should be coming up on the used market at decent prices, but I have not looked.
I have had mine since they came out.
Maybe a dozen years?
I would kind of think they should be coming up on the used market at decent prices, but I have not looked.
I have had mine since they came out.
Maybe a dozen years?
Totally agree. I've got a (personal) Fabulous 8920A, love it. Got it on eBay for several hundred bucks including the tracking generator option. After I got it I bought the color LCD display replacement and had a shop install it; made a huge difference in usability.
At the job before I retired I had a Viavi 8800, worked like a champ, but I concur in the slowness of the UI. I kept my Fabulous 8920A close by to use for most common alignment tasks; much faster.
The job before that I had a Freedom R8000, which also works great, with a much faster UI than the 8800.
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speedway_navigator
Member
Viavi 8800s and my dry fingers don't work well together. It's been 6 years since I used one (which seemed to be about half its boot time...), maybe they did a firmware fix.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
I think I updated mine earlier this year. Yeah, the touch screen is frustrating. I keep meaning to attach a keyboard/mouse to it to see what it'll do.
speedway_navigator
Member
The downside of using the 8800 for me is when I use a Freedom 8000 I keep hitting the labels on the right side of the screen instead of the buttons next to each label. That's when Biff needs to rap me on my head and say
"hello McFly, its anybody home?"
"hello McFly, its anybody home?"
Mouse works loads better than the touch screen...
I worked for a company that had a fleet of ships, with racks of radio equipment for emergency response efforts (hurricanes, floods, oil spills). We had to check the radio equipment on board, and one co-worker of mine had a habit of sliding the radio test sets along the edge of the gangway railing, instead of carrying them by their carry handle. Well, this meant he lost two of them overboard, about a year apart.
Another co-worker saw this as a challenge to repair the test sets, and did exactly that. Replaced some capacitors, cleaned them up, and then they went for calibration, and later use. The ship was located where there was a soft silty type of sandy shore, had I dropped them in my part of the country, they would have landed on barnacled stones, and suffered more damage.
I left for better options a decade ago, and the guy who dropped two HP8920's overboard, was fired for not making a plane to one of the later responses. He was a slow worker and had lots of issues when it came to radio knowledge. But, the HP/Agilent 8920's are awesome test sets. They survive immersion, rain, dust, and rough handling.
