Looking for input on repeater receivers, what works, what doesn't,
what is available. Currently am using a Hamtronic R302 (second
replacement), need something more reliable, with external squelch
control, and volume control (for external speaker monitor)/ with
monitor amp.

wrote:
Looking for input on repeater receivers, what works, what doesn't,
what is available. Currently am using a Hamtronic R302 (second
replacement), need something more reliable, with external squelch
control, and volume control (for external speaker monitor)/ with
monitor amp.

Many people use Motorola receivers.

Some use the older repeaters such as the MCS-2000 or MSF-5000, and many use
the Maxtrac and similar radios.

There are many two channel VHF 25kHz radios floating around, most too good for
the dumpster but not good enough to use. Once they become illegal for commerical
operation (Jan 2013), they will end up in the dumpster.

The Maxtracs and MSF-5000's need to be programmed, but that's not too
difficult to find someone to do it for you if you can not do it yourself.

Many of them have discriminator output which is pre squelch, pre shaping
and filtering and pre volume control. On the front panel is a speaker and
volume control, but you can fit an external speaker if needed.

Repeater builder.com has plenty of articles on them.

Geoff.
--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, N3OWJ/4X1GM
My high blood pressure medicine reduces my midichlorian count. :-(

The State of Pennsylvania had many of those repeater radios in their inventory and they did not want anyone to profit from them and so they dumped them out in the parking lot and brought a paver roller in and ran over all of them.

I have heard stories of several places where they have done this so far.

There is a lot of desktrac's and Cinitar's and Mitrex and Micor's and other models out there that you can buy for under $300 right now.

UHF is limited to 60 watts on some frequencies right now - can't remember all the particulars right now but I saw it on the bulletin I read when I got the update for 60 meters from the FCC.

I have seen mast head amplifiers at hamfests for as little as $5.00
1 - 5 watts in / 100 watts out.