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Reviews For: Vertex 5000 repeater

Category: Ham Repeaters

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Review Summary For : Vertex 5000 repeater
Reviews: 2MSRP: N/A
Description:
Well made and very easy to interface with an outboard controller and also to a custom made available inboard controller as well. Sorry vertex discontinued this winner!
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.vertex.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0024.5
K9EUI Rating: 2007-12-08
good reliable unit Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I was given a VXR-5000 by a friend who had upgraded to a newer unit. My thoughts on the software are this: I am happy to see the software running under DOS rather than WIN. That way I can use an old otherwise useless laptop to program it (how many PC's today even have a serial port any more). All I need, including DOS is on one floppy disk!

The repeater works great. My main gripe is with Vertex, who does not answer questions about the unit, particularly about differences in the schematic and the physical parts layout.

There are 2 "problems" which I would like resolved:

1) When the CW ID is on, it mutes the repeat audio. There must be a way to have the IDer key the transmitter without muting the repeat audio.

2) If you have a standby battery connected the manual says it will only maintain a charge - not recharge a very low battery - no specifics given.
So I want to use an external charger on the battery so as to not overload the internal supply.
To properly do this one needs to disable the internal charging circuit. If I could identify the proper component (diode or resistor and its location and remove it) I could do this but the drawings disagree.

So what I have had to do is built an external switchover system to avoid possible damage to the 5000.

Vertex will NOT answer emails regarding this unit.
NB2A Rating: 2004-02-25
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is by far a very well made repeater with great selectivity and sensitivity in a high rf environment. It is also very easy to interface to an outboard controller via a DB25 connector. There is even a controller made to go right inside it as well.This was a winner for Vertex! I wish they would bring it back! I hope the 7000 is just as good.