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Reviews For: MOTOROLA MICOR "Station" Repeater

Category: Ham Repeaters

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Review Summary For : MOTOROLA MICOR "Station" Repeater
Reviews: 3MSRP: Big bucks!
Description:
Motorola original cont. duty repeater MICOR series
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0035
W5KVV Rating: 2022-06-10
THE best rock bound repeater Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Absolutely without a doubt the best XTAL repeater ever devised by man. A close 2nd place goes to the GE MASTR II.

The biggest drawback with the old /\/\ equipment is finding someone that still cuts rocks (the non drifty flavor) for them since ICM has closed up. BUT...... if you're lucky enough to have channel elements on your desired freq's, there is no better repeater on the market. The squelch on these is unreal considering we're talking about 50 y/o technology. Ours came from a local municipality where it was a front line worker in law enforcement, now living out the rest of its day happily on 70cm amateur.

I've always said, if Motorola knew how well these were built and that they'd last 50 years in service, they'd never have built them that well to begin with. (planned obsolescence).

If you're ever in the area:
W5CUQ DAISY, OKLAHOMA
442.400 PL 114.8 ENC/DEC
KA2AYR Rating: 2008-08-15
The gold standard of repeaters Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have worked on a number of Micor stations over the years and still have several in public safety service - even after newer stations could have been purchased. They are easily repaired to component level and most parts are still available (along with some generic equivalents). There are many bands and many configurations. 10, 6, 2, 220, 440, 902-928 can all be accomodated with some time, patience, the proper components, and some test equipment. Once completed, these stations can stand up to the toughest 2 meter jackjawing anywhere.

Typically some component changes will be necessary to optimize the repeater to amateur frequencies. Kevin and a number of volunteers at repeater-builder.com have done an outstanding job at publicizing these modifications.

To illustrate how hardy these stations are, I had one at a water tank in the middle of a field. When I checked on it, it was still working fine (from outward appearances), but it was clear that a family of mice were living inside. The station was taken off-site, scrubbed inside and out (some components were power washed with water-only), and allowed to thoroughly dry out in the summer sun. It worked great once it was put back together and realigned. (just make sure you don't pressure wash the power supply! ;o)

I like the audio and control circuits so much that I would only run it with stock configurations, and not add a beep-boop controller to this station, but if you choose to do so, it's pretty straightforward to do and still sounds great.

Caveat about mobiles converted into repeaters - I worked with a number of later vintage (right at the end of product life) MEMCOM (Micor) UHF paramedic medical control repeaters. They were designed for continuous duty, but would overheat and break into oscillation (spectrum analyzer display would look like a Christmas tree). This is a heatsinking issue. Just be aware this may exist.

My high opinion pertains to base stations, not really with converted mobiles.
K9KJM Rating: 2006-02-13
TOP notch! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The Motorola MICOR series of repeaters were not really intended for ham use (But a few ham clubs with really deep pockets got them in the old days)
But nowadays, These units are available for really low prices! (500 or so bucks will get you a REAL good working repeater on VHF or UHF)
GREAT audio, And the basis of the BEST squelch circuit used on repeaters!
I am talking about the Motorola MICORS originally designed and used as station or repeaters, NOT the converted mobil units............ The converted mobil units work also, BUT they really are a "hack"............