The CQM6000 was a DIN compatible package with the radio case made from a cast aluminium chassis with integral heatsink at the rear. The basic chassis was available with an extensive range of control hardware allowing local, remote and multiple head installation, transportable operation, waterproof installation and interface to external data devices.

The CQM6000 was the first radio which had the hardware to live up to the promise of total software control flexibility. Featuring a broadband synthesiser with varicap RF tuning the set could use channels anywhere in it's frequency band and allowed both 6.25 and 5 kHz steps. Tone signalling used digital signal processing, permitting any combination of selective calling systems to be used including binary 1200 baud FFSK and DTMF.

An optional feature on the control head was a socket for a personalised codeplug. As well as defining the individual signalling codes used, the codeplug could also be used to enable and disable specific channels. The standard codeplug contained a 256 bit serial EEPROM and contents could be edited using service mode. Larger capacity devices were also available which could be fitted inside a junction box.

This unit was not called a CQP6000 because it was not a separate model but just a standard CQM6000 with a control head featuring an integral handset and PTT switch and dropped into the carrying case. Medium and high capacity batteries were available and could be charged in-situ with a supply cable connected to the case. Many software packages automatically set transmit power to a reduced level when in the case and this feature can be used to implement an external QRP power level switch.

Rare by comparison to standard sets the duplex model can easily be identified by the larger heatsink, thus permitting a 100% transmit duty cycle. Variants included those used as repeater units consisting of separate transmit and receive chassis and also mobiles fitted with an internal duplexer, although this meant frequencies were limited to a particular part of the band.

Special Duplex mobiles and transportable versions of the 6000 with integral handsets in various forms were developed for the European mobile phone networks on 450MHz and later also 900 MHz.

A vast array of custom software packages were developed for the Storno 6000 and there were a number of different hardware revisions of the main control logic board so not all combinations are compatible. The standard software package for CQM6000 was called Opus. There were three versions, EC was an early version, EF was the most common and EL was the version used in radios with encryption. The EF and EL versions could be configured using a DOS PC based programmer either by creating EPROM images or uploading direct to EEPROM via an interface box talking on the H-Bus which communicates with the control heads.

CQM6000 EF User Guide

Many software builds based on standard packages incorporated a service mode allowing direct control of the radio hardware using test routines selected by keypad entry. This was particularly useful for troubleshooting, especially on trunked radios with no conventional channels. It also allowed direct editing of the personality EEPROM and could be used to modify the codeplug data.

CQM6000 Service Mode information