THE ORIGINAL QUERY:
"I'm looking at SO2R boxes, and there appear to be two
available. I'd like to get the opinions of experienced
SO2R operators as to which has the better mix of
features."
Top Ten 'DX Doubler'
(http://www.qth.com/topten/DXD.HTM)
or
Array Solutions 'SO2R Master'
(http://www.arraysolutions.com/Products/so2r.htm)?"
***********************
Reviews on eHam.com:
Array Solutions "SO2R Master"
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/1489
Top Ten "DX Doubler"
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/1490
************************
MY COMMENTS:
It was pointed out early in the responses that Array
Solutions beat Top Ten to market, and so there are
more comments out there from users of Array Solutions
at this time.
Perhaps this survey should be repeated in a few
months!
For what they are worth now, here are the replies
received in response to my query. See the Top
Ten and Array Solutions boxes at the Dayton
Hamvention!
- Jeff Maass K8ND
****************************************************************
THE RESPONSES:
***********
>From Dave N3RD of Top Ten, 5/5/01:
Top Ten is just starting to ship the DX Doubler,
so it may be a bit premature to develop any
conclusions based upon feedback from users, since
there won't be any such feedback for a while.
We here at Top Ten are proud of our design, and
are confident that after some time, our users
will be happy with it, too.
In the meantime, you can compare the
specifications, and of course, we here are
available to answer your questions. We will have
the DXD on display at Dayton, too.
***********
They've both been on the market for about three
weeks. It may be hard for people to have come to
an opinion about them just yet.
***********
"homebrew"
***********
The big difference between the two boxes is that the
Array Solutions box has both a CW and voice keyer
built-in. The Top Ten box has headphone audio
switching...
I've been using a Top Ten box for some time and find
it to work very well.
***********
I have used the WX0B box on ssb and cw SO2R and
works fine. Like sub/main audio switches and nice
construction.
***********
There will be a third manufacturer announcing
an SO2R box at Dayton. It's an improved version
of this one:
http://www.writelog.com/cwkeyer/W5XDKeyer.htm
************
I have the WX0B SO2R box....It has every feature
I could think of and is a high quality unit. I
like Jay's idea of having a main box that all
your cables plug into that does not have to
take up prime time space on your operating desk...
two radios, your keyboard, paddle and monitor
consume enough space. The controller unit is
fairly small with a sloped front...I can rest
my hand on the controller while I tune the 1000MP...
I have just had the box a few short weeks so
have not had much time to play with it....
am still waiting for a fairly busy contest with
several bands open at once to get a feel for
the thing but I think Jay has done a nice job!
I bought my box before the Top Ten unit came
out so guess I was not faced with the same
decision that you are. I do have Top Ten band
decoders and Top Ten has top of the line stuff...
I'm sure their box is nice too.
Good luck with your decision...I think you
will be happy with either product.
**************
Hmmmmm.......tough question......easy answer.....
the best one is the one you build. NA10 manual
has a schematic for an SO2R box that runs off ur
LPT port.
**************
I just took delivery of my WX0B SO2R box this
past week and wanted to comment that this thing
looks really GREAT. Very professional looking
and includes features that I did not even think
of supporting, but that make sense (like
sub-receiver audio support).
I won't get a chance to test it for awhile, but
if you are looking for a method of managing two
radios I believe this would be a very good one.
I did notice that N3RD has developed a box for
the same function. I've had very good luck with
Dave's products too. So there are options.
**************
Another option is building something yourself.
In my opinion, that's part of the fun of station
design. I built a little box that switches receive
audio (including sub-receivers), and when radio A
is in xmit, both ears are automatically switched
to radio B (and vice versa). It cost under $20
in parts, including the box.
***************
Built mine from the schematic in the back of the
NA manual. Works extremely well. Go for it.
***************
Array Solutions has developed a clean and
deceptively simple solution to 2 radio operation
which has exceeded my expectations. In addition
to designing an ergonomically sound unit which
takes up a minimum of space, the SO2R is strait
forward in doing what it is supposed to do.
Its simplicity eliminates the difficulties
associated with operating 2 radios. This
should prove particularly helpful after being
up 30 plus hours during a contest.
The quality of the unit is first rate and can
be counted upon to work flawlessly in the heat
of battle.
***************
I have placed an order for the DX Doubler. They
say having trouble getting the boxes from supplier
so have to wait until May. Not sure how long
into May.
***************
Well, my SO2R system is going to be installed in
my QTH by July timeframe, once the new contesting
room is finished.
What I can let me tell you is that I'm quite
impressed for the solid and professional
construction and excelent finishing of both boxes.
In the past years, I've purchased other products
from [Array Solutions] and I've always received
an excellent support.
***************
I like the way my home-made so2r setup works. I
like to keep things simple.
For receiving, headphone audio is routed to the
proper ear, or split, by a two pole, three
position switch. The choices are left radio in
both ears, right radio in both ears, or split.
In split, a crossover resistor between the left
and right headphones lets one hear a little of
the left audio in the right ear, and vice versa.
For CW transmit, no so2r box is used. With TRLog,
the paddle connects to a printer port, and a
serial port is dedicated to each radio, with
radio control and cw keying on each port.
For SSB transmit, the programs TRLog and Soundblaster
DVP are used. Microphone and soundcard audios
are first mixed together, using an isolation
transformer and a couple of resistors. Then,
TRLog's A/B signal drives a DPDT relay, which
routes the mixed audio to the proper radio. VOX
is used. There is no PTT, and there are no
footswitches.
There are a few embellishments for RTTY, and a
few other features, but the basic design is
pretty much described above.
***************
You might be interested in the contemporary
solid state SO2R box design without clicking
relays in Morse code on my Internet pages
http://artinian.bit.si/radio.htm
My eham article on the above is queing somewhere
between W4AN and N5NJ.
73 de Mario, S56A, N1YU for NIH syndrome :-)
************************************************
73,
Jeff Maass jmaass@columbus.rr.com Located near Columbus Ohio
USPSA # L-1192 NROI/CRO Amateur Radio K8ND
Maass' IPSC Resources Page: http://home.columbus.rr.com/jmaass
Circleville USPSA/IPSC: http://home.columbus.rr.com/jmaass/pcsiipsc.htm
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff Maass [mailto:jmaass@columbus.rr.com]
> Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2001 6:32 PM
> To: CQ Contest Mailing List
> Subject: Which is Best SO2R Box?
>
>
>
> I'm looking at SO2R boxes, and there appear to be two available.
> I'd like to get the opinions of experienced SO2R operators as to
> which has the better mix of features.
>
> TopTen "DX Doubler"
> (http://www.qth.com/topten/DXD.HTM)
>
> or
>
> Array Solutions "SO2R Master"
> (http://www.arraysolutions.com/Products/so2r.htm)?
>
> Thanks and 73,
>
> Jeff Maass jmaass@columbus.rr.com Located near Columbus Ohio
> USPSA # L-1192 NROI/CRO Amateur Radio K8ND
> Maass' IPSC Resources Page: http://home.columbus.rr.com/jmaass
> Circleville USPSA/IPSC: http://home.columbus.rr.com/jmaass/pcsiipsc.htm
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