If you have a single antenna per band, you can set it up hard coded using
whatever method you like. But if you have multiple antennas and want to
have touch-control, the Microham stationmaster really is a slick solution.
I thought it was overkill for what I have here (So2r with 13 antennas) but
as it turned out, it's really been a good solution. And you can define on
the fly in the software what antenas you want to have available for what
band (or even assign antennas for a subband - say one for the CW segment and
another for the SSB segment, etc). Really slick.
It's paired with a uHam MK2R+ which handles all the audio stuff. N1MM works
great with all of this stuff.
I don't have skin in the Microham stuff - just a pretty satisfied customer.
73/jeff/ac0c
www.ac0c.com
alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
-----Original Message-----
From: Aldewey@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2013 8:40 PM
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] SO2R with Automatic Switching
Bob;
I recently automated my station in the way you suggest below. My two
radios are an FT2000 and an ICOM 7600 (which recently replaced an FT1000 MP
Mark
V). I use two Array Solution Band Master 3 Band Decoders, an Array
Solution 6 Pack Antenna Switch, and two Dunestar Switchable bandpass
filters.
One of the reasons I used the BandMaster III is that I actually won one at
the Dayton Contest Dinner a couple years ago. I got it up and running with
one radio and liked it so much I bought a second one. I had a couple
issues getting the software configured right but the support from the
factory
was great. I use N1MM Logging software. Once you get the BandMaster III's
configured correctly, the logging software is actually transparent. It
looks to the logging software just like you have a normal CAT interface to
your radio.
I do not run an amplifier in my station.
Once you get everything automated, you will wonder how you ever survived
doing the switching manually!
73,
AL, K0AD
In a message dated 11/26/2013 4:26:53 P.M. Central Standard Time,
kq2m@kq2m.com writes:
Hi,
I am using two FT1000MP’s for SO2R and would like to use the band output
from the radios to
automatically electronically switch all antennas, amps and filters every
time I change bands rather
than the tiring/inefficient manual “switching by hand” that I have been
using for the past 26 years.
I would appreciate hearing from SO2R ops what amps, antenna switches, “
boxes” and /or
other devices that they use to accomplish this fully automatic switching
which would be necessary
on both phone and cw. Also, if there is a particular contest logging
program that you have found
to be especially useful and well-integrated with all of this switching,
please tell me as well.
Reliability and durability are of paramount importance to me as I do not
want failures
occurring due to RF, cheap components and/or questionable or short-sighted
design issues.
I would appreciate any thoughts and experiences with products, vendors and
station design
either on or off the reflector.
Thanks in advance for your help.
73
Bob KQ2M
kq2m@kq2m.com
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