Mike,
N1MMplus makes it easy to run M1, M2, and M/M and NO you are not limited to
using only two physical transmitters in M2, but only two signal sources at
a time, any two at your disposal in any combination you want.
It sounds like Tom may be mixing M1 and M2. In M2 you may run
simultaneously with both transmitters (any transmitter) each on its own
band. Unless in his case, for some technical reason, they were forced to
use the 2 radios (say on one desk) that are hardware interlocked and it
somehow prevented using both transmitters at the same time on different
bands as well. There is no reason to be running M2 and be restricted to
running on one band while doing mults on the second.
However, back to your question. At the KH6YY contest station (aka currently
KH6J in multi-op, formerly KH7XX, KH7X, KH7R) we have 6 desks with one
band/station per desk. Unfortunately, we've not gotten sophisticated enough
to have two interlocked transmitters per band for various reasons. Since
the original design brought all the antennas for their respective band to
the specific band desk we ran M1 or M2 using all six transmitters. You used
the transmitter for the band you wanted AT the designated band/desk. So you
physically moved to the appropriate band/desk to use that equipment
to search for and contact the mults. That's just the way it was. Not the
most efficient but it worked.
We networked 6 computers (all wirelessly, formerly wired)
using N1MMplus adding a 7th Master computer and the software would keep
track of Transmitter 1 or 2 logging but the OPON login by the operator
forced them to select which of the two integrated log streams you were
going to add to. Since we didn't change constantly and mostly ran it wasn't
much of a problem to just have a moveable sign by the No 1 and one by the
No. 2 transmitter. The op wanting to use a third position would ask to use
one or the others run log stream for a 10 minute or longer mult chase. Or
in the case of M2 we'd have to monitor the band changes per hour which, I
believe, N1MM could indicate for you as well (at least time since last
change or conversely time remaining). If both were stations were running
the relieved operator would give up the sign to the new position if it made
sense.
We've since modified the station so we have two operating desks with access
to all antennas through a common Array Solutions 4 x 8 pak. The 8 pak will
not allow both desks onto the same antennas (i.e. band) unless we have a
big operator error and go to the log periodic which would allow us to
mirror the mono-banders. So far, nobody has been that unconscious. I could
just unplug it for the duration but it serves as another antenna for
searching for mults easily.
The other 2 inputs go to another operating position at the other end of the
room which is dedicated to two radios that Alex, KH6YY, uses as his
everyday station (Desk 7).
If we want to run full M/M we just disconnect the coax runs to the switch
at each desk and hook in the band specific antennas directly to its
respective desk. Our problem (more so when at a sunspot peak) is finding
enough operators, let alone two at each desk should we decide to have more
equipment.
I hope I explained this alright.
73, Kimo KH7U station manager
KH6YY Contest Station
Date: Sat, 8 Oct 2016 12:58:12 -0400
From: Tom Haavisto <kamham69@gmail.com>
To: W0MU Mike Fatchett <w0mu@w0mu.com>, CQ Contest
<cq-contest@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Rules Question M2 CQ WW
Message-ID:
<CAKNnRU6RDVAB8_0bS_Aahg6LNUf4=Fses+ETRS6HHGfTtU4Q6w@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
I did an M2 at NQ4I a couple of years ago. We had two radios per band, and
a total of six radios. Two radios per band interlocked - only one could
transmit at a time (hardware interlock). One run radio, one mult radio.
When we did a band change - say "radio 1" was going from 10 to 20 meters.
We would stop TX on 10 meters, designate 20 meters as "radio 1", and away
we went with a different pair of radios. That was one band change.
With M2, you are assisted - allowed to look at the cluster. We could line
up 20 meter mults, ready to go when TX moved to 20. Once we worked a bunch
of mults of 20, we could then move back to 10 meters (ie radio 1), and this
counted as band change # 2 for radio 1.
This activity was independent of what "radio 2" was doing.
The TX must be identified in the Cabrillo log file - radio 1 or radio 2.
Logging software takes care of this.
Does this help?
Tom - VE3CX
On Sat, Oct 8, 2016 at 11:40 AM, W0MU Mike Fatchett <w0mu@w0mu.com> wrote:
I would like some clarification on the Multi 2 transmitter rule.
From the CQ WW Rules Website:
*2. Two Transmitters (MULTI-TWO):* A maximum of two transmitted signals on
two different bands may be used at any time.
The log must indicate which transmitter made each QSO.
Each transmitter may make a maximum of 8 band changes in any clock hour
(00 through 59 minutes).
Total output power must not exceed *1500 watts* on any band at any time.
Line one says Two transmitters. Does this really mean just two
transmitters per the contest period? Rig 1 and Rig 2 and you can have as
many receivers as you want and operators but all contacts need to be made
using rig 1 and rig 2?
W0MU
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