Hi Kevin
There is a way to solve your specific problem. I call it the simple
rotary A/B switch solution! But you need a dedicated SO2R station.
When you say "I would like to have the hardware used for SO2R
capability already integrated into our multi op setup." I advise you
not to do it that way. Multis even with two radios on each station do
not operate like SO2R's.
In my solution you will have to apply the rotary A/B solution to the
antennas, rotor and stack match cables of the multi stations to route
things to the SO2R station.
It will give you minimal work to set up, but once you do it, the
station will be stable for any type of operation (MM, MS, M2 and SO2R)
and you can switch from multi-set up to SO2R set-up in less than a
minute without exploding or imploding your station.
I will assume that you have one station per band for a total of six
stations (10-160), and that each station has 3 antennas per band,
using a stack match to control each of them and the third antenna is
rotary with a rotor control box.
In order to accomplish what you want, you need to increase one station
from your existent 6 stations. So your set-up will be six stations
(dedicated to Multi op) plus a seven station (dedicated to Single op).
*This is very important. The SO2R must be a dedicated station*. Your
overall set-up will be six multi stations (10;15;20;40;80;160) + one
SO2R station (10-160)
Let's first look how to route the antennas from each multi stations to
the SO2R station. I will use the 10 meter multi station as an example:
Ant 1,2,3 are connected to 10 meter stack match for example of this
type http://www.microham.com/contents/en-us/d85.html +
http://www.microham.com/contents/en-us/d84.html
The input of 10 meter stack match is each antenna coax cable (Ant1
fix, ant2 fix, ant3 rotary)
The output of stack match is one antenna coax cable that goes to the
radio/radios of the multi station
The solution is to insert in the coax cable from output of stack match
to radio/radios of multi station, a A/B rotary switch. When you are
operation Multi, the A position goes to the respective Multi station.
When you are operating SO2R, the B position goes to SO2R station.
You need six A/B rotary switch for each multi station and six coax
cables coming out from the B position that will feed a double six
switch for example of this type
http://www.microham.com/contents/en-us/d75.html that will feed the two
radios of the SO2R set-up.
You now have created a way to put all the antennas from the multi
stations to the SO2R station, by just changing six A/B rotary switches
to B position.
You should now apply the same concept to the six rotor controls cables
and the six stack match box control cables
Make six easy plug-in extension cables to move the six rotor box to
the SO2R station.
Make six plug-in extension to move the six stack match control cable
to the SO2R station.
You want easy plug in extensions (just like female/male USB
connections) and not other types where you have to use screws.
So the overall small investment is:
Six A/B rotary switches
Six coax antenna cable from each Multi station to SO2R station
Six extensions cable for the rotor control cable
Six extensions for the cable of the stack match control cable
Kevin, make sure you don't forget to make room in the SO2R station to
put an SDR waterfall display for the radio you use to S&P in your SO2R
set-up.
It will transform you operating style from a "present only operator"
listening at the 500hz channel of the radio, into a "present, past and
future operator" - visual 20 seconds of the past from the waterfall
display, audio from the present from the 500hz channel of the radio,
and future (visual image of all the signals on the band with exact QRG
location in the waterfall display).
73 José Nunes CT1BOH / CR3E
-----Original Message-----
From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com
<http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest>] On Behalf
Of
Kevin Stockton
Sent: Sunday, May 05, 2013 2:40 PM
To: cq-contest at contesting.com
<http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest>
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Multi Op and SO2R Station Configuration
My dad, K5GO, and I are discussing ways to make our contest station layout
more efficient. One of the primary goals is to switch our station from
multi operator to single operator with two radios without having to touch a
cable behind the rigs. Our SO2R position is also the same position as one
of our multi positions with two radios in place. Can anyone share how you
convert your setup from multi operator to SO2R? I would like to have the
hardware used for SO2R capability already integrated into our multi op
setup.
Thanks and 73,
Kevin, N5DX
--
José Nunes
CONTEST CT1BOH - http://www.qsl.net/ct1boh
_______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
|