[CQ-Contest] RE: SO2R Questions

[John & Retta Cashen]

Scott,

I recently set up SO2R on all 3 modes as your are now planning.   Like you 
I have 2 identical radios (FT-1000MP) and each has its own linear.  I have 
used both Dunestar and Array Solutions filters that I bandswitch with Top 
Ten decoders. The decoders also do antenna bandswitching including 
switching a 2x6 Sixpack from Array Solutions. I also use a Stackmatch and 
am currently designing a new antenna switching system that will add more 
automatic flexibility to my particular system of antennas.

Others have advised you much the same, but they have not mention the 
logging program.  I have used TR for many years and I have yet to find it 
wanting for cw and ssb SO2R contesting.  RTTY is another story.  Because it 
is DOS-based, implementing SO2R RTTY requires networking  two 
computers+monitors to display decoded RTTY print from 2 radios 
simultaneously.  To avoid this I acquired Writelog.  Being Windows-based it 
can display innumerable windows irrespective of which mode is being 
used.  Furthermore Writelog has been developing its RTTY S02R  features 
over many years and as a result it  has nearly universal use by serious 
SO2R RTTY contesters.  Inevitably I am now experimenting with using 
Writelog for cw and ssb SO2R.

John  VK4UC




Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 09:58:18 -0300
From: snichols at mvosprey.com (Scott Nichols)
To: cq-contest at contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] SO2R Questions
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I'm in the process of converting my station to SO2R and need some help...
I have 2 MP's, one amp (for now), and one set of antennas (for now)
consisting of a tri-bander and several dipoles, all fed through one coax
switch in the shack...
My biggest concern for the moment is antenna selection/switching and
filtering, so as not to blow up one of the MP's front-ends...Been
reading everything I can find on this, but unfortunately, I'm don't know
enough about it to fully understand everything...
I have two main questions:
1) What are all you SO2R guys doing for antenna switching?
My idea for each radio chain is to have the MP, each followed by a band
decoder, each followed by a bandpass filter (Dunestar 600?), each
followed by an amplifier and then the antenna system...What do I use
between the amplifiers and the antennas to have the correct antenna
switching performed for each radio? I'm assuming it can be setup to be
done automatically? If so, how ? The other alternative is to have one or
two antennas assigned permanently to each of the radios and manually
switch them with two normal coax switches (one for each radio)?
Second question...
Any advice on which of the SO2R Controllers would be best for me ?
I plan on having a seperate computer for each radio and each
radio/computer will be setup for RTTY, CW and SSB contesting...
Sorry for the (probable) simplistic sounding questions, but I'm new to
SO2R and want to set it up right...I'm sure there are a thousand ways of
doing it, I'd be interested in any ideas...
Thanks and 73,
Scott VE1OP