[SCCC] SO2R Setup Description/Question

[Dave Hachadorian]

On Sun, 18 Aug 2002 18:51:26 -0700 "Coker, Timothy J" <TJCoker@lasd.org>
writes:

> *****************************************************
> Hi, I have not operated SO2R yet but would like to get setup for 
> this
> contest 
> season. One of the 1st thoughts that come to my mind immediately is 
> to
> purchase 
> the needed equipment needed to get my setup working now and for the
> equipment 
> to be used for my next QTH.
> 
> Having stated the above I will outline my equipment used at the 
> station I
> guest 
> op and along with my current QTH.
> 
> Guest op station: 
> * Kenwood 950S & Yaesu FT1000 Mk V
> * Cushcraft A4S, D40 rotatable dipole, A3WS & 80m Bazooka on one 
> tower, one 
> feedline per antenna coming into shack
> * Alpha 77DX
> * Heil Proset, footswitch and adapter cables
> * Writelog Contest software
> 
> Home QTH:
> * Yaesu FT1000 MK V & Yaesu FT-100
> * Mosley TA-33 Tribander, Rotable 12/17m dipole, 6m yagi, 40m 
> dipole, 30m 
> dipole seperate feedlines per antenna to shack
> * Alpha 374A
> * Heil Proset, footswitch and adapter cables
> * Writelog Contest software
> 
> 95% of the contesting is done at the guest station, DX is the 
> mainstay use
> of 
> my home QTH.
> 
> ***Antenna Switching***
> 
> Band Decoding
> I would like to use the band decoder information that the Yaesu will 
> output 
> during contests... not sure how the 950S would work for automatic 
> decoding.

Hi Tim,

Top Ten makes band decoders for Yaesu.
They also make one that gets the band info from the computer's
parallel port. I'm not sure if Writelog makes the band info available,
but CT, NA, and TR do for sure. The 950 doesn't put out band info.
Top Ten's web site is very helpful in explaining how all this gets
hooked up.

> 
> I am currently thinking that a 6X2 Sixpack with one control unit 
> would
> suffice 
> for manual switching. How would I add auto-switching?

The 6x2 Sixpack is great.
For auto-switching you replace the control box with the band decoders.
The Sixpack requires 12vdc, so you need the 12v driver option if you
buy the Top Ten stuff. Manual switching, especially with tribanders,
should be good enough for starters.

> 
> ***SO2R***
> 
> It appears that the SO2R Master with the Two Generic Radio Cable set 
> would
> be 
> the ticket.

I've heard good reports, but have no personal experience. I made my own
box.


> 
> ***Bandpass Filters***
> 
> Right now I am mainly concerned about operating Low Power with SO2R 
> mainly 
> because of the expense of installation of another amplifier and 
> anything 
> associated that I might not recognize.
> 
> What is my best bet with doing low power SO2R with the equipment 
> listed
> above? 

You really need another tribander at both locations, so you can operate
on all combinations of 10, 15, and 20 simultaneously. 


> I'd like to save some money here if possible, but I don't want to 
> buy
> something 
> cheap to do LP and then replace the items when High Power will come 
> into my 
> SO2R operations down the line.
> 
> What sort of bandpass filters do I need to get the two radios to 
> play? Will
> I 
> need two sets? 


I think you are going to need two six band filter boxes, even at low
power. You will find that those radios put out wideband noise
whenever you press the ptt, even if the power output is zero!

73

Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
Big Bear Lake, CA