[VHFcontesting] XV222 + IC746Pro

[Peter Laws]

On Wed, Jul 13, 2016 at 5:35 PM, David Pruett <k8cc at comcast.net> wrote:

> "Commander" (whatever that is) may have a command to set the display offset,
> but the IC-746Pro CI-V protocol does not support it so it won't work.  I've
> never seen an Icom supporting display offset.  Some Yaesus, yes.  Some
> Kenwoods, yes.  But no Icoms.
>

Commander is part of the DXLab Suite of programs.  It would handle the
display offset as Icom apparently doesn't see the need for that (did
they on the S-band downconverter available for the IC910H?).


> I was not aware of the command to turn down the power output on the IC-746,
> and while I'm not certain, based on the way the IC-746 manual describes the
> command, I'll bet it affects all bands

I'm sure it does since that's what the physical knob does.  I had been
under the impression that this wasn't addressable via CI-V, but there
it is on p.96 of the manual (p.109 in the PDF - 14+0A+level).



> You will have to set up the XV222 for common rx/tx IF, because the IC-746
> lacks a receive antenna input.  With a common IF, if you plan to add an
> attenutation you'll have to build some sort of relay system to switch it out
> of line on receive.


I'll check the minimum output on 28 MHz later tonight.  If it's under
8 W and if I really can turn it down to that minimum via CI-V, that
will be part of it.  Then I can switch to ANT 2 over CI-V which is
where the transverter would connect and I won't even need another
switch or relay (assuming no attenuator).

Of course, just today, I and another DXLab user nearly simultaneously
discovered that Commander doesn't actually have a setting for 222
(covers 50, 72, 144, 432, 902, and 1240 MHz).  Maybe the author will
add it.



-- 
Peter Laws | N5UWY | plaws plaws net | Travel by Train!