[VHFcontesting] VHFcontesting Digest, Vol 241, Issue 14

David DeVos kf8ql at yahoo.com
Mon Jan 16 13:57:42 EST 2023 

Hi Kevin - I contest with the Flex 6400M with a Q5 transverter driven by the transverter port on the radio.  I set up memories for the transverter bands.  I just select a memory to changes bands.  The memories store all the settings including modes.
Dave DeVos - KF8QL/R
616-278-8068 - mobile 

    On Monday, January 16, 2023 at 12:00:36 PM EST, vhfcontesting-request at contesting.com <vhfcontesting-request at contesting.com> wrote:  
 
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Today's Topics:

  1. Re: IF Radios & XTRs (Ed Kucharski)
  2. Re: IF Radios & XTRs (Terry Price)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2023 11:33:22 -0500 (EST)
From: Ed Kucharski <k3dne at comcast.net>
To: "vhfcontesting at contesting.com" <vhfcontesting at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] IF Radios & XTRs
Message-ID: <898011657.847244.1673886802100 at connect.xfinity.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

I have nothing to really add to this thread other than to vent my frustration. Kevin alluded to it with his criticism of the Flex and xvtrs. I'm particularly disappointed with Yaesu and their "flagship" radio (FTDX101D / MP). No configuration or low level output for transverter interfacing. I knew that before purchasing the radio and planned to continue to use my FT1000MP MKV as an IF but the '101 has many nice features I'd like to have when using it with transverters for 2m and up. A significant oversight by Yaesu IMHO.
73,
Ed K3DNE

>    On 01/16/2023 11:24 AM Kevin Hobbs via VHFcontesting <vhfcontesting at contesting.com mailto:vhfcontesting at contesting.com > wrote:
> 
> 
>    Thanks Terry ... that's what I figured ... I assume if the K3 does that then
>    K4 probably follows the same architecture. Seems like just another VHF+ /
>    XVTR oversight by Flex Radio. 73 KH
> 
> 
>    -----Original Message-----
>    From: Terry Price <terry at directivesystems.com mailto:terry at directivesystems.com >
>    Sent: January 16, 2023 10:40 AM
>    To: 'Kevin Hobbs' <ve3kh at icloud.com mailto:ve3kh at icloud.com >
>    Cc: 'VHF Contesting Reflector' <vhfcontesting at contesting.com mailto:vhfcontesting at contesting.com >
>    Subject: RE: [VHFcontesting] IF Radios & XTRs
> 
>    Hi Kevin,
> 
>    Don't know about the K4 but I have four K3's and they remember every VHF
>    band so when I QSY say to 222.100 and then to another band, when I come back
>    to 222, it is on 222.100 and the same mode. The K3 supports 10 VHF bands so
>    one radio can do 50 MHz (native) through 10GHz and the dial shows the
>    correct frequency. Each band can have a frequency correction of +/- 5 KHz
>    (maybe 10 I can't remember) and the band data is standard BCD that is also
>    mirrored for HF. There is a separate control line that goes low when low
>    power transverter mode is selected so you can differentiate between HF and
>    VHF and there is a PTT output, all of these signals are available at the
>    HD15 acc connector on the back. So you can cover 160m through 10 GHz all
>    automatically with the right BCD decoder setup. If you get one with the
>    internal 2m transverter, it can be set up to cover bands from 902 and up as
>    an I.F.
> 
>    73,
> 
>    Terry - W8ZN
> 
>    -----Original Message-----
>    From: VHFcontesting
>    [mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces+terry=directivesystems.com at contesting.com mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces+terry=directivesystems.com at contesting.com ] On
>    Behalf Of Kevin Hobbs via VHFcontesting
>    Sent: Monday, January 16, 2023 10:30 AM
>    To: VHF Contesting <vhfcontesting at contesting.com mailto:vhfcontesting at contesting.com >
>    Subject: [VHFcontesting] IF Radios & XTRs
> 
>    Hi
> 
> 
> 
>    I have a Flex 6600M and a number of XVTRs connected to its XVTRA RXA ports
>    with external switching controlled via the Flex IO USB
> 
>    * 8 CH Relays to control DPDT coax switch to select between a Kuhne
>    144 XVTR (which is the IF for 10 24 47 GHz XVTRs) and a Q5 5-Band XVTR
> 
> 
> 
>    My issue is that when I change VHF+ bands via the Flex, it resets my freq,
>    panadapter etc to default settings and so I can switch back to where I was
>    when running the bands because the Flex thinks it all 28MHz and even though
>    it handles all the XVTR's it doesn't have any band memory / persistence for
>    XVTRs. This makes running the bands and going back and forth to coordinate a
>    feal nuisance.
> 
> 
> 
>    Does anyone have a workaround or know if some other HF IF rigs handle this
>    better ie: K3 or K4 ???
> 
> 
> 
>    73 Kevin VE3KH
> 
>    _______________________________________________
>    VHFcontesting mailing list
>    VHFcontesting at contesting.com mailto:VHFcontesting at contesting.com
>    http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
> 
> 
>    _______________________________________________
>    VHFcontesting mailing list
>    VHFcontesting at contesting.com mailto:VHFcontesting at contesting.com
>    http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
> 


------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2023 11:58:21 -0500
From: "Terry Price" <terry at directivesystems.com>
To: "'Ed Kucharski'" <k3dne at comcast.net>,
    <vhfcontesting at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] IF Radios & XTRs
Message-ID: <90c701d929cb$bd7d0f90$38772eb0$@directivesystems.com>
Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="us-ascii"

Ed et all,

I think the entire reason the K3 works so well and fits so many niches is
Elecraft listened. Both Wayne and Eric answered questions and suggestions
directly from their reflector. The closest any of the Japanese companies
ever came was the good old Yaesu Ft736R and maybe some of the ICOMs. But
just look at the IC-9700, ICOMs latest VHF rig, if doesn't even offer per
band PTT output for individual amps and no band data unless you want to roll
your own using an Arduino watching the CI-V. Yes I realize they are making
radios for worldwide consumption but I would this everyone would like this.
I'm anxiously awaiting the new IC-905 to see how bad they butchered it. I
have a IC-705 and it has a single PTT output, no band data for steering the
PTT and no CI-V jack. And, don't even get me started about 222 and 902 !!

Unfortunately, we as VHF weak signal folks are such a minority that no one
will listen. They, like the ARRL, only cares about "shack on the belt" types
and HF. Flex is an American company (I think) and being a true SDR, one
would think it could walk on water and leave tracks but only if the software
engineers make it. One of our operators at K8GP/W8ZN has a Flex 6XXX and
after watching the amount of work it takes him to set it up and get it to
work, I'll keep my K3's until they put me in a pine box!

Terry

-----Original Message-----
From: VHFcontesting
[mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces+terry=directivesystems.com at contesting.com] On
Behalf Of Ed Kucharski
Sent: Monday, January 16, 2023 11:33 AM
To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] IF Radios & XTRs

I have nothing to really add to this thread other than to vent my
frustration. Kevin alluded to it with his criticism of the Flex and xvtrs.
I'm particularly disappointed with Yaesu and their "flagship" radio
(FTDX101D / MP). No configuration or low level output for transverter
interfacing. I knew that before purchasing the radio and planned to continue
to use my FT1000MP MKV as an IF but the '101 has many nice features I'd like
to have when using it with transverters for 2m and up. A significant
oversight by Yaesu IMHO.
73,
Ed K3DNE

>    On 01/16/2023 11:24 AM Kevin Hobbs via VHFcontesting
<vhfcontesting at contesting.com mailto:vhfcontesting at contesting.com > wrote:
> 
> 
>    Thanks Terry ... that's what I figured ... I assume if the K3 does
that then
>    K4 probably follows the same architecture. Seems like just another
VHF+ /
>    XVTR oversight by Flex Radio. 73 KH
> 
> 
>    -----Original Message-----
>    From: Terry Price <terry at directivesystems.com
mailto:terry at directivesystems.com >
>    Sent: January 16, 2023 10:40 AM
>    To: 'Kevin Hobbs' <ve3kh at icloud.com mailto:ve3kh at icloud.com >
>    Cc: 'VHF Contesting Reflector' <vhfcontesting at contesting.com
mailto:vhfcontesting at contesting.com >
>    Subject: RE: [VHFcontesting] IF Radios & XTRs
> 
>    Hi Kevin,
> 
>    Don't know about the K4 but I have four K3's and they remember every
VHF
>    band so when I QSY say to 222.100 and then to another band, when I
come back
>    to 222, it is on 222.100 and the same mode. The K3 supports 10 VHF
bands so
>    one radio can do 50 MHz (native) through 10GHz and the dial shows the
>    correct frequency. Each band can have a frequency correction of +/- 5
KHz
>    (maybe 10 I can't remember) and the band data is standard BCD that is
also
>    mirrored for HF. There is a separate control line that goes low when
low
>    power transverter mode is selected so you can differentiate between HF
and
>    VHF and there is a PTT output, all of these signals are available at
the
>    HD15 acc connector on the back. So you can cover 160m through 10 GHz
all
>    automatically with the right BCD decoder setup. If you get one with
the
>    internal 2m transverter, it can be set up to cover bands from 902 and
up as
>    an I.F.
> 
>    73,
> 
>    Terry - W8ZN
> 
>    -----Original Message-----
>    From: VHFcontesting
>
[mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces+terry=directivesystems.com at contesting.com
mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces+terry=directivesystems.com at contesting.com ] On
>    Behalf Of Kevin Hobbs via VHFcontesting
>    Sent: Monday, January 16, 2023 10:30 AM
>    To: VHF Contesting <vhfcontesting at contesting.com
mailto:vhfcontesting at contesting.com >
>    Subject: [VHFcontesting] IF Radios & XTRs
> 
>    Hi
> 
> 
> 
>    I have a Flex 6600M and a number of XVTRs connected to its XVTRA RXA
ports
>    with external switching controlled via the Flex IO USB
> 
>    * 8 CH Relays to control DPDT coax switch to select between a Kuhne
>    144 XVTR (which is the IF for 10 24 47 GHz XVTRs) and a Q5 5-Band XVTR
> 
> 
> 
>    My issue is that when I change VHF+ bands via the Flex, it resets my
freq,
>    panadapter etc to default settings and so I can switch back to where I
was
>    when running the bands because the Flex thinks it all 28MHz and even
though
>    it handles all the XVTR's it doesn't have any band memory /
persistence for
>    XVTRs. This makes running the bands and going back and forth to
coordinate a
>    feal nuisance.
> 
> 
> 
>    Does anyone have a workaround or know if some other HF IF rigs handle
this
>    better ie: K3 or K4 ???
> 
> 
> 
>    73 Kevin VE3KH
> 
>    _______________________________________________
>    VHFcontesting mailing list
>    VHFcontesting at contesting.com mailto:VHFcontesting at contesting.com
>    http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
> 
> 
>    _______________________________________________
>    VHFcontesting mailing list
>    VHFcontesting at contesting.com mailto:VHFcontesting at contesting.com
>    http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
> 
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------------------------------

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------------------------------

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