Antenna Selections with multiple Panadapter on the 6500.

Richard G7EIX

This scenario is on the Flex 6500, when I have two Panadapters open, for example one on 20m and one on 6m. I have my 6m Loop on ANT2 and my OCF on ANT1. My 20m Panadapter is set to ANT1 for RX/TX and then I click on to the second Panadapter for 6m and select ANT2 for TX/RX - then click the TX enable for that panadapter. Should it not be the case then when I click the TX enable on the Primary 20m adapter that the antenna selections for that Primary 20m panadapter are re-selected and the relays thrown? That way I can flip between the two panadapters without reselecting antennas again. Also, if I do reselect the 20m panadapter after using the 6m one, I have to select ant2 and then ant1 for it to correctly select the right antenna - as it will still display ANT1 even though ANT2 is selected from the use of the 6m panadapter. Hope I explained that well enough, it was a long night last night and I have only have 2 cups of coffee. **EDIT** Also, just now noticed that I cannot select ANT2 and use the ATU - it's showing INV ANT when I click on the ATU or TUNE button.

Jim K4JAF

Unless it was changed in this last update, the antenna routing has not been fully implemented. Previously, antenna 2 will not be selected at all times and your only supposed to use antenna 1 for xmit. Again this may have been changed in this update but I didn't see it listed in the summary of bug fixes and enhancements. 73s Jim K4JAF

Richard G7EIX

I have to be honest, this is the first time I have tried this.... so you could be making a very valid point.

Ken - NM9P

Even though antenna selection is not fully implemented at this time, I agree that there ought to be a way for the antenna selection to track the panadapter or slice selection automatically. This just seems intuitive to me. I hope this is implemented in a future update.

Al K0VM

With a 6500 only one antenna at a time can be connected to the single SCU in the radio. Even if you have two or more pan adapters open and 2 RX slices both are using the one antenna. You can however have one antenna connected to ANT2 and selected for receive and a different antenna connected to ANT1 for transmit. There are known dficiencies in the antenna selection logic whcih can cause things to seem strange and I expect they witll be fixed in the next release or two.. AL, K0VM

Richard G7EIX

Indeed, I totally understand the single antenna used at any one time with the 6500. But, if I have one Panadapter (A) configured for ANT1 and one for ANT2 (B)- then logic should switch the antennas to what I have selected on each one when I enable TX on whichever Panadapter. Also, if I am on (B) and select TX on (A) after transmit the drop downs currently don't reflect the true selected antenna. This is probably a known issue, but I just wanted to make sure as there is no definitive defect list to reference.

K4EAR

The antenna matrix needs a bit of massage for sure...the 5000 had 3 antenna inputs whereas, the 6XXX has only two, but with separate RX1/2 in/outs for each ANT1/2. Lottsa slicing and dicing to do depending on the input from all of us as to how we want this to shake out for switching. Now is the time to speak up before 1.0 goes live!

Brian_W9HLQ

There should be a user managed table that defines which antenna port is to be used for each band.   This would establish the default antenna to be used, no matter which pan adapter or receiver slice is used.   If the Rx is on the 40meter band, then my 40 meter antenna should be selected.  Right now I have to do that manually.  To make things more annoying,  if I change any receiver antenna, the other slices all change too!   Why?  I am using a 6500 for this discussion as I think the 6700 works differently.