Split operating -- 2nd slice vs XIT

VE7ATJ_Don

Is there a preference/reason for operating split using a 2nd slice vs. just using the XIT/RIT?  The manual suggests using a 2nd slice, but don't you accomplish the same thing (for example, if you want to transmit 5Khz up) by just turning on XIT and entering a value of 5000+?

Geir/LA5ZO

Works, but you have no idea if you are transmitting on top of anyone. It is also smart to find the present working station in a pile-up worked and do a call right after that QSO ends. Therefore using a 2nd RX is a better option.

Ken - NM9P

Depending upon the band, band conditions, pileup activity, and my mood, I have used either one.  

On bands where I can easily see the responding stations in the pileup, and especially on RTTY, I will often simply use XIT if I am chasing the DX.  When things are more complicated, I will use a second slice and put the "mob" in my right ear and listen to the DX station in both ears.  I can get a better idea how the exchange is going that way, especially when the band/pileup is really crowded.  

I almost always just use XIT on RTTY.  Many times also on phone, if it is a simple pileup on a single split.  But when they are spread out all over the place on phone, out comes the 2nd slice.

You tend to get a good feel how you need to operate if you do it enough.  

If I were the DX station with a huge pileup calling me, (as I have experienced when running W1AW/9 two years ago... what fun!) then I would always use a second slice.  That way I can monitor my own transmit frequency as well as tune the pileup.

Ken - NM9P

Larry Loen WO7R

Ken has it right.  Most of the time, using two slices works best.  Especially in a dynamic CW pileup where the DX changes the listening frequency frequently.  In a more static pileup, where the DX is always "up one", then XIT works fine.  It also works very well for simplex CW pileups, because the DX often shows a preference for being 50 or -80 or some such off of the zero beat frequency.

On RTTY, where the split is large, I have often had to not only enlist the second slice, I have also had to have two different programs to decode each one, one per slice.  This is supremely awkward, but I don't know of a better way.  We need a real VFO emulation for DXing.

John G3WGV

I agree with Geir, using a second slice is preferable, as you now have receivers on both frequencies. When I'm chasing DX I pan the DX frequency's slice to the left ear and the pile up (and my TX) slice to the right ear.

I've been doing this for years, ever since the advent of dual receiver rigs. I can't remember the last time I used RIT in preference. The ability to listen on both frequencies is vital with today's unruly pileups.

Ian1

It works very well XIT and sometimes for fast fading splits I do just that. 2nd slice is better for reasons stated but it takes a few seconds to set up versus the XIT. Ian

John G3WGV

Yes, setting up Split on the Flex is a bit of a faff. Most "traditional" radios have a single button that sets a predefined split, sets TX to the sub-VFO and pans the audio to L/R ears. Doing all that takes a few mouse clicks/drags on the Flex and that is something that could perhaps be improved upon in SSDR.

I fixed the problem by writing some code in my logging software. Ctrl-U splits up 1kHz, pans the audio L/R and sets the TX slice. Subsequent Ctrl-U strokes increment the split by 1kHz, so it's easy to get to where the DX is listening very quickly. Ctrl-D does the same thing only splits down. Ctrl-S restores a single slice, panned centre. Something along those lines in SSDR would be good.

Duane_AC5AA

Three reasons: First, you want to listen to the pileup as well as the DX station. Second, because of the first reason, you need different bandpass filtering for each slice - narrow for the DX station to combat the lids/cops, and wide for the pileup slice to hear where you are in the pileup and move where you want to be. Finally, third, you can lock the VFO set on the DX station so that slice does not get inadvertently moved. I agree with the comment above on a Quick-Split shortcut key. I begged Ten-Tec for that for years on the Orion, and even described how to implement it, but all to no avail.

Walt - KZ1F

My TS-530SP predated split and vfo sub. When running split the only way to accomplish it was just as you suggest, using both xit and rit together to achieve a max 1KHz split.

Larry Loen WO7R

I have a great deal of trouble finding old threads on this site, but there are several existing threads (now including this one) about VFO emulation as a feature request.  There are these two:

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/suggestion-for-a-feature-split-button-with-a-preset...

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/maestro-with-om-power-2500a-and-only-tx-slice-a-ava...

. . but this one is the "money" shot in my opinion.  Please read and consider supporting my suggestion for exactly two VFOs via emulation, with a default of slice A being VFO A and slice B being VFO B.  I also suggest a basic "move slice to DX offset" in this same thread. 

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/in-smartsdr-for-windows-how-about-a-one-press-butto...