Options for remote antenna switching?

Steve G1XOW

Hi All,

F6500 user here, logger 32.

Is there a simpler (and cheaper) product to achieve remote antenna selection than the 403A box?

I don't need 8 x 2 switching, just 4 or 5 x 1 would be fine. I plan to site the switch at the base of the tower around 10m from the shack. So, Ethernet, WIFI or long-range bluetooth would be ideal, USB at a push...and obviously band-data controlled directly from SSDR (or DDUTIL/Logger32 if I really have to).

I'd need full QRO switching rating. I like things over engineered and never close to the ****.

Chris DL5NAM

check here: https://remoteqth.com/six-to-one-antenna-switch.php
73 Chris

James Kennedy-WU5E

I use the 8x1 and it's rock solid

Steve K9ZW

Have successful experience with both the Array Solutions and DX Engineering remote switches. They are manual though Green Heron Engineering has GH Everywhere add-on wireless units that could be added, and offer their own remote switch. It is integration that is the tricky part. DDUTIL does support the Denkovi USB board which could become a band switching connection. http://denkovi.com/productv/31/usb-eight-channel-relay-board-for-automation.html The 4o3a 8x2 AntennaGenius eventually will be a direct SmartSDR interfaced produce, but presently a dedicated program needs to be running. One wonders if 4o3a will offer a smaller switch and whether they will offer wireless versions? Presently there doesn't seem to be a simple clean small switch that rolls into the SmartSDR Ecosystem. This could well change fairly soon though. 73 Steve K9ZW

Bob G W1GLV

4o3A has a 8X1 switch which works very well. No glitches with mine.

Tom N5MOA

With v1.10.16, an  Array Solutions RatPak-Six, with the RatMaster controller, follows my 6500 via USB connection perfectly.

I followed the directions in the USB cable interface guide

http://www.flexradio.com/downloads/usb-cable-interface-guide-pdf/

for the BandMaster lll

ctate243

well how about this.  if you want to go full low budget, you can use an ameritron rcs-8v, then use a sainsmart relay connected to the USB interface as a band decoder and you have a fully automated solution for very reasonable pricing.  Its not ethernet controlled, but it should work.

Rick- K2RB

The Green Heron remote switch works great for me.  Control it on the computer and it is really seem less.  Have almost a year with no issues  Rick, K2RB

Mike va3mw

I use PSTRotatorAZ which runs on my PC at my remote base.  It listens to the TX frequency on the Flex and I have that configured to change all my antennas by using home brew switching.  If you are looking to save some money, this works very well and is highly configurable.  My antenna switching is far from simple as I have switches feeding switches.

The Author is amazing to work with and is very helpful.

http://www.qsl.net/yo3dmu/index_Page346.htm

Mike va3mw

Andy - KU7T

I really like this solution (DDUTil + USB relay board). Ideally, I would not have to run a separate computer in the shack, but I guess this is needed today.

So, when you say the relay board is supported by DDUtil, how flexible is it?  Can I control a SixPack 2 x 6 plus a 4 square controller (routed through one of the 6 coaxes on the six pack)?

Andy

Mike va3mw

I also use remoteqth.com.

Mike va3mw

Andy - KU7T

ok, but how to you control it from the flex?  USB from Flex or via computer interface? This is what I am struggling with...

Andy

Mike va3mw

Hi Andy

When running a remote station, there are 2 majour things to control.  The normal on and off stuff and the band change 'stuff'.

The on/off stuff is pretty straight forward and there are many solutions.  I do use remotqth server with 16 relays configured.  RemoteQTH also has some pretty fancy hardware to work with band data.  Nice stuff and very well made.  https://remoteqth.com/

For my band change 'stuff', I currently use pstrotatorAZ that drives a web switch.  Since I have antenna switches feeding antenna switches, it is a complicate truth table.  Since I have 3 different 40M antennas, the standard band changing doesn't fit.  PstrotatorAZ talks directly to the Flex 6xxx via a Lan connection for determine its transmit frequency.  Well worth the money.  It also controls my Steppir controller which is installed at the base of the tower via RS232.  http://www.qsl.net/yo3dmu/index_Page346.htm

However, to answer your question, if you have 1 antenna/band and a single antenna switch, you can control this directly from the Flex and a USB Parallel solution.  Many drive a inexpensive relay board.  I don't have the model, but someone might chime in on what they use.  This is a simple way to handle your band switching.  There might be an article in the community on how to do it.  

I hope that helps to answer some questions.  If not, feel free to ask more.

73, Mike va3mw

Andy - KU7T

I did some more research last night. I can definitely say that I won't be able to control my antennas directly from the Flex, but will need a computer running locally in the shack. Reason is that I have a GH rotor, a SteppIR, a 4SQ and a sixpack to control. And also, I have multiple antennas per band. I just do not see that more than simple setup being supported in SmartSDR. I do not like it, but it is what it is (VPN is an ok solution).

Having said that, I played with DDUtil and PstrotratorAZ.  I can see that both can take care of the GH and SteppIR and some antenna relays.  I need at least 17 relay outputs (12 for the six pack + 5 for the 4 SQ). I think both programs allow control of 8 relay boards. How do people deal with more output lines?  I know that the final solution will be a "simple" mapping of logical states to buttons in the software and relays in the back, but how do people do this for more than 8?

Andy

WV9L

I used to run remoterigs and a TS480HX, before moving to Flex. remoterig also has a 5 port and a 10 port antenna switch. It conects via LAN, and had a nice web interface. With some port forwarding, and DYNDNS (or local LAN address if on vpn) you can change the antennas easily. There is an optional RS232 interface to get CAT data and steer from vfo automatically. It allows uou to set freq ranges for specific antennas (example- ant1: 10m beam 28.3 to 28.5; ant2: 10m vertical 29 to 30). Ive been thinking of trying this switch again, but with my 6500 this time. Just an idea.

Bob G W1GLV

Same here. The switch has been in use for about six months, no glitches works great.
I trigger it directly from the 6500 using USB band data. The reason for this hookup is when SSDR is closed, all antenna inputs are grounded automatically. Remote control  is not cheap.
The nice part of using 4o3a products is they are engineered to work over the internet.

Jay Woods

Chris I have a new Ameritron RCS 8v and Sainsmart Relay Board. The question is how can I connect it to USB Interface as a band decoder and have a fully automated antenna switching solution with the flex 6500.

ctate243

take a look at this,  It is detectable and controllable from the flex usb interface..

https://www.amazon.com/SainSmart-Eight-Channel-Relay-Automation/dp/B0093Y89DE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&...

Jay Woods

Chris , I am not a computer programmer where can I find the information about how I can detect and Control the SainSmart-Eight -Channel-Relay-Board with the Flex 6500 USB Interface

ctate243

The good news is you dont really need to write a line of code for this.

the place to start is here
http://www.flexradio.com/downloads/usb-cable-interface-guide-pdf/

I have gotten the relays to trigger with the bit cable instructions.  I think everything you are looking for is in this document.

Steve G1XOW

This board works really well and has the FTDI chipset so the Flex talks to it easily. I interfaced it to one of these QRO relay boxes at the foot of the mast so the board is acting like a kind of pre-driver relay. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MS-S7-REMOTE-ANTENNA-COAXIAL-SWITCH-7-POSITIONS-2-KW-PEP-Ready-for-use-se...

However, be very careful, Flex claims that this board is what blew the USB ports and the DaVincii PGA chip inside my Flex 6500 - leading to a very expensive out of warranty repair. I fail to see how this could have happened between 2 USB compliant devices.

ctate243

Wow that is interesting I have never heard that issue...  I have been plugging these in for a year without incident.

Al_NN4ZZ

Hi Chris and Steven,
FWIW I was concerned about the USB port so added a hub that provides isolation against  surges, RF etc.  Hubs that provide isolation are more expensive that the regular PC USB hubs but may be worth considering.  It's probably less that the out of warranty repair and could help to also avoid the downtime.  Here is a link to my web page info on the hub.

http://www.nn4zz.com/FLEX6700.htm#USB_Port_protection_

Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com
SSDR / DAX / CAT/ 6700 -  V 1.11.12
Win10

Jay Woods

Chris, I have four Antenna's and two of them are Yagi Beams do I need to assign each band to a different Relay or can three bands be set to one Relay.

ctate243

A great question.  For simplicity the developers set these up that each band needs a set of relays.  The workaround is if you run out is you can add a second board.  I had hoped that multiple bands could trigger 1 relay but it made the interface confusing so a choice of simplicity was made.

ctate243

Al thats a good idea, I would hope something like this would not be needed, I may bring this issue up in Alpha for discussion with folks that are far smarter than I  ;-). 

Al_NN4ZZ

Chris,
Normally on my PCs I don't worry about the USB or Ethernet ports.  If they are damaged you can always replace a card or add a card to the PC buss for both types of ports.  But on the radio if you damage either the USB or Ethernet port, it is not field serviceable and since there are not buss slots in the radio, FRS can't just add a card either.  So the repair can be more expensive as well as require a trip back to Texas for the repair. 

I added a fiber link to the ethernet connection for that reason and it also eliminates RF from getting back into the radio.  Double benefit.  Here is my fiber link info in case you are interested:  http://www.nn4zz.com/FLEX6700.htm#Ethernet_Lightning_Protection

So I agree, it would be nice not to need the extra protection but at least for me it seemed like a worthwhile investment.

Al / NN4ZZ 
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com
SSDR / DAX / CAT/ 6700 -  V 1.11.12
Win10 

ctate243

Ya makes sense.

Bill Ham - K0KO

I just received the remoterig 10 port antenna switch and would like to control it from the Flex 6500, or my K3.  I mistakenly believed the switch came with software to run it from the computer.  When I run remote I use TeamViewer instead of smart link because of slow hotel internet speeds, so just looking for a software interface to switch the antennas.  How do you hook it up?

Bob KC9RF

A cost effective option might be using a Ethernet relay board and Micro bit 1216H web switch for antenna control. I already had a Ameritron RCS-4 Antenna switch and purchased 3 dow key relays used. The RCS-4 was modified with dry relay contacts for antenna switching. Note I'm not using both  antenna outputs of the Flex 6600 full duplex unless I'm not running the Amp.  My QRZ page has the layout drawing for remote. No  PC control required  unless monitoring amp.  

Bill Ham - K0KO

Thanks for putting the control diagram on your web page.