6600M - A checklist for setting up SSB & RTTY?

Larry A. NN5O

Flex 6600M friends--

I am a 99.9% CW operator; however, I want to set up my 6600M for all appropriate modes, most specifically, SSB and RTTY.  CW is working great.  And, I have been using FT8 a bit (made DXCC in less than a month, just as a demonstration to others of what is possible with 100W or less and a wire loop up 40').

So I don't mess up things, do any of you know if such thing exists as a simple checklist for setting up the radio for SSB?   Then, what about for RTTY (I have downloaded MMTTY already and want to use the 6600M for some RTTY contesting).?

Unless there are far too many variables that would prevent a straight-forward checklist, I think such a tool would be of inestimable positive value to many ops.

If I were sufficiently familiar with this amazing radio, I would write such a document, myself.  But, no need to reinvent the wheel.

Thanks for considering my question...and associated request for a resource link.

--Dr. Larry S. Anderson NN5O
Tupelo, MS (birthplace of Elvis)
Professor (Retired) of Instructional Technology, MS State University
Apple Distinguished Educator
Handyman for all chores my wife can think up

K5XH

Hello Larry,


I don't do a lot of SSB operating - mainly ragchewing on 80 at night. Take a look at these You Tube videos on setting up your Flex. They are more about profiles but they show how to set up your microphone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAdz1GRbg9Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s7UbKiqxAA

If you already have FT8 working then you are already have most everything you need for RTTY.

I have done a lot of RTTY operating over the years and have entered quite a few contests (using my old Flex 5000 and lately a new 6600). MMTTY is good for casual QSOs (sadly not many of those these days) . FLDIGI is another nice program. See this video on setting up FLDIGI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSRIefEWjcc

For contesting you should look into the N1MM software.

Sorry this isn't a checklist but maybe it can get you started! If I can help further please contact me off the community at k5xh (at) arrl (dot) net

73, Mark K5XH

WQ2H - Jim Poulette

Hi Larry,

I've only had the 6600M for a few months - but the key for me has been understanding, setting up, and organizing profiles. They seem to be the quickest way to get where I want to be quickly. I'm not a big contest guy, but I have set them up for SSB per band & frequency, as well as different digital modes and applications (Fldigi, HRD, MS-DMT, RMS, WSJT-X, etc.). I found the profile guide a big help also: https://www.flexradio.com/downloads/smartsdr-profiles-how-to-guide-pdf/

Good luck, and enjoy !
73
Jim, WQ2H

Patrick

Use the profiles, set up one for each band you use for SSB, It can also include control for your amp and audio config.  Profiles are your best friend when using Flex radios.

Andy - KU7T

I have to admit I have not used profiles yet, after 5 months of using my 6600M. I can see that I should because sometimes I keep setting the same settings over and over again, i.e. ANT gain on different bands etc. I mostly have not done it as I am a little intimidated by the profile system; I do not fully understand it. Maybe someone can shed some light on my questions, and I will move forward and jump into setting my profiles up... :-)

Why would I need a MIC profile per band? That seems like overkill.  From reading the profiles PDF, it seems to me I need a MIC profile per microphone (+ per DX or contest setting), one TX profile per slice and one or two global profiles. Makes a total of maybe half a dozen. Why would I need more? My concern is, the more profiles I have to more time it would take to maintain them...  

Another thing I have not figured out is about the SO2R profile that is built in. I would like to use SO2R. So, do I have to use it or is it just a fancy name for a profile with some settings I may need for SO2R?

73
Andy
KU7T

Joe N3HEE

Andy,

You can manually configure the radio for SO2R.  The SO2R profile is just a way to help you quickly configure the radio for SO2R.  I am starting to learn how to create and use profiles.  They are very powerful tools and can save a lot of time when reconfiguring the radio for different modes and contests.  However, they require a little learning and some planning. You can go from operating a mutliband CW contest with four open panadapters and slices to operating a single band SSB contest in a matter of seconds. 

Fun stuff ! 

Joe
N3HEE

Neal Pollack, N6YFM

Hi Larry:

For RTTY, you want this help article below.   It shows how to set up MMTTY and N1MM+ log software.     I am not a big contest person, so N1MM is a little overkill.  But that said, the only
time I can find RTTY to get into my logbook is on a RTTY contest weekend, and N1MM turned
out to be the easiest way to do that.  (I use Ham Radio Deluxe Logbook for ALL else, so after a RTTY weekend, I import that N1MM log into my master Ham Radio Deluxe Logbook.)

https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/204188169-Configuring-N1MM-to-use-MMTTY-with-a-FLEX...

Hope that helps.

Enjoy the new radio.

Neal

Larry A. NN5O

Thanks, everyone, for your very helpful responses!!  The FlexRadio family is just the best!

Update:  Thanks to my cross-town buddy, Joe Moffatt AB5OR (an award-winning member of the Flex Alpha Test Team), I now have RTTY "blowing and going." 

I agree on the power of profiles.  Those are life-savers for me.  I even have some that are like this example:
     40m CWT 100w
     40m CWT w/amp
     40m CW Contest
You might ask why I would have so many profiles like this.  Well, until I learn better, I find it immenselly helpful--and quick--to set up profiles with the radio set at specific frequencies, at a certain power level, with AGC settings that I like for that activity, etc.  I know that when I need to switch to 40m for the Wednesday CWT, my radio will be set on 7.030 with 100w power and suitable AGC (and other) settings.  Purely customized!!
Then, if I decide to operate HP in CWT, I just choose that profile and the power is throttled back on the radio and other settings (delays for amp, etc.) are already piped in, ready to go!

Now, for SSB, I'll just wait until I reconfigure my footswitch to use with the Yamaha CM500 headset on the 6600M.  Then, I'll be all set for SSB action.  But, if I don't get around to it for a year, that suits me.  The only/main reason I'd even fool with SSB is when I have a youngster or wannabe ham over to operate, knowing that CW will be Greek to them.

Again, thanks to all for your help.  I look forward to catching several of you on the air soon.

--Dr. Larry S. Anderson  NN5O
Tupelo, MS (birthplace of Elvis)