Separate antennas for separate bands

Paul F6EXV

Hi all
I have a Flex 6500. I have my multiband HF beam connected as antenna2, and my 6m beam connected as antenna1.
I cannot monitor let's say 30m on antenna 2 and 6m on antenna 1 at the same time. As soon as I switch one band, the other panadapter also switches antenna.
I do not think this is normal behaviour... How can I fix that please ?
73
Paul F6EXV

ctate243

Paul,

The flex 6500 has only 1 Spectral capture unit.  Therefore the only way to listen on both would be to have one connected to an RX antenna port, and in that case you would not be able to transmit on it, but you could listen, even in full duplex with that configuration.  In order to have TX/RX capability with a flex radio on multiple antenna ports, you would need one with 2 spectral capture units, like the 6600 or 6700.

Paul F6EXV

Hi Chris
Thanks for fast reply.
Then what is the interest in having 4 possible simultaneous panadaptors if you can only run them on one single transmit antenna ??
73
Paul

ctate243

The most common configuration would be a tri-band or multi band antenna, or a log periodic, anything that can do multiple bands(but is not frequency agile like a SteppIR). So let’s say you have a 3 band yagi, you can listen to all 3 bands at the same time

Paul F6EXV

I indeed have a large Ultrabeam (3el 40/30 and 4 on upper bands) plus an 80m vertical + a 160m inverted L + a 6m beam.. So the 6500 is totally useless for me...

ctate243

Paul, I am not sure about totally useless, but in that configuration you would have to do some switching magic to say listen on 80 or 160 while you were on your ultrabeam.  for instance you could switch the 80 vert to RXA while operating on the upper bands through 40, and reverse them when you want to operate 80.  But I do understand your concern.. and the best flex radio for that configuration are the following models: 6600, 6600-M, 6700.  all 3 have dual TX/RX antenna capability and 2 SCU's.  Single SCU units that behave as yours does are the 6300,6500,6400, and 6400-M.  

Mark_WS7M

Basically you need to upgrade the radio I think to do what you want to do.  Either that or get a multi-band RX only antenna as suggested above.

Either the 6600 or 6700 will give you more physical SCUs.

You can consider the 6500 useless if you want but it doesn't seem that you researched what you wanted to prior to your purchase.   

Flex Radios are amazing radios but like all devices they have inherent design limitations which must be considered when you have a particular purpose in mind.  

Paul F6EXV

Mark
I did not have that antenna setup when I purchased the 6500 some years ago. My new configuration means I have onow different needs from a radio...
Thanks + 73
Paul F6EXV (M0EXV and WH7S)

Lou

Paul,

Yes...you will need a radio with an additional SCU with your current set-up.  The 6500 is hardly useless and you have 4 slices which can 'look at" a single antenna. (possibly 4 bands at once!) The radio can't be blamed when you have migrated to a more complex antenna (Nice!) set-up.

Best of luck...

73

Lou N2TU

Mark_WS7M

Ah that makes senses.  Nice to be able to upgrade antennas!

WX7Y

Even building a tuned FAN dipole for all the bands you want or a multi-band Vertical if your in a quite environment  WITH NO Antenna tuner requirements will give you all 4 slices on different bands, no need to spend huge amounts of money to use the 6500/6400 the way they where designed so nothing to elaborate required and it works great.

73's
Bret
WX7Y

Stan VA7NF

Not mentioned are diplex or triplex filters that will permit multiple bands presenting to a single connector.
I have also placed a 100w 2M + 6M diplexer at the rig (Antenna1 + 2M amp) with another up the coax to separate antennas and also, at the club station, a triplexer feeding a trap triband beam.   As noted by Chris, this will not work on a SteppIR or similar antenna except as a single band at a time

Paul F6EXV

Hi all
I am not blaming the radio at all; as I said, my configuration changed, and I was just wondering...
My antenna setup I think will be more efficient that a multiband vertical.
Now, new question...
I have a separate amplifier for the 6m beam (my Acom 2000A does not work on that band).
So set up is :
Ant 1 to 6m amp to 6m beam
Ant 2 to Acom amp to remote antenna switch to various HF antennas.

How can I configure the whole thing so that the correct amplifier is keyed down ?

Thanks + 73
Paul F6EXV

Chris DL5NAM

Paul, your TRX has only 1 PTT output. That answer your question. So you need a Y-cable for PTT and then 2 ways: 1. you always switch one of your PA in standby or 2. you add a switch in this Y-cable and select manually then what PA you will using.

73 Chris