Final antenna setup question for dial receiver Flex

Maxejb

Ok, I believe this final antenna setup question will gelp me decide on whether to buy the 6400 or 6600. So here goes... For the 6600 with dual receivers, is the antenna /port / power setup screen duplicated for each receiver? In other words, does each receiver have an individual antenna setup dialogue?

Alan

You need to switch your paradigm when thinking about Flex radios.  Sorry if I confused you.

The 6400 has one SCU.   The 6600 has two SCUs (Spectral Capture Units).  The bandwidth of each SCU is 15 MHZ (or thereabouts).  Each SCU can be aligned to one of four receive antennas (RX1, RX2, Ant1, Ant2) (Ant1 and Ant2 are also the TX antennas).  Rx antenna selection is via a pulldown menu.  You can also set RF Gain for any of the four RX antennas in the same pull-down menu.

Note;   there are also transverter ports, XVTR and XVTR that can be used for two more receive, RX, antennas and two more low power TX antennas.

Back to your question.

Both of the Flex Server Radios can support two panadapters and up to four slices (receivers).   You align any of the two panadapters /  four slice receivers to any of the four above mentioned RX antennas.  

In the case of the 6400, you can select any one of the four receive antennas and its 15 MHZ of bandwidth.

In the case of the 6600, you can select any two of the four receive antennas to each of the two corresponding SCUs 15 MHZ of bandwidth.

Suggest you read section 11, starting on page 42, of the Flex SDR Manual.   Here is a link to download the manual:  

https://www.flexradio.com/downloads/

Alan
WA9WUD

KD0RC

Yes, but...  Each receiver can have its own antenna set up, but the second slice on each receiver will use the same antenna as the primary slice. Even though there are two receivers, each able to listen to two frequencies (how cool is that?), there is only one transmitter.  The transmit antenna can be set differently on each slice.  Spend some time with the 6600 manuals to be sure that you fully understand how the receivers, slices, transmitter and antenna ports work before you order.  I went over them in detail before I bought my 6400.  I also used them to decide if I needed the 6400 or 6600. When it got here, there were no surprises and definitely no disappointments!
73,
Len, KD0RC

Doug

One short coming the 6400 won't do is let you receive H.F. and 6m at the same time. Yes you can receive 2 H.F. bands but not 6&HF

Maxejb

Thanks Alan

Maxejb

Thanks Len

Maxejb

Thanks Doug

Doug

No problem and forgive me if this has been brought up I didn't read through all the post but we have a ham in my group who bought a 6400M and is disappointed with this. It requires the 6600 and 2 SCU units to do this. Or I think he has found a work around by installing an external duplex but don't take this to the bank.

Maxejb

Alan, I guess the nature of my question is hazy because maybe my intent was not stated. What I am trying to achieve is 2 different transmitt profiles. I want a separate band plan (output, & tune level profile) per Antenna. Eg. ANT-1 160M off 60M off 40M 100 watts 20M 100 watts 15M 100 watts Etc.. ANT-2 160M Z watts 80M R watts 40M off 30M off 20M off Etc..

Maxejb

Reason is I want to have my vertical antenna on ANT-1 & my Acom amp with beam antenna on ANT-2

Alan

Easy to do.   Use the Transmit Profile to define an Antenna and Power Configuration.  Then select the Band/Mode and many other items along with the desired underlying Transmit Profile and give it a name.  These are "Global Profiles".  Each can be selected with pull-down menus.

With the ability to define many attributes within each profile, comes more complexity and higher learning curve challenges.  Some do not care for them and prefer the "plug and play" of knob radios.  You need to consider which camp you are in.  Both are fine camps, but very different.

Also, undoubtedly, others will now chime in about how Flex changed how profiles work to modify themselves depending on the "persistence" values.  Flex has committed to giving the user an option on how profiles are saved.  We just do not know when.  Try to filter out the noise on this issue.

Alan
WA9WUD

K3SF

hi all

Actually you can receive HF and 6m on 6400 at the same time
BUT
you need an antenna that is also good for 6m as well as HF....

A friend ,K3RH,who uses a 6400m and an OCF does this all the time when E- season begins. Although when 6m appears really open he will switch his antenna to his 6m antenna for maximum transmit performance and then he no longer looks at HF.


I have 6600m and i just use my 80M OCF for both HF and 6m. I dont have a dedicate 6m antenna but use the OCF...i have worked into EU and Africa on 6m with this OCF.  
Last E-season was my true first excursion on 6m...i love it...
.i managed to work 73 countries and have 62 of them LOTWd

My other wideband antenna is Telladyne T8 LPDA covering 20 thru 10m and sorta 6m ( swr looks ok on 6m and modeling shows it has two major lobes about 30deg off center-line) too.

With the 6600m i can use either or both of these antenna at the same time because of the dual SCU's





Paul K3SF

KD0RC

I can receive HF and 6 M simultaneously on my 6400.  Is the issue that your friend wants a 6 M antenna active at the same time as an HF antenna?  If so, then the 6600 is the better choice so that one receiver can be on HF and the other on 6 M, each with the appropriate antenna.  The same problem exists for HF antennas.  If I have one slice on 80 M and one on 10 M, I can monitor both, but they will both be on the same antenna.  If I was on the beam, I would not hear much on 80.  On the other hand, if I had one slice on 20 M and one on 10, I could hear both well because the antenna is resonant both places simultaneously.
73,
Len, KD0RC

Al K0VM

With a 6m/HF diplexer, you can have a real 6m antenna and an HF antenna both on the same feedline and receive both places at the same time.

AL, K0VM