Need help to figure out a configuration for SO2R set up

DrJ

I have a 6700 as well as a 6600 M that have to go through Palstar HF auto tuner, And then into my PGXL genius amplifier out to one of three different non resonant antennas. The goal would be to continue my remote operations, usually used through a iPhone or iPad. But since I have to control my Green Heron rotator and my antenna switcher via VPN, I was hoping that if I get both Flexradio‘s connected to my PGXL, But somehow figure out a way to utilize the required Palstar automatic tuner which only has one RF input, it does have three RF outputs. Is there a way to get a truly SO2R system up and running/connected with my one PGXL amplifier and the required automatic tuner in line? I realize when I operate remotely I will still have to utilize my VPN to control my rotor, But I am hoping someone has a way that they can diagram or explain a more simple and efficient way for me to get on the air with these two separate radios and my single PGXL amplifier but I have to have that automatic tuner in line. Thank you for anyone willing to help. I may be over complicating and overthinking this issue and perhaps the solution is easy which I hope it is! Most sincerely KJ8DO Keith

Mike-VA3MW

Keith

Before I go any further, the RF goes from the radio to the tuner to the amp?  Is that correct?

The tuner should be after the amp.

Mike va3mw

DrJ

I may have made an error in writing. I connect my radios RF output directly to the PGXL amplifier and from there it has to the tuner and from the Tuner it currently goes to an antenna switcher and then to the antenna. I am trying to find a way of not utilizing the Green Heron 8X2 antenna switcher, it works well but it does not allow me True to radio one operator functioning. Essentially what I have now is a back up radio, but I don’t have the advantage of two radios running simultaneously if I choose to on different bands two different antennas.

ctate243

HI Keith.. well. that is an interesting layout.  a 6600M and a 6700 both have capabilities of doing SO2R with a single radio.  this configuration is how the RF Deck of the PGXL was designed for, and is fully supported via SSDR.  I have an HF auto, but only use it on low bands so assume you are dealing with a larger set of non resonant upper band antennas.  Id like to understand your situation a little better, what is driving some of your decisions, and see if there is anything I can offer as far as setup or guidance to get you where you need to be.  Id like to drop some pdf on you that has all the answers, I cannot really do that, but I have done quite a bit with most of the pieces your are putting your system together with.. lets start a thread.
 

KF4HR

I use two Palstar HF-AUTO's, one off each output of the PG-XL. 

ctate243

One thing that has been tremendously useful for me. is the W1TR HF auto application.  for me this app is a game changer allowing me to comfortably control the Tuner in a remote environment.
http://www.glagowski.org/Radio/Software.htm.  this is good stuff and for me must have component.

ctate243

the real advantage of the HF auto is realized when it sits OUTSIDE of the amp.. So I am very curious to get more context on this particular setup desire and see what we can learn and if we can add some value.

ctate243

If the desire is to run 2 separate flex radio servers in an SO2R environment, there may be benefit to using some other 3rd party software that has added value to some more advanced setups, such as N4PY pegasus. 

DrJ

I very much appreciate all the responses on this post. I essentially want to separate radios so that I can have a “back up“ ready to go. The three antennas I have are a mostly pro 67 10 m³ through 40 m Yagi. That is what I primarily utilize on anything from 10 m to 40 m. It is fairly resident on those bands but the worst it gets is to: one on SWR. My second antenna is resident on 80 m and has a dedicated 80 m vertical, quarter wave and does great on 80 m. The third antenna is a non-resident off center fed dipole in a semi inverted V almost flat top configuration that can be tuned quite easily from 10 m through 80 m with my automatic tuner. I only use my dipole for wind conditions of high QRN. It’s quieter than my vertical on the low band of 80 m and sometimes can be quieter than my Mosley. I don’t necessarily need two radios at the same time nor do I intend to likely use them even in a con testing situation. But what I didn’t post originally was that I have two separate Flexradio‘s the 6700 and the 6600 but I also have an SPE 1.3 amplifier with built-in ATU. But to operate remotely I have found the smart SDR remote software to be fantastic particularly with iOS products. However I can’t control or even see with my SPEN is doing with smart SDR at least not directly. But to operate remotely I have found the smart SDR remote software to be fantastic particularly with iOS products. However I can’t control or even see what my SPEM is doing with smart SDR at least not directly. I have a Green Heron antenna switching device 8X2 but it doesn’t have software that can integrate to smart as they are and hence I am now again requiring to go through a VPN to look at my computer. Frankly I would rather do without the Green Heron in Tenna switcher and that way I could just switch radios through my smart SDR as opposed to my Green Heron and therefore not require having to remotely or on site go back-and-forth between smart SDR and the Green Heron software through VPN to change antennas. I was hoping that if I could run both radios through the PGXL one through input and output A the other one through input and output B. But the issue is that Flexradio doesn’t have an automatic tuner and while two out of three antennas are fairly resident to very resonant, one of them is non-resonant. That’s requiring the automatic tuner which can only handle one RF input from the PGXL amplifier. Hence I think it’s the main problem. At least for what I want to do. My whole purpose was to be able to integrate both radios at smart SDR and utilize the flex amplifier PGXL for both radios and be able to switch back-and-forth between the 6660 700 remotely or in person and not run anything other than the Flexradio‘s through the PGA XL and then through the Palstar auto tuner. The Palstar only has a single RF input and therefore I think the other gentleman who pointed out that I might be better off having to auto tuner’s and that way I could utilize each radio through the single PGXL amplifier.??? Perhaps my post was poorly written in original form but that’s essentially what I’d like to do. I would just like to run everything through my smart SDR and since the panel star runs automatically and I can watch SWR through SmartSDR and therefore the only thing I would have to run through my VPN would be my antenna rotator direction. Hope this makes sense. I apologize. But I appreciate anything and or anyone’s advice on trying to configure what really amounts to utilizing TWO flex radios into ONE PGXL out to either one automatic tuner or if needed two automatic tuners and get rid of the need to have my green heron antenna switching device in order to control most of my functions remotely through smart SDR. Keith

ctate243

OK Keith. this is quite complex, I start by working out from the radios before diving into another AT-AUTO.   I do think you would benefit from 3rd party software, suggest looking up N4PY Pegasus and additional station integration pieces.  For switching in and out of circuit, I would recommend researching using a couple of 4o3A Antenna genius's as a way to accomplish this. 

Some of the SSDR integration you are looking for simply does not exist at this time, and you will likely need additional application support to accomplish this rather complex intergration desire.  

DrJ

This looks great!   Any pearls or words of wisdom to a newbie with this type of program?   I am using Windows 10 for my home QTH computer OS, but I remote in to my radios using the SmartSDR for iOS for my Flex radios.    But this software will actually allow me to have more control.   Right now, it does a good job, and I can just watch my SWR being adjusted via SmartSDR, but thats it.    

Thanks
Keith 

DrJ

Would you mind elaborating a bit on that, as it appears that this may be the best / easiest and most effective way of having the use (remotely) of my 2 Flex's (6700 and 6600M).    Did you just send your Radio #1 to input/output Ports A on the PGXL, and then Radio #2 to the input/output Ports B on the PGXL and then ran each of the two coaxial runs to Palstar #1 and then the other RF from PGXL Port B to input of Palstar #2 RF input?   From there I assume you then have to make use of an automatic / remote antenna switching device?   How did you configure for more than 1 antenna (if that is the case?)

KF4HR

The Flex 6xxx and PG-XL create an excellent dual antenna path because (unlike most other HF amplifiers on the market) both ports on the PG-XL provide a simultaneous thru-put connection, one amplified and the other is a pass-thru.  The bottle neck is if you do not have resonate antenna(s) and require an antenna tuner for each of the PG-XL A and B ports.  The use of two Palstar HF-AUTO's solves this problem, and the two HF-AUTO units can be remotely controlled by running two sessions of the HFAUTO App and appropriate PC remote software.