Flex-6700 2m operation

Slawomir

Hi All.

In a few days I will get Q5 Signal dedicated to Flex-6700. How do I configure Radio Setup / XVTR?

Slawomir

Slawomir

In a few days I will get Q5 Signal dedicated to Flex-6700. How do I configure Radio Setup / XVTR?

Slawomir

Mike-VA3MW

There are lots of how to videos on YouTube and setting up a Transverter is discussed in the SmartSDR Manual too in Section 32.

https://youtu.be/xJ5fIe0bWDE

Chris DL5NAM

= RTFM !!!

Neil D Friedman N3DF

Using 144 MHz with a 6700, you should connect a Q5 Signal amp, not a transverter.

Mike-VA3MW

@Chris DL5NAM

In this group, are not allowed to say that without providing the page number or the section number of the Fine Manual.

:)

Slawomir

Hi,

I know that the Q5 does not work with the Flex-6700 as a transverter. The Flex-6700 gives a few milliwatts of signal in the 2m band at the XVTR socket. The dedicated Q5 LDPA radio works directly as an amplifier. There is no data on how to configure the Radio Setup / XVTR tab in Smart SDR.

1. Does FLEX have to be in FDX mode?

2. What values of RF Freq and Low freq should be entered in this tab?

3. Should IF be "0"?

The antenna will be connected to the XVTR socket, ptt configured and cable connected to Q5.

Q5 is on its way but I would like to prepare the cables and pre-configure the SmartSDR to run on 2m. Yesterday, after connecting the antenna to the XVTR socket, I received stations in the 145 MHz band.

Regards,

Slawomir

Mike-VA3MW

@Slawomir

Actually, the Q5 2M transverter will work with the 6700. I am using a Q5 now as I do not have the low power amplifier.

You use it by setting up another 2M transverter in the radio and then selecting the correct antenna port. On a 6700, you do NOT go to the built in 2M band. You go to the XVTR band you entered. Maybe call it a different name so you are not confused.

1. No, but it depends on what you are doing.
2. See image
3. No - IF is your intermediate frequency. The way a transverse works is IF + LO = Operational frequency. We do those calculations for you.

IF = 28.0000mhz. This is the frequency the radio operates.

LO (Local Oscillator) Frequency - This is the LO designed into the Transverter. You can order special LO frequencies if you like. The default for Q5 is 116.000 Mhz.

The only cables you require are RF patch cables for XVTR out to Transvert In assuming you did not order a split IF. And, an RCA cable that goes from the RCA TX 1, 2 or 3 on the back of the radio to the PTT in on the transverse.

Slawomir

Hi Mike,

I am sending you Correy's reply from LLC - Q5 producer. On the Flexradio website there is a clear sign that the Flex-6700 model Q5 is not a transverter but an amplifier. In this case, a different XVRT configuration is needed in Smart DR. Now I have a problem whether my Q% will work properly with the Flex-6700. I believe there is someone who has a Q5 like this and configured it to work with the Flex-6700.

What's your opinion?

Slawomir

Hi Slawomir,

 

I'm not sure why Mike is telling you to configure the 2MLDPA as a Transverter. The 2MLDPA is an amplifier designed for the FLEX-6700. Mike might have misunderstood what you are asking...

 

Mike VE3CKO

The DEMI (now Q5), LDPA is a 75w amplifier specially for the 6700. It is not a transverter as the 6700 already has 2m inside the radio. The LDPA connects to the 6700 transverter output. When the 2m band is selected, you must select XVTR on both the receive and xmit ANT. The radio does not have to be in FDX mode. There is nothing at all to configure in the Radio Setup / XVTR tab.

On another note I am still quite disappointed that after all this time nothing has been done in SmartSDR to fix the calibration of 2m in the 6700, their flagship radio. Both receive and transmit frequencies are not calibrated and it is necessary to use external software to adjust the RIT and XIT. I use FRStack and save to it's memory as the memory in the 6700 does not save the RIT, XIT settings which was another feature request. In my case I'm out about 1100 hz on receive and about 650 on transmit.

I don't complain much at all about FlexRadio as they are on the money is most everything they do and provide the utmost excellent customer service. Nothing much to complain about from my perspective. However, this is their flagship radio and out of the box on 2m, what you see is not what you get. There was talk some time ago about some software calibration or parameters to be accessible in SmartSDR, still waiting. This must be far down the to do list.

Slawomir

Hi Mike,

thank you for the information. Yesterday I was listening to stations on FM and SSB and the receiver works fine. I feel a little deviation from the frequency. I will install FRstack. I don't see any traces of modulation on the panadapter. Should there be any trace at this low power? Maybe something else is misconfigured in the Smart SDR. There is only a trace when turning PTT on and off. The receiving and transmitting antenna is XVRT. How is it with you without the amplifier turned on?

Regards,

Slawomir

Mike VE3CKO

I do not see any modulation with and without the 2MLDPA either, the panadapter and waterfall freezes. Even with the "show TX in waterfall" enabled.