Disable Wide filter

Glenn Depp

I am trying to deterine if the WIDE filter can be disabled. When I scan I get clicking in the flex due to the wide filter turning on or off. Can this be disabled or always in use when close to amateur bands and not able to be disabled?

Mike-VA3MW

No, not at all.

Glenn Depp

This is an option that should be considered to be added.

David Decoons, wo2x

Wide means the panadapter edges displayed exceed the edges of the amateur band bandpass filters. When that happens the bandpass filters are bypassed and WIDE is displayed.

If you are receiving frequencies too far outside the amateur bands then it will always show wide as the bandpass filter is disabled to increase RX sensitivity. If you are receiving frequencies that are within the amateur band then zoom in on the panadapter so the displayed spectrum is within the bandpass filter limit.

Note - some 6000 radios do not have bandpass filters on some amateur bands.

Dave wo2x

Glenn Depp

Correct. I am using outside of the Amateur Bands. The issue is with this setting causing undesired effects when running other 3rd party software for radio control. Another setting that is undesirable is the automatic changing on the mode when using 3rd party software.

John KB4DU

Since the internal filters are band specific, the wide is always on if there are multiple panadapters on different bands.

What is the external software? What is being used for?

David Decoons, wo2x

Try setting your panadapter wider to the point where it exceeds edge of amateur passband filters. Then try running your external software. It should then always be wide without the bandpass filters engaged.

Note - this may reduce receive on the amateur band frequencies if you have strong enough interference from outside the amatuer bands while receiving amateur frequencies.

Dave wo2x

Glenn Depp

The software is for MARS use. However, The issues mostly arise when using ALE software as it changes the frequencies automatically. Some frequencies are inside the filters for amateur radio, some are outside. This creates the clicking of the relays in the radio. Another issue that has risen is when in USB mode the mode automatically changes as well to LSB when within these ranges which blocks the usefulness of ALE as it is always USB. If I use DIGU then no issues with the swiching, but that is simply a work around for the mode changing. ONe programmer has been able to create a second TX slice to stop the changing of the receive slice during scanning, but not others. Unfortunately this one program is not nearly as sensitive or as good of quality on receiving and processing the ALE signals. As the relays move with frequency band or segment within the radio that new slice has been the only 'fix' unless there becomes an option to disable these filters.

Ken Wells

Depending upon which radio you have, and how many panadapters or slices you have, you may wish to try this:

Open a second panadapter. WITHOUT a SLICE opened.

Select the same RX antenna (in the ANT Pull-out menu) that is being used on the slice doing the scanning

Zoom it out so that it shows the full bandwidth of the panadapter (7 MHz for a 6300/6400. OR 14 MHz for a 6500/6600/6700.)

This will keep the radio's SCU in WIDE mode as you scan the bands.

This techniques uses a panadapter, but not a slice.

Glenn Depp

So this issue of the Wide pan adapter is still an issue with ALE whether in the Amateur bands or when using outside. This relay chatter is very irritating and although I am sure the relays can handle the activation, I am also sure this will eventually fail. The ability to disable by the end user needs to be implemented. I know there are two new commercial/govt versions of these radios available, however, I am also curious if this is an issue on those as well. I and many I deal with who operate flex radios also see this as an issue. We should be able to disable this filter from engaging on the unit and successfully removing this relay chatter.