Trouble Connecting Icom 7300 to PGXL and TGXL

Ken D'Alessandro

I have connected my IC-7300 to my PGXL and TGXL B channels. The PGXL takes the Icom's PTT signal and will switch to xmt but the TGXL does not respond. I have the TGXL set up to follow the PGX in Genius Integration in which both Power Genius and Antenna Genius boxes are checked. Under "Other" in the TGXL Configuration I have no idea what "Port A - Tune PTT Out" and "Port B-Tune PTT Out" mean and both boxes are unchecked. Both TGXL and PGXL CAT/CI-V settings are ICOM, 4800, 8N1, 94H. Both the PGXL B channel and the TGXL B channel displays say "CI-V" and both display and immediately follow the frequency of the 7300. The red outline box remains around A channel in the TGXL and pushing the Tune button results in a NO BAND DATA message on the TGXL screen. I even connected a separate PTT RCA cable to the TGXL B channel PTT input from a VE2DX CI-V splitter box. I cannot get the TGXL red outline box around the B channel info to indicate it is the active channel. Anyone have any thoughts?

Ken D'Alessandro

From reading several other topics in this community I finally figured out that you need to have installed a particular combination of firmware versions for the PGXL TGXL and AG 3.8.4, 1.1.20, 3.1.5, respectively or they won't work well (or at all) together). I have always proceeded on the assumption that users would want the latest firmware for each device independent of the others but his is clearly not so. This is a sad state of affairs and I wonder if anyone can correct this?

Ken D'Alessandro

Except that now when I press the TUNE button on the TGXL I get the LOW RF POWER message. Yikes.

Mike-VA3MW

You do need 20 watts to turn the TGXL.

The easiest way is to leave the 7300 at 100% power and select AM mode. This will produce a 25 watt carrier and the TGXL will tune for you.

As well, since it is an OEM radio, hitting the tune button on the TGXL will not put the IC-7300 into TX. You do have to do that part manually. This is more likely why you are seeing the LOW RF POWER as there is no RF power making it to the TGXL.

David Decoons, wo2x

use PG Xl 3.8.8, TG XL 1.2.11 and AG 4.1.8

You can stay on TG XL 1.1.20 and AG 3.1.5 but Flex is supporting the new versions.

With these firmware version pairs, you only need CI-V to PG XL. In TG under Genius Integration check power Genius and enter IP of amp. The tuner will get frequency and mode info over the network from the amp.

You will need a CI-V to BCD decoder to AG as the AG does not have CI-V in.

If using AG 3.1.5 then port B uses dip switches to set B side to use BCD. In AG 4.1.8 it is done in the config utility.

Dave wo2x

Ken D'Alessandro

Thanks Dave,

An issue here is that when using DHCP addressing in the PGXL it does not always get the same IP address so entering the IP address of the amp works only until the amp is assigned a new IP address when it is powered up. I thought I read somewhere that it was not a good idea to assign fixed IP addresses to the PGXL TGXL and AG. Maybe I am wrong about this and if so let me know.

Ken

David Decoons, wo2x

See if your router supports DHCP reservations. That way based on MAC address of the amp, you can have the router assign the same IP.

Otherwise you would need to assign a static IP address to the amp. The reason I prefer DHCP reservation over static is if you ever change routers you might not be able to communicate with the amp.

73 Dave wo2x

Ken D'Alessandro

Dave told me to use the combination of PG XL 3.8.8, TG XL 1.2.11 and AG 4.1.8. They flat out do not work together. The TGXL does not respond to the PTT from my 7300 although the PGXL correctly reports the frequency to which the 7300 is tuned. I returned to the combination of PGXL 3.8.4, TGXL 1.1.20 and AG 3.1.5. This combination works together.

David Decoons, wo2x

Ken,

When upgrading from AG 3.1.5 and TG 1.1.20 to latest fw, you must reset the devices and reconfigure them. The settings in AG get wiped out since API on 4.1.8 is completely different.

73

Dave wo2x