Is Power Genius XL required? low power 100 watts and Tuner Genius used

Barry Walkenshaw

Do I need a Power Genius? I will be buying a Tuner genius and operating at low power below 100 watts.

Also, should I buy an antenna genius?

David Decoons, wo2x

Well those are questions you need to answer based on your operating preference and budget.

My advice is to contact hams@flex-radio.com and include a short list of your questions and current radio model. Someone from our sales or presale support team can directly communicate with you to help you make an informed choice.

More info needed, what model radio? If 6300, 6400, or 6500 then you can only have one antenna active on receive at a time.

Antenna Genius - how many antennas do you have? The Antenna Genius can handle 8 antennas and when used with the SO2R version of the Tuner Genius and the Flex 6600 or 6700 allows for SO2R operation, which means you can be listening to 20 meters on a Yagi while listening to 40 on a dipole. (An example.)

Power Genius - if you are trying to make QSOs where the other station is running an amp and is very weak to you, chances are at 100 watts it would be very difficult for them to hear you at 100 watts. I get on 40 meters during the day and 80 around 5:30 pm at night. In the summer, conditions on 40 make an amp easier for others to hear me. And on 80, 5:30 is too early for good short propagations. Again the amp helps

Now, Tuner Genius - if you have a single SCU radio (6300, 6400, 6500 and that is your only radio and do not plan to upgrade plus have three or fewer antennas and again do not plan to add more then the 1x3 version of Tuner Genius would work. It would only use the A side of the amp and AG. If you want to add a second HF radio, see below.

If you have a 6600, 6700, or second transceiver you want to use with the tuner (and/or PG XL & AG) then go with the SO2R tuner.

I have 4 antennas and a 6700 and avid DX’er so do take advantage of using two different bands with two different antennas at once. Rag chewing on 80 using the 40/80 antenna while tuning around on higher bands on the 5 band Yagi.

73

Dave DeCoons wo2x

Presale Technical Support.

John KB4DU

For amplifiers, think in terms of S units, standardized by Art Collins as 6db per S unit.

Doubling power is 3 db.

100 watt transmitter amplified to 400 watts is 6 db or one S unit stronger. 400 watts amplified to 1000 watts is just over 3db or half an S unit.
100 watts amplified to 1000 watts is 10 db, or one and a half S units.

So, for a 100 watt station, an amplifier of about 400-500 watts is a sweet spot in terms of cost/benefit.

Going the other way, a 50 watt transmitter is only 3 db down from 100 watts, and 25 watts is 6 db down or 1 S unit.

Mr Radio

A great way of showing the relationship between Power, S units and db values. Many operators are not clear about it.

TNX , OM John

Tom