Wide Mode

LewisM0YZV

I am running an 8600 and am a bit puzzled by the "wide" mode the radio often switches itself to. If I have two SCUs and each SCU has its own BPFs shouldn't I be able to listen to two bands on one antenna without wide mode engaging?

The funny thing is I'm sure I've got it to do it from time to time, but now I'm doubting myself!

Cheers

Lewis M0YZV

KD0RC

Hi Lewis, Things that can put you into wide mode:

• Multiple bands on one panadapter or SCU
• A panadapter that is wider than the band it is set to
• Multiple slices on a panadapter that are too far apart
• Any slices set outside the ham bands
• Use of a transverter

There may be others, but these come to mind.

LewisM0YZV

Cheers mate, yes I will experiment further, I’d previously got it working but had begun to doubt my memory! I suppose if each SCU has its own filters there’s no reason you can’t monitor two different bands off one antenna with full filtering.

It would be great to have an override on the properties of each slice to dictate which SCU is used and even view which filtering is engaged but I’m sure I’m not the first person to say that!

Are the filters documented anywhere do you know? Just interested to know how many there are and what they cover.

Cheers

Lewis M0YZV

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g4ivv

Hi Lewis,

There's a lot of info in the very good 8000 series hardware reference manual:

https://www.flexradio.com/documentation/flex-8000-hardware-reference-manual/

The filters are described in section 11. I think the answer to your question is no, you can't connect both SCUs to one antenna. The way the 8600 hardware works is there is an antenna switching matrix between the ports on the back of the radio and the SCUs. As you say, each SCU has its own filters and preamp/antennuators but the key thing is the switching matrix just routes the signal from antenna port to SCU, it doesn't contain any ciruits (diplexors or splitters) that allow sharing of an antenna to more than one SCU.

I haven't found the use of wide mode to be a problem in normal use. If I was using my Flex at a multi-op contest station then in all likelyhood I wouldn't be trying to share antennas over several bands so wouldn't be using wide mode. If you had another amateur next door it might be a problem!

Hope that helps,
Jonathan G4IVV