Why does my 6600m unexpectedly and unwantedly change antennas on a band change?

kg5udale . · May 2019

I'm a relatively new 6600m user and mayhave missed something in the massive reading I've had to do to just get the thing on the air. When I am on one band (e.g. 40m) on Slice 1 using Ant1/Ant1 and on 20m on Slice 2 using Ant2/Ant2 and then open slice 2 to change bands to 80m, the antennas in slice 2 frequently change to Ant2/Ant1 or Ant1/Ant1. It happens frequently enough that I am concerned about trashing the transmitter or receiver transmitting on the new band on the other band slices antenna. I can't find any mention of this happening in the user guide.

Is this a fault that I need to send the radio back for repair? I can't imagine this would be a feature of any kind.

I've gone key down a few times now after a band change and not paying close attention to the ANT/ANT in the new band. I'm very concerned.

Can anyone advise, please?

73,
dale, kg5u

Alan · June 2019

Hi Dale

New 6600 user here too. Took me awhile to wrap my head around the two SCU concept. I think of it this way;

The 6600 has two master receivers (SCUs). On the back of the 6600, the antennas are labeled A and B. You align either antenna A or Antenna B to a master receiver, then no more. Now within the master receiver, you can listen to multiple frequencies, anywhere on the master receivers range (1 MHz upwards to 55 MHz) by opening up a slice for each desired frequency. Or, you can make a new panadapter, align the new panadaper to one of the two master receivers by selected either receive antenna A or B on a slice within the new panadapter.

SCU A: Ant 1, RXA, XVTA.
SCU B; Ant 2, RXB, XVTB.

If you change a receive antenna on any slice, you change the receive antenna for all slices aligned to its master receiver, so you will see the change on all affected slices (those aligned to one of two master receivers by selecting either receive antenna A or

.

There is only one transmitter. You can select any antenna for transmitting on any slice within any panadpater.

Hope I did not confuse you more.

Alan
WA9WUD

K9SO · June 2019

Dale,

I've had some issues with the USB connections with my 6600. I find that I have to toggle the ENABLE button on/off under SETTINGS>USB in SmartSDR every once in a while. I just do that out of habit now whenever I start the program. I don't have an 'm' version so I don't know if that option is available to you.

I run high power with a Power Genius amp and have suspected RF issues, but I haven't been able to completely fix it. I did remove a USB hub and that seemed to help a bit in my case.

73,
Fred
K9SO

Why does my 6600m unexpectedly and unwantedly change antennas on a band change?

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