TGXL SO2R Version, which antenna is being tuned?

Ken D'Alessandro · September 2023

The SO2R version of the Tuner Genius has two separate antenna outputs but only a single TUNE button. How does the user know which of the two antennas is being tuned when the TUNE button is pressed? Also can the user tell the TGXL to tune a particular one of the two antennas to which it is connected and if so how does the user tell the TGXL to tune a particular one of the two antennas to which it is connected?

John WA7UAR · September 2023

I use my TGXL remotely and it tunes which ever receiver slice I have selected to have the only TX focus. Which ever slice has the red TX is the slice that will be tuned. Of course, it may not need tuning if the TGXL already has a tune solution in its memory.

Ken D'Alessandro · September 2023

Thanks for the comment. If I had your setup the solution would indeed be easy. I think I failed to explain my setup sufficiently. In my case channel A is connected to my Flex 6600 and channel B is connected to an Icom 7300. So there is no red TX to indicate which of two slices in a single Flex radio is the source that will be transmitting. If I have the Flex connected to my Yagi through 20 meters on channel A of the TGXL and my Icom connected to my dipole on 80 meters on channel B of the TGXL I want to be able to select one of the antennas to tune.

David Decoons, wo2x · September 2023

In your case with two different radios -

You will see an outline box around either the A or B displayed on the front of the radio.

Press Tune on front of tuner or in the TG XL app.

Then for Flex you click Tune in SmartSDR with tune power set to about 25 watts. The TG XL will recognize the transmit command from the Flex over the network. If the Flex side of tuner is not the one the tuner is currently set to (relays) it will switch the tuner in circuit and then tell the Flex to start transmitting. It will unkey when done.

For the Icom, first set TX Delay in Icom to 30 ms or as high as it will go.

Press Tune on tuner or app. Then key radio with 25 watt carrier. RTTY mode should work. The radio will send PTT to tuner via RCA and tuner will switch in circuit and set previous tuning solution with 20 ms.

There are 20 tuning memories per band for both the A and B side. The Flex will send frequency info to the tuner via LAN. For Icom, I recommend having CI-V connection to the tuner so it can track radio frequency.

In RF Sense mode there is only one tuning memory per band.

73 Dave wo2x

Ken D'Alessandro · September 2023

Thanks Dave,

Of course your solution works. I have what may be a **** question. When I am transmitting from the Flex through my PGXL does antenna B stay connected to the Icom 7300 or does either the PGXL or TGXL disconnect antenna B? Antenna A is a Yagi and antenna B is a dipole hung from the tower with its apex about 2 feet below the Yagi. I want to avoid blowing up the front end of the 7300's receiver when the Yagi is radiating full legal limit power and wonder if I need an antenna relay like a Dow Key coaxial relay that we used in the old days to protect the 7300 receiver front end.

David Decoons, wo2x · September 2023

When A side has amp and tuner in circuit, the B side antenna is passed straight through to the Icom. This is by design to support SO2R operation.

Bandpass filters would help but you would need to switch them any time you switch bands on either radio.

Dave wo2x

Ken D'Alessandro · September 2023

Great! Thanks David This is the information I needed. I suspected that this was the case given SO2R configuration of the tuner.

TGXL SO2R Version, which antenna is being tuned?

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