Well here, it is not my intention ti incite WW III.
So just for basics, Flex Radio is admit tingly a superior radio. No doubt.
Price, depends on options. With all bells, accessories and whistles a price tag
of $7000.00+ is foreseeable.
Icom only proprietary system, not likely. My pre amps are SSB, the best
available.
So why run separate power cables, if there is no need for them?
My complaint about the shortcomings of a Flex radio are strictly the
requirements for
external power cables to antenna mounted pre amps for satellite operation.
Nothing else.
As an added item, and that has nothing to do with satellite operation, I am also
an AF MARS member, running a WL2K PACTOR III station. A PACTOR III modem
is external hardware, and cannot be duplicated by soundcard as tried (Winmore).
My question here is, if there is a way of incorporating an external SCS modem
into a Flex radio system to have "Radio e-mail". If that would be possible,
that would
be wonderful and worth the purchase of a Flex 300 by itself. Food for thought.
In summary, it is not, and was not my intend to "knock" Flex radios, but point
out
the shortcomings for my intended use.
73,
Peter, NH6VB
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 20:07:49 -0400
Subject: Re: [Flexradio] Satellite Users
From: brian-wb6...@lloyd.com
To: nh...@msn.com
CC: flexradio@flex-radio.biz
On Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 7:30 PM, Peter Scheller <nh...@msn.com> wrote:
Brian,
On my current satellite radio (IC-910) there is no need to run separate power
cables to the antenna mounted pre amps. They are switched in and out by
software.
But the software has to do something to communicate with the preamps and
possibly power amps up there. Also, if you place a tower mounted power amp up
there you aren't going to be able to power it effectively through the coax.
Separate power cables to the pre amps, and manual switching are, at least to me,
NOT ACCEPTABLE. Particular on a (very good) $7000.00+ radio. Would you like to
put a model "T" type engine hand crank on a corvette?
Well, I certainly wouldn't consider this manual switching. You hit the PTT on
your mic and a lot of very nice, automatic sequencing happens. That is uses
separate wires may seem archaic to you but to me it spells a LOT of flexibility
to accomplish any sort of power and sequencing I might have in mind. It also
allows me to integrate products from different vendors to achieve maximum
performance and flexibility.
Perhaps I am wrong but it sounds like what you are using with your IC-9100 is a
closed, proprietary system from Icom. Now I am not knocking Icom but I would
bet that their control system does not allow you to easily integrate products
from other vendors. I am also willing to bet that the Icom preamps are not the
best available. I am sure they are good, but probably not the best. I tend to
be oriented to performance and am willing to do some integration in order to
achieve it. You seem to be oriented toward convenience and are willing to
accept some performance compromises to achieve that. I fully understand. Life
is about choices.
The satellite systems I am most familiar with are VSATs pushing data through
various geostationary satellites. I expect to have to run separate power and
control to things like dish-mounted 200W C-band and Ku-band transmitting
converters and LNBs. It is just the nature of the beast and it has perhaps set
my expectations differently from yours.
But I understand where you are coming from. It is nice to run the coax up the
tower, attach the preamp, and have everything be automatic from the get-go. I
don't think you are going to get that from Flex as Flex doesn't make matching
mast-mounted preamps. I saw that Tim suggested that you run power up the coax
using a bias-injection 'T' which should work for powering and switching the
preamps. It probably wouldn't take much, just a relay, to control that from the
Flex to switch off the power to the preamp and put the preamp into bypass
before TX PTT is asserted in the radio. It would be very close to what you have
working with the Icom preamps but it would require a bit of work on your part.
You just have to decide whether or not it is worth it.
Me? I like the Flex radios. They have the best receivers I have used. Period.
To me it would be worth an hour or two with a soldering iron and some
hand-tools. I think their built-in sequencer is quite nice and quite advanced.
Usually you have to buy an outboard box to get that. To me that *is* the
"Corvette" approach.
And besides, even a brand new Corvette needs new springs, shocks, wheels,
tires, anti-sway bars, bushings (I prefer Delrin myself), seat, and roll-bar
before it is *REALLY* ready to drive. It is all a matter of perspective. ;-)
(I drive a tricked-out Miata on the track myself but the 'vette is a close
second for best-raw-material-for-a-track-car. And I am coveting an LS-6
powerplant for my Miata.)
YMMV.
--
Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
3191 Western Dr.
Cameron Park, CA 95682
br...@lloyd.com
+1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
+1.931.492.6776 (USA)
(+1.931.4.WB6RQN)
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