Station Automation
Are you still switching antennas manually? Or even worse – literally unplugging and plugging coaxial cables at the radio antenna...
read more
AUSTRALIAN HAM RADIO STORE
Before we go any further: a warning. You will be shocked by the size of the BPF box!
Quite frankly, the mere size of the box, as well the installed components is beyond what you would expect even if your expectations are already set to high. Amazingly over-rated for 200 Watts!
Which is a good thing. OM6BPF is not a toy; it is a well executed piece of equipment, built to handle the power – and last for decades.
What is the bandpass filter and why would / won’t you need one?
A Band pass filter (or in this case, a set of six BP filters) is a device intended to be use in an environment where a number of transmitters are on air, simultaneously. For example: multi transmitter contesting, or an expedition. Or, simply, you are wanting to transmit two signals from two transmitters, chasing two separate DX, on two bands, at the same time. The role of a BPF is to protect the receiver from strong near-field signals generated at your location. A BPF is simply an interference killing device, which also prevents costly damage to your expensive receiver.
The interfacing is straight forward: the BPF is inserted between the transceiver and amplifier. The band selection is either manual or automatic. ICOM, Yaesu, K3 and other radios are supported and the control line is either ‘band voltage’ or ‘band data’. Of course, OM power amplifier users can simply connect the unit to their amp filter connector for automatic band change. Personally I would only run a filter in auto mode. Transmitting through the ‘wrong’ filter may cause damage, even at a low power level. Why risk it?
From a practical stand-point, the filters are executed brilliantly. Each individual filter could be easily removed (if needed). It is just a matter of removing 3 screws. No desoldering needed. And again, the toroids, capacitors and relays are just massive. There is plenty of room for access and inspection, and repair, if needed. Very impressive.
OM6BPF covers 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m band. Clearly, it is designed by a contester, for a fellow contester. No WARC coverage.
It goes without saying that keeping the level of interference at a minimum in a multi-transmitting and receiving environment is a serous challenge. There is no substitute for filtering, so investing in a quality set of filters is an absolute must.
When filter integration is executed in a smart way, where the automation makes them practically invisible, then the job is well done. OM Power is definitely on your side, so your investment in a BPF box will provide interference clean enjoyment of operation.
OM6BPF is in stock, ready for delivery. Price: $AUD 1,850 (export price $1,681).
To order go to https://dxing.com.au/index.php/product/om6bpf-band-pass-filter/
