I'm finally taking the plunge into SO2R operation and need guidance on configuring N1MM Logger+ for my asymmetric setup. Primary station: IC-7610 with KPA-500 amp driving Force-12 C-31XR at 60 feet. Secondary station: IC-7300 at 100W into a 40m vertical. Planning to use the 7610 primarily for running stations and the 7300 for S&P and multiplier hunting during CW contests.

Main question: Should I configure both radios symmetrically in N1MM so either can be the run station, or optimize the configuration for this asymmetric approach? Also struggling with band filter requirements - the K3LR articles mention never operating SO2R without proper filtering, but what's the minimum viable setup for getting started?

Start asymmetric and keep it simple. Configure the IC-7610 as your dedicated run radio with all the good antennas, and let the IC-7300 handle S&P duties. The 7300 receiver is perfectly adequate for answering stations even with the vertical.

Band filters are absolutely critical - never attempt SO2R without them. Start with basic 160m/80m stubs as minimum protection, then add proper bandpass filters as budget allows. Having identical radios is a huge advantage, but your setup will work fine once you develop the muscle memory for each radio's controls.

Check out the YCCC SO2R Box Plus for switching - handles the audio routing and PTT logic cleanly. Configure N1MM for split audio (left/right channels) rather than the latch mode, and definitely enable the Auto-Resume CQ feature with the %X command in your CQ message.