[AMRadio] Protecting receiver (was WTB: Coax relay, 110VAC, aux contacts)

[Brett Gazdzinski]

I built a rackmount box that has a crap load of connectors on it, and put a 
big open frame relay mounted on rubber isolators in it for a TR relay.
Its got silver plated contacts, and wide silver plated straps connecting the 
contacts von a ceramic base.
I also put in a bunch of  octal relays, 3 sets of contacts on each one, and 
wired everything out to the back.
The box allows me to select up to 7 receivers, there are about 10 sets of 
contacts for muting or 120v out, I have 5 antenna positions, and 4 
transmitter positions, plus a takeoff (adjustable) for the mod monitor.

Its all in a little shielded box.
I can select any antenna, and receiver or transmitter in about 2 seconds.
Adding something new takes minutes, and I only have ONE TR relay.
I have coax connectors on the back that allow the insertion of an antenna 
tuner, wattmeter, on both rx and tx or just tx
(tuner out of the rx path).


I do the same thing with TX and RX audio, everything goes into one audio 
amp, with one speaker.
The mod monitor headphone jack gets my audio on TX, and the receive audio on 
RX.

I use one microphone into one rack of audio gear that feeds all the rigs 
except the standalone 32V3 which has its own D104, because you have to have 
a d104 on the desk or its not ham radio.

Since I have seperate antenna's, it takes me seconds to jump between 80 and 
40 meters with nothing to tune up, as I park a homebrew station on each 
band, just select which one I am using at the moment.

The contactor I use for the TR relay was a dollar at a fest so I bought a 
couple of them.
Its been working trouble free for 30 years!
Since its got two sets of contacts, it grounds the receiver on TX.

Brett
N2DTS