[ARC5] Re: [Milsurplus] ZB-* and R-1/ARR-1 Control Box and Antenna Relay Usage

[Mike Hanz]

Mike Morrow wrote:

>A few days ago I commented on some interesting info found on Mike Hanz's site which stated that the ARB's internal homing/communications antenna switching relay allowed a ZB-* homing adapter to be connected simply through use of a power cable and RF connection between the ARB and the ZB.  No ZB control box or antenna relay is required.  That info is at http://aafradio.org/docs/atb-arb.html on page 9.
>

Astute observations, Mike!  I took a look through the detritus of moving 
to see if I could find something on the use of the ARB with the ZB-* and 
unfortunately came up dry.  My only thought was that without the relay 
box, you have to resort to a kludgey antenna jumper approach like the DU 
requires with the RU - a coax (sorta hand-made with the DU) that is Adel 
clamped to a screw on the side of the receiver, with the center 
conductor bent at a right angle to fit into the antenna binding post.  
At least with the relay box there is a more elegant transition between 
coax and open wire, one that I copied to use with the aafradio 'flight 
deck' unun impedance transformers.

>Does this explain why so many ZB and AN/ARR-1 adapter boxes exist, but the relay and control boxes seem rare (especially the ones for the AN/ARR-1)?
>

Good question.  I've seen more relay boxes at hamfests than ZB-*/ARR-1s, 
so maybe it's a regional thing, or there was a migration - like 
lemmings....  :-)

73,
Mike