[Boatanchors] Station Set up follow up questions

[Eugene Hertz]

Ok, everyone. Thanks a ton for the suggestions on the TR-change over relay situation. I now have my 51J4 and my CE100V all wired up! When I key the 100V, the antenna relay fires and the J4 mutes! Things are getting very exciting now!

So, a few follow up Q's.
1. When the TR Relay (a dow 115vac relay) is in transmit mode (coil energized), there is a distinct 60Hz hum coming from it. I am sure it is amplified by the wooden board it is mounted on and the wall that the board is in turn, mounted on.  I was wondering if I could reduce that hum by putting a rectifier in place? I am not sure if I would need a smoothing cap or not, but maybe just the rectifier? Can anyone tell me a) if this could alleviate the hum b) if it would alleviate the hum but I would need a cap, c) if there would be a detrimental effect to the relay by doing this? The total Vp-p would be higher is my undertsanding once it is rectified/filtered? I was not thinking of using any transformer at all in this process (mistake?)

2. Thinking in terms of tuning both Tx and Rx separately, I have always heard of the term "talking yourself on frequency." My understanding was there is some way to leave the receiver on the frequency you want to use and then tuning the transmitter until you hear yourself.  This seems very logical to do. But how to do this with the muting/relay stuff? Should I have some kind of override switch to prevent the receiver from muting when attempting to set the frequency? Would I need any RF connection between the Tx and Rx? Otherwise without any explicit rf connection, the Tx would be connected to the antenna and the Rx would simply have a length of coax to the TR relay but it would be unterminated as the open circuit leg of the TR relay. But perhaps that would be enough to get some signal in?

Thanks again in advance!
Eugene