[Elecraft] OT: question re: antenna/rig swtich

[Julius Fazekas n2wn]

Hi Greg,

This might be a good question to post on the contest reflector. Stations
like KC1XX, K1TTT, W3LPL, etc all deal with such issues with their
Multi-Multi stations.

I like Alpha Delta switches and don't think you'll have a problem with them.
You could look for Bird switches with higher power ratings (on the surplus
market or I think RF Engineering carries them). Transfer relays may be
another option...

73,
Julius


Greg Buhyoff wrote:
> 
> Group,
> 
> This is off topic and I would deeply appreciate any responses to be
> sent to me off list.  I am posting here because I respect the
> knowledge and experience of the people who are members of this
> reflector.
> 
> This may sound stupid but I have not had experience with this before,
> so I ask before I do something stupid.
> 
> I use an external antenna switch mounted on the outside wall of my
> house to switch in one of six antennas and have a single coax line
> coming into the radio room.   I now have four separate radio stations,
> 2 K3s and two other radios, all set up differently for different types
> and modes of operation.  All have amps in line that can be used when
> needed -- one a KW and the others 750w output.  Currently I manually
> attach the output coax for the station I want to use to the coax lead
> coming into the house from the external switch.  A pain.
> 
> I want to be able to simply use a manual switch to select the station
> that would connect to the external antenna switch coax lead into the
> radio room.  I would then use the manual antenna switch to select the
> station and the remote controller to select the antenna.  I was
> looking at the Alpha Delta manual switch with four switched ports and
> a common and then would connect the common to the coax lead coming
> from the external antenna switch (DX Engineering) and then each output
> coax from each of four stations to the four ports on the Alpha Delta
> and then could switch stations via the Alpha Delta manual switch (all
> ports not selected go to ground) and, obviously, then select my
> antennas as I have been doing using my remote antenna switch.
> 
> Again, this sounds stupid, but I have not had to do this before and
> always used manual "antenna" switches to simply select antennas.  My
> question is this:
> 
> Given the Alpha Delta manual switch has  >60dB port isolation -- is
> this isolation good enough that I can use the this manual switch to
> select stations even though each of the  stations has the capability
> delivering up to 1 KW output?  I don't want to blow out the front ends
> of the radios connected to this manual switch.
> 
> I appreciate any answers that can be sent on to me.  I know this
> sounds stupid, but I have been a ham since 1958 and simply have not
> had or needed to do this.  I now have four great stations that I
> carefully put together as part of a "plan" when I retired and I don't
> want to do something stupid at this point.  I have done plenty of
> stupid things in the past and more will happen, but I thought I could
> simply ask a question here with hopes someone can allay my fears of
> using such a switching setup or educate me in those things I don't
> understand or did not think of.
> 
> Thanks so very much and 73,
> Greg K2UM
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> 


-----
Julius Fazekas
N2WN

Tennessee Contest Group
http://www.k4ro.net/tcg/index.html

Tennessee QSO Party
http://www.tnqp.org/

Elecraft K2/100 #4455
Elecraft K3/100 #366
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