[Elecraft] K3s & remote coax switching

[Ken K6MR]

Green Heron Engineering is one possibility.

Ken K6MR

From: Gary Smith<mailto:Gary at ka1j.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2017 16:31
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net<mailto:elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [Elecraft] K3s & remote coax switching

Question: Is there a remote coax switch
that handles at least 5, preferably up to
eight antennas and does not need a control
line to the remote switch.

My station: At the moment I have an
Ameritron RCS-8V remote coax switch. I
also have a remote ICE Model 516 antenna
switch.

I use the ICE to switch between the
triband or the Ameritron controlled
antennas.

The Ameritron is controlled by 350' of CAT
cable, hardline is from the house to the
switch. My Ameritron controlled antennas
are wires in trees, I also have a
tribander which when I use it, I manually
switch. All the antennas are tuned so
there is no tuner other than the one in
the K3s.

I select the desired antenna thusly:

160M - 160 wire
80M --- 80 wire
40M --- 40 wire
30M --- 30 wire
20M --- 20 wire & tribander
17M --- 80 wire
15M --- 40 wire & Tribander
12M --- 80 wire & 160 wire
10M --  160 wire & Tribander
6M ---- 160 wire & Tribander*

* I have a homebrew addition of W1ZR's 6M
passive elements added to the tribander.

There are two transmit coax that exit the
house; one to hardline leading to the wire
antennas, the other is to the tribander.

So here's the dilemma... I'm thinking of
replacing the remote Ameritron switch with
one that will automatically switch
antennas as I switch bands, controlled by
the K3s band change. If I decide to switch
between the Tribander or wire, it would be
nice to do that at the touch of a button
but the ICE does a fine job.

My Alpha 77SX is incredibly forgiving and
if I don't make a proper antenna
selection, nothing fails & I correct the
problem & go. I am though considering the
new Elecraft KPA 1500 amp (Do I really
want to sell the SX or not... That is the
question to my getting the new amp...) so
why not make antenna switching foolproof
and get an automatic remote antenna
switch. I would though like to have one
that does not require a control line.

Suggestions, thoughts?

73,

Gary
KA1J
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