[NLRS] UHF contest logs and results

[John P. Toscano]

Ray Johnson wrote:
> 
> Hey All
> 
> I was not going to submit a log because my results were so
> weak but now I'll go ahead and get the QSOs into the
> electronic format and submit them--
> 
> Final tally was a total of 20 QSOs  between 10G and 432 operating
> from  4 Grid squares.....  I just need to figure out the electronic filing
> and also the multiplier calculations.....This is all new to me....
> 
> The contest was a great time and I look forward to the
> upcoming September  events... I just need to get some decent  antenna
> relays to get  makeshift  902 and  1296 stations on the air......
> ( Anybody got spare / surplus ant. relays in their junkbox they  want to
> sell off   ?? ----N connector  /  50+ Watt rating  ???? )
> 
> rayj  KE3QY

Hello, Ray!

Well, I submitted my huge log of 4 QSO's for a total of 28 points, and 
that's not the record for the smallest log, so don't feel bad. Send 'er in!

Regarding relays: if you don't get any nibbles, I've had some good luck 
with Magnecraft 128AX25 relays at those frequencies. They are rated to 
200 watts at 1 GHz, and 1296 isn't all that much higher. They are 
available from Surplus Sales of Nebraska:
   http://www.surplussales.com/Relays/rfcoaxialrelays/rfcoax_n.html

Near the bottom of the page, $65 each or $59 each in quantities of 3 or 
more. I probably have a dozen of them scattered throughout my home setup 
to allow me to select various different VHF and UHF antennas - beams, 
horizontal omni's, FM verticals, etc., and as T/R relays. They do use a 
6 volt AC coil, so they're not ideal for rover use, but most homes these 
days have some AC power that a cheap transformer will drop to 6v without 
problem. I used a 6.3 VAC transformer, figuring that with a little bit 
of voltage drop from control box to remote relay, I would certainly not 
fry any of them. And that has been the case. I do have them all inside 
of weather-tight enclosures if they are outside, under the eaves of my 
roof, for example.

Surplus Sales has a lot of other relays also, most of them at higher 
prices.  There are, of course, other sources, but I'm only stating what 
I actually know...  :)

The page I listed is for N relays only, but if you go snooping around 
their web site, you can find lots of other types of connectors for 
coaxial RF relays also...

73 de WØJT