Re: Topband: 75 ohm coax switch
Most TV switches work to DC, even if they say 5 MHz. There are many switches around. How many positions, and is this indoors or outdoors?? - Original Message - From: Art Snapper a...@nk8x.net To: 160 topband@contesting.com Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015 12:05 PM Subject: Topband: 75 ohm coax switch What do you use for switching your receive antennas? I have been adapting the RG-6's F connectors, to PL-259s to use a regular ham coax switch. The 75 ohm (TV) type switches show a minimum frequency of 5MHz. Is there a better solution? Art NK8X _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4800 / Virus Database: 4311/9582 - Release Date: 04/20/15 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 75 ohm coax switch
I have used Dynair switches for years and rout all my Beverages through this switch with excellent performance on 18 Mhz will chasing some rare DX I could not hear on my 3 element WARC beam being closer to the power lines. I would like to hear from anyone who can say they are not a good and affordable means on switching Beverage feed lines. I also have several MFJ remote switches using the RCS-12 that I do not trust as the relays are sometimes giving false reply due to the design of the pass transistors in the Ameritron. For the amount of money in that a Dynair costs it can't be beaten, if fact I would have purchased this one but the vendor will not sell nor ship to the Virgin Islands http://www.ebay.com/itm/DYNAIR-VS-12-LA-12-CHANNEL-RACK-MOUNT-PRODUCTION-VIDEO-ROUTING-SWITCHER-SWITCH-/281667218505?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0hash=item4194acac49 So here's the deal. Buy this one and try it and if you don't like it's performance I will pay you double for it. They are getting very rare as most TV stations are going to digital and these passive switches one can't even find in the security company catalogs anymore. Herb, KV4FZ On 4/20/2015 5:37 PM, Tom W8JI wrote: Most TV switches work to DC, even if they say 5 MHz. There are many switches around. How many positions, and is this indoors or outdoors?? - Original Message - From: Art Snapper a...@nk8x.net To: 160 topband@contesting.com Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015 12:05 PM Subject: Topband: 75 ohm coax switch What do you use for switching your receive antennas? I have been adapting the RG-6's F connectors, to PL-259s to use a regular ham coax switch. The 75 ohm (TV) type switches show a minimum frequency of 5MHz. Is there a better solution? Art NK8X _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4800 / Virus Database: 4311/9582 - Release Date: 04/20/15 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 75 ohm coax switch
Thanks everone for the ideas. I hadn't thought of the Dynair video switch. Access to useful information is why I joined this group - and haven't been disappointed. Tom, receive switching will be in the shack. I have 4 antennas on the mechanical switch now, but anticipate 6 before winter or divorce. :) Art On Mon, Apr 20, 2015 at 5:37 PM, Tom W8JI w...@w8ji.com wrote: Most TV switches work to DC, even if they say 5 MHz. There are many switches around. How many positions, and is this indoors or outdoors?? - Original Message - From: Art Snapper a...@nk8x.net To: 160 topband@contesting.com Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015 12:05 PM Subject: Topband: 75 ohm coax switch What do you use for switching your receive antennas? I have been adapting the RG-6's F connectors, to PL-259s to use a regular ham coax switch. The 75 ohm (TV) type switches show a minimum frequency of 5MHz. Is there a better solution? Art NK8X _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4800 / Virus Database: 4311/9582 - Release Date: 04/20/15 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: RX antenna switching - multi-rig, multi antenna
Art,s question has got me thinking about how the big multi-multi handle a bunch of receiving antennas routed to a bunch of stations? Here I'm looking at up to 8 rx antennas fed to 4 stations. But the more you dig into this, the more complicated it can get. A crossbar-sort of switching arrangement would do the signal routing - but it would not provide any rig to rig isolation and would not maintain a constant Z (important if the rx amp is a norton type). 73/jeff/ac0c www.ac0c.com alpha-charlie-zero-charlie _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: RX antenna switching - multi-rig, multi antenna
Thank you Frank. 1000' - wow. What is the topology of the fanout (single antenna to 6 op positions); do you hang a MC splitter or similar off the back of the K8ZOA preamps? I have looked at the K9AY So2r switch (forget what it's called - it has 2 keypads) but wonder what is inside the box. That had 8x2. Is that what you are using there (6 sets of the 8x2 switch?) - or did he cook you up something custom? 73/jeff/ac0c www.ac0c.com alpha-charlie-zero-charlie -Original Message- From: donov...@starpower.net Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 12:13 AM To: 160 Subject: Re: Topband: RX antenna switching - multi-rig, multi antenna Hi Jeff, Here's how we handle receive antenna switching at W3LPL: Six monoband receiving arrays are located 1000 feet southeast of the transmit antennas. Each monoband receive array feeds a W3LPL bandpass filter and a Clifton Labs Norton Preamplifier in the shack except for 10 meters which uses a Clifton Labs Norton preamp at the center of the 10 meter 4-square array. 160M 8-circle using W8JI 25 foot umbrella verticals 80M 8-circle using W8JI 25 foot umbrella verticals 40M 8-circle using W8JI 14 foot umbrella verticals 20M 4-square using 16 foot verticals 15M 4-square using 11 foot verticals 10M 4-square using 8 foot verticals Three 580 foot Beverages (NE, S, W) are located 1000 feet from the transmit antennas. Each Beverage feeds 160, 80 and 40 meter W3LPL bandpass filters which then feeds three ARR preamps in the shack. Two transceivers are used on each band, mostly Elecraft K-3s and Yaesu FTdx5000s. K9AY receive antenna switches are used with the 160, 80 and 40 meter transceivers to allow all six operators to select one or more receive antennas completely independent of all other operators. The transmit antennas also feed the inputs to the K9AY switches. The only restriction is that the monoband vertical receiving arrays can point in only a single direction on each band, but the Beverages provide the capability for the two operators on each band to receive in different directions. 73 Frank W3LPL - Original Message - From: Jeff AC0C keepwalking...@ac0c.com To: Tom W8JI w...@w8ji.com, Art Snapper a...@nk8x.net Cc: 160 topband@contesting.com Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 3:58:45 AM Subject: Topband: RX antenna switching - multi-rig, multi antenna Art,s question has got me thinking about how the big multi-multi handle a bunch of receiving antennas routed to a bunch of stations? Here I'm looking at up to 8 rx antennas fed to 4 stations. But the more you dig into this, the more complicated it can get. A crossbar-sort of switching arrangement would do the signal routing - but it would not provide any rig to rig isolation and would not maintain a constant Z (important if the rx amp is a norton type). 73/jeff/ac0c www.ac0c.com alpha-charlie-zero-charlie _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 75 ohm coax switch
In the shack, some video switches are OK. Be careful. Many switches have active components and/or are pretty poor up high in frequency. I'm not sure about modern manual CATV or MATV antenna switches, I've seen them up to 4 way years ago, and they are usually much better. Personally, I use relays with a desk mounted control. Saves having multiple heavy wires on the desk. 160 is pretty forgiving for switch construction, provided the shields are all well grounded to a common shield plate. Do NOT switch the shields!! Just switch the centers. - Original Message - From: Art Snapper a...@nk8x.net To: Tom W8JI w...@w8ji.com Cc: 160 topband@contesting.com Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015 6:57 PM Subject: Re: Topband: 75 ohm coax switch Thanks everone for the ideas. I hadn't thought of the Dynair video switch. Access to useful information is why I joined this group - and haven't been disappointed. Tom, receive switching will be in the shack. I have 4 antennas on the mechanical switch now, but anticipate 6 before winter or divorce. :) Art On Mon, Apr 20, 2015 at 5:37 PM, Tom W8JI w...@w8ji.com wrote: Most TV switches work to DC, even if they say 5 MHz. There are many switches around. How many positions, and is this indoors or outdoors?? - Original Message - From: Art Snapper a...@nk8x.net To: 160 topband@contesting.com Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015 12:05 PM Subject: Topband: 75 ohm coax switch What do you use for switching your receive antennas? I have been adapting the RG-6's F connectors, to PL-259s to use a regular ham coax switch. The 75 ohm (TV) type switches show a minimum frequency of 5MHz. Is there a better solution? Art NK8X _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4800 / Virus Database: 4311/9582 - Release Date: 04/20/15 - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4800 / Virus Database: 4311/9585 - Release Date: 04/20/15 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: RX antenna switching - multi-rig, multi antenna
Hi Jeff, Here's how we handle receive antenna switching at W3LPL: Six monoband receiving arrays are located 1000 feet southeast of the transmit antennas. Each monoband receive array feeds a W3LPL bandpass filter and a Clifton Labs Norton Preamplifier in the shack except for 10 meters which uses a Clifton Labs Norton preamp at the center of the 10 meter 4-square array. 160M 8-circle using W8JI 25 foot umbrella verticals 80M 8-circle using W8JI 25 foot umbrella verticals 40M 8-circle using W8JI 14 foot umbrella verticals 20M 4-square using 16 foot verticals 15M 4-square using 11 foot verticals 10M 4-square using 8 foot verticals Three 580 foot Beverages (NE, S, W) are located 1000 feet from the transmit antennas. Each Beverage feeds 160, 80 and 40 meter W3LPL bandpass filters which then feeds three ARR preamps in the shack. Two transceivers are used on each band, mostly Elecraft K-3s and Yaesu FTdx5000s. K9AY receive antenna switches are used with the 160, 80 and 40 meter transceivers to allow all six operators to select one or more receive antennas completely independent of all other operators. The transmit antennas also feed the inputs to the K9AY switches. The only restriction is that the monoband vertical receiving arrays can point in only a single direction on each band, but the Beverages provide the capability for the two operators on each band to receive in different directions. 73 Frank W3LPL - Original Message - From: Jeff AC0C keepwalking...@ac0c.com To: Tom W8JI w...@w8ji.com, Art Snapper a...@nk8x.net Cc: 160 topband@contesting.com Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 3:58:45 AM Subject: Topband: RX antenna switching - multi-rig, multi antenna Art,s question has got me thinking about how the big multi-multi handle a bunch of receiving antennas routed to a bunch of stations? Here I'm looking at up to 8 rx antennas fed to 4 stations. But the more you dig into this, the more complicated it can get. A crossbar-sort of switching arrangement would do the signal routing - but it would not provide any rig to rig isolation and would not maintain a constant Z (important if the rx amp is a norton type). 73/jeff/ac0c www.ac0c.com alpha-charlie-zero-charlie _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 75 ohm coax switch
It's easy to homebrew something using small-signal relays. This has all sorts of added benefits (remote control, automatic switching, etc.). There have been lots of discussions on here about the correct contact type you want in those relays since they don't switch any significant current. Cost is low, and it's probably the only way to handle more than a few ports with readily available parts. You can build these on perfboard and still get pretty good isolation between ports if you're careful with your internal wiring. You could also try a telecom patch bay for T3/DS3 signals. Those run over 75 ohm cabling too. You'd have a patch bay with a cable to move, but you could use it as a multiway switch. ADC makes a lot of these, Ebay #311293334088 is an example (they can be used for video too). Everything comes out to 75 ohm BNC connectors on the back, the front uses a sleeve-type connector for the patch cable that I can't remember the name for. All the telco coax cable is 734 or 735 type (734 is like RG59, 735 is like RG179 in terms of physical size) and is 75 ohm. If you want some 12-count 735A cable I have a big roll I can cut a little from. We hardly ever use this stuff anymore at work -- everything is higher capacity and fiber now. -Bill -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Art Snapper Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015 12:06 PM To: 160 Subject: Topband: 75 ohm coax switch What do you use for switching your receive antennas? I have been adapting the RG-6's F connectors, to PL-259s to use a regular ham coax switch. The 75 ohm (TV) type switches show a minimum frequency of 5MHz. Is there a better solution? Art NK8X _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: 75 ohm coax switch
What do you use for switching your receive antennas? I have been adapting the RG-6's F connectors, to PL-259s to use a regular ham coax switch. The 75 ohm (TV) type switches show a minimum frequency of 5MHz. Is there a better solution? Art NK8X _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: 2015 Visalia Top Band Dinner Recap
The 66th International DX Convention in Visalia, California is now history. The Top Band Dinner was held on Friday, April 17, 2015. Attendance set a new all time record. Special thanks goes to Bob Allphin, K4UEE, for another outstanding presentation: “Top Band From Navassa, K1N.” The K1N DXpedition proved once again that Bob is no amateur when it comes putting most wanted top ten entities on the air. This year's dinner was supported by the manufacturers, vendors and organizations, listed below, who generously donated door prizes that significantly contributed to the dinner's overall success. THANK YOU! 73! Steve WB6RSE THANK YOU: ALPHA RADIO PRODUCTS http://www.rfconcepts.com/ ARLAN COMMUNICATIONS http://www.arlancommunications.com ARRAY SOLUTIONS http://www.arraysolutions.com/ ARRL HQ http://www.arrl.org/catalog/ BALUN DESIGNS http://www.balundesigns.com THE DAILY DX http://www.dailydx.com/ DOGPARK SOFTWARE http://www.dogparksoftware.com DX ENGINEERING http://www.dxengineering.com DX PUBLISHING http://www.dxpub.com/ The DX STORE http://www.dxstore.com/ ELECRAFT http://www.elecraft.com/ ELECRAFT COVERS http://tinyurl.com/7lm3m5 EXPERT AMPS USA http://www.expertampsusa.com EXPERT LINEARS http://www.expertlinears.com FLEX RADIO http://www.flex-radio.com HI-Z ANTENNAS http://www.hizantennas.com HRO http://www.hamradio.com/ ICOM http://www.icomamerica.com/en/amateur/ FORCE 12 http://www.force12inc.com INRAD http://www.inrad.net/home.php K4UEE DXpedition DVDs http://www.k4uee.com/dvd NCDXF http://www.ncdxf.org/join_ncdxf.html NIFTY ACCESSORIES http://www.niftyaccessories.com/ PRO AUDIO ENGINEERING https://proaudioeng.com PHOTO QSLs http://www.photoqsls.com/ TENTEC http://tentec.com/ UX5UO PRINT http://www.ux5uoqsl.com WEST MOUNTAIN RADIO http://www.westmountainradio.com/ YAESU http://www.yaesu.com/ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: 75 ohm coax switch
YesFind on eBay an old passive video switch like the ones made by Dynair. (1x6 or 1x12) Not only are they designed for 75 Ohms they terminate all unused feedlines (RG6) with a 75 ohm resistor. This is especially important when using two wire Beverages while trying to make the feedlines to each a multiples of a half wave (minus the VF depending on whether or not it is RG-59 or RG-6 foam.) which puts the termination electrically back at the feed box for better performance. Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ On 4/20/2015 12:05 PM, Art Snapper wrote: What do you use for switching your receive antennas? I have been adapting the RG-6's F connectors, to PL-259s to use a regular ham coax switch. The 75 ohm (TV) type switches show a minimum frequency of 5MHz. Is there a better solution? Art NK8X _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
