Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching
I use a Band Decoder Card from Unified Microsystems to drive my antenna relais. http://www.unifiedmicro.com/decoder.html 73 de Jan SM5FQQ - Elecraft K3 #2054, Butternut HF9V -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K-Line-Antenna-switching-tp7563906p7563926.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching
I like the Six Pack also and use one at K0PP's for SO2R and one at home. At home I added a W9XT Band Decoder and High Side Driver to automatically switch antennas on one of the ports. Haven't gotten around to adding the second side. Incidentally the band decoder is optoisolated and doesn't load the band data outputs so the decoder and the amplifier work ok together. I seem to remember some people have had problems when they added a decoder. Cheers and 73, Fred KE7X -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Fred Smith Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 3:14 AM To: li...@n5ge.com; Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching I had also looked for quite some time and finally found one that fit very well in my station and 2 radios a SO2R. It is the Array Solutions Six Pack it has been working very well for over 2 months and a lot of features so no foul ups. But the nice part is that it is so simple to install and use. 73, Fred/N0AZZ -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of N5GE Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 12:21 AM To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching I like my Elecraft KRC2 and DX Enginering 8 Pos switch. Amateur Radio Operator N5GE ARRL Lifetime Member QCWA Lifetime Member On Tue, 9 Oct 2012 21:36:24 -0400, Jim Miller wrote: >I'm adding a KPA500 and KAT500 to my station equipment. The only coax >to the shack will be a run of LDF5-50 to a TBD remote switch, >preferrably with >8 antenna ports. > >Knowing my limitations I'd prefer a means of decoding the K3 band >outputs and controlling the remote switch automatically. An external >override to select an alternate antenna (e.g. an inverted V instead of >vertical for 80m). I'd like some indication of what antenna >automatically (or active >override) is selected as well. > >I've looked at several devices (top ten, dxe, ameritron, elecraft) and >haven't found something that meets all requirements. Of course I could >start with just a manual unit and built something myself but I'd prefer >to buy a unit due to other priorities. I'm looking for both the shack >box and the remote relay box as well. I've seen several relay boxes >that would likely work but not yet anything for the shack. > >Suggestions welcome! > >thanks > >jim ab3cv >__ >Elecraft mailing list >Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > >This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email >list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching
On 10 Oct 2012 at 4:14, Fred Smith wrote: > I had also looked for quite some time and finally found one that fit very > well in my station and 2 radios a SO2R. It is the Array Solutions Six Pack > it has been working very well for over 2 months and a lot of features so no > foul ups. But the nice part is that it is so simple to install and use. > > 73, > Fred/N0AZZ I use the Six Pak antenna switch and love it. It has one problem, its sensitive to drive voltage for the relays, mine had to be adjusted by bending the spring mount for each relay. It wanted 13.5 volts to pull in a relay, should be 10.5, or so, I forget the exact amount, according to Array solutions. The fix is to bend the tab that the return spring is mounted to, adjusting the force needed to pull in. Once I got the spring tension correct it has worked flawlessly for several years in an SO2R setup. If you need more antenna inputs they now have an 8 input switch. 73, Gordon - N1MGO __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching
Jim, I have an Ameritron RCS-12 conntroller driving an RCS-10L switch, and AFAICT, it meets all your requirements. I'm very pleased with it. 73, Mike NF4L On 10/9/12 9:36 PM, Jim Miller wrote: > I'm adding a KPA500 and KAT500 to my station equipment. The only coax to > the shack will be a run of LDF5-50 to a TBD remote switch, preferrably with > 8 antenna ports. > > Knowing my limitations I'd prefer a means of decoding the K3 band outputs > and controlling the remote switch automatically. An external override to > select an alternate antenna (e.g. an inverted V instead of vertical for > 80m). I'd like some indication of what antenna automatically (or active > override) is selected as well. > > I've looked at several devices (top ten, dxe, ameritron, elecraft) and > haven't found something that meets all requirements. Of course I could > start with just a manual unit and built something myself but I'd prefer to > buy a unit due to other priorities. I'm looking for both the shack box and > the remote relay box as well. I've seen several relay boxes that would > likely work but not yet anything for the shack. > > Suggestions welcome! > > thanks > > jim ab3cv > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching
I had also looked for quite some time and finally found one that fit very well in my station and 2 radios a SO2R. It is the Array Solutions Six Pack it has been working very well for over 2 months and a lot of features so no foul ups. But the nice part is that it is so simple to install and use. 73, Fred/N0AZZ -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of N5GE Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 12:21 AM To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching I like my Elecraft KRC2 and DX Enginering 8 Pos switch. Amateur Radio Operator N5GE ARRL Lifetime Member QCWA Lifetime Member On Tue, 9 Oct 2012 21:36:24 -0400, Jim Miller wrote: >I'm adding a KPA500 and KAT500 to my station equipment. The only coax >to the shack will be a run of LDF5-50 to a TBD remote switch, >preferrably with >8 antenna ports. > >Knowing my limitations I'd prefer a means of decoding the K3 band >outputs and controlling the remote switch automatically. An external >override to select an alternate antenna (e.g. an inverted V instead of >vertical for 80m). I'd like some indication of what antenna >automatically (or active >override) is selected as well. > >I've looked at several devices (top ten, dxe, ameritron, elecraft) and >haven't found something that meets all requirements. Of course I could >start with just a manual unit and built something myself but I'd prefer >to buy a unit due to other priorities. I'm looking for both the shack >box and the remote relay box as well. I've seen several relay boxes >that would likely work but not yet anything for the shack. > >Suggestions welcome! > >thanks > >jim ab3cv >__ >Elecraft mailing list >Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > >This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email >list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching
I like my Elecraft KRC2 and DX Enginering 8 Pos switch. Amateur Radio Operator N5GE ARRL Lifetime Member QCWA Lifetime Member On Tue, 9 Oct 2012 21:36:24 -0400, Jim Miller wrote: >I'm adding a KPA500 and KAT500 to my station equipment. The only coax to >the shack will be a run of LDF5-50 to a TBD remote switch, preferrably with >8 antenna ports. > >Knowing my limitations I'd prefer a means of decoding the K3 band outputs >and controlling the remote switch automatically. An external override to >select an alternate antenna (e.g. an inverted V instead of vertical for >80m). I'd like some indication of what antenna automatically (or active >override) is selected as well. > >I've looked at several devices (top ten, dxe, ameritron, elecraft) and >haven't found something that meets all requirements. Of course I could >start with just a manual unit and built something myself but I'd prefer to >buy a unit due to other priorities. I'm looking for both the shack box and >the remote relay box as well. I've seen several relay boxes that would >likely work but not yet anything for the shack. > >Suggestions welcome! > >thanks > >jim ab3cv >__ >Elecraft mailing list >Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > >This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching
*Joe, >From my experience Joe the reliability outdoors is not real flash either. Some folks will have had success with them but not here. 73 * On 10 October 2012 14:04, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: > > > How about the Ameritron RCS-12? > > The Ameritron switch is a "tree" relay arrangement. Port to port > isolation is poor as is impedance matching (SWR) on the higher > bands due to long leads and open frame relays. > > 73, > > ... Joe, W4TV > > > On 10/9/2012 11:09 PM, Phil&Debbie wrote: > > “I'm adding a KPA500 and KAT500 to my station equipment. The only coax > tothe > > shack will be a run of LDF5-50 to a TBD remote switch, preferrably with8 > > antenna ports.” > > > > How about the Ameritron RCS-12? > > > > Phil – AD5X > > > > __ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > -- *Gary* *Start the day off slow, then taper off.* K3 #679 KPA500FT #18 KAT500FT 007 P3 #1629 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching
> How about the Ameritron RCS-12? The Ameritron switch is a "tree" relay arrangement. Port to port isolation is poor as is impedance matching (SWR) on the higher bands due to long leads and open frame relays. 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 10/9/2012 11:09 PM, Phil&Debbie wrote: > “I'm adding a KPA500 and KAT500 to my station equipment. The only coax tothe > shack will be a run of LDF5-50 to a TBD remote switch, preferrably with8 > antenna ports.” > > How about the Ameritron RCS-12? > > Phil – AD5X > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching
“I'm adding a KPA500 and KAT500 to my station equipment. The only coax tothe shack will be a run of LDF5-50 to a TBD remote switch, preferrably with8 antenna ports.” How about the Ameritron RCS-12? Phil – AD5X __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching
I would enthusiastically recommend the microHAM Station Master. It will do everything you want and more. Since it reads the radio frequency directly, you can select antennas not only by band but also by sub-band if you wish. You can also select any number of antennas manually using either the front panel controls or a PS2 remote keypad. An alphanumeric display on the unit displays the selected antenna in plain text, using a name you can assign for each antenna. The Station Master also provides a host of configurable control lines to control all sorts of other hardware. The microHAM folks also make fine antenna switches with either six or ten ports. Their stuff isn't exactly cheap, but it's first class all the way. 73... Randy, W8FN On 10/09/2012 20:36, Jim Miller wrote: > I'm adding a KPA500 and KAT500 to my station equipment. The only coax to > the shack will be a run of LDF5-50 to a TBD remote switch, preferrably with > 8 antenna ports. > > Knowing my limitations I'd prefer a means of decoding the K3 band outputs > and controlling the remote switch automatically. An external override to > select an alternate antenna (e.g. an inverted V instead of vertical for > 80m). I'd like some indication of what antenna automatically (or active > override) is selected as well. > > I've looked at several devices (top ten, dxe, ameritron, elecraft) and > haven't found something that meets all requirements. Of course I could > start with just a manual unit and built something myself but I'd prefer to > buy a unit due to other priorities. I'm looking for both the shack box and > the remote relay box as well. I've seen several relay boxes that would > likely work but not yet anything for the shack. > > Suggestions welcome! __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] K-Line: Antenna switching
I'm adding a KPA500 and KAT500 to my station equipment. The only coax to the shack will be a run of LDF5-50 to a TBD remote switch, preferrably with 8 antenna ports. Knowing my limitations I'd prefer a means of decoding the K3 band outputs and controlling the remote switch automatically. An external override to select an alternate antenna (e.g. an inverted V instead of vertical for 80m). I'd like some indication of what antenna automatically (or active override) is selected as well. I've looked at several devices (top ten, dxe, ameritron, elecraft) and haven't found something that meets all requirements. Of course I could start with just a manual unit and built something myself but I'd prefer to buy a unit due to other priorities. I'm looking for both the shack box and the remote relay box as well. I've seen several relay boxes that would likely work but not yet anything for the shack. Suggestions welcome! thanks jim ab3cv __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
