N4ZR wrote:
"If I want to switch a topband RX antenna among three radios, can I just use
an ordinary rotary switch, without special attention to maintaining
impedance, etc."
Pete - since I know you are also into contesting, I highly recommend K9AY's
switch, the RAS8-2: http://www.aytechnologies.com/Products/RAS8x2data.htm
I use it at my QTH with 4 DX Engineering 600' reversible Beverages with 8
separate feedlines coming back to the shack. It takes care of the impedance
matching for 1 or 2 radios.
For contesting, its greatest feature is its ability to listen in multiple
directions at the same time. You might not do that during a peak EU run,
but it's a nice option to have some of the time.
During SS on a night when the Beverages are working well, if I'm pointing NW
(toward W7) I often can't even tell if a loud W1 is calling me off the side
(I'm in southwestern VA). Listening W or NW and NE, I can at least tell
somebody is there. If the signal is weak, it's a quick button press to zoom
in on it.
The remote keypad sits right next to the keyboard making it really quick and
easy to flip around.
I've raved about it to a few of the PVRC guys and several were quickly
converted and love it. This past contesting season I've been bringing it to
W3LPL with me for the 80m position. Again, I wouldn't use multiple
directions during a peak EU run. But, when the band is mostly closed to EU
but might have a few callers still coming in, yet we don't want to miss a SA
or OC mult calling, it's nice to have. It's also nice during an EU run when
40 or 160 passes us a South American or African mult; we can keep our ears
on the EU run and listen for the possible mult calling (again, quickly going
back to a single direction when needed to pull out a weaker caller).
We can listen to multiple directions on Frank's quads, but there are nights
like the 2nd night of this past ARRL DX CW where the TX antennas were
incredibly noisy compared to the Beverages because of storms. The
Beverages were far superior that night so the RAS2-8 was nice to have. When
you are trying to keep up with the K3LR gang every option is nice to have!
No, I'm not a K9AY sales rep. I just love this switch.
73!
Tom NI1N
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