I'm running the RCS-10 now for about a year. Most action is RTTY contesting
from my micro-pistol station. About 1000-1200W. Of all the things that
have exploded, including amps, antennas, coax, traps over that year - the
switch has been rock solid.
Then again, it may just be my luck amazingly holding up. Most of the
Ameritron/MFJ stuff I have has had one thing or another wrong with it.
Typically workmanship related issues. For this switch, the silk screen on
the control box for this switch was way out of alignment. 3rd time was the
charm though. Electrically, it's been fine.
73/jeff/ac0c
www.ac0c.com
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <lists@subich.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2010 9:44 AM
To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [Amps] Automotive Relays
>
> > Currently using an RCS-10, which can have up to 7 relays in the
> > RF path. Will be interesting to see how it holds up.
>
> Since the relays are arranged in a "tree" (one feeding two, each
> of which feeds two more) there are always three relays in line to
> each antenna. See: http://ameritron.com/man/pdf/RCS-10.pdf
>
> 73,
>
> ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
> On 8/8/2010 6:07 AM, Pete Smith wrote:
>> I did a survey about 15 years ago on CQ-Contest (then the only reflector
>> available). IIRC, there were essentially no complaints about the
>> Ameritron RCS-8 or the TopTen remote relay box. I used two TopTens for
>> maybe 10 years, often operating into>3:1 SWRs at>1200 watts (for
>> example, running an 80m array cut for CW up in the DX phone window) and
>> never had any relay problems. Currently using an RCS-10, which can have
>> up to 7 relays in the RF path. Will be interesting to see how it holds
>> up.
>>
>> Right now my Array Solutions Stackmatch has a bad relay (dirty?).
>> Symptom is occasional high SWR and a lack of received signal on the
>> lower antenna in my tribander stack. If I send a little high power RF
>> through it things are then fine.
>>
>> 73, Pete N4ZR
>>
>> The World Contest Station Database, updated daily at
>> www.conteststations.com
>> The Reverse Beacon Network at http://reversebeacon.net, blog at
>> reversebeacon.blogspot.com,
>> spots at telnet.reversebeacon.net, port 7000
>>
>>
>> On 8/7/2010 10:49 AM, Carl wrote:
>>> Most of the antenna switch problems were undersized traces, cheap
>>> connectors
>>> that melted, and VSWR related. Its been almost 20 years since Ive used
>>> any
>>> at power but one does duty switching Beverages 750' away. Maybe they
>>> improved them.
>>>
>>> Carl
>>> KM1H
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Jeff Blaine"<keepwalking188@yahoo.com>
>>> To: "Mike"<k4gmh@arrl.net>;<amps@contesting.com>
>>> Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2010 1:35 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [Amps] Automotive Relays
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> Mike,
>>>>
>>>> I would like to have said that using them in my case was due to some
>>>> superhuman research attempt. But I just noticed that these were the
>>>> relays
>>>> in my Ameritron remote antenna switch. And I checked them out - using
>>>> them
>>>> as a sort of benchmark to compare with. Just never found a better
>>>> relay
>>>> and
>>>> ran with them.
>>>>
>>>> There must be a lot of those Ameritron switches out. While the
>>>> manufacturer's reputation has it's issues, I do think generally users
>>>> are
>>>> happy with the switches. This one has been ridden hard at about 1KW
>>>> RTTY
>>>> service and seems to be holding up fine. So far... Fingers crossed.
>>>>
>>>> 73/jeff/ac0c
>>>> www.ac0c.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>>> From: "Mike"<k4gmh@arrl.net>
>>>> Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 8:32 PM
>>>> To:<amps@contesting.com>
>>>> Subject: Re: [Amps] Automotive Relays
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Here the Tyco relays have been used without a failure for over five
>>>>> years
>>>>> in
>>>>> various homemade stack matchers, ant. switchers, etc. while running
>>>>> 1500
>>>>> W
>>>>> in RTTY contests. They are also used at a local M/M station in
>>>>> various
>>>>> HF
>>>>> contest modes for all sort of ant. and amp. selection without a
>>>>> failure.
>>>>>
>>>>> "Rappack Controller Design for Stack Match", National Contest Journal,
>>>>> Jan/Feb 2005 or Wiki,
>>>>> http://wiki.contesting.com/index.php/Category:Remote_antenna_switches,
>>>>> devices are used to make sure the relay control voltage is
>>>>> appropriately
>>>>> applied to keep from hot switching the relays. The single IC
>>>>> controller
>>>>> is
>>>>> based on the quad latch, CD4042.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 3:37 PM, Jeff Blaine
>>>>> <keepwalking188@yahoo.com>wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Carl, you are right. 400.000 W. So if that 12A version is good for
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> US
>>>>>> 1500W, then the 16A version may be marginally acceptable for a guy
>>>>>> running
>>>>>> the AUS 400W.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Now that I think of it, 2-3 in parallel may be the way to go if a guy
>>>>>> were
>>>>>> running 400.001 instead of 400.000 W as may happen - for the most
>>>>>> brief
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> instances, of course. :)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I run the 24V version because the current is half and the power
>>>>>> dissipation
>>>>>> in the wires is a lot less as a result. It's a great relay.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 73/jeff/ac0c
>>>>>> www.ac0c.com
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>>>>> From: "Carl"<km1h@jeremy.mv.com>
>>>>>> Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 2:20 PM
>>>>>> To: "Jeff Blaine"<keepwalking188@yahoo.com>; "Paul Christensen"
>>>>>> <w9ac@arrl.net>;<amps@contesting.com>
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Amps] Automotive Relays
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I thought the Emtron DX3 and 4 were the Aussie national amp(-;
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Carl
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Carl,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> That relay is available in a 24V version. And there's a 16A
>>>>>>>> contacts
>>>>>>>> rating option as well which may be the better choice especially if
>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>> guy
>>>>>>>> is running at the full AUS/NZ-400w power level instead of the
>>>>>>>> domestic
>>>>>>>> 1500w power level.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> 73/jeff/ac0c
>>>>>>>> www.ac0c.com
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>>>>>>> From: "Carl"<km1h@jeremy.mv.com>
>>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 8:33 AM
>>>>>>>> To: "Paul Christensen"<w9ac@arrl.net>;<amps@contesting.com>
>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Amps] Automotive Relays
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I'll have to give those a try, I want to experiment with some 6M
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>> antenna
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> phasing. The 12V coil may be a problem in a very long run,
>>>>>>>>> probably
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>> have
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> dial back a 24V PS.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Carl
>>>>>>>>> KM1H
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>>>>> From: "Paul Christensen"<w9ac@arrl.net>
>>>>>>>>> To:<amps@contesting.com>
>>>>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2010 5:37 PM
>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Amps] Automotive Relays
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Although not strictly an "automotive" relay, W8ZR has conducted
>>>>>>>>>> extensive
>>>>>>>>>> tests on the Tyco/Shrack RTB14012, available for USD $1.80 ea.
>>>>>>>>>> from
>>>>>>>>>> Mouser
>>>>>>>>>> Electronics:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Keyword=RTB14012
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Jim is using these relays for high-power 1.5KW+ switching in his
>>>>>>>>>> new
>>>>>>>>>> StationPro controller.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> http://www.w8zr.net/stationpro/index.htm
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> He's seeing some very low loss and VSWR numbers up through 6m,
>>>>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>>>>> decent
>>>>>>>>>> performance through 2m. Not bad for a $1.80 PCB sealed power
>>>>>>>>>> relay.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>> I
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> believe Jim has tested another similar relay with even lower loss
>>>>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>> same price class.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Paul, W9AC
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>>>>>>> From: "Dave Hachadorian"<k6ll@arrl.net>
>>>>>>>>>>> To:<amps@contesting.com>
>>>>>>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2010 4:54 PM
>>>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Amps] Automotive Relays
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Below is some info from W2VJN on inexpensive relays for RF.
>>>>>>>>>>>> They
>>>>>>>>>>>> are available for $2.43 each here:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/747811-relay-pwr-spdt-10a-12vdc-pc-mnt-jw1fsn-dc12v.html
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
>>>>>>>>>>>> Big Bear Lake, CA
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> The relays which we use in the Top Ten Devices boxes are 10
>>>>>>>>>>>>> amp,
>>>>>>>>>>>>> sealed power relays. They are very small and have very low
>>>>>>>>>>>>> inductance. The contacts are connected to the base pins with
>>>>>>>>>>>>> wide conductors. I have run many power tests on these relays
>>>>>>>>>>>>> and the pc boards they are mounted on with temperature
>>>>>>>>>>>>> monitors
>>>>>>>>>>>>> and they will take full amateur power (+) to over 30 MHz. We
>>>>>>>>>>>>> rate our boxes conservatively at 1.5 KW. The part number is
>>>>>>>>>>>>> JW1FSN-DC12V. They come with several different brand names on
>>>>>>>>>>>>> them. Similar relays are being used by other manufactures of
>>>>>>>>>>>>> amateur boxes and they rate them variously at 3 KW and 5 KW.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> George, W2VJN
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>>>> Amps mailing list
>>>>>>>>>>>> Amps@contesting.com
>>>>>>>>>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>> Amps mailing list
>>>>>>>>>> Amps@contesting.com
>>>>>>>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> Amps mailing list
>>>>>>>>> Amps@contesting.com
>>>>>>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> Amps mailing list
>>>>>> Amps@contesting.com
>>>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> 73,
>>>>> Mike, K4GMH
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Amps mailing list
>>>>> Amps@contesting.com
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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