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Re: Topband: Antenna switch rating for high SWR?

To: "Hank Garretson" <w6sx@arrl.net>, <john@ae5x.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: Antenna switch rating for high SWR?
From: "Tom W8JI" <w8ji@w8ji.com>
Reply-to: Tom W8JI <w8ji@w8ji.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 12:57:20 -0400
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Hank's relay suggestion is a good one, because that relay has high voltage breakdown from pole to anything else, including the frame. The weakest point in that relay is contact to contact on the same pole, which is the least harmful if it does arc.

You could have as high as 4000 ohms or somewhere pretty high to ground at that point with typical antennas, depending on feedline impedance and length, so voltage could be as high as 2450 RMS or 3500 peak, with something half (or more than half of that) to ground.
That's probably a worse case at 1500 watts PEP.

There are other ways to do that with some tuners, but that circuit is perfectly fine and will work in every case.





----- Original Message ----- From: "Hank Garretson" <w6sx@arrl.net>
To: <john@ae5x.com>
Cc: <topband@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2013 12:37 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: Antenna switch rating for high SWR?


For years, I used Tyco DPDT relays. Open-wire feed, who knows what SWR,
full 1.5 kW.

For example:

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/TE-Connectivity-PB/PRD-11DH0-110/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtGt%252bn33CgIPz07uLBulijhRYGqdd4PmSw%3d

Mine were 12 VDC units, and with a little research you can probably find
them.

73,

Hank, W6SX



On Sun, Oct 20, 2013 at 9:04 AM, John Harper <john@ae5x.com> wrote:

Morning all,



I am planning to put in a DPDT switch (or relay) to allow me to easily
switch from using my 80m dipole as a vertical (T-top) antenna on 160m:

http://www.ae5x.com/docs/antennas/160mT.jpg



The dipole is fed with 450-ohm ladder line and used 10-80m in that
configuration so there is a high SWR on the line. I sometimes use a kw
output.



I know that T/R switches inside amps are fairly small in physical size,
however they are designed to operate into a fairly low SWR load. I have no
idea of what rating of a DPDT switch I would need (per the diagram) in my
application - perhaps I'm making a bigger deal of something that isn't so
critical.?



John AE5X

http://www.ae5x.com/blog



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