Hello Rick!
I don't understand the your statement, "The Array Solutions is the box that does
things right".
The Comtek box certainly does what it was supposed to do. I've measured its
performance on the bench, in the field and on the air. It works just as
designed. I have used Comtek boxes on my 4 square antennas for over 15 years
without failure!
The Array Solutions 4 square box is a totally different design approach for 4
square feeding.
It is more complex and uses lumped LC networks to achieve 0.9 dB more gain than
a Comtek box using different current and phase (when compared with the Comtek).
WA3FET developed this method and W1MK wrote about it in the latest Low Band DX
book. I have made measurements on the two I have here. If you are interested in
the numbers, contact me directly.
I believe the cost of this box is over $1000.
73!
Tim K3LR
Rick Karlquist wrote:
> I was confused too. The array solutions is the box that
> does things "right".
>
> Rick N6RK
>
> Mark Robinson wrote:
> > Yes I was getting confused. I was thinking of the Array Solutions 4 Square
> > tx controller compared to the Comtek box
> >
> >
> > http://www.arraysolutions.com/Products/foursquare.htm
> >
> >
> >
> > Mark N1UK G3ZZM
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Tim Duffy K3LR" <k3lr@k3lr.com>
> > To: "Mark Robinson" <markrob@mindspring.com>
> > Cc: <TowerTalk@contesting.com>; <richard@karlquist.com>
> > Sent: Thursday, 05 July, 2007 4:56 PM
> > Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] How does the DX engineering 4Sq phasing box
> > compare?
> >
> >
> >>I think there is some confusion going on here.
> >> There are two versions of DX Engineering boxes that I am aware of.
> >>
> >> The 1st was a copy of the Comtek box. Built by the former DX Engineering
> >> company
> >> in Oregon (not to be confused with the even older DX Engineering company
> >> that
> >> built RF speech processors for Drake and Collins gear) This Comtek clone
> >> can be
> >> used for TX and RX. I measured the performance of this box (80 meter
> >> version)
> >> and found it to be close to proper phasing, but not as good as the
> >> Comtek.
> >>
> >> The 2nd (current DX Engineering company in Ohio) 4 square box is RX
> >> only.
> >> It was
> >> designed by W8JI and is available direct from DXE. I use one on 160
> >> meters
> >> with
> >> mobile antennas for the vertical elements and it works great.
> >>
> >> The Ohio DX Engineering company has said that they may produce a 4
> >> square
> >> box (8
> >> directions) that would TX and RX, but it has not come to market yet as
> >> far
> >> as I
> >> know.
> >>
> >> 73!
> >> Tim K3LR
> >>
> >>
> >> Mark Robinson wrote:
> >>
> >>> Agreed but I have worked quite a few stations on 80m who were using the
> >>> Comtek box and they had good directional characteristics from their
> >>> arrays.
> >>> If you have a nice flat location then the Comtek box should work well
> >>> but
> >>> it
> >>> is not so easy to tweak as the DXE box.
> >>>
> >>> Mark N1UK G3ZZM
> >>>
> >>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>> From: "Rick Karlquist" <richard@karlquist.com>
> >>> To: "jeremy-ca" <km1h@jeremy.mv.com>
> >>> Cc: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> >>> Sent: Thursday, 05 July, 2007 3:35 PM
> >>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] How does the DX engineering 4Sq phasing box
> >>> compare?
> >>>
> >>> > IMHO, the DXE is the first box to do it the "right" way.
> >>> > It is also fairly expensive. I don't own any of these,
> >>> > but the DXE is similar to stuff I have homebrewed that
> >>> > worked well. It looks like a good implementation.
> >>> >
> >>> > Rick N6RK
> >>> >
> >>> > jeremy-ca wrote:
> >>> >> Im considering going to a 4sq for 80M and possibly 160 and wonder
> >>> how
> >>> >> the
> >>> >> DX
> >>> >> Engr compares to Comtek and others?
> >>> >>
> >>> >> Carl
> >>> >> KM1H
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
> >>> >> _______________________________________________
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
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> >>> >>
> >>> >>
> >>> >
> >>> >
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> >>
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> >>
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