[CQ-Contest] [TowerTalk] Antenna Switching - Complexity for its own sake?

[Barry]

I use a combination of Top Ten boxes and some of my own design as 
well to switch everything.  Other than the diode matrix in the Top 
Ten band decoders, to program switching for tribanders, it's all 
striaght forward wiring.  A microprocessor could be considered 
overkill, but if you have the equipment and knowledge to program a 
PIC, why not?  For me, half the fun is building the stuff to operate.

Pete, hopefully you'll find my 3 page article, tentatively scheduled 
for Nov QST (last I heard), a better use of space :.)

Barry W2UP

On 17 Sep 2005 Georgens, Tom wrote:

> Pete -
> 
> I have yet to get my QST so I will reserve judgment on the article.
> 
> However, I have a control box that automatically switches antennas,
> filters, Beverages, headphones, keyer, and mic for my SO2R contest
> station.  It is now on its third PC board revision and I have even
> more ideas not yet implemented.  If I ever get around do doing another
> one, it will absolutely use a microcontroller.  Had I just used the
> microcontroller the first time, I suspect I never would have had to
> redo the PC boards.  The box is quite clever as it now stands but it
> is just too hard to add new features with a discrete logic
> implementation. 
> 
> Admittedly my station is somewhat uncommon, but I do see where a
> microcontroller could be useful.
> 
> 73, Tom W2SC
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Pete Smith [mailto:n4zr at contesting.com]
> Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2005 5:01 AM
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Antenna Switching - Complexity for its own sake?
> 
> 
> The latest QST includes a lead tech article on an automatic antenna
> switch controller that uses a PIC and a lot of other parts on an
> expensive PC board to switch 5 antennas either manually or in response
> to band data from various transceivers.  I must be missing something,
> because this seems like a LOT of trouble for less capability than
> could be gotten from a $20 W9XT band decoder card and a few added
> components.  I know that there are some radios that don't provide BCD
> band data, but that problem is usually dealt with by running a
> computer program that provides the band data on an LPT port.
> 
> For this they burn 8 pages? 
> 
> 73, Pete N4ZR
> The World HF Contest Station Database
> was updated on 18 August 2005
> 2988 contest stations at 
> www.pvrc.org/WCSD/WCSDsearch.htm  
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
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> 
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> 
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers",
> "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free,
> 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> 
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--
Barry Kutner, W2UP              Internet: w2up at mindspring.com
Newtown, PA                     Frankford Radio Club