[TenTec] ORION_ANTENNA_SWITCHING

[Lee A Crocker]

I'm not sure exactly what you are trying to do, but if
you are tryinbg to switch different antennas onto a
single radio/amp/tuner path, I would just buy a
Ameritron RCS-8 and rewire it to use either relays or
solid state switches to turn the particular position
on that you want.

On my Orion I use the band data to run a RCS-4 I
modified.  The RCS-4 uses +12, -12, and 12V ac as its
switching signals to the remote box, so I used DPDT
relays, one pole switches the LED's on the control box
for the RCS-4 and one pole is in parallel with the
switch contacts that controls the RCS remote box.  I
have a switch that disconnects the wiper of the
control switch so there are no 2 signals that compete
with each other.  It works out that using this switch
allows me to choose either manual or auto antenna
control.  I use my 80M vertical on 30M as well so when
the 30M band data becomes active it switches the
antenna switch to the 80M position.  This would be the
same for you on 20, 15, and 10.  Each band data output
would turn on the same relay.  I use diodes to isolate
each of the band data outputs that are common on this
80M relay.

It works great, but the band switching data is not
instantaneous so you have to let all the relays settle
for a second or two before you transmit.  If I was
going to be switching all over the place in a contest
I would put something in the TX-en TX-out lead to
interupt transmit until the relays settle 

73  W9OY