Topband: re: dual band array

[Pete Smith]

At 09:12 PM 1/16/01 -0800, Rick Karlquist wrote:

>I currently switch my 90 foot toploaded vertical between 40, 80, and 160
>meters using vacuum relays at the 30 and 60 foot point.  They are latching
>types, so they just need to be pulsed.  There are coils across them which
>resonate out the several pf of stray capacitance and also give DC continuity
>for static drain (and in the case of the 30 foot relay, the coil signal to
>the 60 foot relay).  I run full power on 80m, but have had some problem with
>overheating of the 60 foot relay.  Conclusion:  it is workable but may be
>problematical.  It was a fair amount of work to build the switch boxes.  I
>am still trying to figure out how to keep condensation out of them; maybe I
>will pot the whole assy someday.

A good inexpensive source of these relays is www.mgs4u.com, on the
President's Page.  Allen Bond is easy to deal with -- I'm just a satisfied
customer.


73, Pete N4ZR


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