Topband: Variable Flag Termination?

[R. David Eagle]

Dan,
 
I can tell ya what I've noticed with my K9AY array and remote termination - it makes a difference!  I played around with this idea through modeling and real life.  Alot of people have played around with Vactrols with decent results.  The one major complaint with the Vactrols was basically they wouldn't last.  So I scratched my head a little and played around with some ideas that uses the same priciple.  Here's what I did.  I basically created my own variable terminating resistor with a standard photo eye that you can get at your local rad shack and a superbright (1100mcd) LED.  I  Searched through my junk box for something that would hold both parts well for my test and discovered that black rubber vacuum hose (3/8'' diam.) works great!  I cut a small (~1'') and put the LED in one end and the photoeye in the other.  My control box that switches the directions of my array also has a pot on it that changes the intesity of the LED, which in turn changes my
 terminating resistance.  Works like a charm for a better F/B ratio...
 
Dave
KB8NNU


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