Topband: RX antenna switching - multi-rig, multi antenna

[donovanf at starpower.net]

Hi Jeff, 


Here's how we handle receive antenna switching at W3LPL: 


Six monoband receiving arrays are located 1000 feet southeast of the 
transmit antennas. Each monoband receive array feeds a W3LPL 
bandpass filter and a Clifton Labs Norton Preamplifier in the shack 
except for 10 meters which uses a Clifton Labs Norton preamp at the 
center of the 10 meter 4-square array. 


160M 8-circle using W8JI 25 foot umbrella verticals 
80M 8-circle using W8JI 25 foot umbrella verticals 
40M 8-circle using W8JI 14 foot umbrella verticals 
20M 4-square using 16 foot verticals 
15M 4-square using 11 foot verticals 
10M 4-square using 8 foot verticals 


Three 580 foot Beverages (NE, S, W) are located 1000 feet from the 
transmit antennas. Each Beverage feeds 160, 80 and 40 meter W3LPL 
bandpass filters which then feeds three ARR preamps in the shack. 

Two transceivers are used on each band, mostly Elecraft K-3s and Yaesu 
FTdx5000s. K9AY receive antenna switches are used with the 160, 80 
and 40 meter transceivers to allow all six operators to select one or more 
receive antennas completely independent of all other operators. The 
transmit antennas also feed the inputs to the K9AY switches. The only 
restriction is that the monoband vertical receiving arrays can point in only 
a single direction on each band, but the Beverages provide the capability 
for the two operators on each band to receive in different directions. 


73 
Frank 
W3LPL 


----- Original Message -----

From: "Jeff AC0C" <keepwalking188 at ac0c.com> 
To: "Tom W8JI" <w8ji at w8ji.com>, "Art Snapper" <art at nk8x.net> 
Cc: "160" <topband at contesting.com> 
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 3:58:45 AM 
Subject: Topband: RX antenna switching - multi-rig, multi antenna 

Art,s question has got me thinking about how the big multi-multi handle a 
bunch of receiving antennas routed to a bunch of stations? 

Here I'm looking at up to 8 rx antennas fed to 4 stations. But the more you 
dig into this, the more complicated it can get. A crossbar-sort of 
switching arrangement would do the signal routing - but it would not provide 
any rig to rig isolation and would not maintain a constant Z (important if 
the rx amp is a norton type). 

73/jeff/ac0c 
www.ac0c.com 
alpha-charlie-zero-charlie 


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