[Towertalk] WX0B Six-Pack

[Jim White]

don't think so...

on my situation problem was apparent by the lack of "closure" [NO THUNK]
with xcvr in receive or completely turned off...am wondering if it might be
some sort of wave soldering problem on the board - that side of the board is
hidden in the box....I tried adding jumpers from several of the relays to
the terminal strip to make them "point to point" with the control cable's
wiring....

once again I reiterate that while this WAS a problem - it hasn't been one
since upping the voltage...since then it works like a champ.

K4OJ



----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike & Coreen Smith" <ve9aa@nbnet.nb.ca>
To: "TowerTalk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2002 4:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Towertalk] WX0B Six-Pack


> What about RF getting into a relay maybe ?
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Guy Olinger, K2AV" <k2av@contesting.com>
> To: "Bob Henderson" <bob@cytanet.com.cy>; "TowerTalk"
> <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2002 11:10 PM
> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] WX0B Six-Pack
>
>
> > 1) The design is not bad. Too many of them out there working FB for
> > that.
> >
> > 2) You say relays, assuming you really mean more than one exhibits the
> > problem.
> >
> > It is unlikely that six relays are all bad with the same problem
> > unless there was a bad batch. As in Jay got a box full of 18 volters
> > mislabeled 12 or some such. That would have showed up as a serial run
> > of bad units, which he would have found about, and knowing him, would
> > have quickly owned up to and offered a replacement unit. Jay would
> > have been happy to get all the defective units back.
> >
> > So I will speculate that there is something wrong in the common
> > return, or the power supply's output voltage is dropping drastically
> > under load.
> >
> > Could be in the six pack box itself, as in solder joint, a bad piece
> > of wire (yes, even 3 feet of wire could have a conductor problem
> > inside the insulation. I once had a piece of zip cord that was MISSING
> > a foot of wire inside the insulation, as came from the factory).
> >
> > With the voltage on one of the relays, measure the voltage AT THE
> > COIL. And measure it at the power supply. Low at the power supply,
> > chase the power supply problem. OK at power supply and low at the
> > coil, start chasing a common ground path problem.
> >
> > Good luck & 73, Guy
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Bob Henderson" <bob@cytanet.com.cy>
> > To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2002 2:17 AM
> > Subject: [Towertalk] WX0B Six-Pack
> >
> >
> > > I am wondering if any Six-Pack users out there are experiencing the
> > same
> > > problem I am.
> > >
> > > I have found my Six Pack to be rather unreliable.  The problem is
> > that the
> > > relays don't always operate in such a way that a reliable contact is
> > made.
> > > The typical failure is that one or other of the relays fails to pull
> > in
> > > properly.  I spoke to Jay at Array Solutions and he told me that the
> > spring
> > > tensions on the relays needed to be adjusted to ensure that there is
> > enough
> > > tension to cause the necessary wiping action on the N.O. contacts.
> > At the
> > > same time this tension has to be not so great that it overcomes the
> > capacity
> > > of the relay coil to cause the relay to close properly when power is
> > > applied.
> > >
> > > I have adjusted endlessly but I have not been able to find a
> > reliable
> > > operating set-up through this adjustment.  It seems to me that when
> > > increasing spring tension I find the point that prevents relay
> > closure
> > > before I find the reliable N.O. contact wiping tension.
> > >
> > > It seems to me, though Jay disagrees, that there is a design flaw in
> > the
> > > Six-Pack.  I have used DX-Engineering and Top Ten Devices switch
> > boxes at
> > > the top of towers in hostile environments for years and never had a
> > problem.
> > > This Six-Pack sits in the shack at the back of my operating desk and
> > it is
> > > so unreliable!  At least it is close enough so I can give it a kick
> > when a
> > > relay doesn't pull in properly.
> > >
> > > To me that the idea of a fine adjustment of relay spring tension to
> > find a
> > > position where the relay reliably closes but at the same setting
> > will open
> > > with the necessary force to properly wipe the N.O. contacts has no
> > place to
> > > be on an antenna switch.  Surely this is marginal design?
> > >
> > > On my previous antenna relays I have found that nominal 12V relays
> > would
> > > operate with as little as 8V applied which meant that with 12V
> > applied the
> > > really clunked in well.  With these units there was no delicate
> > adjusting of
> > > spring tension either....they wiped the N.O. contacts reliably from
> > day 1.
> > >
> > > Does anyone share my experience or have I just got a one off
> > unreliable Six
> > > Pack?
> > >
> > > 73
> > >
> > > Bob 5B4AGN, P3F, ZC4ZM
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > >
> >
> >
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