[Towertalk] Remote Switches

[Tom Rauch]

VK3ZL says he has your QSL on 160, and has replied.

> Until recently, I was using a remote switch on my tower (it fell a
> couple of weeks ago).  In looking at a design to replace it, I want to
> incorporate a remote switch.  Several manufacturers seem to make what
> appear to be widely accepted devices.  They all have one serious flaw
> as far as I'm concerned. 1/2 of all the antennas are DC connected at
> the switch chassis permanently.

Why is that a flaw? Shields are supposed to be permanently grounded, 
so why can't they be grounded at the switch?
 
> On my 40 meter dipole, the RF in the shack was horrible.  Think about
> it.  A 40 meter dipole mounted about 1/2 wavelength in the air.  One
> side (the braid side) is connected to a switch whose chassis is bolted
> to the tower--the chassis is 1/2 wavelength from a series of ground
> rods, 160 meter radials, etc.  Does that make the 68' point a low
> impedance on 40 meters? Am I the only one having trouble with remote
> switches or is it the way I use them?

It's the way you are using antennas and feedlines. You are using coax 
as a balanced line, and that often causes big trouble.

Ungrounding shields is actually the "patch", not adding the bead 
balun!

It's best to use baluns to feed balanced antennas wih unbalanced 
lines.73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com