[TowerTalk] ? AMERITRON REMOTE COAX SWITCH

[Bill VanAlstyne]

Hi Joe,

One caveat to what I said about "self-wiping" relay contacts -- obviously
the contacts are only self-wiping if they have the opportunity to wipe. If
you actuate an open-frame relay only rarely, it's distinctly possible that
some contamination could build up on the contacts. My preventative
maintenance -- and so far, so good -- is to twist the selector knob back and
forth a bunch of times through all its positions every so often with the
RCS-8V power on, so all the relays get some action. New Mexico is one of the
dustiest places in the U.S., and thus far, in a year or so, I haven't had
any problems with intermittent contacts.

73,
Bill / W5WVO

---- Original Message ----
From: Joe Giacobello
To: Bill VanAlstyne
Sent: 30 April, 2004 8:49 AM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] ? AMERITRON REMOTE COAX SWITCH

> Bill, thanks for the tip on cleaning contacts.  I have periodically
> cleaned my RCS-8's contacts with a burnishing tool as preventive
> maintenance measure.  I'll spare myself the time and labor in the
> future.
>
> 73, Joe
>
> Bill VanAlstyne wrote:
>
> I own this switch -- the model equipped with UHF connectors. It is
> also
> available with N-type connectors. I've found that the switch remains
> relatively
> "flat" well up past 50 MHz -- I feed my 6M yagi through one -- but
> somewhere
> above that, it starts to introduce a measurable but modest amount of
> line
> mismatch, loss, and increased SWR. This degradation just starts to be
> noticeable
> at 144 MHz on my setup. I don't have 220 MHz capability, but at 440
> MHz the
> switch is really unusable. Of course they don't claim it will operate
> at 70 cm,
> but since the degradation is noticeable at 2M, I would have to be
> skeptical of
> Ameritron's claim of usability up to 250 MHz until I actually tried
> it there and
> measured the degradation. Of course how much loss and SWR increase is
> tolerable
> to someone is a subjective matter.
>
> As regards contact cleaning, the guy who probably designed this box
> is on this
> reflector, so he can chime in and address that question if he wants
> to. Relay
> contacts, however, if they are designed and aligned properly, are
> self-wiping.
> You shouldn't need to worry about cleaning them. (With any luck,
> we'll find out
> if I'm right about that.)
>
> Bill / W5WVO
>
>
> Ron K8FG wrote:
>
> Hello to the Group,
> Anyone have any dealings with the Ameritron RCS-8V Remote Coax Switch
> ?
> One feedline into the shack sounds like a good idea so I purchased
> one of
> these
> critters. After a look inside and finding open frame relays I am
> wondering
> how to
> keep the contacts clean.
> Also bought the RCS-10 for the lower bands but this unit has sealed
> relays.
>
> Thanks Ron/K8FG...
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers",
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> 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
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>
> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers",
> "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free,
> 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
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