[TowerTalk] Antenna switching board ?

[Ron W8RJL]

Patch panel is good idea and I am leaning that direction. They make male UHF 
and N connectors with no threads so you can just push them on the panel 
female connector. I built a patch panel like that when I worked at a city 
radio lab. It worked just fine.  You can actually make two panels. One for 
antenna termination and one for equipment terminations. They need to be 
isolated electrically and far enough apart to reduce chance of lightning 
jumping from one to the other (NO common ground). Antenna panel needs to be 
at entrance to shack and well grounded. Antennas not in use can have 
shorting plug pushed on to ground center pin. When radios are not in use 
pull all patch cables from antenna patch panel for lightning protection. 
Rotor control should also pass through the panels. There are different 
theories as to whether equipment should be grounded all the time. You can 
decide whether to let the equipment ground be a patched item.

If you have a small room an alternative is to have your console on GOOD 
wheels so you can easily pull it out from wall to work behind. That is what 
I am presently doing.

If you have a big room built a wall with door. Front of console is on one 
side of wall and back of equipment is on back side of wall. The back side 
room only needs to be three feet deep. A very neat installation. Walk thru 
door to service back of gear. Wish I had the room to do that.

73,  Ron W8RJL