[TowerTalk] Remote switch

[Tim Duffy]

HI Dave

The description on the DXE website for the RCS-4 is correct. We measured it and posted what we found.

73
Tim K3LR
At DX Engineering

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of David Gilbert
Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2019 10:12 PM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Remote switch


 From what I've read over the years, the RCS-4 has pretty poor 
line-to-line isolation.  Simple doesn't give you very good isolation, 
and the way that the RCS-4 uses three relays to get four channels is 
especially weak for that.  I even find it odd that on the DXengineering 
website the port-to-port isolation is specified as being LESS than 30dB, 
which sounds backwards to me but maybe they're just being honest.

The MS-S4A shorts the unused ports, and the contacts in the MS-S4A have 
three times the current rating of the RCS-4.

I'd build my own remote switch with input and output relays for each 
channel before I'd buy the RCS-4.  At least I'd know the solder joints 
were good.

Dave   AB7E



On 10/23/2019 6:24 PM, Kim Elmore wrote:
> The Ameritron switch uses your transmission line to supply power 
> through a bias-T. Two polarities of DC plus AC and no voltage yield a 
> 4 position switch. It's delightfully simple: mine is an ancient 
> Heathkit HD1481, which works the same way the Ameritron switch does. 
> I've never measured the isolation on mine, but the two look almost 
> identical. Mine has been through a fair bit of abuse and has soldiered 
> on admirably. Yes, I did burn up some traces on the remote PCB (fed a 
> non-resonant antenna at 1+ kW through a tuner), but some jumpers 
> across the burned up traces and it's been good ever since. Should mine 
> ever suffer a catastrophic, non-repairable failure it'll get replaced 
> with an Ameritron RCS-4.
>
> Kim N5OP
>
> On 10/23/2019 2:13 PM, Wes wrote:
>> Anyone have any experience with one of these?
>>
>> https://www.ebay.com/itm/MS-S4A-WEB-controlled-REMOTE-ANTENNA-SWITCH-4-POSITIONS-2-KW-PEP-Ready-for-use/202778787695?hash=item2f368ebf6f:g:ec4AAOSwmxVceS5L 
>>
>>
>> Not too interested in web interface, manual is fine.
>>
>> Wes?? N7WS
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk