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Coming to a Ham Radio Shack Near You SOON!
2X6 Remote Antenna Switch V2
THE NEW VE2DX SO2R Version 2 is HERE!
My SO2R remote switch was always a great seller and is used all over the place, it was time to look at its evolution, and here it is THE VE2DX SO2R REMOTE SWITCH Version 2. The new Version can be built with 18 or 30 relays, in the 30 relays configuration it has a much better RFI solution thanks to dual relays on each side of the antenna feed, it offers the user the possibility to ground, leave open or load with 50ohms any antennas not being used.
It still comes with RF filtered 12VDC or 24VDC select antenna control, filtered grounding, and two optionally filtered 12VDC outputs that can be used with the optional VE2DX SO2R 2X6 Interlock PCB.
Why!
Simply, because coaxes are a pain, expensive, break too often, and many other reasons. That is why 35 years ago I invested in an Ameritron RCS-8V, the joke is that the unit being sold today is the EXACT SAME thing, and even though it was still working 35 years after when I took it down it was in BAD SHAPE!
So I sat down to start looking at a better (MUTCH BETTER!) remote antenna switch that could share 2 radios and found out that most were mostly used INDOOR and that to me did not make ANY sense! So I decided to make a design that could be used INDOOR and OUTDOOR.
INDOOR USE
Well OK! after debating this with my great friend who knows a lot of the larger contest stations better then I do, I agree that some of those are using multiple towers and often a single antenna or antenna array per towers being fed into the contest shack!
INDOOR Part 2
And there is also the usage of those for switching BPF from different bands on the fly in multiple radios setup. Where you simply install a pair of 2X6 switches face to face and plug your BPFs into each antenna ports on each side, thus ANT1 becomes BPF 80M lets say and ANT2 becomes BPF 40M, and so on...
Well, my 2X6 is also great for that AND combine with my upcoming BAND DECODER that will have separate BPF and antenna output you will be able to control automatically both BPF 2X6 Switches and the Remote Antenna switch, this is important, look at a simple 3 band beam (TH3MK3 in my case) it has 10M, 15M and 20M, so for the 2X6 remote antenna switch, all 3 bands are the same Antenna Output... But for the pair of BPF 2X6 Switch, they are 3 different bands, this means that the BPF 2X6 switch WILL NOT be set the same way as the 2X6 Remote Switch. Now weather the 2X6 Remote Switch is in the shack or like mine on top of the tower is a debate for my next argument!
OUTDOOR!!! Why Not!
So we agree if you are a MILLION dollar contest station or using the 2X6 VE2DX antenna Switch for your BPF (As I do) you can install the VE2DX Antenna Switch INDOOR, but if you are like MOST Hams out there (ME!) and want to;
- Save Money on Coaxes.
- Maybe put a second radio in now or later at no extra cost to your antenna installations.
- Only run 2 coaxes instead of 12!
THEN you should install the VE2DX Antenna Switch up at the top of your tower, to do this you need, 2 Coaxes, 2 8 wires control lines, and that's it! Next, you run very short coaxes to each antenna from the VE2DX 2X6 Remote Antenna Switch and you are done, and when your wife is NOT looking you get that second 7300 and your done,
So what did I need?
Well, a couple of things;
1- Great relays, 250VAC, and 16Amps, that will cover everything up to the legal limit in most country.
2- Great Isolation, well I went to an optional 5 relay per antenna design but on this version still supports less expensive 3 relays.
3- Also added strategically position feedthrough on the ground in the PCB to isolate specific areas from each other, to add to this I then installed (not shown in the 3D rendering shield panels between the relays.
4- Clear Radio distribution.
5- RFI, well that was easy, first, both sides of the PCB are FULLY shielded to the ground. Second, all the IOs are RFI filtered using small RF Chocks even on the ground.
Pick your choice, Kit or assembled.
The rest is history!
