Whoops, sorry, should have done a better job searching first.  Apologies

http://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php/topic,23090.0.html

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

I want to use a single low-loss coax for three rigs in my shack, feeding to three antennas.


Rig 1 = 6 meters
Rig 2 = 2 meters
Rig 3 = 70 cm

Each has its own antenna at the remote tower.

I will only transmit on one rig at a time, not all three.

Question #1: I should use a triplexer at the shack where the three antennas combine to the single coax, and a triplexer at the antenna where the three antennas are located to split the signal out again.  Correct?
Question #2: any recommendations on which is best?  I was looking at the Comet CFX5140 or the Diamond MX2000N
Question #3: can I run 12V through the triplexers it to power my mast-mount preamps at the tower?

Thanks

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

Faros is awesome.

Also, WSPR is a great tool...and you can remotely monitor the results of your receptions!

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

I thought I saw this on the forums, but cannot find it

What equipment is available to perform an emergency shutdown of the rig when I am not at the stationsite.  For example, if the remote desktop connection is lost.

I want to be able to turn off my rig if some other incident occurs (key down after certain amount of time)

Thanks

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

Ordered my CMOS-5 on Dec 26.  Was worried about order status, emailed Rob last Saturday.  He replied on Sunday that the keyer was on its way.  Received it Wednesday.

My CMOS-4 did fail, because of some RF in the shack (I need to send it to them for repairs).  No issues here.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

Paul, T6 will be all-time new one for me.

It was great that you made YI9PSE a new DXCC for me, and I am hoping to do the same by contacting you in Afghanistan.

Please please be safe.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

K2OWK, OM

You never stated your objective.  Are you trying to work DX?  Stateside?  Which bands?  Before shelling out the $$, maybe we can help you if you give us some more detail on your requirements.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

If you want to dip your feet into SDR and the F5K is too steep, try the Flex 3000.  It's got a lot of the bells and whistles like the 5000, but without a second independent receiver (the 3000 does allow for multi-rx on the same band, like a "dual-watch" feature).  You get 100 watts out, and lots of us went with the Flex 3000 and never looked back.

I have been in the hobby for 33 years, 32 chasing DX.  I bought mine in April 2009 and the device is amazing when it comes to weak signal reception.  I am able to work around the CW shortcomings which are at most just a minor annoyance...meanwhile I am hearing and working more DX and busting through pileups with 100 watts and simple antennas.

I have owned Kenwood and Yaesu rigs, and I have used Ten Tec, so I do have something for comparison.

Feel free to contact me offline if you would like to discuss more.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG
wd4elg@arrl.net

Welcome, Scotty!

I went 4 months before my first DX contact, up to that point it was all 40 meter CW stateside (the old novice CW band, 7100 to 7150, waaaay back).  Then the DX bug bit me too.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

I am waiting for the day when QRP entries in contests are defined by Effective Radiated Power.  5 watts into a 4 element quad at 50 feet is going to win on 20 meters pretty much every time compared to 500 watts into a vertical.

There's a US ham (I think he is in 3-land) who has DXCC honor roll with just such a setup.

We already define power limits on some frequencies by ERP.  No reason why we should not do the same for contests.  It's the honor system anyway, if someone says QRP.  Why not include a simple table that calculates the station's ERP for the antenna system (including the radiator, coax, loss calculations, etc).  If nothing else, it will get a lot of folks thinking about the efficiencies (or lack therof) of their antenna systems and perhaps provide some insight (or clear up confusion) as part of the exercise.

My 2 cents.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

If your setup looks like this, then you should get the extra tuner:

RIG ->  AMP  ->   ANTENNA WITH SWR HIGHER THAN 2:1

The rig's tuner won't do any good for the coax on the other side of the amp because the rig won't see it.

I have a Tokyo High Power solid state amp.  Solid state amps have built-in protection and are very sensitive to anything over 2:1.  Tube amps normally have some sort of pi network at the output which can be used to go a little higher, but in either case....an amp is a major investmet.  No reason not to spend a couple hundred bucks on a top tuner to keep the amp safe.  I use an LDG AT-600 with mine.

What bands are you using the dipoles for?  Low bands?  Are the wires below 64 feet?  Why not consider a vertical of some sort?  I presume you are getting the amp to work DX, so have you considered improving the antenna situation for 40/80/160? 

What was the SWR that you measured?  Where did you take the measurement?  Just a couple of additional questions to help us understand the complete picture.

Mark Lunday, WD4ELG

I was trying to assemble a phased vertical system for 80 meters.  I had ordered onlinefrom DXE last evening, about $400 worth of phasing harness, vertical antenna UNUN components, and a bunch of other stuff.

Rod from DXE called me today to discuss the order.  He had questions.  Not rude ones, just thought-provoking ones.  He spend an hour on the phone with me.  We discussed what I was trying to do, we looked up tables in the ARRL Antenna Book, we talked about alternatives.

When it was over, he asked me to seriously re-consider my purchase, because he did not want me to buy all that gear and NOT be successful.  HE BASICALLY TALKED ME OUT OF A BAD-FIT SALE!  Simply amazing.  And he did it in a friendly, non-threatening way.  Rod knows his stuff, and he knows how to LISTEN.  What he helped me realize was that I needed to take a different approach.

If only everyone understood this type of customer service.  THANKS, ROD!  I am a DX Engineering fan FOR LIFE!

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

Don't give up.  Lots of other hams are giving up and not on the air, and that is the BEST time to work DX.

Mark
WD4ELG

Hang in there and keep trying, Chuck.  I finally worked him on 80 CW using a vertical and 100 watts about this time last year.  He's a terrific op.  Lots of variables to the equation: t-storm static at his QTH, etc.  What are you using for receive antenna?  Transmit antenna?

Mark
WD4ELG

Owen, that is very helpful info!

What is a quick method for measuring ambient noise?