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| Reviews Summary for DX Engineering Receiving Four Square Antenna Switch |
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Reviews: 4
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Average rating: 5.0/5
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MSRP: $189.95+
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Description: The DX Engineering RFS-1 Receive Four-Square controller is a basic switching unit used to control the direction of a four square array. It also provides the correct phasing by using an innovative time delay scheme based on the size of the array rather than operating frequency. Conventional controllers use a phase delay that is frequency dependant. The RFS-1 can accept switching voltages through the feedline or by a separate control cable. As a stand-alone unit, the RFS-1 user must provide the appropriate switching voltages and directional control. DX Engineering offers a receive four-square system package that includes the RFS-1 switch, a CC-8 Control Console, used for directional control and a FVC-1 Feedline Voltage Coupler which couples the control voltage to the feedline. The package part number is DXE-RFS-1P. It does not include the antenna elements. Four of the active antenna elements are available in a package as well, part number DXE-ARAV-4P.
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More info: http://www.dxengineering.com/Products.asp?ID=162&SecID=79&DeptID=12
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write your own review of the DX Engineering Receiving Four Square Antenna Switch.
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W0UCE
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 2, 2007 11:28
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DXE 4 Square RX System
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Late Friday afternoon, Dec. 29 I completed installation of a DX Engineering 4SQ RX antenna system and its performance has certainly impressed me.
First use results:
Friday night 3.577 Khz Eastern Area Net NCS:
I heard everyone one the net using the 4SQ. A number of stations that were weak and in the noise on my Inverted L TX Antenna were perfectly readable using the 4SQ
Saturday Sunday Stew Perry Top Band Challenge:
Overall conditions poor to fair at best.
I heard and worked stations using the 4SQ that I could barely copy their calls when using any of my three TX antennas or either of my 2 element Beverage On Ground arrays or the K9AY Loop. I worked a number of stations I could not even hear on other RX antennas
Results 430 QSOs 175 different Grid Squares. The DXE 4SQ achieved my objective of hearing the next layer of signals down from what I could hear with my previous complement of RX antennas!
Configuration:
98 Per side all 4 antennas within 3-4 feet height difference above ground
Jumper in L1MF position
Located 405 ft. distance from the nearest TX Antenna
What a very pleasant surprise and pleasure to have increased 160/80m RX antenna capabilities.
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VA5DX
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 9, 2006 12:54
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An excellent 160m receiving antenna system
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have been testing my 160m DX Engineering Receive Four Square DXE-RFS-1P for the last few days (November, 2006). The receiving results range from significant to amazing. By switching the array, signal strength will change from barely audible to loud. I am very impressed with the receiving improvement. The front-back and front-side results are great (I am not going to state numbers as there are many factors and it becomes relative). My noise level has dropped significantly. I built the full size version (135 feet per side) using four passive linear loaded elements from some old KLM 40m beams (about 24 ft long) with top loading (4 x 21 ft), from information on W8JIs website and from N3JB. The closet vertical to the lower end of my transmit half-sloper is 375 ft and the sloper is off the side of the receive array. I found the tuning of the verticals to be 'forgiving' and the frequency coverage to be 'broad'. I use a single C&S Engineering 160/80 meter preamp ahead of the 1000MP. My problem now is that I can copy stations that cannot hear me. I received excellent service from DX Engineering.
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N3JB
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 8, 2005 13:50
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A very good directional array for limited space needs
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I installed a DX Engineering RPS-1 4 sq system this past month,used it in the ARRL 160 contest.
This system has really met my receiving needs for 160. I was using an amplified loop and some short beverages, they could hear but not like this array does.The directional charactertics are really great! With the array switched to the desired receiving directon,signals from the other 3 quadrants are suppressed to a level such that they are not of an undesirable QRM level.
In the ARRL contest,I normally work 50 to 60 sects.with this array I was able to work 76
sects.out of 80 with good copy.
The directional characteristics are great in keeping stations in the unwanted quadrants from causing QRM in the desired listening direction. I had a much easier time copying DX and without this array I would not have heard the DX because of the stateside QRM. This is a very good system to consider using when you do not have room for full size beverage antennas.It certainly has opened up 160 for me.An excellant system!
73 to AL N3JB
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W3UA
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 6, 2005 21:37
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Ultimate low band receiving antenna system
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I installed receiving four square using DX Engineering switch and set of active receiving antennas just before the CQ WW PHONE. I coud not imagine how it transformed the reception on 160 and 80. S/N improved significantly comparing to my 80 meter sloper and 160 meter vertical. Front to side (depending on the angle of radiation, of course) reaches 4-5 S-units, and front to rear -- up to 9 S-units (according to the S-meter of my IC-7800). In the past I could work virtually every station I heard on 80 -- now I can hear 10 times more stations, so I need to think how to improve my transmission capabiities. With recommended 98 feet spacing, the antenna system works very well not only on 80 and 160, but even on 30 meters. A couple of times I used it to receive weak signals on 10 meters, when noise from a distant power line masked weak signals on my 10 meter stacked yagies.
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