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Reviews For: Ameritron RCS-10

Category: Antenna Switching, Phasing, Controllers

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Review Summary For : Ameritron RCS-10
Reviews: 27MSRP: 159.00 - 199.00
Description:
8 Antenna Remote Coax Switch w/ SO-239 connectors on 120V
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.ameritron.com/ameritron/products.php?prodid=RCS-10
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
10273.3
NT4I Rating: 2023-04-02
MFJ Ameritron JUNK Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
When will I learn to not buy anything that is associated with MFJ? This remote coax switch is expensive (Almost $300) and has quality control problems. Mine quit working properly, and I am now in the trouble shooting phase.
I have to slap myself silly next time I even think about considering anything involved with the MFJ CRAP!
W0BKR Rating: 2022-07-24
Good Unit Would recommend Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My RCS-10 works as it should not issues. Don't like position 1 being on all the time even with power turned off, but worked around that. Seems odd from the RCS-8 units that do not have that design. Otherwise, has good isolation and works fine.
WR0F Rating: 2019-12-28
Had to fix the old relay box after approx 10 years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
We own the RCS10L remote switch and it had worked great for years. It started being flaky on cold mornings. with high SWR . So thinking relays were starting to go bad we just ordered a new one.
I took the old one apart re soldered a few connections and then we spotted the cold solder joint on the coax connector going from the REMOTE box to the radio.
We re soldered it and so far so good. I will keep the new one for a spare
PY2KNK Rating: 2019-09-25
VERY SATISFIED Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
VERY EASY INSTALLATION ONLY NEEDS TO BE MORE CLARIFIED IN THE CONNECTIONS MANUAL.
IT WORKS VERY WELL, GREAT ACCESSORY FOR STATION THAT USES A LOT OF ANTENNAS, ANTENNA SELECTION BUTTON TOO SOFT, I LOVED IT, RECOMMENDING EVERYONE!

73

LEONARDO PY2KNK
W1EQ Rating: 2016-10-12
Excellent up until know Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This unit has been working faithfully for the since at least 2002. This past Feb., when the temp got down to below zero, I lost connection after sunset. In other words HIGH SWR on all connections: Tri-bander, 80 and 40 meter inverted vee. However the following morning, after sunrise, all was normal.
The last week, at night with temps around mid 40's, I have a repeat of high SWR. Sun comes up and SWR is normal. I just bypassed the relay box at the tower. Coax from top to shack is okay. Connected coax to beam and also okay. Took the relay box down to the shack. Everything looks good. Have not taken any readings. Any ideas?
KX2T Rating: 2015-09-10
It Works Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have owned this switch for 6 years, three different QTH's so its moved around a bit plus the last location it sat in a damp box in the garage for 4 months. First off for the money its not bad, every time I turn it on it works, port to port isolation is between 50-60db depending on which ports used. The swr when run into a dummy load on each port does vary with frequency some, lets say on 160 1.2:1/80 1.2:1/ 40 1.1:1/ 20 1.1:1/ 15 1.1:1/ 10 1.2:1 and 6 1.2:1 which is not bad for a switch that sells for under $200. When you don't use the station for a while try running about 20-30W threw the switch and go threw all the positions with the power going threw it, this helps with the contacts after it has been sitting for some time. I haven't had any lightning strikes but IMO I would rather replace an antenna switch then go threw insurance claims on the shack rig and amp because I have been there and done that with Alpha Delta switches and they didn't stop anything, a real PITA! I would like to see Ameritron come out with phasing box systems as well for either phasing verticals or dipoles cause the DX Engineering ones are pricing themselves into oblivion and the ARRAY SOLUTIONS well they are built to professional standards and are overkill for amateur radio but they are built for the real hi power boys. As far as power handling I only have run no more that 1200W and have had no issues either with resonate antennas or ones that are 4-5 to 1 with in the shack tuner.
WI3V Rating: 2015-06-16
How to fix minor technical problems Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
GOOD: Tech support via phone was fast and efficient

BAD: The manual doesn't explain set-up very well and the GND connection on the back of the remote (inside-the-shack) control box isn't labeled.

I have owned this switch for less than a week, and am still working out the bugs. Here's some problems I've had:

1. CONNECTING "GND". This control switch requires FOUR wires. 3 are for A,B,C control lines. 4th is for circuit ground (GND). Inside the outside switch, GND is clearly labeled. On the remote control box (inside-the-shack), GND isn't labeled. After calling Ameritron, the tech advises that both lugs, next to the labeled A,B,C connection posts, are for GND. So all you have to do is wire 3 wires to A,B,C and 1 wire to GND (either of 2 lugs). (The switch will NOT work right until GND is wired between local and remote). 4 wire telephone wire works great between the boxes.

2. High SWR. Still haven't fixed this problem yet, but with 1 known low SWR (1:1) antenna connected to "Antenna 5" position, and all other antenna positions empty, the antenna has very high (>3:1) SWR. Still working on this.

So, it's a little difficult to get this switch to work, but it seems like I will eventually. I will update this with a final review (and solution to the SWR problem) in the near future.
W1LDD Rating: 2014-12-30
Great Switch ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Very easy to Install.I bought it to replace the Ameritron RCS-4. I ran out antenna ports so this model fit the bill. I guess QC is hit or miss with Ameritron/MFJ but I have never had a problem with either brand. My 2 cents!
W8TZ Rating: 2014-07-10
OK but no QC Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The switch preforms ok but as many others have noticed there seems to be no quality control. When I first plugged in the power supply to the switch the unit was on even though the PWR switch was in the off position. Discovered that there was a solder bridge between the terminals of the PWR switch. If the unit had been tested at the factory this problem should have been detected.
N5CEY Rating: 2014-04-12
Good switch, bad QC Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Couldn't figure out why what was on coax 1 was also on coax 2 until I took it apart and found a huge solder splash peeking out from under rly-4. Another typical MFJ lack of QC. This would never have passed an operational check.
Taking this PC board off of the coax connectors is a real challenge, but had to be done to repair the solder short.better part of half a day to repair and put back together. Probably not a half bad switch if MFJ would only apply some quality control in their manufacturing. My "brand new" MFJ 259B analyzer had a bunch of screws floating around it int when I got it too.