Hi Paul and group,
>>
>> If the relay is fast enough, it is capable of real QSK.
That is fine with me, however....
That depends on your definition of QSK. There was a discussion thread
here, probably years ago, wherein some expressed that by their own
personal definition, to be real QSK there could not be a relay in the
transceiver T/R switching, regardless of speed, quietness, or
performance. I think the same person concluded that It couldn't be real
QSK with any amplifier that used a relay. Another person stated that it
is not true QSK unless you have a remote receiving site allowing you to
receive DURING your own transmission without receiver overload. For my
own purposes, hearing signals between dits at 30 WPM qualifies as QSK.
>>
>>
>
> The opto-coupler must still interface into another RF switching device. I
> don't know of any opto-couplers capable of cleanly switching RF, let alone
> switching at the100 watt level.
>
>
>
>
> Given the repeated failures in that particular Omni VI, there's something
> going on that's external to the radio.
>
Yes, and that is why I suggested an optocoupler. Then, unless you have
enough voltage to break down the electrically isolated, optically
coupled barrier (Which are typically rated at many hundreds or even
thousands of volts), the Omni VI drive transistor could not be damaged.
What intermediate circuitry you connect to the output side of the
optocoupler would depend on the amplifier or other devices being
switched, so I did not go into detail there. One should always refer to
the data sheets for all devices (including the transistor in the Omni VI
key out circuit) used, to determine whether your interface is going to
operate within the stated limits of voltage and current for those
devices. The output device (photo diode, photo transistor, photo
transistor darlington pair, etcetera) on many optocouplers may have even
lower voltage and current ratings than the transistor in the Omni VI, so
there is more than likely going to be more stuff needed than just the
optocoupler.
N6KB
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