Jim,
I wouldn't think you should have too much trouble finding someone to buy it.
Not only is the convenience factor an issue, but it saves a bunch of money
on coax and you only need one coax coming in the house.
I also switch my Ham M and Tailtwister rotors with the same system. Have
just one rotor cable coming in and one rotor control box (actually I have
two cables and two boxes - have one M2 R2800 and it needs its own control
box and cable).
Good luck,
Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim N7US" <jim@n7us.net>
To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 9:32 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] FS - Top Ten Devices Band Decoder for Orion
> Dick,
>
> You're more clever and more ambitious than I am! Yes, I just unplugged
> the
> DX Engineering control box, which is the power supply, switch, and LEDs
> and
> replaced it with the Top Ten Decoder box.
>
> I am using the same remote switch now with my Icom band decoder. I
> standardized the plug/socket set so they are all the same, so I can go
> back
> to the DX Engineering box easily.
>
> I'm thinking of buying a Yaesu and can reverse the Orion mod in the band
> decoder to make it a Yaesu unit if I can't sell it, but it seems a shame
> to
> waste the Orion mod and matching cable. I'd rather sell it so someone
> else
> can use it since they're no longer made.
>
> As you know, not having to turn or flip a switch to select the antenna
> when
> changing bands is convenient and good when one gets tired.
>
> Jim N7US
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
>
> Jim,
>
> OK, I think I understand what you were doing, you were using the Top Ten
> decoder to furnish the voltage for the relays in the DX Engineering box.
>
> When I designed my switching network, I built a box with a 12V power
> supply
>
> and 11 relays. The power supply furnished the voltage for both the RF
> switching relays out in the field and the 11 relays to route the proper
> polarity outside ( +, -, 0, and AC). The relays only needed to be
> grounded
> to close, so I used the Top Ten decoder outputs for that purpose.
>
> If you are wondering how I switch 11 antennas with only four polarities,
> the
>
> answer is I run a wire outside to the first relay box (Ameritron RCS-4)
> and
> use the 4 polarities to route the RF out 4 different coax's to additional
> relay boxes (the other RCS-4's and 4712's). All those relays are switched
> by injecting the control voltage on the coax.
>
> When I bought the Orion, the data jack does the same thing as the output
> of
> the Top Ten decoder, so I didn't need it any more.
>
> Dick K8ZTT
>
>
> Yes, when I was using the Yaseu radios, I had built a box with 11 eleven
> relays and a 12 V (actually it is closer to 18 V no load) power supply.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
>
>> The remote switch needs 12-18V DC to energize the relays. Doesn't the
>> band
>> data jack close a contact to ground for the selected band?
>>
>> Jim N7US
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>
>>
>> Jim,
>>
>> I am kind of curious as to why you needed the Top Ten band decoder with
>> the
>> Orion?
>>
>> When I had a Yausu FT-1000D and then a Mark V, I also had one of the Top
>> Ten decoders to do the same thing you were doing. Only difference is I
>> am
>> using three Ameritron RCS-4's and two MFJ 4712's spread out rather than
>> one
>> (like the DX Engineering unit).
>>
>> In any case, when I purchased the Orion, I sold the Top Ten unit because
>> the Orion has the bands already decoded on the Band Data connector, and I
>> no
>>
>> longer needed the top ten decoder.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>
>>
>>>I sold my Orion a couple of years ago but still have the Top Ten Devices
>>> Band Decoder. It was originally a Yaesu band decoder with the source
>>> driver
>>> option, and I added the $35 Orion mod kit and bought a $30 Orion cable
>>> for
>>> it. It works fine (was checked out by N2RD of Top Ten Devices since I
>>> don't
>>> have the Orion). I still have the couple of parts removed in the
>>> conversion, in case you want to convert it back to a Yaesu,
>>>
>>> I used it with a DX Engineering remote antenna switch on the tower.
>>> Changing
>>> bands on the radio changes the antenna switch automatically.
>>>
>>> Top Ten Devices no longer sells the Orion or the Yaesu-to-Orion mod kit.
>>> My
>>> cost was $155 for the unit, $35 for the mod kit, and $30 for the cable,
>>> for
>>> a total of $220. I'd like to sell the package for $175 plus shipping
>>> from
>>> near Chicago.
>>>
>>> The Top Ten Devices web site is http://www.qth.com/topten/bdecoder.htm.
>>>
>>>
>>> Jim N7US
>
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>
_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
|