Don't know where best to post this and I
respect the knowledge base here so I'll
ask with the OT in the subject line. I'm
getting to the point I want to do less
effort and still do things right. I had
lightning damage to a K3 and don't want to
do that again.
What enters the house are:
- RX antenna controller cables One with 5
wires, one with 6.
- Antenna rotor cable 6 wires.
- The remote coax switch 7 wires.
- Two coax going to the amplifiers.
- Two RG-6 coax going to the Rx antennas.
I would also like to separate the 120 V
strips at the same time
What I would like to do... is have one or
two switches to flip that will allow
disconnect of all of this.
As it is now, I have to unscrew each coax
each time I close the shack and re-attach
the next time I'm in the shack. I made
molex connectors for the Rx controller
cables, have not yet done that with the
rotor cable nor the remote coax cable. I
unplug the power to the terminal strips
I was thinking of perhaps using relays (I
have a lot of SS relays but don't think
they would be usable in this endeavor.
Maybe relays like in the old SB-220 where
there were many individual relays
activated at the same time, would work for
control/rotor cables. But I wonder if the
air gap in such a relay would be
sufficient to be a barrier come another
lightning issue.
I have several vacuum & heavy contact air
gap relays that could do the job for the
coax. I also have some substantial relays
I could use for the power cords involved.
If I were to have all this in one
enclosure, it would be nice to get up,
flip a few switches and walk away knowing
my station is truly disconnected. At this
point I have time to do anything, and I
like making things, but only if it's worth
the time.
Thoughts?
73,
Gary
KA1J
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