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Re: [TowerTalk] How to mod a 40m 4-square for 10m use?

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] How to mod a 40m 4-square for 10m use?
From: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <lists@subich.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2022 20:09:26 -0500
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>

You've asked this question before in a different form.  Check the
archives for the prior thread.

I'll PRESUME the capacitors need to be a different value in the
exterior switch box, but to what?...anyone have a schematic for a
Comtek 4-square? (the outdoor portion)
You will need to change *both* the capacitors and the inductors.
Formulas for both inductors and capacitors are here:

<https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Transmission-line-and-lumped-element-based-a-90-coupler-and-b-phase-delay-cell_fig2_224208944>

The inductors should probably be wound as a bifilar pair on a properly
sized toroid core for the desired power level.

As an alternative, you could replace the lumped circuit with a coaxial
"rat race" as shown in the upper left of that same reference.  Since
50/(2)^.5 = 35 Ohms, the two "horizontal" legs can be a pair of 75 Ohm
cables in parallel with only minor impact.

73,

   ... Joe, W4TV


On 2022-01-22 5:22 PM, Mike Smith VE9AA wrote:
I am trying to go to all 4-squares like my contesting 4-sq buddy John, N8UM
in TN.

I am nearly there, having just installed a 15m one in time for CQWW CW.

There are no new dedicated 10m 4-squares to be found commercially, if my
internet searching skills
are telling me the truth, so recently I bought a 40m 4-Square (Older Comtek,
NOS)  and am hoping to mod it for 10m, but I have no idea where to start.

I'll PRESUME the capacitors need to be a different value in the exterior
switch box, but to what?...anyone have a schematic for a Comtek 4-square?
(the outdoor portion)

Apparently Tim, K3LR (DX Engineering) was not happy with the performance
from the 10m Comtek 4-squares, so is not selling them anymore. I can
definitely respect that decision to not produce a top-notch product.  I am
not looking to squeeze every fraction of a dB out of a 10m array.  I just
want something that 'works', is directional and has some modest amount of
gain.

(I have built several K1WA/K8UR arrays and am not totally happy with them)

My SO2R contest station uses a single horizontal antenna on the 2nd radio
and a bunch of vertical 4-squares on the primary radio.

Any ideas on the Comtek Mod fellas?

Tnx

Mike VE9Antenna Antenna

Mike, Coreen & Corey
Keswick Ridge, NB


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