As an alternative to running the feelines of my proposed multiple antennas
(dipoles, vee beam, etc.) in parallel 250 feet from the back pasture, I've
come up with an idea for remotely switching the feedlines. Here's the idea
for handling multiple open wire lines...switch them remotely using only the
center of the coax fittings on a remote coax antenna switch (the type that
switch 4, 6, or 8 coax antennas).
This might be accomplished at least three ways:
1) just hook one side of all the feedlines together and switch the other one
by plugging them (using banana plugs or similar) into the center conductor
of the coax fittings
2) have two coax switches, so that both sides of the feedlines are kept
separate and switched by throwing two coax switches in synchronization.
Which of these would work best, or neither? Would the impedence bump cause
any significant problem? Has someone actually tried this? What about
proximity between the feedlines gathered around the switches...would that
cause significant problems at the legal limit (I notice Cecil's switch
design has them pretty close to each other...but not this close)?
3) give up and go back to parallel lines until they reach the shack and
switch them with banana plugs.
One kind person responded privately with a picture of W6AM's home showing
the independent openwire feed lines going into the house about 8 different
places spaced about 2.5 feet apart, obviously to either dedicated
tuners/rigs or some horrendous switching network that was knife thrown. I
really don't want to do that, if I can avoid it.
This all is getting so complex, to presere my sanity and pocket book I might
just be forced to go back to resonant antennas on all bands so I can use
coax without undo loss! Hi!
73,
Greg, N6GK