Matronics Email Lists :: View topic - Antenna Switchbox plans/know-how?

Matronics Email Lists
Web Forum Interface to the Matronics Email Lists

Get Email Distribution Too! FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register

Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in

Antenna Switchbox plans/know-how?

Matronics Email Lists Forum Index -> RV-List

View previous topic :: View next topic

Author Message

riffeljl(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:06 pm Post subject: Antenna Switchbox plans/know-how?

I'd like to be able to connect my handheld to my external com1 antenna in an emergency. I know that the Icom Ant-SB does that - but it's about $75. Anyone built one (or know how to build one)?

  

 I'm GUESSING that it's just a simple shielded box with 3 BNCs (IN from Com1, OUT to Antenna and IN from handheld). When the handheld is plugged in, the BNC from Com1 would be disconnected (so the handheld doesn't xmit INTO Com1).

   

 Ideas anybody?

  [quote][b]

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

riffeljl(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:06 pm Post subject: Antenna Switchbox plans/know-how?

I'd like to be able to connect my handheld to my external com1 antenna in an emergency. I know that the Icom Ant-SB does that - but it's about $75. Anyone built one (or know how to build one)?

  

 I'm GUESSING that it's just a simple shielded box with 3 BNCs (IN from Com1, OUT to Antenna and IN from handheld). When the handheld is plugged in, the BNC from Com1 would be disconnected (so the handheld doesn't xmit INTO Com1).

   

 Ideas anybody?

  [quote][b]

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

retasker(at)optonline.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:33 pm Post subject: Antenna Switchbox plans/know-how?

The input from the handheld is just a 3.5mm phone plug.  When plugged 

in, it breaks the internal connection to comm1 and connects the handheld 

to the antenna.



Very simple to build, but make sure you get a HIGH quality female phone 

plug as you are counting on the internal switched contact to make the 

connection for comm1.



Dick Tasker



J Riffel wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   I'd like to be able to connect my handheld to my external com1 antenna 

 in an emergency. I know that the Icom Ant-SB does that - but it's 

 about $75. Anyone built one (or know how to build one)?

  

 I'm GUESSING that it's just a simple shielded box with 3 BNCs (IN from 

 Com1, OUT to Antenna and IN from handheld). When the handheld is 

 plugged in, the BNC from Com1 would be disconnected (so the handheld 

 doesn't xmit INTO Com1).

  

 Ideas anybody?


	


-- 

Please Note: 

No trees were destroyed in the sending of this message.  We do concede, however,

that a significant number of electrons may have been temporarily inconvenienced.

--

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

chaskuss(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:20 pm Post subject: Antenna Switchbox plans/know-how?

Bob Nucholls of the Aeroelectric List shows how to make one on his web site. I just looked there, but could not find it. I have seen it on there in the past. You might want to ask this question on the Aeroelectric List (on Matronics). Bob refers to this device as a "Com Tap".

Charlie Kuss

--- On Tue, 11/25/08, J Riffel <riffeljl(at)gmail.com> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   From: J Riffel <riffeljl(at)gmail.com>

 Subject: Antenna Switchbox plans/know-how?

 To: "rv-list" <rv-list(at)matronics.com>

 Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2008, 12:05 AM

 I'd like to be able to connect my handheld to my

 external com1 antenna in an

 emergency. I know that the Icom Ant-SB does that - but

 it's about $75.

 Anyone built one (or know how to build one)?

 

 I'm GUESSING that it's just a simple shielded box

 with 3 BNCs (IN from Com1,

 OUT to Antenna and IN from handheld). When the handheld is

 plugged in, the

 BNC from Com1 would be disconnected (so the handheld

 doesn't xmit INTO

 Com1).

 

 Ideas anybody?

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

msausen

Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Posts: 559
Location: Appleton, WI USA

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:41 pm Post subject: Antenna Switchbox plans/know-how?

I believe Bob yanked it from his site because he felt the Icom unit did the job adequately for the money.  I think there was also something about his he didn't like.



Michael Sausen



--

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

retasker(at)optonline.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 1:53 pm Post subject: Antenna Switchbox plans/know-how?

Bob yanked it because he was not impressed with the quality of the 

majority of mini-phone jacks in the marketplace now to which I can 

attest as well.  I am an electrical engineer and have lots of "stuff" 

that I have collected over the years (40 by now -  years that is).  

Comparing the new jacks with some I purchased many years ago there is a 

world of difference.  I suspect that you may be able to get good parts 

now if you search, but the readily available ones are not very good.  

The contacts are not very "springy" and quite easily take a "set".  

Since you are counting on the normally closed contacts to connect your 

primary radio to your antenna and these are the contacts that are moved 

by the plug when inserted, it is not a great design.



I would hope (but I do not know) that ICOM has found a very robust 

mini-jack to minimize (or hopefully eliminate) this issue.



You could also accomplish the same thing with a small switch to connect 

the antenna to either comm1 or to your handheld radio and enclose it in 

a box with three BNC connectors (antenna, comm1, handheld) but it would 

not be "automatic".



Dick Tasker



RV Builder (Michael Sausen) wrote:

[quote] 



 I believe Bob yanked it from his site because he felt the Icom unit did the job adequately for the money.  I think there was also something about his he didn't like.



 Michael Sausen



 --

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

John.Morrissey(at)csiro.a
Guest

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 7:19 pm Post subject: Antenna Switchbox plans/know-how?

Hi All,



A simple solution would be to have a male/female inline connector somewhere accessible in the cockpit. Radio fails, disconnect the cable and plug it into you handheld.



Cheers



John Morrissey



--

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

Display posts from previous:

	Matronics Email Lists Forum Index -> RV-List	All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

Jump to:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum