Recent additions to the shack include an aerial photo of Otradalur and a new Great Circle Map. I have also installed panels for Bandpass filters at each station A to D.
Currently viewing the tag: "The Shack"
One operating position is fully functional. The shack has 4 operating positions and each position can choose any available transmit antenna through a 100 kW Strip Line Matrix Switch remotely controlled.
The remaining tasks are to install panels at each operating position to plug in bandpass filters, install wiring for remote antenna switches and power combiners, install computers at positions C and D, wire up PTT control to the Strip Line Matrix switch (to prevent the possibility of hot-switching) and build an indicator panel for the switch.
I will now concentrate on the farm work until autumn before continuing with the project.
I have installed ceiling lights in the shack. My idea is based on Open Wire feeders and is made with original hardware combined with a 12V light system made by IKEA.
Very cool, even if I say so myself 
The table is made from 4 desks bolted together and is covered with 1mm aluminum sheet. Later the aluminum sheet will be covered with a proper desktop surface.
The new shack is taking shape. The next step will be to build the 4 position operating table.
I have now installed shelving for noisy equipment and linear amplifiers in the soundproof equipment room along with painting the floor.
I will begin the work of laying the Cork Parquet on the Shack floor tomorrow. Today with the assistance of my neighbor, Finnbjörn from Litlaeyri, I installed a 19″ Rack along with a 800 pound 500kHz KW transmitter with automatic tuning unit.
This transmitter uses 3 x 4-400 tubes in the final and awaits the day that TF radio amateurs will be allowed to use those frequencies.
I am about half done with laying the Cork Parquet Flooring, the last two photos show the progress.
Most of the cabling work is done. Electric power has been installed, 2x50A via shielded cable and over 20 circuit breakers. The Matrix Strip Line Antenna Switch has been connected, and receive antenna cabling is close to finished. The RX antenna patch panel is installed and connected. 8 receive antenna cables are routed from the patch panel into the Radio Shack and will be connected to a K9AY RAS8x2 receive antenna controller.
Equipment room cabling is progressing. The Matrix switch is connected and RX antenna patching is also complete. 2 x 50A Power has also been installed with shielded cabling.
48 Photos
I am still working on the construction of the new radio shack. The carpenters are finally finished and all that remains to be done is to paint, install power and lighting and build an operating table which will be 8 meters long.
The amplifiers will be located in the equipment room where the antenna switching will also take place with a Delta Electronics 100KW remote Strip Line Matrix.
I took some photos today to show the progress of the work.
Some older photos:
A Delta Electronics Model SLS-4M (4 transmitters by 7 antennas) will be installed in the new radio shack.
The switch weighs about 200 pounds. More information can be found at Toronto Surplus .
The strip-line switch is a compact, remotely controlled, 50 ohm switch matrix for connecting any of a number of transmitters having power outputs of up to 10 kW average to any of a number of antennas. The switch is based on a new design principle (1984) that permits an extremely compact system with excellent power handling capability, impedance and cross channel isolation characteristics.
The design of the switch makes it inherently impossible to connect one transmitter to another transmitter or two transmitters to one antenna. An electrical interlock system is built into the switch so that power is removed from the active circuits associated with any switch before the switch operation can be made. At the completion of the switching sequence the interlock circuit is rerouted and reconnected to protect the new active circuit.
I have now repaired the control cable and tested the unit with the local control unit and everything works perfectly.
Frequency Range:
DC to 300 MHz
DC to 300 MHz
Impedance:
50 ohms coaxial
Insertion VSWR:
1.10 maximum to 32 MHz
1.2 to 300 MHz
Power rating with unity VSWR
20 kW average, 100 kW peak to 32 MHz
5 kW average, 20 kW peak to 300 MHz
5 kW average, 20 kW peak to 300 MHz
Cross Channel Isolation:
70 dB minimum at 32 MHz
55 dB minimum at 300 MHz
Terminations:
7/8” EIA male flange
The SLS-4M is supplied with rear mounted rotary actuators to provide automated operation. The actuators operate from a 48 Vdc supply with a typical operate time of less than 200 msec.
I have the Local Control Unit which contains an interface to the RF switching matrix. Matrix operate time is approximately 0.5 second after a selection is completed by depressing the ANT Select pushbutton.
My plan is to have 7 rhombics and 4 transceivers permanently connected to the switch – 40m, 20m, 15m and 10m operating positions will then be able to choose any of the 7 rhombic antennas instantly.
