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Old March 21st 09, 03:50 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.homebrew
Highland Ham[_2_] Highland Ham[_2_] is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Sep 2008
Posts: 21
Default Was my father's homebrew double conversion SW receiver a HBR?

Relays will most likely bring some grief over the years with contacts
not conducting 100% and such. Better use band switching diodes or PIN
diodes.

There is a trick with relays, they must conduct a minimum amount of
current or the contacts won't self clean. Using relays to switch
receiver input circuits that are only passing micro amps will eventually
cause problems. But, if you bias the circuits with some resistors so
the relay must switch at least a few milliamps they will last longer.
Another idea if the relays are computer controlled would be to switch in
a high current source (few hundred ma) before opening or closing the
desired relays, then switch off the high current source. Relays should
not be any worse than switches as far as contacts go, however rotary
switches would tend to be self cleaning due to the wiping action.
Relays are often used in switching low pass filers used after solid
state finals. Here they ARE carrying high current (rf output) but not
switching it.

=============================================
Had this relay switching problem with my (almost vintage) Ten Tec
Paragon trx (AD 1988) a few years ago and ordered a relay from TenTec ,
but never had to change ,because the original relay cleared itself.
Would suggest to operate an 'ailing' rx relay a number of times ,eg
10-20 times within a short period ; its contact(s) might then clear itself.

Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH