How to connect Ham Radio Station Transmitter Receiver Dow Key Relay

Many requests for this information. Seems that the manuals are not very clear, diagrams are vague, so I decided to simplify the process. A quality Dow Key relay is key for a safe antenna change over with muting. All of my station are configured this way. Never any issues other that keeping the muting contacts clean. Running the old gear is fun + rewarding. If you follow this set-up information, you will have a reliable station. Remember always initially tune your transmitter into a dummy load, not on the air. This will prevent interference on the airwaves, plus give you an instant heads up is your antenna system has problems. Enjoy the hobby.

[@chumpchange1846]

Great workup Terry...nice to see you labeled the coax jacks at the back of the Viking II as well. A thought for a quick follow up video: 1) Adjusting the timing of a Dow Key relay, and 2) Cleaning the contacts of a Dow Key, which can be the same method used for cleaning contacts on CW key or paddle contacts.

[@learnhamradio]

Thank you, Terry. Very concise. A word of caution to prospective Dow Key buyers - the coils come in many voltages. Make sure to match it to the output of the rig.

[@stevstro4498]

Great video Terry & nice detail on wiring a DowKey relay for receiver muting/standby. I have a friend who wanted to get into "Ancient Modulation" & got a DowKey without the outboard muting contacts. He didn't tell me about this fact until after he hooked up everything & overloaded/damaged the front end of his receiver. Although I've never used one, I believe the Johnson 250-39 T/R switch also needs an external muting circuit. I'd advise anyone wanting to hook up discrete transmitters & receivers to view this video. Thanks again & 73, Steve/W9XF

[@billryland6199]

In about 1965 my Novice station was a Knight Kit T-60 transmitter and a Hammarlund Super Pro receiver. A Dow Key DK60G2C coax relay did the switching. I still have the relay.

[@jimgiordano8218]

Thanks Terry for the flash back. I had many of these relays back in the day. And I was about 13 at the time, and yes, I knew that there was HIGH voltage exposed on the back of my equipment. Got to love vacuum tube radios.

[@n8nkqrp595]

I'm an old fart ham into solid state design as well as 'valve' based gear restoration. My favorite aspect of the video is that you didn't begin a bunch of warnings, cautions, and unwanted PSAs. You treated the viewers - subscriber or not- as is they (we. lol) are intelligent. You seem fine with letting evolution happen! Happy new year and thanks!

[@mudflapjackson6830]

Thanks Terry, I’m trying to learn how to get into this Hobby.

[@bobwendoloski6970]

Thanks for posting all these great videos. I just picked up a John Viking Ranger off EBAY. I took a total leap of faith that the unit is fully restored electrically. Generally I buy stuff I can do myself but I am not real comfortable with tube transmitters and also I am pressed for time. I also got a DOW-KEY off EBAY for less than $30 that looks good. Great to see someone else enjoys a glass of wine with their ham radio! I often sit and listen to my antique radios sipping a glass of Merlot.

[@TheRadioShop]

Thanks for doing this Terry. Happy New Year

[@robertcalkjr.8325]

Thanks Terry. Happy New Year!

[@ojjenkins7110]

Happy New Year Terry. My AM-ing started with a Viking II. Went to the 32V-3/75A-2, all using the Dow Keys.

[@-east-coast-florist]

Awesome Setup.!! Great Video..!!

[@williammiller5490]

Terry, one other function that you didn't mention is that the relay also shorts the receiver output antenna line when in the transmit mode.

[@m0dad]

Very interesting video. Happy New Year from England 73 M0DAD

[@dennisbauer3315]

Thank you Happy New year for 2020 also, will the glass of wine make it work better? hi hi.

[@radioboyable]

BTW thanks for teaching the real ham radio.

[@clydebennish2106]

How would you mute a modern Short wave receiver? Most - if not all - lack the muting circuit the dow key relay opens. Lets see you use a home-brew qrp transmitter with say a Degen or Tecsun SW receiver... :)

[@bigguyprepper]

Seeing as how these are getting harder to find, how could one homebrew a similar device?

[@kirkh.2522]

Cool info. Always wanted to know how to link a transmitter and receiver. Just wondering did you ever work on a Swan 350? Take care and be safe.

[@RobertKohut]

Nice!!

[@superhet7281]

I’ve used a Johnson elecronic TR switch, but it does not mute the receiver. In that respect the Dow Key relay is better.

[@kareno8634]

That's Interesting ~ Thanks! Seems like an electrical storm Releasing the magnets, closing (opening) doors. ~ vision in Head ~ % )

[@woodenclocks6531]

Question. . .. My biggest problem lies in the VFO coming through the receiver in the receive mode. . . Do you use the other side of the dowkey relay to switch your VFO on and off? I have basically the same setup as you do, but I am using a S111 receiver. Your thoughts?

[@rciancia]

Terry, I admit I know nothing about this stuff, but what you showed is very cool. How much voltage is exposed back there on that DOW key ? Just curious

[@d-labelectronics]

The coil voltage is 120vac (line voltage) Only applied when transmitter is keyed. Would be good to add heat shrink on the terminals.

[@Tom-W7TMD]

My dowkey sometimes makes a spark with a popping noise when I unkey. Not every time but sometimes. I have cleaned the contact with deoxit but after I un key it will make a spark sometimes.

[@mikecallan6839]

I apologise scencerly

[@thechillhacker]

could you please do a video on rebuilding or servicing the dow keys? i picked one up accidentally with some silent key's (i dont have his call) antenna tuner project, but it does not work properly with the secondary contacts. I now have some tube gear and would love to make it all work. Before I can be too serious about repairing and tuning the radios, I need an antenna switching setup. I have the secondaries from another relay that came in the same project, but they are attached to a dead coil, so no love there in parallel from the 115vac coming from the transmitter. When I key the relay, the antenna switches, but even when i move the secondary (external) contacts over to the dow key, they don't actuate. there is an empty spot under the secondary contacts. does an insulated ferrite plug or something need to go in there? help me obi-wan kenobi, you're (apparently) my only hope. Thanks, and yes, I have my fine crystal filled with a tasty red wine (no, seriously.. haha) -Scott KD2QQK

[@eazystreet5507]

How about just using a Johnson 250-39 TR switch?

[@willpease5604]

Will something like an MFJ 1702 Antenna Switch do the job? I know it's manual, but is this enough or is muting still needed? I'm have a JRC NRD 525 and I'm looking to get a transmitter to accompany it, but I don't want to damage it. If this won't get the job done, you mentioned there are several Dow keys available. Can you recommend one?

[@larryhughes4334]

How to power a Dow key on collins 32v3

[@delosdmi]

I have the same transmitter but the top cover is missing. How can I find a replacement cover?...….KCØLUL

[@d-labelectronics]

Is this transmitter currently in use?

[@Only1Shadow]

Basking in the warm glow of vacuum tubes, scarf wrapped around your head to pad the army surplus cans, adjusting the plethora of frankenstein-esque knobs, listening for the distant calling of "CQ CQ CQ" among the hiss, pops, and whistles... Gotta admit I cringed a bit looking at the modern telephone hookup wire amidst the old school tech. But I highly approve of the RG-8 stripped and screwed down into connectors more apt for ladder line. Lol. Modern Transceivers have spoiled people by doing all that tuning and switching automatically - at least until you want to hook up an external linear amp: "Whaddya mean I need a sequencer... what the heck is that?" BTW - Would solid state theater have time in the next year or so to look at a slightly more modern Yaesu FT-757? It was given to me by a friend who is now silent key and I'd like to put it back on the air. Thanks for all the great videos! 73 DE W5SSJ

[@robertcalkjr.8325]

Does "silent key" mean passed away? My Uncle John passed away a few years ago. He was a HAM in Missouri. The best story teller I have ever heard. He was cool. I miss him.

[@Only1Shadow]

Yes... Technically Silent Key was used in Morse code (CW is full of abbreviations and shortcut codes so it was sent as "SK". CW qualifies at a unique language to the point where you can carry on QSO without a common spoken language) SK basically means no more transmissions from this station. If referring to a ham radio operator and not their equipment... when you see their callsign as N5SPL/SK you know they've passed away. BTW N5SPL/SK was my buddy and mostly responsible for my vanity callsign. Look me up on QRZ.com for the story. Charles was also the kind of guy I refer to as "everybody's elmer". There's a story behind how I ended up with that FT-757 from him...

[@victorsdunek3281]

Terry Do you have any old ham radios for sale like Hummerland, Hethkit any old style ham radios let me know What part of Michigan do you live I have family outside Detroit Happy NEW YEAR Aloha & 73!!

[@d-labelectronics]

Battle Creek, Mi. Is there something specific you are looking for?

[@clydebennish2106]

@@d-labelectronics Need some advice.. I want to get back to basics and operate split transmitter and receiver. I had some boat anchors years ago (national and halicrafters)but they just got too bulky and heavy... Im 62 now... Id like to find a pair of DC radios that will do the job but I really dont know what to look for... Im considering a nice old short wave receiver and then building some transmitters for fun but I really dont know which road to take... I have an FT897 but Im getting tired of it - it does everything but the laundry.. I bet I dont use but 10 percent of it's features. I wish I could just find some heathkits to play with but I dont think Id trust any other builder... Unbuilt kits would be impossible to find... Do you have any idea where Im going with this post... ?? Dont you ever just want to get back to the old days and have some radio fun without some nitwit telling you you're 200 cycles off freq, or having to rely on phase lock loops, eproms, or ICs that look like a 80 legged spider with bodies as long as a Laguardia runway. ??? I want radios I can work on without straining my eye sockets on smts. My first ham radio was an HW-8 that worked perfect from the first day. Ok, granted it was a transceiver, but the radio I had before that was a hallicrafters s-38. Qrp is great fun and Ive owned a few radios like the MFJs and such, but those little things just dont give me the nostalgia fix Im looking for..... You see how utterly lost I am.... Technology thrills me very little... in fact it underwhelms me. Im not really a contester, although Ive been in a few. Give me some tube finals to warm my shack, a drifting vfo to nimble my fingers, and a real old fashioned howdy doody QSO and Im in ham heaven. Help, Please... Radio suggestions and or donations would be welcomed and appreciated.

[@sshannon1948]

How available are Dow Key relays these days? I am an older ham who has been out of the hobby for years and honestly feel like my tech skills are low at this point. what is a good source for these TR switches?

[@d-labelectronics]

ebay is a good source, Range from $35-75 dollars. Make sure they are 115vac coil + have the external muting contacts

[@sshannon1948]

@@d-labelectronics Thank you...

[@bobwendoloski6970]

@@d-labelectronics I have not seen many of the 115 units on ebay, mostly 12,24,28 volt. Enjoy the videos, I have a bunch of old boat anchor receivers and antique radios but had not run a tube transmitter since the DX-100 back in my novice years. Looking to pick up a Ranger to pair with my SX-71 and S-20R. Had not thought about a Dow Key in a long time.

[@RobertKohut]

You point is "mute"....LOL

[@user-li8kk6jx1u]

Десять минут потратил на разговоры. Та шо там рассказывать? 6П3С + радиоприёмник ( можно балтика или другой), он же модулятор и подобрать позывной. И всё в ажуре!!!