TRRS

Since I am having some good luck for a change repairing things, I thought I would try to improve the performance of my 4 position Delta-4 antenna switch.
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Remember, I am no expert so take everything you see with that in mind.
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[@joesitter20101]

The idea behind using the flat straps is to maintain the 50 ohm impedance but NOT adding inductance as would be the case when using wires. Flat straps present very low inductance. Each of the troughs that contain the straps for each port constitutes a coaxial line and maintains the 50 ohms. An improvement would be to use gold or platinum metallization on the contacting surfaces rather than Silver because that metal easily becomes oxidized. The mechanical design doesn't scrub the contacts so it can't easily remove the native oxide with every actuation. Silver Oxide is a nonconductive ceramic material that is harder than pure Silver. Gold and Platinum do not oxidize when exposed to air at room temperature but Silver sure does. It's a bad choice here.

[@hamrad88]

Thanks for the useful info.

[@gratapaller]

I have built one for 4 antennas with relays, since I did not have any suitable switch, and I am going to build another similar one. Without voltage the antennas remain connected to ground. Greetings from Catalonia

[@ezl7052]

Looks like they are silver plated and the one with problems probably has oxidation on it or it's not making contact. You might wan to put a ohmmeter on the center lead on the ant. (main) connector and the switched one to see if there is continuity when you toggle #1 antenna switch function.

[@hamrad88]

See next show.

[@AG8000]

Today kost 120 Euro in Germany. Nice Video 👍👍

[@hamrad88]

Thanks for the information and have a great day.

[@DoRC]

I'm pretty sure the roller wasn't pushing on the strip on the bad channel

[@hamrad88]

You are correct.

[@Gypsyboy932]

Thanks for this video. Always wanted to look in these switches.

[@hamrad88]

You are welcome.

[@SpectreOZ]

Yeah me as well :)

[@QUADBOYification]

Great demo, never seen this from the inside. I would have insulated the plates with shielding (COAX MANTLE or PLASTIC) or replaced the plates with an actual 50 Ohm shielded COAX Up to the center ring. These plates being naked so near the housing is a mystery to me. It almost shorts. This can't be good to the signal.

[@joesitter20101]

The idea behind using the flat straps is to maintain the 50 ohm impedance but NOT adding inductance as would be the case when using wires. Flat straps present very low inductance. Each of the troughs that contain the straps for each port constitutes a coaxial line and maintains the 50 ohms. An improvement would be to use gold or platinum metallization on the contacting surfaces rather than Silver because that metal easily becomes oxidized. The mechanical design doesn't scrub the contacts so it can't easily remove the native oxide with every actuation. Silver Oxide is a nonconductive ceramic material that is harder than pure Silver. Gold and Platinum do not oxidize when exposed to air at room temperature but Silver sure does. It's a bad choice here.

[@DoRC]

it's nice that each connection shorts to itself when not in use. though you'd have to be careful hooking several radios to it as the ones no in use with be shorted out

[@hamrad88]

Yes, it is a pretty good design and used by a lot of people.

[@Sky1]

My friend said you can use a piece of paper to clean off oxidation without scoring the surface of contacts, is how he cleans his paddles

[@OnTheAir]

Early in the video it looks like the small nylon roller wheel was not really positioned correctly when switched under the #1 position which was later identified as the far right port as seen from the bottom.

[@hamrad88]

You are correct.

[@buzzsah]

Not crazy about the design. Have you checked with an ohms meter? Is it the switch or coax connector?

[@hamrad88]

It was the switch.

[@SpectreOZ]

Looks the blind squirrel is swimming in nuts today! LOL

[@hamrad88]

:)

[@Calico5string1962]

These switches are crap. I had two (brand new, from HRO) fail within 6 months. One was a bad solder joint (from the factory) at the SO-239 connector center-pin (where the little copper strap connects). This was allowing the copper strip to "pivot" which caused a direct short-to-ground on the case. I opened it up to investigate, and that's what I found. Alpha-Delta did replace it under warranty (that was good). The other one just burnt up, major failure at the contact points. I didn't even bother with it... That tiny area of contact surface, between the copper "strip" and the "common" strip is so small... certainly doesn't seem good enough for high power use (running legal-limit). It can easily over-heat when used heavily. If these are supposed to be "Mil-spec" switches, then our military gear has gone waaay down hill. LOL Just my humble opinion, from actual use (and failure analysis). 73, ~Alan

[@jmb874]

This was a dumb video... you never told us what caused the problem or if the contact cleaner did any good.

[@Machria23]

My guess is it wasn't lifting it high enough, and it stayed shorted under it.

[@Wowfacter]

Every 10 years, open these up, and take a little drug-store product called Tarn-X, and using a cotton swab, just clean off the oxides from the leaf contacts. Finally, wipe a moistened swap with a few drops of De-Oxit at the 4 switch junctures, and you are done for another 10 years.

[@hamrad88]

Good information. Thank you and have a great day.

[@descubrir1492]

Hello all, Do Rc is rigth, in 6:25 and 6:43 you can see for what ths switch dont work, the plastic roller dont up the 1st strip to make the real contac, like that the plastic roller or strip is short

[@1fanger]

You could blow out the switch, if you had compressed air.

[@hamrad88]

There was no dust.