DL1SNG Coupler

Published in the german ham radio magazine 'Funkamateur' - issues 11/01 to 11/04 - a remote controlled symmetrical antenna coupler is described for a max. output power of 1 KW. The author of this project is Norbert, DL1SNG, whom we already owe some other most beautiful ham radio construction projects.

When I read the articles I was so inspired about the concept of the coupler that I decided to build it based on the schematics published in issues 11/02 and 11/03.

With help of the illustrations in the published articles I got a rough imagination of the mechanical construction of the coupler. So I started to develop my own printed circuit boards. During the building phase of the Christian coupler I had gathered a lot of experience, especially regarding the remote control through the RS485 interface. Therefore I developed some of my own ideas for the control interface - deviating from the DL1SNG schematic. It is planned to control the coupler optionally by a stand-alone control interface comparable to the interface for the Christian coupler or by a PC. 

Meanwhile all PCB layouts are done and the PCBs for the L bank, the C bank as well as for the USB2RS485 interface are ready. Here I decided to use single sided PCBs which, however, require some wire jumpers. Comparing the cost saving to double layer plated-through boards this is quite easy to get over.

 


C-Bank 200 mm x 290 mm

L-Bank 200 mm x 290 mm


The size comparison with the 'Funkamateur' issue 11/01 shows that there is a lot of PCB area required for the L bank as well as for the C bank. My PCB maker luckily enough makes single sided PCBs up to the size of 200 mm x 290 mm, so that this problem could be solved.

Within the next weeks (or most probably 'months') I will report the construction progress as well as some development details.